The main form of the verb is called the infinitive The main form of the verb is called the infinitive. The infinitive consists of two parts: the ending and the stem. The ending is the last two letters. There are only three different endings: -ar, -er, and -ir. The stem is everything else, except the ending. hablar: ending = ar, stem = habl comer: ending = er, stem = com vivir: ending = ir, stem = viv With regular verbs, the stem stays the same, and the ending changes as they are conjugated.

Spanish Stem-Changing Verbs With some verbs, the stem also changes when you conjugate them. In the present tense, there are three groups of stem-changing verbs: o:ue e:ie e:i

How do these verbs work? Examples Empezar= e→ie Poder= o→ue In one group of stem-changing verbs, the letter e in the stem changes to ie in all but the nosotros form. This particular type of stem-changing verb is found in all three verb types. cerrar yo cierro tú cierras él, ella, Ud. cierra nosotros/as cerramos ellos, ellas, Uds. Cierran Examples Empezar= e→ie Poder= o→ue Pedir= e →i

Los verbos que cambian e→ie Tener Querer Pensar Empezar Comenzar Perder To have To want To think To begin (start) To lose

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

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

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

So, since “empezar” ends in “ar” (empezar), which endings will we add? The “ar” endings: o as a amos an

Empezar empez o amos as a an

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

Now let’s change the stems. Remember, e can change to ie and the nosotros form never changes!

Empezar o amos empiez empez as a an

Pedir e i o pid pedimos es e en

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

First, find the o in the stem that is going to change Poder Dormir Soñar Volver Devolver

Then, decide which verb endings you will use. For poder: o es e emos en

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