Present Tense (el presente)
What you do/are doing now.
-AR (hablar)
hablo · hablas · habla · hablamos · habláis · hablan -ER (comer)
como · comes · come · comemos · coméis · comen -IR (vivir)
vivo · vives · vive · vivimos · vivís · viven Cambridge IGCSE Spanish 0530
🇪🇸 IGCSE Spanish Reference Sheet 2026
Verb conjugations, ser/estar, grammar rules, topic vocabulary and exam technique for listening, reading, writing and speaking — your complete Cambridge IGCSE Spanish 0530 reference for 2026.
Tenses & Verbs Ser vs Estar Topic Vocabulary Four Skills
Our reference sheets are free to download — save this one as PDF for offline revision.
Aligned with the latest 2026 syllabus and board specifications. This sheet is prepared to match your exam board’s official specifications for the 2026 exam series.
All the Core Cambridge IGCSE Spanish Grammar & Vocabulary in One Place
Cambridge IGCSE Spanish (0530) tests four skills — listening, reading, speaking and writing — across five broad topic areas. This reference sheet brings together every essential tense, grammar rule and topic vocabulary you need, plus exam technique for each paper.
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All exam tenses: present, preterite, imperfect, future, conditional, subjunctive
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Ser vs Estar, por vs para, key grammar distinctions
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Topic vocabulary across the five Cambridge topic areas
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Exam technique for listening, reading, writing and speaking
Verb Conjugations — Regular -AR, -ER, -IR Verbs
Master the regular endings first; irregular verbs build on this foundation.
Preterite Tense (el pretérito indefinido)
Completed actions in the past at a specific time.
-AR endings
-é, -aste, -ó, -amos, -asteis, -aron -ER/-IR endings
-í, -iste, -ió, -imos, -isteis, -ieron Example: hablar
hablé · hablaste · habló · hablamos · hablasteis · hablaron Trigger words: ayer, anoche, la semana pasada, hace dos años
Imperfect Tense (el imperfecto)
Used to / was -ing — habits, descriptions and background in the past.
-AR endings
-aba, -abas, -aba, -ábamos, -abais, -aban -ER/-IR endings
-ía, -ías, -ía, -íamos, -íais, -ían Irregulars (only 3!)
ser → era · ir → iba · ver → veía Trigger words: siempre, todos los días, normalmente, cuando era pequeño/a
Future Tense (el futuro)
What WILL happen.
Formula
Infinitive + -é, -ás, -á, -emos, -éis, -án Example: hablar
hablaré · hablarás · hablará · hablaremos · hablaréis · hablarán Near future
IR + a + infinitive — 'voy a comer' = I'm going to eat Irregular stems
tener → tendr- · poder → podr- · hacer → har- · salir → saldr- · poner → pondr- · querer → querr- · saber → sabr- Conditional (el condicional)
Would / polite requests.
Formula
Infinitive + -ía, -ías, -ía, -íamos, -íais, -ían (same irregular stems as future) hablaría · comería · viviría Perfect Tense (el pretérito perfecto)
Has/have done — recently completed actions.
Formula
HABER (present) + past participle. he/has/ha/hemos/habéis/han + -ado/-ido Past participles
hablar → hablado · comer → comido · vivir → vivido Common irregulars
hacer → hecho · ver → visto · escribir → escrito · decir → dicho · poner → puesto · abrir → abierto · romper → roto · volver → vuelto Pluperfect (el pluscuamperfecto)
Had done — completed before another past action.
Formula
HABER in imperfect (había/habías/había/habíamos/habíais/habían) + past participle había hablado = I had spoken Present Subjunctive (el subjuntivo)
Used after expressions of doubt, emotion, necessity, wishes.
Formation
Take 'yo' present-tense stem (drop -o) → -AR uses -E endings · -ER/-IR uses -A endings -AR (hablar)
hable · hables · hable · hablemos · habléis · hablen -ER/-IR (comer/vivir)
coma · comas · coma · comamos · comáis · coman Triggers: querer que, ojalá, espero que, dudar que, no creer que, es importante que
Common Irregular Verbs
These appear in every IGCSE paper — memorise them in present, preterite, imperfect and future.
SER (to be — permanent) — present
soy · eres · es · somos · sois · son Preterite
fui · fuiste · fue · fuimos · fuisteis · fueron ESTAR (to be — temporary/location) — present
estoy · estás · está · estamos · estáis · están Preterite
estuve · estuviste · estuvo · estuvimos · estuvisteis · estuvieron TENER (to have) — present
tengo · tienes · tiene · tenemos · tenéis · tienen Preterite
tuve · tuviste · tuvo · tuvimos · tuvisteis · tuvieron IR (to go) — present
voy · vas · va · vamos · vais · van Preterite
fui · fuiste · fue · fuimos · fuisteis · fueron (same as SER) HACER (to do/make) — present
hago · haces · hace · hacemos · hacéis · hacen Preterite
hice · hiciste · hizo · hicimos · hicisteis · hicieron Other Key Irregulars (yo form, present)
PODER → puedo · QUERER → quiero · DECIR → digo · VENIR → vengo · PONER → pongo · SALIR → salgo · TRAER → traigo · CONOCER → conozco · SABER → sé · DAR → doy · VER → veo · OÍR → oigo Ser vs Estar — A Cambridge Favourite
Both translate as 'to be' — but use the wrong one and meaning changes.
Use SER for...
DOCTOR mnemonic
Description (permanent) · Occupation · Characteristic · Time/Date · Origin · Relationship Es alto. (He is tall.) · Soy estudiante. (I'm a student.) · Es de España. Use ESTAR for...
PLACE mnemonic
Position · Location · Action (progressive) · Condition (temporary) · Emotion Estoy cansado. (I'm tired.) · Está en casa. (He's at home.) · Estoy estudiando. (I'm studying.) Meaning Changes
ser aburrido = to be boring · estar aburrido = to be bored ser listo = to be clever · estar listo = to be ready ser bueno = to be good (character) · estar bueno = to be tasty / look good Articles, Nouns & Adjectives
Definite Articles (the)
el (m. sing) · la (f. sing) · los (m. pl) · las (f. pl) Indefinite Articles (a/an/some)
un (m.) · una (f.) · unos (m. pl) · unas (f. pl) Noun Gender Rules
Most -O = masculine (el libro) · Most -A = feminine (la casa) Common exceptions: el día, el mapa, el problema, la mano, la foto, la moto Adjective Agreement
Adjectives agree in gender AND number: alto/alta/altos/altas Adjectives ending in -e or consonant don't change for gender: inteligente, joven, fácil Most adjectives go AFTER the noun — el coche rojo (the red car).
Comparative & Superlative
Comparative
más + adj. + que (more than) · menos + adj. + que (less than) · tan + adj. + como (as...as) Superlative
el/la/los/las + más/menos + adj. (de) — el más alto Irregular
bueno → mejor · malo → peor · grande → mayor · pequeño → menor Pronouns, Connectors & Negatives
Subject Pronouns
yo · tú · él/ella/usted · nosotros/as · vosotros/as · ellos/ellas/ustedes Often dropped — verb endings show the subject.
Direct Object Pronouns
me · te · lo/la · nos · os · los/las Position: BEFORE the verb. 'Lo veo' = I see him/it.
Indirect Object Pronouns
me · te · le · nos · os · les When using both, indirect comes BEFORE direct: 'Me lo dio' = He gave it to me.
Reflexive Pronouns
me · te · se · nos · os · se Me llamo Juan. (I call myself Juan.) · Se levanta a las siete. Negatives
no (not) · nunca/jamás (never) · nada (nothing) · nadie (nobody) · ningún/o/a (no/none) · ni...ni (neither...nor) · tampoco (neither, either) Double negatives are NORMAL: 'No quiero nada.' = I don't want anything.
Question Words
¿qué? (what) · ¿quién(es)? (who) · ¿cuándo? (when) · ¿dónde? (where) · ¿por qué? (why) · ¿cómo? (how) · ¿cuánto/a/os/as? (how much/many) · ¿cuál(es)? (which) Por vs Para
Por
Reason/cause · Duration · Exchange · Movement through · Means (por avión) Para
Purpose/goal · Destination · Recipient · Deadline · Opinion (para mí) Five Cambridge IGCSE Spanish Topic Areas (2026)
Build vocabulary banks for each — examiners reward range and accuracy.
1. Everyday activities
Home life, school, food and drink, health and fitness.
Sub-themes
la casa, la rutina diaria, el colegio, las asignaturas, las comidas, la salud, el deporte Key verbs
levantarse, desayunar, estudiar, jugar, comer, hacer deporte 2. Personal and social life
Self, family and personal relationships, holidays and special occasions.
Sub-themes
la familia, los amigos, las fiestas, las vacaciones, el carácter, la apariencia Key verbs
llevarse bien con, discutir, celebrar, ir de vacaciones 3. The world around us
Home town and local area, the natural environment, people, places and customs.
Sub-themes
mi ciudad, el barrio, las tiendas, el transporte, el medio ambiente, el clima Key verbs
vivir, reciclar, contaminar, proteger, coger el autobús 4. The world of work
Continuing education, careers and employment, language and communication in the workplace.
Sub-themes
los oficios, las prácticas, la universidad, el futuro, el dinero, los idiomas Key verbs
trabajar, ganar, estudiar, llegar a ser, esperar 5. The international world
Tourism at home and abroad, life in other countries, world events and issues.
Sub-themes
el turismo, los países hispanohablantes, las noticias, la pobreza, los medios Key verbs
viajar, visitar, descubrir, informarse, entender Useful Connectives & Phrases for Top Marks
These give your writing and speaking sophistication — drop several into every essay/conversation.
Opinion Phrases
Pienso que... · Creo que... · En mi opinión... · Según yo... · A mi modo de ver... Estoy de acuerdo (con) · No estoy de acuerdo · Me parece que... Connectives
y · pero · o · porque · ya que · así que · sin embargo · aunque · no obstante · por ejemplo · además Sequencing
primero · luego · después · entonces · finalmente · al principio · al final Time Markers
ayer · hoy · mañana · el fin de semana pasado · el año que viene · hace dos años · durante · desde Higher-Level Phrases
es esencial que (+ subjunctive) · si pudiera... · lo que me interesa es... · no solo... sino también... · vale la pena (+ infinitive) Exam Technique — All Four Skills
Different papers need different strategies. Match yours to the question type.
Listening (Paper 1)
~50 minutes. Multiple-choice and short-answer questions.
Read all questions BEFORE the audio plays · Predict vocabulary · Listen for negatives, time markers, qualifiers You hear each section twice. Use the second listen to confirm, not start from scratch.
Reading (Paper 2)
~1 hour. Short tasks and a longer text response.
Skim for gist → scan for specific information → read carefully for inference Beware false friends and watch for negatives that flip meaning.
Speaking (Paper 3)
Role play + topic presentation + general conversation.
Role play tip
Prepare 2 sentences per cue. Use 'me gustaría', 'podría usted...', polite (usted) forms Presentation
Plan a 1–2 minute presentation with intro, 3 ideas with examples, conclusion. Use a range of tenses. Conversation
Aim for at least one example each of: opinion, past tense, future tense, justification Writing (Paper 4)
Short and longer written tasks.
Plan: introduction · 2–3 main points (each in different tense) · conclusion Range = different tenses · varied vocabulary · connectives · opinion + justification · subjunctive (one example) Re-read your work: check verb endings, agreements, accents (á é í ó ú ñ).
How to Use This Reference Sheet
Boost your Cambridge exam confidence with these proven study strategies from our tutoring experts.
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Speak Out Loud Daily
Even 10 minutes of speaking in Spanish daily — about your day, opinions, plans — builds the fluency examiners reward in Paper 3.
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Build Topic Vocabulary Banks
For each of the 5 topics, build a list of 30+ words organised by sub-theme. Add useful verbs and connectives next to each.
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Use a Range of Tenses
Top-band writing uses present, preterite, imperfect AND future tenses. Plan to include each in every long writing answer.
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Listen to Spanish Daily
Use slow news, Spanish podcasts (e.g. News in Slow Spanish, Notes in Spanish) or short YouTube videos. Ear training is the most-skipped revision step.
Reference Sheet FAQ
Quick answers about this free PDF and how to use it for exam revision and active recall.
Is the IGCSE Spanish Reference Sheet 2026 free to download as a PDF?
Yes. This Tutopiya formula sheet is free to use and you can download it as a PDF from this page for offline revision. There is no payment or account required for the PDF download.
What Spanish topics and equations does this formula sheet cover?
This page groups key Spanish formulas in one place for revision. Master Cambridge IGCSE Spanish (0530) with this 2026 reference sheet. Covers verb conjugations across all tenses, ser/estar, key grammar, the five topic areas and exam technique for listening, reading, writing and spe… Always cross-check with your official syllabus and past papers for your exam session.
Can I use this instead of the official exam formula booklet in the exam?
No. In the exam you must follow only what your exam board allows in the hall—usually the official formula booklet or data sheet where provided. This page is a revision and teaching aid, not a replacement for board-issued materials.
Who is this formula sheet for (Secondary)?
It is written for students preparing for assessments at Secondary in Spanish, including classroom revision, homework support, and independent study. Teachers and tutors can also share it as a quick reference.
How should I revise with this formula sheet?
Work through past paper questions, quote the correct formula before substituting values, and check units and notation every time. Pair this sheet with timed practice and mark schemes so you see how examiners expect working to be set out.
Where can I get more help with Spanish revision?
Explore Tutopiya’s study tools, past paper finder, and revision checklists linked from our tools hub, or book a trial lesson with a subject specialist for personalised support alongside this formula reference.
Need Help with IGCSE Spanish Speaking & Writing?
Practice Cambridge-style role plays, presentations and writing tasks with a native or near-native Spanish tutor. We focus on tense range, ser vs estar, vocabulary breadth and exam technique.
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This reference sheet aligns with Cambridge Assessment International Education IGCSE Spanish (0530) syllabus content for 2026 examinations.
Always include examples of past, present AND future tenses in every long writing answer — range of tenses is heavily rewarded.