stem-changers

Lesson Content

All verbs have a "stem" or "root".   You locate the "stem" of the verb in Spanish by taking away the -ar, -er, or -ir ending.   For example:

Hablar Comer Vivir

Some verbs have a change in the stem when conjugated and these are called "stem-changing" verbs.   They are a type of irregular verb. There are 3 types of stem-changers in the present tense; "e-ie", "e-I", and "o/u-ue".  Only 4 out of 6 conjugations have a stem-change; nosotros and vosotros do not change.

The only way to remember these is to memorize them. Below you will see some examples:

Preferir to prefer

Repetir to repeat

Jugar to play a sport or game