2. The Present Tense of Stem-
Changing Verbs:
e ie
e i
o ue
(El tiempo presente de los verbos de
cambio radical)
3. There is a fairly large group of verbs in Spanish that undergo
changes in their stem when conjugated in the present tense.
These changes occur only in the first and second persons
singular and third persons singular and plural.
When a line is drawn around the
forms that change, the resulting
shape vaguely resembles a boot
or high-top shoe; thus, these
verbs are sometimes informally
called “boot” or “shoe”
verbs.
There are three types or classes of “boot”
verbs.
5. O-UE
almorzar To eat lunch
contar To count
mostrar To show
recordar To remember
encontrar To find
poder Can / to be able
volver Return/ go back
dormir To sleep
Jugar
To play
*follows
this
pattern
Juego
Juegas
Juega
Jugamos
Jugáis
Juegan
6. O-UE
• First: Identify verb ending –ar, -er, -ir
volar poder dormir
• Second: Remember endings for verb to
conjugate.
Yo o Nosotros/as amos
Tú as Vosotros/as áis
Él
Ella a
Usted
Ellos
Ellas an
Ustedes
-ar
Jugar
7. Yo o Nosotros/as emos
Tú es Vosotros/as éis
Él
Ella e
Usted
Ellos
Ellas en
Ustedes
-er
Yo o Nosotros/as
imos
Tú es Vosotros/as ís
Él
Ella e
Usted
Ellos
Ellas en
Ustedes
-ir
10. e ie
cerrar to close
comenzar to begin
empezar to begin
pensar to think; to intend
perder to lose; to waste; to miss
entender to understand
querer to want; to wish; to love
tener to have
preferir to prefer
venir to come
11. The verbs querer and preferir
Expressing desires and
preferences
querer and preferir are important stem-
changing verbs that have multiple uses.
18. Both querer and preferir can be used
with an infinitive directly after them
Rafael quiere esquiar, pero su novia
prefiere patinar.
Rafael wants to ski, but his girlfriend prefers to skate.
quiero
quieres
quiere
queremos
queréis
quieren
We start with an appropriate person
and number of querer or preferir . . .
and then add any infinitive.
estudia
viajar
bailar
leer
comer
aprender
estudiar
escribir
dormir
20. Thinking and planning
pensar basically means “to think.”
Me gusta ir al parque para
pensar y descansar.
I like to go to the park
to think and to rest.
21. Thinking and planning
¿En qué piensas?
Pensar en means “to think about.”
Gabriela siempre piensa en sus estudios.
Pensamos en los examenes.
Gabriela always thinks in her studies.
We think about the exams.
What are you thinking about?
22. Thinking and planning
Pensar de means “to think of” (to
have an opinion about.)
¿Qué piensas de el Sr. Trump?
What do you think of Mr. Trump?
Pensar que means “to think that” (in
answer to the above question, for example.)
Yo pienso que él hace buen trabajo.
Yo pienso que él trabaja bien.
Yo pienso que él es buen presidente.
23. pensar + infinitive =
to plan to do something
Thinking and planning
Pensar also has a special use . . .
Pensamos escuchar música
en el parque en la tarde.
We’re planning to listen to
music in the park this
afternoon.
24. Thinking and planning
¿Qué piensas hacer después de clase?
Después de clase, yo pienso . . .
¿Qué piensas hacer este fin de semana?
Este fin de semana, pienso . . .
¿Qué piensan hacer Uds. (tú y tu familia)
en las vacaciones de verano?
En las vacaciones de verano, pensamos
. . .
25. Here are some other common
e i verbs
conseguir To get; to obtain
pedir To request; to ask for;
to order (food)
seguir To follow
repetir To repeat
servir To serve
27. pedir ~ to ask, to request,
to order food
e - i
pedimos
pedís
piden
pido
pides
pide
28. No te olvides-Don’t forget
Changes come on the last vowel closest to the
ending
repetir encontrar preferir
Yo repito Él encuentra Ellos prefieren
No changes in nosotros & vosotros
Nos. repetimos Nos. preferimos
Vos. volvéis Vos. repetís
29. Verbs with irregular yo forms
-GO verbs
hacer (to do/make) yo hago
poner (to put/place yo pongo
salir (to leave/go out) yo salgo
suponer (to suppose) yo supongo
traer (to bring) yo traigo
tener (to have) (e-ie) yo tengo
decir (to say/tell) (e-i) yo digo
conseguir (to get/obtain)(e-i) yo consigo
seguir (to follow) (e-i) yo sigo
30. saber (to know) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . yo sé
ver ( to see) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . yo veo
Additional Irregular “yo” forms
The verb OÍR has an irregular “yo” form, but also has
spelling changes in many of their other forms, as seen:
Yo oigo Nosotros(as) oimos
Tú oyes Vosotros(as) oís
Él/Ella Ellos/Ellas
Usted oye Ustedes oyen