This week we will be taking a test on "stem-changing verbs". There are three types of stem-changing verbs- e --> ie,
o --> ue, and e --> i. Note that stem-changing verbs DO NOT stem-change in the NOSOTROS/AS forms. (Remember the shoe!) Also, remember that in order to accurately conjugate stem-changing verbs, you must also be aware of your -ar,
-er, and -ir endings. They are as follows:
-ar
yo -o nosotros/as -amos
tú -as
él -a ellos -an
ella -a ellas -an
usted -a ustedes -an
-er
yo -o nosotros/as -emos
tú -es
él -e ellos -en
ella -e ellas -en
usted -e ustedes -en
-ir
yo -o nosotros/as -imos
tú -es
él -e ellos -en
ella -e ellas -en
usted -e ustedes -en
Below is an example of each. REMEMBER THAT THE STEM-CHANGING ALWAYS HAPPENS ON THE NEXT-TO-LAST SYLLABLE!:
Preferir (ie) - to prefer Almorzar (ue) - to eat lunch
Yo prefiero Nosotros/as preferimos Yo almuerzo Nosotros/as almorzamos
Tú prefieres Tú almuerzas
Él prefiere Ellos prefieren Él almuerza Ellos almuerzan
Ella prefiere Ellas prefieren Ella almuerza Ellas almuerzan
Usted prefiere Ustedes prefiere Usted almuerza Ustedes almuerzan
Pedir (i) - to order, ask for
Yo pido Nosotros/as pedimos
Tú pides
Él pide Ellos piden
Ella pide Ellas piden
Usted pide Ustedes piden
You need to learn your verbs by category so that you will be able to conjugate them on the test. You must also know the meaning of each verb from English to Spanish.
e ---> ie o ---> ue e ---> i
Cerrar (ie) - to close Almorzar (ue) - to eat lunch Pedir (i) - to order, ask for
Empezar (ie) - to start Costar (ue) - to cost Servir (i) - to serve
Entender (ie) - to understand (Remember to use él/ella
Pensar (ie) - to think form "cuesta" for "it costs" and
Preferir (ie) - to prefer ellos/ellas form "cuestan" for
Querer (ie) - to want "they cost".)
In addition to this information, you should also learn the following vocabulary. Again, learn this from English to Spanish:
El camarero/la camarera - the waiter, waitress
El plato principal - the main course
La propina - the tip
El arroz - the rice
La carne - the meat
Los frijoles - the beans
Las papas - the potatos
El pescado - the fish
El pollo - the chicken
Las verduras - the vegetables
Start studying IMMEDIATELY!
TIPS for remembering which verbs take which stem-change:
Remembering that every verb stem-changes in the next-to-last syllable helps a lot.
If there is an "o" in the next to last syllable, you know that it's a "ue" stem-changer, because that's the only stem-change that occurs in verbs with an "o" in the next-to-syllable. When you see "costar" or "almorzar", you can easily notice that there is an "o" in the next-to-last syllable. This should immediately cue you to the fact that they are o---->ue stem-changers.
For discerning whether you are dealing with an e---->ie or e----->i, it is easiest to memorize the list of e------>i stem-changers. This is due to the fact that on this test there are six e---->ie and only two e----->i. This obviously will not always be true. But will alleviate your stress on this test. When you see a verb with an "e" in the next-to-last syllable, if it is not on the memorized list of e------>i verbs, you will simply assume that it is an e------>ie stem-changers.
If this doesn't help, just learn them all ; )
o --> ue, and e --> i. Note that stem-changing verbs DO NOT stem-change in the NOSOTROS/AS forms. (Remember the shoe!) Also, remember that in order to accurately conjugate stem-changing verbs, you must also be aware of your -ar,
-er, and -ir endings. They are as follows:
-ar
yo -o nosotros/as -amos
tú -as
él -a ellos -an
ella -a ellas -an
usted -a ustedes -an
-er
yo -o nosotros/as -emos
tú -es
él -e ellos -en
ella -e ellas -en
usted -e ustedes -en
-ir
yo -o nosotros/as -imos
tú -es
él -e ellos -en
ella -e ellas -en
usted -e ustedes -en
Below is an example of each. REMEMBER THAT THE STEM-CHANGING ALWAYS HAPPENS ON THE NEXT-TO-LAST SYLLABLE!:
Preferir (ie) - to prefer Almorzar (ue) - to eat lunch
Yo prefiero Nosotros/as preferimos Yo almuerzo Nosotros/as almorzamos
Tú prefieres Tú almuerzas
Él prefiere Ellos prefieren Él almuerza Ellos almuerzan
Ella prefiere Ellas prefieren Ella almuerza Ellas almuerzan
Usted prefiere Ustedes prefiere Usted almuerza Ustedes almuerzan
Pedir (i) - to order, ask for
Yo pido Nosotros/as pedimos
Tú pides
Él pide Ellos piden
Ella pide Ellas piden
Usted pide Ustedes piden
You need to learn your verbs by category so that you will be able to conjugate them on the test. You must also know the meaning of each verb from English to Spanish.
e ---> ie o ---> ue e ---> i
Cerrar (ie) - to close Almorzar (ue) - to eat lunch Pedir (i) - to order, ask for
Empezar (ie) - to start Costar (ue) - to cost Servir (i) - to serve
Entender (ie) - to understand (Remember to use él/ella
Pensar (ie) - to think form "cuesta" for "it costs" and
Preferir (ie) - to prefer ellos/ellas form "cuestan" for
Querer (ie) - to want "they cost".)
In addition to this information, you should also learn the following vocabulary. Again, learn this from English to Spanish:
El camarero/la camarera - the waiter, waitress
El plato principal - the main course
La propina - the tip
El arroz - the rice
La carne - the meat
Los frijoles - the beans
Las papas - the potatos
El pescado - the fish
El pollo - the chicken
Las verduras - the vegetables
Start studying IMMEDIATELY!
TIPS for remembering which verbs take which stem-change:
Remembering that every verb stem-changes in the next-to-last syllable helps a lot.
If there is an "o" in the next to last syllable, you know that it's a "ue" stem-changer, because that's the only stem-change that occurs in verbs with an "o" in the next-to-syllable. When you see "costar" or "almorzar", you can easily notice that there is an "o" in the next-to-last syllable. This should immediately cue you to the fact that they are o---->ue stem-changers.
For discerning whether you are dealing with an e---->ie or e----->i, it is easiest to memorize the list of e------>i stem-changers. This is due to the fact that on this test there are six e---->ie and only two e----->i. This obviously will not always be true. But will alleviate your stress on this test. When you see a verb with an "e" in the next-to-last syllable, if it is not on the memorized list of e------>i verbs, you will simply assume that it is an e------>ie stem-changers.
If this doesn't help, just learn them all ; )