Irregular AR Verbs
Spanish: AQA A Level, topic 16.5.1
Stem Changing AR Verbs (E → IE)
When conjugating some AR verbs in the present tense, the 'e' in the infinitive becomes 'ie'. This does NOT happen in the 'vosotros' and 'nosotros' forms.
Cerrar - to close
- Cierro - I close.
- Cierras - you close.
- Cierra - he/she closes.
- Cerramos - we close.
- Cerráis - you close.
- Cierran - they close.
Comenzar - to start
- Comienzo - I start.
- Comienzas - you start.
- Comienza - he/she starts.
- Comenzamos - we start.
- Comenzáis - you start.
- Comienzan - they start.
Empezar - to begin
- Empiezo - I begin.
- Empiezas - you begin.
- Empieza - he/she begins.
- Empezamos - we begin.
- Empezáis - you begin.
- Empiezan - they begin.
Pensar - to think
- Pienso - I think.
- Piensas - you think.
- Piensa - he/she thinks.
- Pensamos - we think.
- Pensáis - you think.
- Piensan - they think.
Nevar - to snow, Helar - to freeze
- Nieva - It snows.
- This verb is only used in the 3rd person singular form.
- Hiela - It freezes.
- This verb is only used in the 3rd person singular form.
Other verbs that follow this pattern
- Merendar - to have a snack, to have a picnic.
- Recomendar - to recommend.
- Sentarse - to sit.
- Negar - to deny.
Stem Changing AR Verbs (O → UE)
In Spanish in the present tense some AR verbs change when conjugated. The 'o' in the infinitive becomes 'ue'. This does NOT happen in the 'vosotros' and 'nosotros' forms. Derivatives of these verbs follow the same pattern.
Stem changes O → UE
- 'Soñar' (to dream) becomes 'sueño' (I dream).
- 'Encontrar' (to find) becomes 'encuentro' (I find).
Soñar - to dream
- Sueño - I dream.
- Sueñas - you dream.
- Sueña - He/she dreams.
- Soñamos - we dream.
- Soñáis - you dream.
- Sueñan - they dream.
Aprobar - to approve
- Apruebo - I approve.
- Apruebas - you approve.
- Aprueba - he/she approves.
- Aprobamos - we approve.
- Aprobáis - you approve.
- Aprueban - they approve.
Costar - to be difficult, cost
- Cuesto - I am difficult.
- Cuestas - you are difficult.
- Cuesta - he/she is difficult.
- Costamos - we are difficult.
- Costáis - you are difficult.
- Cuestan - they are difficult.
Mostrar - to show
- Muestro - I show.
- Muestras - you show.
- Muestra - he/she shows.
- Mostramos - we show.
- Mostráis - you show.
- Muestran - they show.
Verbs that follow this pattern:
- Volar - to fly.
- Recordar - to remember.
- Colgar - to put (photos on social media)
- Almorzar - to have lunch.
- Encontrar - to find.
- Probar - to try/taste.
- Acordar - to agree on.
- Contar - to count/tell.
Exceptions
Some verbs don't follow the same patterns as other regular or irregular verbs.
Jugar - to play
- Although it doesn't have an O, 'jugar' follows the same pattern as verbs that change from O → UE.
- E.g. Jugar → juego (I play).
Dar - to give
- 'Dar' only changes in the first person.
- Dar → doy (I give).
- After that, it works like a regular AR verb.
Esquiar - to ski
- Esquío - I ski.
- Esquías - you ski.
- Esquía - he/she skis.
- Esquiamos - we ski.
- Esquiáis - you ski.
- Esquían - they ski.
- Esquiar behaves like a regular verb but the i becomes an í for some conjugations.
Confiar - to trust
- Confío - I trust.
- Confías - you trust.
- Confía - he/she trusts.
- Confiamos - we trust.
- Confiáis - you trust.
- Confían - they trust.
- Confiar behaves like a regular verb but the i becomes an í for some conjugations.
Continuar - to continue
- Continúo - I continue.
- Continúas - you continue.
- Continúa - he/she continue.
- Continuamos - we continue.
- Continuáis - you continue.
- Continúan - they continue.
- Continuar behaves like a regular verb but the u becomes a ú for some conjugations.
Test yourself on Irregular AR Verbs
What is the correct way to say 'we think'?
Encontrar - to Find
How do you say 'they try'?
How do you say 'I give'?
Cómo se dice 'we trust' en Español?