The Present Tense of Stem-Changing Verbs: e  ie, o  ue (El tiempo presente de los verbos de cambio radical)

There are three types or classes of “boot” verbs. There is a fairly large group of verbs in Spanish that undergo changes in their stem when conjugated in the present tense. These changes occur only in the first and second persons singular and third persons singular and plural. When a line is drawn around the forms that change, the resulting shape vaguely resembles a boot or high-top shoe; thus, these verbs are sometimes informally called “boot” verbs. There are three types or classes of “boot” verbs.

We’ll use entender, to understand, as an example of this type. Type 1: e  ie We’ll use entender, to understand, as an example of this type. entiendo entiendes entiende entendemos entendéis entienden

Here are some other common e  ie verbs: empezar, comenzar to begin entender to understand querer to want, to love preferir to prefer

E-IE nevar- to snow merendar- to snack cerrar- to close pensar- to think perder- to lose

We’ll use poder, to be able, as an example of this type. Type 2: o  ue We’ll use poder, to be able, as an example of this type.

*Costar is normally used only in the third persons. Here are some other common o  ue verbs: costar* to cost dormir to sleep encontrar to find almorzar to have lunch volver to return, to come back *Costar is normally used only in the third persons.

O-UE llover- to rain recordar- to remember devolver- to return (items) encontrar- to find

The verbs querer and preferir Expressing desires and preferences Querer and preferir are important stem-changing verbs that have multiple uses.

When used with a thing as the direct object, querer means to want. quiero quieres quiere queremos queréis quieren When used with a thing as the direct object, querer means to want.

¿Quiere un sándwich de pollo? Sí, y quiero papas fritas también, por favor.

When used with a person as the direct object, querer means to love. quiero quieres quiere queremos queréis quieren When used with a person as the direct object, querer means to love.

Quiero mucho a su hija, señor Vega.

Preferir, of course, means to prefer. prefiero prefieres prefiere preferimos preferís prefieren Preferir, of course, means to prefer.

¿Quiere un sándwich de pollo? No señor, prefiero una hamburguesa.

FIN