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: perder (to lose) Perd + er

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 closecomenzar – to beginempezar – to beginpensar – to think

Examples of e ie Stem-Changing verbs in the present tense:

entender – to understandperder – to losequerer – to want

preferir – to preferreferir – to refersentir – 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 tenemosTú tienes

Él

Ella tieneUsted

Ellos

Ellas tienenUstedes

VENIR – to come Yo vengo Nosotros venimosTú vienes

Él

Ella vieneUsted

Ellos

Ellas vienenUstedes

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 lunchcontar– to countcolgar – to hangcostar – to costencontrar – to meet to findmostrar – to showrecordar – to remembervolar – to fly

Examples of o ue Stem-Changing verbs in the present tense:

poder – to be able tovolver – to returnllover – to rain

dormir – to sleep

In the verb, Jugar (to play) the stem-change is u - ue.

Jugar – to play Yo juego Nosotros jugamosTú juegas

Él

Ella juegaUsted

Ellos

Ellas jueganUstedes

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 orderrepetir – to repeatservir – to serveseguir – to follow, to continueconseguir – 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 sigueUsted

EllosEllas siguenUstedes

CONSEGUIR – to get Yo consigo Nosotros conseguimos

Tú consigues

Él Ella consigueUsted

EllosEllas consiguenUstedes