Working with Stem-Changing Verbs How verbs change

What is a stem-changing verb? Stem-changing verbs are like other verbs in Spanish, except they are a little irregular when you go to conjugate them, meaning they don’t keep the same pattern that you are used to when conjugating normal verbs. For example, hablar, comer, and salir are all examples of normal –ar, -er, and –ir verbs. This means that when we go to conjugate them, they follow a simple, regular pattern of conjugation.

Regular Verbs vs. Stem-changing Verbs For example, HABLAR: Hablar yo nosotros tú él/ella/usted ellos, ellas, ustedes hablo hablas habla hablamos hablan

Regular Verbs vs. Stem-changing Verbs However, stem-changing verbs also make an additional change in the spelling of the word before adding the conjugated endings, except in the nosotros y vosotros forms. empezar (eie) yo nosotros tú él/ella/usted ellos, ellas, ustedes empezamos empiezan empiezo empiezas empieza

How to I recognize stem-changing verbs? There is good news and bad news. The bad news is that there is no fast and easy way to identify if a new verb is a stem-changing verb without seeing some examples of conjugations or looking it up in the dictionary. The good news is that there are only really three main classes of stem-changing verbs: oue eie ei (uue)

How to I recognize stem-changing verbs? A few more helpful hints: The only verbs that change from ei are all –ir verbs. If you know a verb is a stem- changing verb and it has an o, it most likely is an oue stem- changing verb. Learn stem-changing verbs by ear (what sounds right) and memorization. Practice makes perfect!

Let’s practice conjugating a stem-changing verb. Carlos ir al cine. Carlos (to want) to go to the movie theatre. querer First, we need to ask ourselves, Are we conjugating for nosotros or vosotros? If so, we can just conjugate normally since there is no spelling change for nosotros or vosotros. The answer is no. We are conjugating for CARLOS or in other words, él.

Let’s practice conjugating a stem-changing verb. ✗ Carlos ir al cine. Carlos (to want) to go to the movie theatre. quer querer Second, we need to find the stem. We do this by taking off the –ar, -er, or –ir. In this case, we take the –er off of querer. This leaves us with the stem that we need to change based upon the type of stem-changer it is.

Let’s practice conjugating a stem-changing verb. Carlos ir al cine. Carlos (to want) to go to the movie theatre. quer Now we need to change the spelling of our stem, based upon the type of stem-changer that the verb is. We need to ask ourselves, what kind of stem-changer is QUERER? The answer is eie. How do I know this? I memorized it.

Let’s practice conjugating a stem-changing verb. Carlos ir al cine. Carlos (to want) to go to the movie theatre. quer quer Now that we know that it is an eie stem-changing verb, we need to locate the vowel that must be changed. Look for the last “e” in the stem. Many times this is the only “e” in the stem.

Let’s practice conjugating a stem-changing verb. Carlos ir al cine. Carlos (to want) to go to the movie theatre. quier quer Now that we know that it is an eie stem-changing verb and we have found the correct vowel to change, now we change the vowel to the other vowel(s) we need to make the stem-change. Because querer is an eie stem-changing verb, we will change it to ie.

Let’s practice conjugating a stem-changing verb. Carlos ir al cine. Carlos (to want) to go to the movie theatre. quier e Now we have our stem changed, we just need to conjugate the verb as we would normally for the type of verb it is. In this case, an –er verb since QUERER ends in “er”. Since Carlos is our subject, we want to conjugate for él by adding the normal –e ending.

There is a fairly large group of verbs in Spanish that undergo changes in their stem when conjugated in the present tense. When a line is drawn around the forms that change, the resulting shape vaguely resembles a boot, and so sometimes these verbs are called “boot”/“shoe” verbs. empezar (eie) yo nosotros tú él/ella/usted ellos, ellas, ustedes empiezo empiezas empieza empezamos empiezan There are three types or classes of “boot” verbs. There is also jugar which changes from uue.

Type 1: e  ie entender entiendo entendemos entiendes entendéis We’ll use entender, to understand, as an example of this type. entender entiendo entiendes entiende entendemos entendéis entienden Yo Tú Él, Ella Usted Nosotros Vosotros Ellos, Ellas Ustedes The stem undergoes the change only when stressed.

Here are some other common e  ie verbs: empezar to begin pensar [en] (+infinitive) to think; to plan (to do something) perder to lose preferir to prefer querer to want, to love

tener, venir tengo tienes tiene tenemos tenéis tienen vengo vienes The verbs tener and venir are what might be called partial stem-changing verbs; the yo forms do not have the stem change, but they do change their stems. Yo Tú Él, Ella Usted Nosotros Vosotros Ellos, Ellas Ustedes tengo tienes tiene tenemos tenéis tienen Tengo exámenes mañana. I have exams tomorrow. vengo vienes viene venimos venís vienen Vengo de la biblioteca. I’m coming from the library.

Type 2: e  i servir sirvo sirves sirve servimos servís sirven We’ll use servir, to serve, as an example of this type. servir Yo Tú Él, Ella Usted sirvo sirves sirve servimos servís sirven Nosotros Vosotros Ellos, Ellas Ustedes Note: All e  i verbs are -ir verbs.

Here are some other common e  i verbs: conseguir to get, to obtain pedir to ask for, to request repetir to repeat, to have a second helping seguir to follow

decir digo dices dice decimos decís dicen Digo la verdad. The verb decir is another partial stem-changing verb; the yo form does not have the stem change, but they do change their stems. Yo Tú Él, Ella Usted Nosotros Vosotros Ellos, Ellas Ustedes digo dices dice decimos decís dicen Digo la verdad. I am telling the truth.

We’ll use almorzar, to have lunch, as an example of this type. Type 3: o  ue We’ll use almorzar, to have lunch, as an example of this type. almorzar Yo Tú Él, Ella Usted almuerzo almuerzas almuerza almorzamos almorzáis almuerzan Nosotros Vosotros Ellos, Ellas Ustedes

jugar juego juegas juega jugamos jugáis juegan Yo Tú Él, Ella Usted The verb jugar, to play (games or sports), follows the same pattern as o  ue verbs, but the change is u  ue. jugar juego juegas juega jugamos jugáis juegan Yo Tú Él, Ella Usted Nosotros Vosotros Ellos, Ellas Ustedes

*Costar is normally used only in the third persons. Here are some other common o  ue verbs: costar* to cost dormir to sleep encontrar to find poder to be able; can recordar to remember soñar (con) to dream (about) volver to go back, to return to a place *Costar is normally used only in the third persons.

Let’s practice conjugating a stem-changing verb. Carlos ir al cine. Carlos (to want) to go to the movie theatre. quiere So this is how you conjugate a stem-changing verb. It really isn’t that hard, is it? Remember the steps: If it is for nosotros, conjugate normally. Find the stem. Find the correct vowel. Change the vowel to the new vowel(es). Add the correct conjugated ending.

A couple of things to remember… Remember that TENER, DECIR, and VENIR are irregular verbs as well and not only stem- changing verbs. They all take an –go in the yo form instead of the regular spelling change This only happens in the yo form. Verbo Tener eie Venir Decir ei Yo tengo vengo digo

Now, why don’t you try? El libro (costar) mucho dinero. Los estudiantes (devolver) los papeles de Sr. Bowerman. Yo (dormir) mucho los fines de semana. Nosotros (encontrar) a la abuela en la cocina. El maestro (mostrar) cómo hacer la tarea. cuesta devuelven duermo encontramos muestra

Now, why don’t you try? El gato (morir) porque no tiene comida. Tú (poder) hacer la tarea muy bien. Mis hermanos (probar) la comida mexicana. Mi padre (recordar) mi cumpleaños cada año. Jesus (volver) muy pronto. muere puedes prueban recuerda vuelve

Now, you try… Yo (cerrar) la puerta de la casa. Nosotros (despertar) a las seis para ir a la escuela. David (empezar) la tarea antes de ver la televisión. Los estudiantes (entender) el español. ¿Tú y Marcos (pensar) en venir a Shiloh? cierro despertamos empieza entienden piensan

Now, you try… Las chicas (perder) el juego. Tú (preferir) tomar soda. Yo (querer) comer pizza. Los niños (sentar) en la alfombra. Nosotros lo (sentir) mucho. Sr. Jones (venir) a la clase. pierden prefieres quiero sientan sentimos viene

Now, you try… Tú quieres (conseguir) un libro de francés. Yo (decir) la verdad. Nosotros (despedir) a Carlos hoy a las tres. David (pedir) ayuda con la tarea. Ellos (reír) mucho. Tú (repetir) la pregunta. conseguir digo despedimos pide ríen repites

Now, you try… Todos los niños (seguir) a la maestra. Yo (servir) a Cristo. Nosotros (sonreír) mucho. Tú (vestir) en tu mejor vestido para la fiesta. siguen sirvo sonreímos vistes