You have already learned how to conjugate verbs that end in -ar, -er, and -ir in the present indicative. The good news is that the endings you have already learned do not change. However, the stem to which you attach the endings does change in stem-changing verbs.
There are four types of stem-changing verbs in the present indicative: o-ue, e-ie, e-i, and u-ue.
Let’s start with the first, o-ue, and use volver (to return) as an example. When you conjugate this verb in the present, the endings will be the same as for other –er verbs (-o, -es, -e, -emos, -éis, -en), but the o changes to ue in all forms except nosotros and vosotros.
Volver (o-ue) – to return | |
yo vuelvo tú vuelves él / ella / usted vuelve | nosotros volvemos vosotros volvéis ellos / ellas / ustedes vuelven |
Comenzar (e-ie) – to begin | Pedir (e-i) – to ask for | Jugar (u-ue) –to play | |||
yo comienzo tú comienzas él / ella / usted comienza | nosotros comenzamos vosotros comenzáis ellos / ellas / ustedes comienzan | yo pido tú pides él / ella / usted pide | nosotros pedimos vosotros pedís ellos / ellas / ustedes piden | yo juego tú juegas él / ella / usted juega | nosotros jugamos vosotros jugáis ellos / ellas / ustedes juegan |
Note: In stem-changing verbs of more than two syllables, the vowel whose stem changes is in the next-to-last syllable. This applies to verbs in all four categories.
Verbos comunes o - ue | Verbos comunes e - ie | ||
contar | to tell (a story), to count | advertir | to warn |
costar | to cost | cerrar | to close |
devolver | to return (give back) | comenzar (a) | to begin (to) |
dormir | to sleep | convertir (en) | to convert, to change (into) |
encontrar | to find | empezar (a) | to begin (to) |
morir | to die | entender | to understand |
poder | to be able to, can, may | mentir | to lie |
recordar | to remember | pensar de | to think of, have an opinion about |
resolver | to resolve, solve | pensar (inf.) | to plan (to do something) |
sonar | to ring, to sound | pensar en | to think about, to consider |
soñar con | to dream about | perder | to lose |
volar | to fly | preferir | to prefer |
volver | to return (to a place) | querer | to want |
sentir | to feel, to regret | ||
sugerir | to suggest | ||
Verbos comunes e - i | Verbos comunes u - ue | ||
competir | to compete | jugar | to play (a sport, game) |
conseguir | to get, obtain, achieve | ||
pedir | to ask for | ||
reír | to laugh | ||
repetir | to repeat | ||
seguir | to follow | ||
servir | to serve | ||
sonreír | to smile |
Presente irregular en español (1/2) (ProfeDeEle.es, YouTube)
Actividades de conversación |
Con dos o tres compañeros de clase, contesten las siguientes preguntas, conjugando los verbos indicados.
Conjugate the verbs below in the tú form to ask your partner about their life in the university. Make sure to answer the questions in the yo form. Make note of what your partner says so that you can share with the class when you are done!
Con dos o tres estudiantes, preparen un diálogo en que tratan de hacer planes. Cada persona necesita hablar al menos cuatro veces, y hay que usar al menos un total de cinco verbos que cambian de raíz en el diálogo. Incorporen un mínimo de cinco palabras relacionadas con la tecnología también. Van a presentarlo a la clase. Tienen diez minutos para preparar.
En contexto: Verbos con cambio de raíz (e-i) - SUNY Oneonta with Lumen Learning
The information in this chapter, when not created by us, is adapted from:
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Access it online or download it at https://edtechbooks.org/ventanas/verbos_de_cambio.