Stem Changers
[aka, boot verbs]
[present indicative]
Basic info:
As the title suggests, these verbs have an irregularity in the stem of the verb. These verbs are also interchangeably called "boot verbs" because the pattern of irregularity takes place in what looks like a big ol' boot!
Before you jump in, if you don't know what a stem is, or how to find it, go back to this page and brush up. You can't do Stem Changers if you don't know what a stem is!
Categories of stem changers:
[You will need to memorize which verbs belong to which lists. There is no trick to knowing them]E --> IE
**Many other verbs fall into this category. These are just the more common ones.**
Cerrar
(to close)Convertir
(to convert / turn into)Comenzar
(to start/begin)Defender
(to defend)Despertarse
(to wake up)Divertirse
(to have fun)Empezar
(to start/begin)Entender
(to understand)Mentir
(to lie)Nevar
(to snow)Pensar
(to think)Perder
(to lose)Preferir
(to prefer)Querer
(to want/love)Recomendar
(to recommend)Sentarse
(to sit down)Sentirse
(to feel)Tener
(to have)Venir
(to come)E --> I
**Many other verbs fall into this category. These are just the more common ones.**
Competir
(to compete)Corregir
(to correct)Decir
(to say / tell)Despedir(se)
(to fire or say goodbye)Elegir
(to elect / to choose)Pedir
(to ask for / to order)Reír
(to laugh)Repetir
(to repeat)Seguir
(to follow / to continue)Servir
(to serve)Sonreír
(to smile)Vestirse
(to get dressed)O --> UE
**Many other verbs fall into this category. These are just the more common ones.**
acostarse
(to go to bed)almorzar
(to eat lunch)contar
(to count)costar
(to cost)demostrar
(to demonstrate / prove)devolver
(to return a thing)dormir
(to sleep)encontrar
(to to find)llover
(to rain)morir
(to die)mostrar
(to show)mover
(to move around)poder
(to be able to)recordar
(to remember)resolver
(to resolve)soñar
(to dream)volver
(to return - person)U --> UE
**THIS IS THE ONLY ONE IN THIS CATEGORY**
jugar
(to play games / sports)What is the boot?
If we look at the conjugation chart below, you will notice a section of it is highlighted. That area looks kind of like a boot, right?!
Why is it the boot important?
Only the conjugations INSIDE of the boot (yo, tú, él/ella/Ud., and ellos/ellas/Uds.) will have a stem change in the vowel of the stem.
What if the stem has two or more vowels? You will change the vowel nearest to the end of the stem 99.9% of the time.
The conjugations OUTSIDE of the boot (nosotros and vosotros) are not invited to the party and will NOT have a stem change. They will keep the vowel in their original stem.
Examples below:
o t h e r t o p i c s
