Irregular Spanish Verbs

Irregular Spanish Verbs

Several of the verbs that textbooks use to illustrate irregular verbs are in the table above (e.g., decir, dormir, entender)
The first irregular verbs a textbook may show are often the first person singular present irregulars
tener -> tengo, venir -> vengo, decir -> digo, etc.
A textbook will then discuss how for some verbs, some conjugations change the stem of the verb. We will call these "stem-changers." This is not a proper term--don't put it on a test.
A verb may be exceptional for more than one reason:
venir -> vengo, so it is a "g-verb".
venir -> viene, so it is an e -> ie stem-changer.
Class 1- First person singular present with g infinitive definition first person singular present
caer to fall caigo
componer to compose compongo
convenir to agree, convene convengo
decir to say digo
deshacer to undo, destroy deshago
detener to stop (something, someone) detengo
hacer to make hago
maldecir to curse maldigo
mantener to maintain, support mantengo
obtener to obtain, procure obtengo
oponerse to oppose me opongo (we haven't discussed reflexive verbs yet)
poner to put pongo
salir to go out / to leave salgo
tener to have (to possess) tengo
traer to bring traigo
valer to value valgo
venir to come vengo

Class 2- First person present g changes to j infinitive definition first person singular present
escoger to choose, pick escojo
corregir to correct corrijo
recoger to collect, pick up recojo
dirigir to conduct, direct dirijo
elegir to choose, select, elect elijo
exigir to demand, exact exijo
fingir to pretend finjo

Class 3- stem changer: e -> ie infinitive definition third person singular present
acertar to hit the target, to do it right acierta
fregar to scrub (washing dishes) friega
gobernar to govern, rule gobierna
helar to freeze hiela
negar to deny niega
nevar to snow nieva (weather verb, you can't say él nieva :)
cerrar to close, fasten, shut or turn off cierra
encerrar to enclose, confine encierra
comenzar to begin, start comienza
empezar to begin empieza
confesar to confess confiesa
pensar to think piensa
despertarse to awaken (oneself) se despierta
contener to contain, restrain contiene
detener to detain, withold detiene
obtener to get obtiene
encender to inflame, light enciende
entender to understand entiende
convenir to agree conviene
defender to defend, plead defiende
advertir to caution, forewarn advierte
mentir to tell a lie miente
atravesar to cross, pass through atraviesa

Class 4- stem changer: o -> ue acostarse to go to bed and lie down se acuesta
encontrar to meet, find encuentra
jugar to play (sport, game) juega
mostrar to show muestra
absolver to absolve absuelve
devolver to return, refund devuelve
envolver to wrap up envuelve
llover to rain llueve (weather verb) you can't say él llueve :)
morder to bite muerde
mover to move, persuade mueve
poder can, to be able to puede
dormir to sleep duerme
morirse to die se muere

Class 5- stem changer: e -> i decir to say dice
gemir to grieve, moan gime
impedir to hinder, prevent impide
medir to compare, measure mide