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Stem-Changing Verbs

“Shoe Verbs”

 

I.  The stem-changing verb only occurs with certain verbs in the PRESENT TENSE!

 

II. These verbs conjugate just like any regular verb EXCEPT…

                                                                      THEIR STEMS CHANGE!

 

III. When Spanish students are introduced to this type of verb, the letters that the stems                                         change TO are in parenthesis to the right of the infinitive.

                   

             EX. querer (ie)=to want, to love (someone)

 

                 This example tells the student that this verb stem will change from the letter “e”                                                            to the letters “ie”.

 

IV. Note that this stem change only occurs in certain positions on the conjugation set, as follows:

 

                          querer (ie)=to want, to love (someone)

          1) Yo quiero                    1) Nosotros (as) queremos

          2) Tú quieres                  2)xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

          3) Él   }                            3)Ellos }

              Ella  }   quiere                Ellas  } quieren

              Ud.  }                              Uds. }

 

V. If you were to draw a line around the italicized forms above, it would appear to look a bit like a shoe! Yep, that’s why the stem-changers are many times referred to as “shoe verbs! The 1st person plural, “Nosotros” form is outside the shoe; therefore, its verb form retains the original verb stem.

 

* Oral repetition of each stem-changer conjugation helps greatly in becoming comfortable in using these verbs in conversation. It's a great starting place!

 

*See my website link for lists and conjugation examples of stem-changing verbs in the three verb groups: -ar, -er, and –ir.