stem change verbs
TRANSCRIPT
Stem-changing verbs are different from regular verbs because when you conjugate these verbs, not only do you change the endings but you also change the stem (except for the nosotros form).
Quick Review: A verb has two parts - the stem and the ending.
For example: perder (to lose) Perd + er
Stem Ending
In verbs that have an e to ie change, when you conjugate the verb, you change the ‘e’ in the stem to ‘ie’ in all forms except the nosotros form.
cerrar – to closecomenzar – to beginempezar – to beginpensar – to think
Examples of e ie Stem-Changing verbs in the present tense:
entender – to understandperder – to losequerer – to want
preferir – to preferreferir – to refersentir – to feel, to regret
Tener (to have) and Venir (to come) are also e-ie stem-changing verbs but these verbs have an irregular ‘yo’ form.
TENER – to have
Yo tengo Nosotros tenemos
Tú tienes
Él
Ella tieneUsted
Ellos
Ellas tienenUstedes
VENIR – to come
Yo vengo Nosotros venimos
Tú vienes
Él
Ella vieneUsted
Ellos
Ellas vienenUstedes
In verbs that have an o to ue change, when you conjugate the verb, you change the ‘o’ in the stem to ‘ue’ in all forms except the nosotros form.
almorzar – to eat lunchcontar– to countcolgar – to hangcostar – to costencontrar – to meet to findmostrar – to showrecordar – to remembervolar – to fly
Examples of o ue Stem-Changing verbs in the present tense:
poder – to be able tovolver – to returnllover – to rain
dormir – to sleep
In the verb, Jugar (to play) the stem-change is u - ue.
Jugar – to play
Yo juego Nosotros jugamos
Tú juegas
Él
Ella juegaUsted
Ellos
Ellas jueganUstedes
In verbs that have an e to i change, when you conjugate the verb, you change the ‘e’ in the stem to ‘i’ in all forms except the nosotros form.
pedir – to ask for, to orderrepetir – to repeatservir – to serveseguir – to follow, to continueconseguir – to get
Examples of e i Stem-Changing verbs in the present tense:
The verbs Seguir (to follow, to continue) and Conseguir (to get) are e-i stem-changing verbs but these verbs have an irregular ‘yo’ form. You drop the letter ‘u’ in the Yo form.
SEGUIR – to follow, to continue Yo sigo Nosotros seguimos
Tú sigues
Él Ella sigueUsted
EllosEllas siguenUstedes
CONSEGUIR – to get Yo consigo Nosotros conseguimos
Tú consigues
Él Ella consigueUsted
EllosEllas consiguenUstedes