1. Conjugate stem changers in the present tense
Grammar essential #28

2. Stem-changing Verbs ˜Boot Verbs˜
Stem-changing infinitives are named for what they do– change in the stem.
You are going to make some alteration of the stem before adding the verb endings.
You will use the endings you already know.
The hardest part of stem changers is knowing which ones change and which ones don’t.

3. Stem changers
There are 4 different ways a stem changing infinitive can change (4 categories).
The first is uue.
It is the smallest category with only one infinitive jugar = to play (sports)

4. Jugar = to play (sports)
Separate the stem and the infintive ending.
Jug- is the stem-
make the stem change uue
The new stem is jueg-
Put it in the conjugation box EXCEPT nosotros and vosotros.
Nosotros and Vosotros do not have the stem change.

5. Jugar = to play sports Yo Jueg- Nosotros/as Jug- Tú Vosotros/as Él
Ella jueg-
Ud.
Ellos
Ellas jueg-
Uds.
Now just add the regular –ar endings.

6. Jugar = to play sports Yo Juego Nosotros/as Jugamos Tú Juegas
Vosotros/as
Jugáis Él
Ella juega
Ud.
Ellos
Ellas juegan
Uds.

7. Stem changers The next category is large. It is eie.
preferir = to prefer is a stem changer.
It is the same steps as jugar.
*When there is more than one vowel that could possibly make the change, choose the vowel closest to the verb ending.

8. Make the stem change eie
Preferir = to prefer
First separate the stem from the infinitive ending.
prefer- is the stem.
Make the stem change eie
New stem prefier-
Put into box– remember it will look like a shoe… they are called shoe verbs as well.

9. preferir = to prefer prefiero preferimos prefieres preferís prefiere
prefieren

10. Stem changers The next category is one of the largest. It is oue.
Encontrar = to find is a stem changer.
It is the same steps as jugar.

11. Encontrar = to find
First separate the stem from the infinitive ending.
Encontr- is the stem-
Make the stem change oue
New stem encuentr-
Put into box– remember which forms don’t have the stem-change?

12. Encontrar = to find encuentro encontramos encuentras encontráis
encuentran

13. servir = to serve is a stem changer.
Stem changers
The last category is a smaller one.
It is ei.
servir = to serve is a stem changer.
It uses the same steps as jugar.

14. Make the stem change ei
servir = to serve
Separate the stem from the infinitive ending.
serv- is the stem.
Make the stem change ei
New stem sirv-
Put into box–

15. servir = to serve
sirvo
servimos
sirves
servís
sirve
sirven