Stem-changing verbs
  Click on the images below.   Review of regular verbs:
Remember that to use a verb, or action word, in Spanish, you usually have to conjugate, or match, it to who's doing the action. There are 6 categories of who can be doing an action:
Therefore, there are 6 possible conjugations for verbs.
Important! Even though usted means you, verbs in the usted form will use the 3rd conjugation ending, same as he or she. Likewise, even though ustedes means y'all, verbs in the ustedes form will use the last conjugation ending, same as they.
Using regular verbs in Spanish is easy:
1. Take off the -ar, -er, ir ending. You're left with the stem of the verb.
2. Add on the right ending, depending on who is doing the action.
a. For -ar verbs, your 6 options for endings are: o, as, a, amos, áis, an
b. For -er verbs, your 6 options for endings are: o, es, e, emos, éis, en
c. For -ir verbs, your 6 options for endings are: o, es, e, imos, ís, en
See the same information in a chart:
See the conjugations of example verbs:
See the verb conjugations' meanings in English:
Review of stem-changing verbs:
Stem-changing verbs have an extra step, if you choose any ending except for the 4th or 5th (nosotros or vosotros). In this extra step, you have to make a small spelling change in the stem.
Stem-changing verbs will change in one of 3 ways:
a. An o will change to ue (o-ue).
b. An e will change to ie (e-ie).
c. An e will change to i (e-i).
Let's take a look at the conjugations of example verbs. The ones below happen to all be -ir verbs.
Remember that the only difference between stem-changing and regular verbs is this one spelling change. Regular and stem-changing verbs follow the same conjugation rules and use the same verb endings.
Note:
Stem-changing verbs don't come with ID tags. So you have to memorize the lists of verbs that stem change. In the previous lessons, you've studied the lists of the some of the most common stem changing verbs.
Answer in-class questions:
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