8.2.8
Irregular ER Verbs (2/5)
More Irregular ER Verbs in the Preterite Tense
More Irregular ER Verbs in the Preterite Tense


Stem change (vowel → u)
Stem change (vowel → u)
- In the preterite tense, some vowels change their root vowel to 'u', for example poner (to put), saber (to know) and poder (to be able to).
- E.g. Poder:
- Pude - I was able to.
- Pudiste - you were able to.
- Pudo - he/she was able to.
- Pudimos - we were able to.
- Pudisteis - you were able to.
- Pudieron - they were able to.


Stem change (vowel → i) - hacer (to do)
Stem change (vowel → i) - hacer (to do)
- In the preterite tense, some vowels change their root vowel to 'i', for example, hacer (to do):
- Hice - I did.
- Hiciste - you did.
- Hizo - he/she did.
- Hicimos - we did.
- Hicisteis - you did.
- Hicieron - they did.


Stem change (vowel → i) - querer (to want)
Stem change (vowel → i) - querer (to want)
- In the preterite tense, some vowels change their root vowel to 'i', for example, querer (to want):
- Quise - I wanted.
- Quisiste - you wanted.
- Quiso - he/she wanted.
- Quisimos - we wanted.
- Quisisteis - you wanted.
- Quisieron - they wanted.


Traer (to bring)
Traer (to bring)
- In the preterite tense, traer adds a 'j' to its stem.
- Traje - I brought.
- Trajiste - you (singular) brought.
- Trajo - he/she brought.
- Trajimos - we brought.
- Trajisteis - you (plural) brought.
- Trajieron - they brought.
Irregular ER verbs in the Preterite Tense
Irregular ER verbs in the Preterite Tense
In the preterite tense, there are lots of verbs that change their stem or follow a different pattern to regular verbs. Here are some examples for ER verbs:


Stem spelling change (i → y)
Stem spelling change (i → y)
- In the preterite tense, some verbs change their spelling.
- This only happens in the 'él/ella' and the 'ellos/ellas' forms - the other forms gain an accent on the 'i'.
- For example, leer (to read):
- Leí - I read.
- Leíste - you read.
- Leyó - she read.
- Leímos - we read.
- Leísteis - you read.
- Leyeron - they read.


Ser (to be) & Ir (to go)
Ser (to be) & Ir (to go)
- Ser and ir have the same conjugation in the preterite tense.
- They have a completely irregular stem in the preterite tense.
- Fui - I was/went.
- Fuiste - you were/went.
- Fue - he/she/it was/went.
- Fuimos - we were/went.
- Fuisteis - you (plural) were/went.
- Fueron - they were/went.


Ver (to see)
Ver (to see)
- In the preterite tense, ver changes its vowel from 'e' to 'i'.
- Vi - I saw.
- Viste - you (singular) saw.
- Vio - he/she/it saw.
- Vimos - we saw.
- Visteis - you (plural) saw.
- Vieron - they saw.


Tener (to have)
Tener (to have)
- In the preterite tense, tener adds 'uv' to its stem.
- Tuve - I had.
- Tuviste - you had.
- Tuvo - he/she had.
- Tuvimos - we had.
- Tuvisteis - you had.
- Tuvieron - they had.


Querer (to want)
Querer (to want)
- In the preterite tense, querer changes 'er' to 'is' in the stem before the ending.
- Quise - I wanted.
- Quisiste - you wanted.
- Quiso - he/she wanted.
- Quisimos - we wanted.
- Quisisteis - you wanted.
- Quisieron - they wanted.
1The Basics
1.1Pronouns
1.2Verbs
1.3Nouns
1.4Adjectives
1.5Abbreviations
2Home & Abroad
2.2Holiday
2.4Everyday Life, Traditions & Communities
3Education & Employment
3.2School Trips
3.4Future Plans
4Personal Life & Relationships
4.1House & Home
4.2Daily Routines & Helping at Home
4.3Family & Friends
5The World Around Us
5.1Environmental Issues
5.2Weather
5.3Travel & Transport
5.5Information & Communication
6Social Activities, Fitness & Health
6.1Special Occasions
6.2Hobbies & Interests
6.3Shopping & Money Matters
6.4Injuries, Illness & Health
7Listening
7.1Town & Region
7.2Holiday
7.3Customs
7.4Education
7.5Personal Life & Relationships
7.6The Media & Technology
7.7Social Activities
7.8The Environment
7.9Fitness & Health
8Common Tenses
8.1Present Tense
8.1.1Regular AR Verbs
8.1.2Negative Verbs
8.1.3Irregular AR Verbs
8.1.4Irregular AR Verbs: Exceptions
8.1.5Regular ER Verbs
8.1.6Irregular ER Verbs
8.1.7Irregular ER Verbs 2
8.1.8Regular IR Verbs
8.1.9Irregular IR Verbs
8.1.10Irregular IR Verbs 2
8.1.11Irregular IR Verbs 3
8.1.12Irregular IR Verbs 4
8.1.13Verb Phrases
8.1.14The Use of 'Se'
8.2Preterite Tense
8.2.1Regular AR Verbs
8.2.2Irregular AR Verbs (1/4)
8.2.3Irregular AR Verbs (2/4)
8.2.4Irregular AR Verbs (3/4)
8.2.5Irregular AR Verbs (4/4)
8.2.6Regular ER Verbs
8.2.7Irregular ER Verbs (1/5)
8.2.8Irregular ER Verbs (2/5)
8.2.9Irregular ER Verbs (3/5)
8.2.10Irregular ER Verbs (4/5)
8.2.11Irregular ER Verbs (5/5)
8.2.12Regular IR Verbs
8.2.13Irregular IR Verbs (1/6)
8.2.14Irregular IR Verbs (2/6)
8.2.15Irregular IR Verbs (3/6)
8.2.16Irregular IR Verbs (4/6)
8.2.17Irregular IR Verbs (5/6)
8.2.18Irregular IR Verbs (6/6)
8.3Imperfect Tense
8.4Preterite vs Imperfect Tenses
8.5Future Tense
9Important Verbs
9.1To Be - 'Ser' & 'Estar'
9.2To Like - 'Gustar'
9.3To Have - 'Tener'
10Advanced Tenses
10.1The Simple Future
10.2Conditional Tense
10.3Continuous Tenses
10.4Perfect Tense
10.5Present Subjunctive
10.5.1Present Subjunctive: AR Verbs
10.5.2Present Subjunctive: ER Verbs
10.5.3Present Subjunctive: IR Verbs
10.5.4Irregular AR Verbs (1/3)
10.5.5Irregular AR Verbs (2/3)
10.5.6Irregular AR Verbs (3/3)
10.5.7Irregular ER Verbs (1/2)
10.5.8Irregular ER Verbs (2/2)
10.5.9Irregular IR Verbs (1/3)
10.5.10Irregular IR Verbs (2/3)
10.5.11Irregular IR Verbs (3/3)
10.5.12The Verb 'Ir'
10.5.13Subjunctive Uses
10.6Imperfect Subjunctive
11Extra Grammar
11.2Negatives
11.3Nouns
11.4Asking Questions
11.5Adjectives
11.6Adverbs
11.7Conjunctions
11.8Pronouns
11.9By, With, From, Of
11.10Verbs
11.11Comparisons
Jump to other topics
1The Basics
1.1Pronouns
1.2Verbs
1.3Nouns
1.4Adjectives
1.5Abbreviations
2Home & Abroad
2.2Holiday
2.4Everyday Life, Traditions & Communities
3Education & Employment
3.2School Trips
3.4Future Plans
4Personal Life & Relationships
4.1House & Home
4.2Daily Routines & Helping at Home
4.3Family & Friends
5The World Around Us
5.1Environmental Issues
5.2Weather
5.3Travel & Transport
5.5Information & Communication
6Social Activities, Fitness & Health
6.1Special Occasions
6.2Hobbies & Interests
6.3Shopping & Money Matters
6.4Injuries, Illness & Health
7Listening
7.1Town & Region
7.2Holiday
7.3Customs
7.4Education
7.5Personal Life & Relationships
7.6The Media & Technology
7.7Social Activities
7.8The Environment
7.9Fitness & Health
8Common Tenses
8.1Present Tense
8.1.1Regular AR Verbs
8.1.2Negative Verbs
8.1.3Irregular AR Verbs
8.1.4Irregular AR Verbs: Exceptions
8.1.5Regular ER Verbs
8.1.6Irregular ER Verbs
8.1.7Irregular ER Verbs 2
8.1.8Regular IR Verbs
8.1.9Irregular IR Verbs
8.1.10Irregular IR Verbs 2
8.1.11Irregular IR Verbs 3
8.1.12Irregular IR Verbs 4
8.1.13Verb Phrases
8.1.14The Use of 'Se'
8.2Preterite Tense
8.2.1Regular AR Verbs
8.2.2Irregular AR Verbs (1/4)
8.2.3Irregular AR Verbs (2/4)
8.2.4Irregular AR Verbs (3/4)
8.2.5Irregular AR Verbs (4/4)
8.2.6Regular ER Verbs
8.2.7Irregular ER Verbs (1/5)
8.2.8Irregular ER Verbs (2/5)
8.2.9Irregular ER Verbs (3/5)
8.2.10Irregular ER Verbs (4/5)
8.2.11Irregular ER Verbs (5/5)
8.2.12Regular IR Verbs
8.2.13Irregular IR Verbs (1/6)
8.2.14Irregular IR Verbs (2/6)
8.2.15Irregular IR Verbs (3/6)
8.2.16Irregular IR Verbs (4/6)
8.2.17Irregular IR Verbs (5/6)
8.2.18Irregular IR Verbs (6/6)
8.3Imperfect Tense
8.4Preterite vs Imperfect Tenses
8.5Future Tense
9Important Verbs
9.1To Be - 'Ser' & 'Estar'
9.2To Like - 'Gustar'
9.3To Have - 'Tener'
10Advanced Tenses
10.1The Simple Future
10.2Conditional Tense
10.3Continuous Tenses
10.4Perfect Tense
10.5Present Subjunctive
10.5.1Present Subjunctive: AR Verbs
10.5.2Present Subjunctive: ER Verbs
10.5.3Present Subjunctive: IR Verbs
10.5.4Irregular AR Verbs (1/3)
10.5.5Irregular AR Verbs (2/3)
10.5.6Irregular AR Verbs (3/3)
10.5.7Irregular ER Verbs (1/2)
10.5.8Irregular ER Verbs (2/2)
10.5.9Irregular IR Verbs (1/3)
10.5.10Irregular IR Verbs (2/3)
10.5.11Irregular IR Verbs (3/3)
10.5.12The Verb 'Ir'
10.5.13Subjunctive Uses
10.6Imperfect Subjunctive
11Extra Grammar
11.2Negatives
11.3Nouns
11.4Asking Questions
11.5Adjectives
11.6Adverbs
11.7Conjunctions
11.8Pronouns
11.9By, With, From, Of
11.10Verbs
11.11Comparisons
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