Stem Vowel Changes in Spanish Present Tense

Some verbs undergo a vowel change in their stem while conjugating the Spanish Present tense (Presente). In this article, you are going to learn the stem vowel changes in Spanish Present tense.

As you know, the stem is the main part of a verb. In Spanish you can get the verb stem after removing the endings –ar, –er or –ir. For example, the stem of amar is am-, the stem of comer is com– and the stem of vivir is viv-.

To conjugate these verbs, you need to apply the stem vowel change and then, according to the subject and its conjugation (-ar, –er, –ir), add the regular endings. The stem does not change in the nosotros and vosotros forms.

Let’s have a look at the most popular stem vowel changes in Spanish Present tense.

Stem Vowel Change: E into IE

This change is very popular and can appear in any verb conjugation (-ar, –er, –ir).

Cerrar (to close) is one of these verbs. Let’s see how it is conjugated in the Spanish Present.

1. Remove the ending (-ar, –er or –ir) to get the stem.

2. Change –e– into –ie-.

3. Add the regular endings according to their conjugation (-ar, –er or –ir). Remember the stem does not change in the nosotros and vosotros forms.

20 Stem Vowel Changing Verbs (E into IE)

The following verbs have a stem vowel change from –e– to –ie– in Spanish Present tense.

calentar (to heat)
comenzar (to start)
defender (to defend)
despertar (to wake up)
divertir (to amuse)
empezar (to start)
encender (to turn on)
entender (to understand)
herir (to hurt)
invertir (to invest)
mentir (to lie)
negar (to deny)
pensar (to think)
perder (to lose)
preferir (to prefer)
querer (to want)
recomendar (to recommend)
regar (to water)
sentir (to feel)
sugerir (to suggest)

Stem Vowel Change: O into UE

This change is also popular and may be found in any verb conjugation (-ar, –er, –ir). 

Mover (to move) is a verb with this stem vowel change. Let’s have a look at how it is conjugated in the Spanish Present.

1. Remove the verb ending (-ar, –er or –ir) to get the stem.

2. Change –o– into –ue-.

3. Add the regular endings according to the conjugation (-ar, –er or –ir). As you know, the stem does not change in the nosotros and vosotros forms.

20 Stem Vowel Changing Verbs (O into UE)

The following verbs have a stem vowel change from –o– to –ue– in Spanish Present tense.

colgar (to hang up)
comprobar (to check)
contar (to count)
costar (to cost)
devolver (to give back)
doler (to hurt)
dormir (to sleep)
encontrar (to find)
envolver (to wrap)
morder (to bite)
morir (to die)
mostrar (to show)
poder (can)
probar (to try)
recordar (to remember)
rogar (to beg)
sonar (to sound)
soñar (to dream)
volar (to fly)
volver (to come back)

Oler

The verb oler (to smell) also gets the change from –o– into –ue-. However, you need to add the letter h at the beginning. The nosotros and vosotros forms do not change.

Jugar

The verb jugar (to play) also gets –ue– in the Present forms. In this case, you need to change –u– into –ue-. As always, the nosotros and vosotros forms do not change.

Stem Vowel Change: E into I

This change only appears in verbs ending in –ir. 

Pedir (to order, to ask for) is an example of a verb with this stem vowel change. Have a look at how it is conjugated in the Spanish Present.

1. Remove the ending –ir to get the stem.

2. Change –e– into –i-.

3. Add the regular ending for the –ir conjugation. The stem does not change in the nosotros and vosotros forms.

20 Stem Vowel Changing Verbs (E into I)

The following verbs have a stem vowel change from –e– to –i– in Spanish Present tense.

competir (to compete)
concebir (to conceive)
derretir (to melt)
despedir (to fire)
desvestir (to undress)
embestir (to ram)
expedir (to send, to dispatch)
gemir (to moan)
impedir (to prevent)
investir (to invest)
medir (to measure)
pedir (to ask)
preconcebir (to preconceive)
rendir (to surrender)
reñir (to quarrel)
repetir (to repeat)
revestir (to coat, to cover)
servir (to serve)
teñir (to dye)
vestir (to dress up)

Verbs like Reír

Some verbs that end with –eír have a stem vowel change from –e– into –í– in the Present tense. Some of these verbs are reír (to laugh), freír (to fry) or sonreír (to smile).

Exercises

Let’s practice some of the verbs that have stem vowel changes in Spanish Present tense.