SPANISH NOTEBOOK

STEM-CHANGES IN THE PRESENT TENSE

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STEM-CHANGING VERBS IN THE PRESEN TENSE

There are certain groups of Spanish verbs that have stem changes in the present tense. These stem-changes are in all forms except the NOSOTROS and VOSOTROS forms that keep the vowel of the infinitive. The change happens on the vowel next to the last syllable.

Verbs that change from E to IE:

LISTEN

Entender
Yo entiendo
Tú entiendes
Él/ella entiende
Usted entiende
Nosotros(as) entendemos
Ellos/ellas entienden
Ustedes entienden

Recomendar
Yo recomiendo
Tú recomiendas
Él/ella recomienda
Usted recomienda
Nosotros(as) recomendamos
Ellos/ellas recomiendan
Ustedes recomiendan
 

To understand
I understand
You understand (informal)
He/she understands
You understand (formal)
We understand
They understand
You all understand (formal)

To recommend
I recommend
You recommend (informal)
He/she recomends
You recommend (formal)
We recommend
They recommend
You all recommend (formal)

Verbs that change from E to I:

Repetir
Yo repito
Tú repites
Él/ella repite
Usted repite
Nosotros(as) repetimos
Ellos/ellas repiten
Ustedes repiten

Competir
Yo compito
Tú compites
Él/ella compite
Usted compite
Nosotros(as) competimos
Ellos/ellas compiten
Ustedes compiten

To repeat
I repeat
You repeat (informal)
He/she repeats
You repeat (formal)
We repeat
They repeat
You all repeat (formal)

To compete
I compete
You compete (informal)
He/she competes
You compete (formal)
We compete
They compete
You all compete (formal)

Verbs that change from O to UE:

Dormir
Yo duermo
Tú duermes
Él/ella duerme
Usted duerme
Nosotros(as) dormimos
Ellos/ellas duermen
Ustedes duermen

Volver
Yo vuelvo
Tú vuelves
Él/ella vuelve
Usted vuelve
Nosotros(as) volvemos
Ellos/ellas vuelven
Ustedes vuelven

To sleep
I sleep
You sleep (informal)
He/she sleeps
You sleep (formal)
We sleep
They sleep
You all sleep (formal)

To return to a place
I return
You return (informal)
He/she returns
You return (formal)
We return
They return
You all return (formal)

Verb that change from U to UE:

Jugar
Yo juego
Tú juegas
Él/ella juega
Usted juega
Nosotros(as) jugamos
Ellos/ellas juegan
Ustedes juegan

To play (a game)
I play
You play (informal)
He/she plays
You play (formal)
We play
They play
You all play (formal)

MORE STEM-CHANGING VERBS IN THE PRESENT TENSE ...

Verbs that change from E to IE:
atender     to attend
cerrar     to close
comenzar     to start/to begin
empezar     to start/to begin
mentir     to lie
merendar     to eat snack
pensar     to think
perder     to lose
preferir     to prefer
querer     to want/to love
requerir     to require
sentir     to feel
sugerir     to suggest
despertarse     to wake up
divertirse     to have fun
sentarse     to sit down

Verbs that change from E to I:
conseguir     to get
pedir     to ask for
perseguir     to chase
reír     to laugh
seguir     to follow
servir     to serve
despedirse     to say goodbye
vestirse     to get dressed

Verbs that change form O to UE:
almorzar     to eat luch
contar     to count to tell
costar     to cost
encontrar     to find
devolver     to return
morir     to die
mostrar     to show
mover     to move
poder     to be able
probar     to prove/to test
recordar     to remember
resolver     to solve
volar     to fly
acostarse     to go to bed/to lie down