Stem-changing verbs are different from regular verbs because when you conjugate these verbs, not only do you change the endings but you also change the stem (except for the nosotros form).
Quick Review: A verb has two parts - the stem and the ending. For example: pedir (to asl)
Ped + ir Stem Ending
In verbs that have an e to ie change, when you conjugate the verb, you change the ‘e’ in the stem to ‘ie’ in all forms except the nosotros form.
cerrar – to close comenzar – to begin empezar – to begin pensar – to think
Examples of e ie Stem-Changing verbs in the present tense:
entender – to understand perder – to lose querer – to want
preferir – to prefer referir – to refer sentir – to feel, to regret
Tener (to have) and Venir (to come) are also e-ie stem-changing verbs but these verbs have an irregular ‘yo’ form. TENER – to have
Yo tengo Nosotros tenemos Tú tienes
Él Ella tiene Usted
Ellos Ellas tienen Ustedes
VENIR – to come Yo vengo Nosotros venimos Tú vienes
Él Ella viene Usted
Ellos Ellas vienen Ustedes
In verbs that have an o to ue change, when you conjugate the verb, you change the ‘o’ in the stem to ‘ue’ in all forms except the nosotros form.
almorzar – to eat lunch contar– to count colgar – to hang costar – to cost encontrar – to meet to find mostrar – to show recordar – to remember volar – to fly
Examples of o ue Stem-Changing verbs in the present tense:
poder – to be able to volver – to return llover – to rain
dormir – to sleep
In the verb, Jugar (to play) the stem-change is u - ue. Jugar – to play
Yo juego Nosotros jugamos Tú juegas
Él Ella juega Usted
Ellos Ellas juegan Ustedes
In verbs that have an e to i change, when you conjugate the verb, you change the ‘e’ in the stem to ‘i’ in all forms except the nosotros form.
pedir – to ask for, to order repetir – to repeat servir – to serve seguir – to follow, to continue conseguir – to get
Examples of e i Stem-Changing verbs in the present tense:
The verbs Seguir (to follow, to continue) and Conseguir (to get) are e-i stem-changing verbs but these verbs have an irregular ‘yo’ form. You drop the letter ‘u’ in the Yo form. SEGUIR – to follow, to continue
Yo sigo Nosotros seguimos Tú sigues
Él Ella sigue Usted
Ellos Ellas siguen Ustedes
CONSEGUIR – to get Yo consigo Nosotros conseguimos
Tú consigues
Él Ella consigue Usted
Ellos Ellas consiguen Ustedes