Conjugating Stem Changer Verbs (AKA Shoe verbs)
We already know how to conjugate regular –ar, -er, and –ir verbs in the present tense.
Remember “chop suey schmoosh”? Well not all Spanish verbs are regular. In this section
we will learn about “stem changing” verbs.
A stem-changing verb is as its name implies – a verb in which the stem changes.
But what is a stem?
The stem of a verb is what is left after we take off the –ar, -er, or –ir.
To begin =
Empezar –ar =
empezTo want =
Querer – er
=
querstems
To sleep =
Dormir - ir =
dormHow do we know if it is a stem changer?
The infinitive is usually followed by the change in parentheses. There are several types of
changes that we will look at.
e ie
o ue
e I
o u
For example, Querer is an e ie change. So the change would be indicated like this:
Querer (ie) . Dormir has an o ue change so it would be indicated like this: dormir(ue)
How do we change it?
Well it’s as easy as “chop-suey, SWITCHAROONIE, schmoosh”. We conjugate the verb
like we have in the past, but with an added step.
1. take off the –ar, -er, or –ir. (chop-suey)
2. Switch the letters in the stem *EXCEPT IN THE NOSOTROS & VOSOTROS FORM*
empezempiez
quer Old stems
quier
New stems
dormduerm
3. Add the appropriate ending to the new stem. (schmoosh)
Table 1. Conjugation Chart for the Verb Pensar (to think)
yo p ie nso (I think)
Nosotros/nosotras pensamos (we think)
tú p ie nsas (you [informal] think)
vosotros/vosotras pensáis (you [informal, plural] think)
usted (Ud.) p ie nsa (you [formal] think) ustedes (Uds.) p ie nsan (you [formal, plural] think)
él p ie nsa (he thinks)
ellos p ie nsan (they think)
ella p ie nsa (she thinks)
ellas p ie nsan (they [feminine] think)
Stem-changers
e – ie Verbs
comenzar
empezar
perder
cerrar
entender
comprender
mentir
pensar
preferir
querer
sentir
tener
venir
to begin
to begin
to lose
to close
to understand
to understand
to lie
to think
to prefer
to want
to feel, to regret
to have
to come
competir
decir
pedir
reír
repetir
seguir
server
sonreír
to compete
to say, tell
to ask for, to order
to laugh
to repeat
to follow, continue
to serve
to smile
contar
costar
devolver
dormir
encontrar
morir
mostrar
poder
recordar
volver
to count, to tell
to cost
to return (an item)
to sleep
to find, to meet
to die
to show
to be able, can
to remember
to return (to a place)
e – i Verbs
o–ue Verbs
u – ue Verbs
jugar
to play (a sport/game)