1. Spanish Stem-Changing Verbs
e→ie
o→ue
u→ue
e→i

2. Los verbos que cambian e→ie
Tener
Querer
Pensar
Empezar
Comenzar
Perder
Preferir
To have
To want
To think
To begin
To start
To lose
To prefer

3. How do these verbs work?

4. Stem-changing verbs give their stems the boot!

5. Querer

6. Querer
First, let’s just add all the correct endings.

7. Verb endings
If a verb ends in –ar, you add: o as a
amos an

8. Verb endings If a verb ends in –er, you add: o es e emos en
if a verb ends in –ir, you add: o es e
imos en

9. So, since “querer” ends en “er” (querer), which endings will we add?
The “er” endings: o es e
emos en

10. Querer o
emos
quer es e en

11. Now, let’s add our stem change.
Remember, only the e in the stem can change.
querer
perder
If there are two e’s in the stem, the second one always changes.
preferir
empezar

12. Now let’s change the stems.
Remember, e can change to ie only within the boot. This means the nosotros form never changes!

13. Querer
emos
quier
quer o es e en

14. The u→ue and o→ue verbs work the same way.
Jugar
Poder
Dormir
Soñar
Volver
Devolver
to play
to be able to (can)
to sleep
to dream
to return (to a place)
to return (a thing)

15. First, find the o or u in the stem that is going to change
Poder
Jugar
Dormir
Soñar
Volver
Devolver

16. Then, decide which verb endings you will use.
For jugar: o as a
amos an
For poder: o es e
emos en

17. Then change it in the boot
juego
jugamos
juegas
juega
juegan

18. Poder
p__d
pod ue o
emos ue es ue ue e en

19. Los verbos que cambian e→i
Pedir
Servir
Conseguir
Seguir
Repetir
To ask for/order
To serve
To get
To follow
To repeat