1. There are certain groups of Spanish verbs that have a stem- change in the present tense. The verbs. Empezar = to begin, querer = to want, perder = to lose, and preferir = to prefer are stem- changing verbs.

**Note that the E of the stem, changes to IE in all forms except NOSOTROS.

Note: THESE ARE THE SHOE VERBS!!! EMP IE ZO EM P IE ZAS EMP IE ZA EMP IE ZAN EMPEZAMOS

EMPEZAR = TO BEGIN STEM = EMPEZ EMP IE ZO EM P IE ZAS EMP IE ZA EMP IE ZAN EMPEZAMOS

QUERER = TO WANT STEM =QUER QU IE RO QU IE RES QU IE RE QU IE REN QUEREMOS

PREFERIR = TO PREFER STEM = PREFER PREF IE RO PREF IE RES PREF IE RE PREF IE REN PREFERIMOS

COMENZAR = TO BEGIN STEM = COMENZ COM IE NZO COM IE NZAS COM IE NZA COM IE NZAN COMENZAMOS

2. The verbs empezar, comenzar, querer, and preferir are often followed by an infinitive. 1) The way it is found in the dictionary. 2) When a verb ends in AR, ER, IR

I want to eat = Yo quiero comer

1. The verbs volver = to return, devolver = to return an object, poder = to be able to (can), and dormir = to sleep are also stem- changing verbs.

**The O of the verb changes to UE in all forms except NOSOTROS**

VOLVER = TO RETURN STEM = VOLV V UE LVO V UE LVES V UE LVE V UE LVEN VOLVEMOS

PODER = to be able to STEM = POD P UE DO P UE DES P UE DE P UE DEN PODEMOS

DORMIR = TO SLEEP STEM = DORM D UE RMO D UE RMES D UE RME D UE RMEN DORMIMOS

1. NOTE THAT THE U IN JUGAR CHANGES TO UE IN EVERY FORM EXCEPT NOSOTROS.

JUGAR = TO PLAY STEM = JUG J UE GO J UE GAS J UE GA J UE GAN JUGAMOS