Stem-changing verbs

The stem of a verb is the part of the infinitive that is left after you drop the ending –ar, -er, -ir.

What is the stem of empezar?•empez

Los verbos zapatos

Stem-changing verbs have a spelling

change in their stem in all forms of

the present tense except the

nosotros and the vosotros forms.

There are 4 kinds of stem-changing verbs

2. o-ue

3. e-i

4. u-ue

1. e-ie

e-ie

cerrar

to close

e-ie

confesar

to confess

e-ie

recomendar

to recommend

e-ie

comenzar

to begin

e-ie

empezar

to begin

e-ie

encender

to turn on/to light

e-ie

entender

to understand

e-ie

mentir

to lie

e-ie

querer

to want

e-ie

pensar (en)

to think (about)

e-ie

perder

to lose

e-ie

preferir

to prefer

e-iequerer: to want

quiero

quieres

quiere

queremos

queréis

quieren

e-i

decir

to say/tell

e-i

pedir

to ask for

e-i

repetir

to repeat

e-i

seguir

to continue/follow

e-i

servir

to serve

e-iservir: to serve

sirvo

sirves

sirve

servimos

servís

sirven

o-ue

almorzar

to eat lunch

o-ue

contar

to count/tell (a story)

o-ue

costar

to cost

o-ue

dormir

to sleep

o-ue

encontrar

to find/encounter

o-ue

llover

to rain

o-ue

morir

to die

o-ue

poder

to be able to (can)

o-ue

probar

to try/test

o-ue

recordar

to remember

o-ue

sonar

to ring/sound

o-ue

soñar (con)

to dream (about)

o-ue

volver

to return

o-ueencontrar: to find, encounter

encuentro

encuentras

encuentra

encontramos

encontráis

encuentran

u-ue

jugar

to play

u-uejugar: to play a sport or game

juego

juegas

juega

jugamos

jugáis

juegan