Los Verbos con Cambios Radicales

AKA: Los Verbos de Zapato

Spanish Stem-Changing Verbs

e→iee→i

o→ueu→ue

How do these verbs work?

First, let’s start with one.Querer: to want, to love

Rule #1 Los verbos de zapato tienen las conjugaciones regulares.

oasa

amosáisan

oese

emos éisen

oese

imosísen

They look like boxes.

hablar – ar = stemhablo hablamoshablas habláishabla hablan

comer – er = stemcomocomemoscomescoméiscomecomen

vivir – ir = stemvivovivimosvives vivísvive viven

Rule #2The stem changes.

What’s the stem again?

Infinitive - ar/er/ir ending = STEM

Hablar – ar = Habl

Beber – er = Beb

Vivir – ir = Viv

Rule #3

There are no stem changes in the Nosotros and Vosotros forms. Ever. Never.

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Notice that the(1)nosotros and (2)vosotros forms are outside the shoe. That’s because they DON’T have a stem change.

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Rule #4The stem change occurs in the shape of a shoe. (Stem changing verbs = Shoe verbs)

Let’s start our example with:Querer – (ie) to want,love

•Make two columns•Number each 1-2-3•Label the top with Querer

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Querer: (ie) to want/love

• Add the nosotros form and the vosotros form in the appropriate number – remember, no stem change they are regular.

Infinitive - ar/er/ir ending = STEM

Querer – er = Quer

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Quer

Quer

• Add the conjugation endings to the rest of the forms leaving room for the new stem.

Querer

o queremos

es queréis

e en

• Now let’s make the new stem:

Infinitive - ar/er/ir ending = STEM

Querer – er = Querer (ie) - er =

QuerQuier

• Add the new stem to your 4 remaining conjugations (All but the nosotros and vosotros forms.

Querer

quiero queremos

quieres queréis

quiere quieren

The u→ue and o→ue verbs work the same way.

• Poder• Jugar• Dormir

• to be able to (can)• to play• to sleep

First, find the o or u in the stem that is going to change to ue

• Poder• Jugar• Dormir

Then, decide which verb endings you will use.

Let’s start with:Jugar

jugar (u-ue) – to play

juego

juegas

juega juegan

jugamos

jugáis