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Stem-changing & Irregular Verbs - Verbos de cambio e irregulares

BS1 Stem-changing and Irregular Verbs

When "regular verbs" are conjugated the ending changes and the front part (a.k.a. stem or root) doesn’t change. When "stem-changing verbs" are conjugated the stem changes. Most stem-changing verbs follow a few rules when conjugated, however, there are some verbs that don't follow a consistent rule when they are conjugated, and these are called, "irregular verbs".

This lesson includes information on:

Stem-Changing Verbs
Irregular Verbs
Related Vocabulary

1. Stem-Changing Verbs
Fortunately, most stem-changing verbs follow a few rules when they are conjugated.

Change the "e" to "ie" in the stem. However, the subject "nosotros" is conjugated as a regular verb. For example:

Spanish	Spanish	English
Subject	Infinitive: Pensar	To Think
Yo	pienso	I think
Tú	piensas	You think
Usted/él/ella	piensa	You (formal)/He/She thinks
Nosotros	pensamos	We think
Ustedes/Ellos/Ellas	piensan	You (plural)/They think

Here is a list of stem-changing verbs that follow this rule:

Spanish	English
Cerrar	To close
Calentar	To warm
Comenzar	To begin
Pensar	To think
Perder	To lose
Gobernar	To govern
Negar	To deny
Quebrar	To break
Querer	To want
Herir	To wound
Sentarse	To sit
Entender	To understand
Encender	To turn on
Despertarse	To wake up
Defender	To defend
Confesar	To confess
Mentir	To Lie
Preferir	To prefer
Sentir	To feel

Change the "o" to "ue" in the stem. However, the subject "nosotros" is conjugated as a regular verb. For example:

Spanish	Spanish	English
Subject	Infinitive: Poder	To be able
Yo	puedo	I am able
Tú	puedes	You are able
Usted/él/ella	puede	You (formal)/He/She is able
Nosotros	podemos	We are able
Ustedes/Ellos/Ellas	pueden	You (plural)/They are able

Here is a list of stem-changing verbs that follow this rule:

Spanish	English
Contar	To tell
Almorzar	To have breakfast
Devolver	To return
Envolver	To wrap
Volver	To return
Encontrar	To find
Llover	To rain
Morder	To bite
Mover	To move
Oler	To smell
Poder	To be able
Volar	To fly
Probar	To try
Recordar	To recall
Soñar	To dream
Sonar	To sound
Dormir	To sleep
Morir	To die

Change the "e" to "i" in the stem. However, the subject "nosotros" is conjugated as a regular verb. For example:

Spanish	Spanish	English
Subject	Infinitive: Pedir	To ask
Yo	pido	I ask
Tú	pides	You ask
Usted/él/ella	pide	You (formal)/He/She asks
Nosotros	pedimos	We ask
Ustedes/Ellos/Ellas	piden	You (plural)/They ask

Here is a list of stem-changing verbs that follow this rule:

Spanish	English
Pedir	To ask
Perseguir	To pursue
Reír	To laugh
Repetir	To repeat
Vestir	To dress
Seguir	To follow/to continue
Servir	To serve
Sonreír	To smile
Construir	To construct
Destruir	To destroy
Concluir	To conclude
Diluir	To dilute

For verbs that end in "cer" change "c" to "zc" but only for the subject "yo". The other subjects are conjugated as a regular verb. For example:

Spanish	Spanish	English
Subject	Infinitive: Reconocer	To recognize
Yo	reconozco	I recognize
Tú	reconoces	You recognize
Usted/él/ella	reconoce	You (formal)/He/She recognize
Nosotros	reconocemos	We recognize
Ustedes/Ellos/Ellas	reconocen	You (plural) speak/They recognize

Here is a list of stem-changing verbs that follow this rule:

Spanish	English
Aparecer	To appear
Conducir	To drive
Introducir	To introduce
Ofrecer	To offer
Reconocer	To recognize
Reducir	To reduce

For verbs that end in "ger" and "gir" change "g" to "j" but only for the subject "yo". The other subjects are is conjugated as a regular verb. For example:

Spanish	Spanish	English
Subject	Infinitive: Escoger	To choose
Yo	escojo	I choose
Tú	escoges	You choose
Usted/él/ella	escoge	You (formal)/He/She chooses
Nosotros	escogemos	We choose
Ustedes/Ellos/Ellas	escogen	You (plural) speak/They choose

Here is a list of stem-changing verbs that follow this rule:

Spanish	English
Coger	To pick up
Escoger	To chose
Exigir	To demand
Dirigir	To direct

For verbs that end in "eguir" change "egu" to "ig" for the subject "yo" and to "igu" for "tú ", "usted/él/ella" and "ustedes/ellos/ellas". However, the subject "nosotros" is conjugated as a regular verb. For example:

Spanish	Spanish	English
Subject	Infinitive: Seguir	To follow
Yo	sigo	I follow
Tú	sigues	You follow
Usted/él/ella	sigue	You (formal)/He/She follows
Nosotros	seguimos	We follow
Ustedes/Ellos/Ellas	siguen	You (plural) speak/They follow

Here is a list of stem-changing verbs that follow this rule:

Spanish	English
Conseguir	To get
Perseguir	To pursue
Seguir	To follow

For verbs that end in "uir" change "u" to "y". However, the subject "nosotros" is conjugated as a regular verb. For example:

Spanish	Spanish	English
Subject	Infinitive: Instruir	To instruct
Yo	instruyo	I instruct
Tú	instruyes	You instruct
Usted/él/ella	instruye	You (formal)/He/She instructs
Nosotros	instruimos	We instruct
Ustedes/Ellos/Ellas	instruyen	You (plural) speak/They instruct

Here is a list of stem-changing verbs that follow this rule:

Spanish	English
Construir	To build
Destruir	To destroy
Instruir	To instruct

2. Irregular Verbs
Fortunately, there aren't many irregular verbs. Unfortunately, some of the irregular verbs listed below are used frequently:

Infinitive	Yo	Tú	Usted/él/ella	Nosotros	Ustedes/ellos/ellas
Saber (to know)	Sé	Sabes	Sabe	Sabemos	Saben
Estar (to be)	Estoy	Estás	Está	Estamox	Están
Ser (to be)	Soy	Eres	Es	Somos	Son
Ir (to go)	Voy	Vas	Va	Vamos	Van
Dar (to give)	Doy	Das	Da	Damos	Dan
Caer (to fall)	Caigo	Caes	Cae	Caemos	Caen
Traer (to bring)	Traigo	Traes	Trae	Traemos	Traen
Decir (to say)	Digo	Dices	Dicen	Decimos	Dicen
Oír (to hear)	Oigo	Oyes	Oye	Oímos	Oyen
Hacer (to do)	Hago	Haces	Hace	Hacemos	Hacen
Poner (to put)	Pongo	Pones	Pone	Ponemos	Ponen
Salir (to leave)	Salgo	Sales	Salen	Salemos	Salen
Tener (to have)	Tengo	Tienes	Tiene	Tenemos	Tienen
Venir (to come)	Vengo	Vienes	Viene	Venimos	Vienen

3. Related Vocabulary

Spanish	English
Irregulares:
Caber	To fit
Caer	To fall
Dar	To give
Hacer	To make
Poner	To put
Saber	To know
Salir	To leave
Traer	To bring
Valer	To be worth
Ver	To see
Decir	To say
Estar	To be
Ir	To go
Tener	To have
Venir	To come
Oír	To hear
Ser	To be
De cambio:
Cerrar	To close
Calentar	To warm
Comenzar	To begin
Pensar	To think
Perder	To lose
Gobernar	To govern
Negar	To deny
Quebrar	To break
Querer	To want
Sentarse	To sit
Entender	To understand
Encender	To turn on
Despertarse	To wake up
Defender	To defend
Confesar	To confess
Contar	To tell
Almorzar	To have breakfast
Devolver	To return
Envolver	To wrap
Volver	To return
Encontrar	To find
Llover	To rain
Jugar	To play
Morder	To bite
Mover	To move
Oler	To smell
Poder	To be able
Volar	To fly
Probar	To try
Recordar	To recall
Soñar	To dream
Sonar	To sound
Acostarse	To go to bed
Acordarse	To agree
Mentir	To lie
Divertirse	To have fun
Preferir	To prefer
Sentir	To feel
Sentirse	To feel (sentiments)
Herir	To wound
Dormir	To sleep
Morir	To die
Pedir	To ask
Perseguir	To pursue
Reír	To laugh
Repetir	To repeat
Vestir	To dress
Vestirse	To dress oneself
Seguir	To follow/to continue
Servir	To serve
Sonreír	To smile
Construir	To construct
Destruir	To destroy
Concluir	To conclude
Diluir	To dilute