Stem-changing Verbs
Patterns
Not every verb is stem-changing, but those that are follow some patterns.
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Look at the vowel before the ar/er/ir ending. That's the vowel that will change.
e-ie
querer : to want
The vowel before the ending is always the vowel that will change.
This is the ending
yo
tú
él/ella/Ud.
nosotros
ellos/ellas/Uds
quiero
quieres
quiere
​
quieren
queremos
pobrecito nosotros.
No stem change for him.
e-i
pedir : to ask for
The vowel before the ending is always the vowel that will change.
This is the ending
yo
tú
él/ella/Ud.
nosotros
ellos/ellas/Uds
pido
pides
pide
​
piden
pedimos
pobrecito nosotros.
No stem change for him.
o-ue
poder : to be able to
The vowel before the ending is always the vowel that will change.
This is the ending
yo
tú
él/ella/Ud.
nosotros
ellos/ellas/Uds
puedo
puedes
puede
​
pueden
podemos
pobrecito nosotros.
No stem change for him.
Other stem-changing verbs
u-ue
jugar : to play (game)
The vowel before the ending is always the vowel that will change.
This is the ending
yo
tú
él/ella/Ud.
nosotros
ellos/ellas/Uds
juego
juegas
juega
​
juegan
jugamos
pobrecito nosotros.
No stem change for him.
e-ie
​
cerrar- to close
comenzar- to begin
hervir - to boil
perder - to lose
preferir- to prefer
querer- to want
recomendar - to recommend
o-ue
poder - to be able to
almorzar - to have lunch
costar - to cost
doler- to hurt
dormir- to sleep
encontrar - to find
envolver - to wrap
probar - to taste/try
volver- to return
e-i
servir- to serve
competir- to compete
freír - to fry
pedir- to ask for
seguir - to continue/follow
​
u-ue
jugar - to play
​
This is the only verb with a u-ue stem-change!!!