Stem-Changing Verbs

Overview Remember that verbs are divided into two parts. You have the infinitive ending and the stem. habl ar stem infinitive ending

Ok, sooo what are stem-changing verbs? Verbs whose stem undergo a spelling change. These are also known as boot verbs. Stem-changing verbs take regular present tense verb endings. The nosotros and vosotros forms DO NOT stem change.

Stem-Changing Categories o  ue e  i e  ie u  ue (only jugar)

o ue almorzar to eat lunch morir to die aprobar to approve mostrar to show colgar to hang mover to move (an object) contar to count, to tell probar to prove, test, sample, taste costar to cost recordar to remember devolver to return (an object) resolver to solve volver to return (from someplace) rogar to beg, pray dormir to sleep sonar to sound, ring encontrar to find soñar (con) to dream (about) morder to bite volar to fly

e  i bendecir (*) to bless impedir to impede competir to compete medir to measure conseguir to get, obtain pedir to ask for, to order corregir to correct perseguir to pursue, to persecute decir (*) to say, tell reír to laugh despedir(se) to dismiss, fire, to say goodbye repetir to repeat elegir to elect seguir to follow, continue freír to fry servir to serve sonreír to smile

e  ie acertar to guess, get right encender to light, kindle advertir to advise, warn entender to understand cerrar to close, shut fregar to scrub, wash dishes comenzar to begin hervir to boil confesar to confess mentir to lie consentir to consent negar to deny convertir to convert pensar (en) to think about defender to defend perder to lose empezar to begin preferir to prefer

How to conjugate You take the infinitive ending off. Change the stem of all verb forms except nosotros and vosotros. Add the appropriate ending in the present tense.

dorm ir Example stem infinitive ending We know that dormir is oue so the “o” will change in all forms except nosotros and vosotros.

dormir – to sleep Yo duermo. Nosotros dormimos. Tú duermes. Vosotros dormís. Él duerme. Ella duerme. Ud. duerme . Ellos duermen. Ellas duermen. Uds. duermen.

ped ir Another example stem infinitive ending We know that pedir is ei so the “e” will change in all forms except nosotros and vosotros.

pedir – to ask for, to order Yo pido. Nosotros pedimos. Tú pides. Vosotros pedís. Él pide. Ella pide. Ud. pide . Ellos piden. Ellas piden. Uds. piden.

prefer ir Y otro ejemplo…. stem infinitive ending We know that preferir is eie so the “e” closest to the infinitive will change in all forms except nosotros and vosotros.

preferir – to prefer Yo prefiero. Tú prefieres. Vosotros preferís. Nosotros preferimos. Tú prefieres. Vosotros preferís. Él prefiere. Ella prefiere. Ud. prefiere . Ellos prefieren. Ellas prefieren. Uds. prefieren.

Practice Write the correct form of the verb in parenthesis. Mis amigos ___________ a la una. (almorzar) Los estudiantes ____________ la respuesta correcta. (encontrar) En el restaurante, nosotros __________ una tortilla. (pedir) La maestra ___________ las palabras para los estudiantes. (repetir) Tu ____________ la limonada en vez del refresco. (preferir) almuerzan encuentran pedimos repite prefieres