Stem-changing Verbs

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Stem-changing Verbs

• Español 2
• Avancemos
• Lección Preliminar

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Stem-Changing Verbs The stem of a verb is the
part of the infinitive that is left after you
take of the endings er, ar, or ir. For
example, the stem of the the verb almorzar is
almorz-. Stem-changing verbs have a change in
their stem in all forms of the present tense
EXCEPT FOR the nosotros (as) and vosotros (as)
forms.
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There are three types of stem-changing
verbs e-ie/e-i/o-ue. Here are some of them.
e ? ie pensar to think querer to
want perder to lose entender to
understand preferir to prefer
o ? ue almorzar to eat lunch poder to be
able/can encontrar to find dormir to
sleep volver to return
e ? i servir to serve pedir to
order seguir to follow competir to compete
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• Steps to conjugating a stem-changing verb
• Cross off AR/ER/ or IR from the infinitive.
• Write the pronouns (yo, tú, etc)
• Change the stem to the changed stem in everything
  EXCEPT NOSOTROS AND VOSOTROS.
• 4) Add the AR/ER/ or IR endings (depending on
  the type of
• verb.
• 5) Translate pronouns and all forms of the verb
  into English.
• Now you are done!!! If you did it correctly,
  the stem changed forms of the verb are shaped
  like a boot.

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Boot Verbs
Stem-changing verbs are sometimes referred to as
boot verbs. This is because the forms of the
verb that change the stem make the shape of a
boot
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Poder to be able/can (o-ue stem-changing verb)


Yo nosotros/as
tú vosotros/as
él/ella usted ellos/ellas/ustedes
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Pedir to order (e i stem change) Pedir to order (e i stem change)
singular plural
Yo pido nosotros/as pedimos
Tú pides vosotros/as pedís
él/ella usted pide ellos/ellas ustedes piden
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Querer to want (e-ie stem changing verb)

singular plural
Yo quiero nosotros queremos
tú quieres vosotros queréis
él/ella/usted quiere Ellos/ellas/ustedes quieren
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Vamos a practicar Conjugate the following
stem-changing verbs. When done, draw a boot
around the ones that changed the stem (everything
EXCEPT NOSOTROS/VOSOTROS) Remember the
er/ir/ar endings will remain the same as you have
previously learned. E? IE PENSAR
TO THINK E ? I SERVIR TO SERVE O ?
UE ALMORZAR TO EAT LUNCH