Spanish Present Tense: Stem-Changing Lesson

Spanish Present Tense Stem Changing Verbs - Lesson & Quiz

You know that verbs change their endings when conjugated.

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But did you know that some verbs also change their STEM!?

EZ CXC

There are 3 types of stem changes.

• O - UE

• E - IE

• E - I

Dormir - to sleep (O-UE)

Yo Duermo

Tú Duermes

El/Ella/Usted Duerme

Nosotros Dormimos (no change)

Ellas/Ellos Duermen

Cerrar - to close (E-IE)

Yo Cierro

Tú Cierras

El/Ella/Usted Cierra

Nosotros Cerramos (no change)

Ellos/Ellas Cierran

Pedir - to ask for (E-I)

Yo Pido

Tú Pides

El/Ella/Usted Pide

Nosotros Pedimos (no change)

Ellos/Ellas Piden

​The (E-I) stem-change happens only in -IR verbs

EZ CXC

When verbs have 2 vowels, stem-change the one that is nearest to the ending.

EZ CXC

List of some (O-UE) Stem-changing Verbs

• Dormir - to sleep

• Contar - to tell/count

• Costar - to cost

• Volver - to return

• Recordar - to remember

• Volar - to fly

List of some (E-IE) Stem-changing Verbs

• Cerrar - to close

• Empezar - to begin

• Entender - to understand

• Pensar - to think

• Perder - to lose

• Preferir - to prefer

List of some (E-I) Stem-changing Verbs

• Pedir - to ask for

• Repetir - to repeat

• Conseguir - to get

• Corregir - to correct

• Reír - to laugh

• Seguir - to follow

Multiple Choice

What does 'Contar' mean in English?

• to tell/count

• to cost

• to return

• to remember

• to fly

Multiple Choice

What does 'Costar' mean in English?

• to tell/count

• to cost

• to return

• to remember

• to fly

Multiple Choice

What does 'Volver' mean in English?

• to tell/count

• to cost

• to return

• to remember

• to fly

Multiple Choice

What does 'Recordar' mean in English?

• to tell/count

• to cost

• to return

• to remember

• to fly

Multiple Choice

What does 'Volar' mean in English?

• to tell/count

• to cost

• to return

• to remember

• to fly

Multiple Choice

What does 'Empezar' mean?

• to begin

• to understand

• to think

• to lose

• to prefer

Multiple Choice

What does 'Entender' mean?

• to begin

• to understand

• to think

• to lose

• to prefer

Multiple Choice

What does 'Pensar' mean?

• to begin

• to understand

• to think

• to lose

• to prefer

Multiple Choice

What does 'Perder' mean?

• to begin

• to understand

• to think

• to lose

• to prefer

Multiple Choice

What does 'Preferir' mean?

• to begin

• to understand

• to think

• to lose

• to prefer

Multiple Choice

What does 'Repetir' mean?

• to repeat

• to get

• to correct

• to laugh

• to follow

Multiple Choice

What does 'Conseguir' mean?

• to repeat

• to get

• to correct

• to laugh

• to follow

Multiple Choice

What does 'Corregir' mean?

• to repeat

• to get

• to correct

• to laugh

• to follow

Multiple Choice

What does 'Reír' mean?

• to repeat

• to get

• to correct

• to laugh

• to follow

Multiple Choice

What does 'Seguir' mean?

• to repeat

• to get

• to correct

• to laugh

• to follow