Stem Changing Verbs

– (e-ie) verbs changes• Comenzar• Empezar• Perder• Querer• Recomendar• Sentir• Cerrar• Entender• Pensar• Preferir• Tener

• (o-ue) verbs changes• Poder• Almorzar• Llover• Encontrar

• Volver• Dormir• Probar• Acostarse• Costar• Jugar (u-ue)

Stem Changing Verbs (contd.)• Stem changing verbs will have two steps in order to put them in the right form:

1. Must find the stem of the verb and make the correct change (e-ie, o-ue, e-i). Ex: querer (e-ie)= to want Ex: almorzar (o-ue) = to eat lunch

quer = stem almorz = stem quier almuerz

2. You must use the correct endings according to the verb. Look at infinitive to determine the correct endings (-ar,-er, -ir).-Ar = Almorzar -Er / -Ir = Querer

almuerzo quieroalmuerzas quieresalmuerza quierealmorzamos queremosalmuerzan quieren

NOTE: the nosotros form will always take the original stem

Stem Changing Verbs (contd.)

• When a stem has two or more of the same vowels that require a change, always change the last one in the stem.

• Ex. Recomendar Ex. Preferir

• Stem – recommend- stem- Prefer-

• New stem – recomiend- Prefier-

• Note : remember the nosotros form takes original stem!