Present Tense Stem-changing Verbs

When "regular verbs" are conjugated the ending changes and the front part (a.k.a. stem
or root) doesn’t change. When "stem-changing verbs" are conjugated the stem
changes. Most stem-changing verbs follow a few rules when conjugated, however,
there are some verbs that don't follow a consistent rule when they are conjugated, and
these are called, "irregular verbs".
Fortunately, most stem-changing verbs follow a few rules when they are conjugated.

Change the "e" to "ie" in the stem. However, the subject "nosotros" is
conjugated as a regular verb. For example:

Spanish Spanish English

Subject Infinitive: Pensar To Think

Yo pienso I think

Tú piensas You think

Usted/él/ella piensa You (formal)/He/She thinks

Nosotros pensamos We think

Ustedes/Ellos/Ellas piensan You (plural)/They think

Here is a list of stem-changing verbs that follow this rule:

Spanish English

Cerrar To close

Calentar To warm
Comenzar To begin

Pensar To think

Perder To lose

Gobernar To govern

Negar To deny

Quebrar To break

Querer To want

Herir To wound

Entender To understand

Encender To turn on

Despertarse (refl) To wake up

Defender To defend

Confesar To confess

Mentir To lie

Preferir To prefer

Sentir To feel
Change the "o" to "ue" in the stem. However, the subject "nosotros" is
conjugated as a regular verb. For example:

Spanish Spanish English

Subject Infinitive: Poder To be able

Yo puedo I am able

Tú puedes You are able

Usted/él/ella puede You (formal)/He/She is able

Nosotros podemos We are able

Ustedes/Ellos/Ellas pueden You (plural)/They are able

Here is a list of stem-changing verbs that follow this rule:

Spanish English

Contar To tell

Almorzar To have breakfast

Devolver To return

Envolver To wrap

Volver To return

Encontrar To find
 Llover To rain

Morder To bite

Mover To move

Oler To smell

Poder To be able

Volar To fly

Probar To try

Recordar To recall

Soñar To dream

Sonar To sound

Dormir To sleep

Morir To die

Change the "e" to "i" in the stem. However, the subject "nosotros" is
conjugated as a regular verb. For example:

Spanish Spanish English

Subject Infinitive: Pedir To ask

Yo pido I ask
 Tú pides You ask

Usted/él/ella pide You (formal)/He/She asks

Nosotros pedimos We ask

Ustedes/Ellos/Ellas piden You (plural)/They ask

Here is a list of stem-changing verbs that follow this rule:

Spanish English

Pedir To ask

Perseguir To pursue

Reír To laugh

Repetir To repeat

Vestir To dress

Seguir To follow/to continue

Servir To serve

Sonreír To smile

Construir To construct

Destruir To destroy
 Concluir To conclude

Diluir To dilute

For verbs that end in "cer" change "c" to "zc" but only for the subject "yo".
The other subjects are conjugated as a regular verb. For example:

Spanish Spanish English

Infinitive:
Subject Reconocer To recognize

Yo reconozco I recognize

Tú reconoces You recognize

You (formal)/He/She
Usted/él/ella reconoce recognize

Nosotros reconocemos We recognize

You (plural) speak/They

Ustedes/Ellos/Ellas reconocen recognize

Here is a list of stem-changing verbs that follow this rule:

Spanish English

Aparecer To appear

Conducir To drive

Introducir To introduce
 Ofrecer To offer

Reconocer To recognize

Reducir To reduce

For verbs that end in "ger" and "gir" change "g" to "j" but only for the
subject "yo". The other subjects are conjugated as regular verbs. For
example:

Spanish Spanish English

Subject Infinitive: Escoger To choose

Yo escojo I choose

Tú escoges You choose

Usted/él/ella escoge You (formal)/He/She chooses

Nosotros escogemos We choose

Ustedes/Ellos/Ellas escogen You (plural) speak/They choose

Here is a list of stem-changing verbs that follow this rule:

Spanish English

Escoger To chose

Exigir To demand
 Dirigir To direct

For verbs that end in "eguir" change "egu" to "ig" for the subject "yo" and
to "igu" for "tú ", "usted/él/ella" and "ustedes/ellos/ellas". However, the
subject "nosotros" is conjugated as a regular verb. For example:

Spanish Spanish English

Subject Infinitive: Seguir To follow

Yo sigo I follow

Tú sigues You follow

Usted/él/ella sigue You (formal)/He/She follows

Nosotros seguimos We follow

Ustedes/Ellos/Ellas siguen You (plural) speak/They follow

Here is a list of stem-changing verbs that follow this rule:

Spanish English

Conseguir To get

Perseguir To pursue

Seguir To follow
For verbs that end in "uir" change "u" to "y". However, the subject
"nosotros" is conjugated as a regular verb. For example:

Spanish Spanish English

Subject Infinitive: Instruir To instruct

Yo instruyo I instruct

Tú instruyes You instruct

Usted/él/ella instruye You (formal)/He/She instructs

Nosotros instruimos We instruct

Ustedes/Ellos/Ellas instruyen You (plural) speak/They instruct

Here is a list of stem-changing verbs that follow this rule:

Spanish English

Construir To build

Destruir To destroy

Instruir To instruct