Gramática: Verbos con cambio de raíz (e-ie)

Objetivos

  • Recognize the correct conjugation of e-ie stem-changing verbs

With this group of verbs, the stem vowel e changes to an ie in all of the forms except the first and second person plural.

Play AudioComenzar (to start, to begin)
Singular Plural
1a Play Audiocomienzo Play Audiocomenzamos
2a Play Audiocomienzas Play Audiocomenzáis
3a Play Audiocomienza Play Audiocomienzan

Note that the nosotros and vosotros forms do not change their ‘e’ to ‘ie’, because the stress in those forms falls on the next syllable.

And remember that the stem-changing vowel does not affect the personal ending for the verb, which depends on who the subject is and whether the verb is in the -AR, -ER, or -IR conjugation group. Here’s an example of a familiar -ER verb that has the e-ie stem change:

Play AudioQuerer (to want)
Singular Plural
1a Play Audioquiero Play Audioqueremos
2a Play Audioquieres Play Audioqueréis
3a Play Audioquiere Play Audioquieren

Venir

The verb venir means “to come”, and it has the same irregularities as tener when conjugated in the present tense. But it doesn’t have so many idiomatic uses!

 
venir (to come)
singular plural
 1a Play Audioyo vengo Play Audionosotros venimos
 2a Play Audiovienes Play Audiovosotros venís
3a  Play Audioél viene
Play Audioella viene
Play Audiousted viene
Play Audioellos vienen
Play Audioellas vienen
Play Audioustedes vienen
  • Play AudioEllos vienen a la universidad todos los días. (They come to the university every day.)
  • Play Audio¿A qué hora vienes a la clase de español? (At what time do you come to Spanish class?)

Vocabulario: algunos verbos con cambio de raíz e – ie

  • Play AudioCerrar (to close)
  • Play AudioComenzar (to start, to begin)
  • Play AudioEmpezar (to start, to begin)
  • Play AudioEntender (to understand)
  • Play AudioPensar (to think)
  • Play AudioPreferir (to prefer)
  • Play AudioPerder (to lose)
  • Play AudioQuerer (to want)
  • Play AudioSentir (to feel)
  • Play AudioTener (to have) (yo tengo, tú tienes…)
  • Play AudioVenir (to come) (yo vengo, tú vienes…)

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