Irregular ER Verbs
Spanish: Edexcel IGCSE, topic 8.1.6
Stem Changing ER Verbs (E → IE)
In Spanish, some ER verbs change when conjugated, with the 'e' in the infinitive becoming 'ie'. This does NOT happen in the 'nosotros' and 'vosotros' forms.
E → IE
- Some ER verbs change the E in infinitive to IE when conjugated.
- E.g. Entender (to understand) → entiendo (I understand).
Perder - to lose
- Pierdo - I lose.
- Pierdes - you lose.
- Pierde - he/she loses / you lose (formal).
- Perdemos - we lose.
- Perdéis - you lose (plural).
- Pierden - they lose / you lose (formal plural).
Querer - to want
- Quiero - I want.
- Quieres - you want.
- Quiere - he/she wants / you want (formal).
- Queremos - we want.
- Queréis - you want (plural).
- Quieren - they want / you want (formal plural).
Stem Changing ER Verbs (O → UE)
In Spanish, some ER verbs change when conjugated in the present tense, with the 'o' in the infinitive becoming 'ue'. This does NOT happen in the 'nosotros' and 'vosotros' forms.
O → UE
- These ER verbs change from an O in the infinitive to UE in the present tense.
- E.g. Recordar (to remember) → recuerdo (I remember).
Llover - to rain
- Llueve - it rains.
- This verb is only used in the 3rd person singular form.
Volver - to return
- Vuelvo - I return.
- Vuelves - you return.
- Vuelve - he/she returns / you return (formal).
- Volvemos - we return.
- Volvéis - you return (plural).
- Vuelven - they return / you return (formal plural).
Poder - to be able to
- Puedo - I am able to.
- Puedes - you are able to.
- Puede - he/she is able to / you are able to (formal).
- Podemos - we are able to.
- Podéis - you are able to (plural).
- Pueden - they are able to / you are able to (formal plural).
Test yourself on Irregular ER Verbs
¿Cómo dirias 'we want' en Español?