Stem-changing verbs in the Preterite Notas de Gramática Stem-changing verbs in the Preterite
¿Recuerdas? Most verbs that make stem-changes in the present tense NEVER make those changes in the preterite…
Present-tense (Boot) Verbs You remember these Boot verbs that you studied in the present tense… Pensar Querer Dormir Yo pienso quiero duermo Tú piensas quieres duermes…
Boot Verbs in the Preterite In the preterite (pretérito) tense… Boot verbs ending in AR & - ER NEVER make stem-changes So conjugate Pensar as a regular verb in the preterite (pensé, pensaste, pensó, pensamos, pensasteis, ,pensaron)
But… -IR will make some changes but They will only stem-change in the Only stem-changing (boot) verbs that end in -IR will make some changes but NOT in the boot forms… They will only stem-change in the CIGAR FORMS! Then they can only change from E --- I or O ---- U (never e -- ie or o --- ue! like in the present)
Ejemplos… Servir = to serve Dormir = to sleep Yo serví N. servimos Tú serviste V. servisteis El/ sirvió ellos sirvieron Ella ellas Dormir = to sleep Yo dormí N. dormimos Tú dormiste V. dormisteis El/ durmió ellos durmieron Ella ellas
Ahora… Conjuguemos… Preferir = to prefer In the present tense.. (e - ie) Yo prefiero, prefieres, prefiere… Now conjugate it in the preterite… Pedir = to ask for/order In the present tense.. (e - i) Yo pido, pides, pide.. Now try it in the preterite…
Respuestas… Preferir preferí preferimos preferiste preferisteis prefirió prefirieron You should memorize these rules tonight! Pedir pedí pedimos pediste pedisteis pidió pidieron You will be quizzed over them soon!
So which verbs stem-change in the preterite? Only if it is a boot verb in the present and ends in -IR Only in the CIGAR forms Only change E - I & O - U