Stem-Changing Verbs. Overview Remember that verbs are divided into two parts. You have the infinitive ending and the stem. habl steminfinitive ending.

Stem-ChangingVerbs

Stem-ChangingVerbs

Overview

Remember that verbs are divided into two parts. You have the infinitive ending and the stem.

hablstem infinitive ending

ar

Ok, sooo what are stem-changing verbs?

• Verbs whose stem undergo a spelling change.

• These are also known as boot verbs.

• Stem-changing verbs take regular present tense verb endings.

• The nosotros and vosotros forms DO NOT stem change.

Stem-Changing Categories

o uee ie ie

u ue (only jugar)

o ue 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)

morder to bite volar to fly

e ibendecir (*) to bless impedir to impede

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(se) to dismiss, fire, to say goodbye

repetir to repeat

elegir to elect seguir to follow, continue

freír to fry servir to serve

sonreír to smile

e ieacertar 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

How to conjugate

• You take the infinitive ending off.• Change the stem of all verb forms

except nosotros and vosotros.• Add the appropriate ending in the

present tense.

Example

dormirstem infinitive ending

We know that dormir is oue so the “o” will change in all forms except nosotros and vosotros.

dormir – to sleep

Yo duermo. Nosotros dormimos.

Tú duermes. Vosotros dormís.

Él duerme.Ella duerme.Ud. duerme .

Ellos duermen.Ellas duermen.Uds. duermen.

Another example

pedirstem infinitive ending

We know that pedir is ei so the “e” will change in all forms except nosotros and vosotros.

pedir – to ask for, to order

Yo pido. Nosotros pedimos.

Tú pides. Vosotros pedís.

Él pide.Ella pide.Ud. pide .

Ellos piden.Ellas piden.Uds. piden.

Y otro ejemplo….

preferirstem infinitive ending

We know that preferir is eie so the “e” closest to the infinitive will change in all forms except nosotros and vosotros.

preferir – to prefer

Yo prefiero. Nosotros preferimos.

Tú prefieres. Vosotros preferís.

Él prefiere.Ella prefiere.Ud. prefiere .

Ellos prefieren.Ellas prefieren.Uds. prefieren.

Practice

Write the correct form of the verb in parenthesis.1. Mis amigos ___________ a la una. (almorzar)2. Los estudiantes ____________ la respuesta correcta.

(encontrar)3. En el restaurante, nosotros __________ una tortilla.

(pedir)4. La maestra ___________ las palabras para los estudiantes.

(repetir)5. Tu ____________ la limonada en vez del refresco.

(preferir)

almuerzan

encuentran

pedimos

repite

prefieres