Stem Changing Verbs Spanish

What are the types of stem changing verbs?

Remember, there are three types of infinitives: -ar, -er, -ir. Infinitives are made up of two parts: the ending and the stem. 

hablar – habl (stem) + ar (ending)
comer – com (stem) + er (ending)
vivir – viv (stem) + ir (ending)

With regular verbs, the stem stays the same, and the ending changes as they are conjugated.

Subject – hablar (to speak) – comer (to eat) – vivir (to live)

Yo (I)-hablo-como-vivo

Tú (You)(Informal)-hablas-comes-vives

Usted (You)(Formal)-habla-come-vive

Él/Ella(He/She)-habla-come-vive

Nosotros(as)(We)-hablamos-comemos-vivimos

Vosotros(as)(You)(Informal)-habláis-coméis-vivís

Ustedes(You)(Formal)-hablan-comen-viven

Ellos(as)(They)-hablan-comen-viven

 

With some verbs, the stem also changes when you conjugate them. In the Present Tense, there are three groups of stem-changing verbs:

“o:ue”
“e:ie”
“e:i”

 

Note: With the first group of stem-changing verbs, the letter “o” in the stem changes to “ue” in all forms except the “nosotros” and “vosotros”.

Subject – contar (to count)

Yo (I)-cuento

Tú (You)(Informal)-cuentas

Usted (You)(Formal)-cuenta

Él/Ella(He/She)-cuenta

Nosotros(as)(We)-contamos (exception)

Vosotros(as)(You)(Informal)-contáis(exception)

Ustedes(You)(Formal)-cuentan

Ellos(as)(They)-cuentan

 

Here’s another “o:ue” stem changing verb. 

Subject – mover (to move)

Yo (I)-muevo

Tú (You)(Informal)-mueves

Usted (You)(Formal)-mueve

Él/Ella(He/She)-mueve

Nosotros(as)(We)-movemos(exception)

Vosotros(as)(You)(Informal)-movéis(exception)

Ustedes(You)(Formal)-mueven

Ellos(as)(They)-mueven

 

Here is a list of common “o:ue” verbs.

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)
envolver – to wrap
tostar – to toast
morder – to bite
volar – to fly

 

                                                    

• Stem Changing Verbs: E:IE

Note: With some verbs, the stem also changes when you conjugate them. In the Present Tense, there are three groups of stem-changing verbs:

“o:ue”
“e:ie”
“e:i”

Note: With the second group of stem-changing verbs, the letter “e” in the stem changes to “ie” in all forms except the “nosotros” and “vosotros”.

Subject – cerrar (to close)

Yo (I)-cierro

Tú (You)(Informal)-cierras

Usted (You)(Formal)-cierra

Él/Ella(He/She)-cierra

Nosotros(as)(We)-cerramos (exception)

Vosotros(as)(You)(Informal)-cerráis(exception)

Ustedes(You)(Formal)-cierran

Ellos(as)(They)-cierran

 

Here’s another “e:ie” stem changing verb. 

Subject – entender (to understand)

Yo (I)-entiendo

Tú (You)(Informal)-entiendes

Usted (You)(Formal)-entiende

Él/Ella(He/She)-entiende

Nosotros(as)(We)-entendemos(exception)

Vosotros(as)(You)(Informal)-entendéis(exception)

Ustedes(You)(Formal)-entienden

Ellos(as)(They)-entienden

Here is a list of common “e:ie” verbs.

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

 

                                                     

• Stem changing verbs: E:I

The stem also changes when you conjugate them. In the Present Tense, there are three groups of stem-changing verbs:

“o:ue”

“e:ie”               

“e:i”

Note: With the third group of stem-changing verbs, the letter “e” in the stem changes to “i” in all forms except the “nosotros” and “vosotros”.

Subject – repetir (to repeat)

Yo (I)-repito

Tú (You)(Informal)-repites

Usted (You)(Formal)-repite

Él/Ella(He/She)-repite

Nosotros(as)(We)-repetimos(exception)

Vosotros(as)(You)(Informal)-repetís(exception)

Ustedes(You)(Formal)-repiten

Ellos(as)(They)-repiten

 

 

Subject – competir (to compete)

Yo (I)-compito

Tú (You)(Informal)-compites

Usted (You)(Formal)-compite

Él/Ella(He/She)-compite

Nosotros(as)(We)-competimos(exception)

Vosotros(as)(You)(Informal)-competís(exception)

Ustedes(You)(Formal)-compiten

Ellos(as)(They)-compiten

 

Here is a list of common “e:i” verbs.

bendecir (*) – to bless
impedir – to impede
colegir – to deduce
maldecir (*) – to curse
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 – to dismiss, fire
repetir – to repeat
elegir – to elect
seguir – to follow, continue
freír – to fry
servir – to serve
gemir – to groan, moan
sonreír – to smile

Tip: The verb “decir” and its derivative forms are irregular in the first person: “yo digo”, etc.