4.A Stem-changing verbs
In the previous chapters we have learned about regular verbs and a couple irregular verbs. Now, we are going to look at a set of verbs that like the regular verbs have a set of rules, but are irregular at the same time. These verbs are called stem-changing verbs.
What is a stem-changing verb? With the regular verbs, we would take the verb hablar for explample, keep the stem habl– unchanged, and change the ending of the verb according to the conjugation that we needed. In a stem-changing verb not only we have to change the ending of the verb, but we also have to change the stem.
There are three types of stem-changing verbs. Verbs that change from e-ie, e-i, and o-ue. Note, that the verb conjugates regular only on nosotros/as and vosotros/as.
Verbs that change from e- ie
Entender –to understand
| Yo entiendo | Nosotros/as entendemos |
| Tú entiendes | Vosotros/as entendéis |
| El, ella, usted entiende | Ellos, ellas, ustedes entienden |
Verbs that change from e -i
Servir –to serve
| Yo sirvo | Nosotros/as servimos |
| Tú sirves | Vosotros/as servís |
| El, ella, usted sirve | Ellos, ellas ustedes sirven |
Verbs that change from o-ue
Almorzar –to have lunch
| Yo almuerzo | Nosotros/as almorzamos |
| Tú almuerzas | Vosotros/as amorzáis |
| El, ella, usted almuerza | Ellos, ellas, ustedes almuerzan |