SPANISH STEM-CHANGING VERBS e→ie o→ue u→ue e → i
Los verbos que cambian e→ie Tener Querer Pensar Empezar Comenzar Perder To have To want To think To begin (start) To lose
How do these verbs work?
STEM-CHANGING VERBS GIVE THEIR STEMS THE BOOT!
Preferir
Preferir – to want First, let’s just add all the correct endings.
Verb endings If a verb ends in –ar, you add: o as a amos an
Verb endings If a verb ends in – er, you add: o es e emos en if a verb ends in – ir, you add: o es e imos en
So, since “preferir” ends en “ir” (preferir), which endings will we add? The “ir” endings: o es e imos en
Preferir prefer o emos e es en
Now, let’s add our stem change. Remember, only the e in the stem can change. quer er perd er If there are two e’s in the stem, the second one always changes. prefer ir empez ar
Now let’s change the stems. Remember, e can change to ie only within the boot. This means the nosotros form never changes!
Preferir prefierprefer prefier oimos e es en
The u→ue and o→ue verbs work the same way. Poder Jugar Dormir Soñar Volver Devolver to be able to (can) to play to sleep to dream to return (to a place) to return (a thing)
First, find the o or u in the stem that is going to change P o der Jugar D o rmir S o ñar V o lver Dev o lver
Then, decide which verb endings you will use. For jugar: o as a amos an For poder: o es e emos en
Then change it in the boot juegojugamos juegas juegajuegan
Poder – To be able to p__dpod p__d o es e emos en ue
Los verbos e→i PedirPido Pides Pide Pedimos Piden ServirSirvo Sirves Sirve Servimos Sirven DecirDigo Dices Dice Decimos Dicen SonreírSonrío Sonríes Sonríe Sonreímos Sonríen ReírRío Ríes Ríe Reímos Ríen