Stem is the very first part of the verb, the underlined part:› Hablar› Comer› Escribir

Preferir Querer Pensar Empezar Comenzar Perder

To prefer To want To think To begin (start) To begin (start) To lose

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

If a verb ends in –AR, you add:

o as a amos áis an

If a verb ends in –er, you add:

o es e emos éis en

If a verb ends in –ir, you add:

o es e imos ís en

Ejemplo“querer” ends en “er” (querer), which endings will we add?

The –ER endings!!!!

0ESE

EMOSEISEN

quer quer

quer queréis

Quer quer

o emos

e

es

en

Now, let’s add our stem change.

Remember, E can change to IE only within the boot. This means that NOSOTROS/AS AND VOSOTROS/AS form never changes!

Quiero Queremos

Quieres Queréis

Quiere Quieren

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

When used with a thing as the direct object, querer means to want.

When used with a person as the direct object, querer means to love.

quieroquieresquiere

queremosqueréisquieren

escribirviajarbailar

leercomeraprenderdormir

estudiar

piensopiensaspiensa

pensamospensáispiensan

Pensar (To think)The verb pensar is another very useful

stem-changing verb.

¿En qué piensas? (What are you thinking about?)

Pensar de means “to think of” (to have an opinion about.)

¿Qué piensas de las novelas de Márquez?(What do you think of Márquez’s novels?)

Pensar que means “to think that” (in answer to the above question, for

example.)Yo pienso que sus novelas son maravillosas.(I think that his novels are wonderful.)

The verbs tener and venir are what might be called partial stem-changing verbs; the yo forms do not have the stem

change, but they do have an irregularity.

tengotienestiene

tenemostenéistienen

vengovienesviene

venimosvenísvienen

Poder Jugar Dormir Soñar Volver Devolver

to be able to (can) to play to sleep to dream to return (to a place) to return (a thing)

Poder Jugar Dormir Soñar Volver Devolver

For jugar:› o› as› a› amos› an

For poder:› o› es› e› emos› en

Juego Jugamos

Juegas Jugáis

Juega Juegan

Puedo Podemos

Puedes Podéis

Puede Pueden