Learn e-ie boot verbs
 
You now know that all verbs in Spanish end in -ar, -er, or -ir. You've learned how to conjugate them. You've learned that there are 6 conjugations for each.
Notice that when you conjugate verbs, you only change the ending. You take off the original ending and add on a different one. The first part of the verb, called the stem, doesn't change.
In this lesson you'll learn about a group of verbs called stem-changing verbs. In these verbs, there's a small spelling change in the stem, in 4 out of 6 conjugations. These verbs are also called boot verbs, because if you trace a line around the spelling changes (see chart, below), you've drawn a boot.
There's good and bad news around stem-changing verbs.
There are 3 kinds of stem-changing verbs:
1. e - ie stem-changing verbs
2. o - ue stem-changing verbs
3. e - i stem-changing verbs
In this lesson, we'll talk about the first kind of stem-changing verb, e - ie.
Stem-changing verbs have the same 6 conjugated verb endings as regular verbs. Take a look at the chart comparing the conjugations of two -er verbs: a regular verb, ceder, with those of a stem-changing verb, perder (to lose).
Notice that the -er verb endings, in orange, are the same.
Now focus on the conjugations of perder and the 4 of them in which of them the e changed to ie. The stem changes are in green.
Here are the steps for conjugating an e-ie stem-changing verb.
Steps:
1. Take off the -ar, -er, -ir ending.
2. You're left with the stem. Change the e to ie.
3. Add the conjugated ending.
Look at the conjugations of the -ar verb pensar, below, as an example. Stem changes are in red, and conjugated -ar verb endings are in green. The unchanged parts of the verb stem are in blue.
 Notice that the stem changes happen in only 4 of the 6 conjugations. The nosotros and vosotros forms of the verb never stem-change. Notice also that if you draw a line around the conjugations that stem change, you have the rough outline of a boot. That is where stem-changing verbs get their name "boot verbs."
Watch the video on e-ie stem-changing verbs.
Quiz yourself on e-ie boot verb conjugations:
Mira la lista de verbos comunes de cambios de raíz e-ie:
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