Present Tense Stem-Changing Verbs

Page 10 – Lección PreliminarAvancemos 3

Stem-Changing Verbs

Remember that in Spanish there are three groups of stem-changing verbs.

The stem change occurs in all forms except the nosotros(as) and vosotros(as) forms.

Stem-Changing Verbs

The 3 groups are

– e – ie– o – ue– e – i

Stem-Changing Verbs

Let´s look at some verbs that have a stem change of e > ie:

PERDER (e > ie) – to lose

pierdo

pierdes

pierde

perdemos

perdéis

pierden

Stem-Changing Verbs (e > ie)empezar

querer

preferir

pensar

divertirse

despertarse

sentirse

mentir

cerrar

comenzar

entender

to begin

to want

to prefer

to think, plan

to have fun

to wake up

to feel

to lie

to close

to begin

to understand

Stem-Changing Verbs

Let´s look at some verbs that have a stem change of o > ue:

PODER (o > ue) – to be able to, can

puedo

puedes

puede

podemos

podéis

pueden

Stem-Changing Verbs (o > ue)jugar (u > ue)

contar

costar

encontrar

recordar

volar

dormir

volver

devolver

acostarse

almorzar

to play

to count, tell a story

to cost

to find, meet

to remember

to fly

to sleep

to return

to return something

to go to bed

to eat lunch

PEDIR (e > i) – to ask for, to order

pido

pides

pide

pedimos

pedís

piden

Stem-Changing Verbs (e > i)servir

repetir

reír

sonreír

seguir

vestirse

to serve

to repeat

to laugh

to smile

to follow, continue

to dress

REÍR (e > i) – to laugh

río

ríes

ríe

reímos

reís

ríen

SONREÍR (e > i) – to smile

sonrío

sonríes

sonríe

sonreímos

sonreís

sonríen