Spanish Verb Conjugation: Present Tense: E to IE Stem-Changing Verbs

AR	cerrar	to close	schließen, zumachen
	comenzar	to begin, commence	beginnen, anfangen
	pensar	to think	denken
ER	defender	to defend	schützen, verteidigen
	entender	to understand, comprehend	verstehen, kapieren
	tender	to spread, extend, stretch out	ausbreiten
IR	convertir	to convert	umwandeln, bekehren
	hervir	to boil	kochen
	preferir	to prefer	vorziehen, bevorzugen

In some forms the -e nearest the end of the stem becomes an -ie.

Drop the -ar, the -er, or the -ir: That's the stem !!

To see the present tense conjugated forms of these verbs, click on a pronoun below:

The nosotros & vosotros forms do not require the stem change in the present tense.

YO	TÚ	ÉL	ELLA	USTED
NOSOTROS	VOSOTROS	ELLOS	ELLAS	USTEDES

Present tense: Stem-changing verbs: E -> IE

Yo form

To make this form, drop the -ar, -er, or -ir.

Look for the E nearest the end of the stem, and change it to IE.

Add the normal ending for present tense conjugation.

This is important to realize, because the present tense yo form is the basis for forming present subjunctive forms.

AR					deutsch
cerrar	cierro	I close	I do close	I'm closing	ich schließe
comenzar	comienzo	I start, begin	I do start, begin	I'm starting, beginning	ich fange an
pensar	pienso	I think	I do think	I'm thinking	ich denke

ER
defender	defiendo	I defend	I do defend	I'm defending	ich verteidige
entender	entiendo	I understand	I do understand	I'm understanding	ich kapiere
tender	tiendo	I spread out	I do spread out	I'm spreading out	ich breite aus

IR
convertir	convierto	I convert	I do convert	I'm converting	ich bekehre
hervir	hiervo	I boil	I do boil	I'm boiling	ich koche
preferir	prefiero	I prefer	I do prefer	I'm preferring	ich ziehe vor

What do they have in common now ?

The stem (verb minus AR, ER or IR) tells you the action.

Using the -o ending says I am doing this action, and it's going on NOW.

Each verb form in Spanish matches a specific pronoun, so Spanish doesn't need to use the pronoun.

That means: each of the conjugated forms you see says ALL of the given "meaning."

The YO is understood, because of the ending.

You don't need to say YO. If you do add the YO, it usually adds emphasis, saying I dooo ...

A look at other forms:

YO	TÚ	ÉL	ELLA	USTED
NOSOTROS	VOSOTROS	ELLOS	ELLAS	USTEDES

Present tense: Stem-changing verbs: E -> IE

Tú form

To make this form, drop the -ar, -er, or -ir.

Look for the E nearest the end of the stem, and change it to IE.

Add the normal ending for present tense conjugation.

This is important to realize, because the present tense yo form is the basis for forming present subjunctive forms.

AR					deutsch
cerrar	cierras	you close	you do close	you're closing	du schließt
comenzar	comienzas	you start, begin	you do start, begin	you're starting, beginning	du fängst an
pensar	piensas	you think	you do think	you're thinking	du denkst

ER
defender	defiendes	you defend	you do defend	you're defending	du verteidigst
entender	entiendes	you understand	you do understand	you're understanding	du kapierst
tender	tiendes	you spread out	you do spread out	you're spreading out	du breitest aus

IR
convertir	conviertes	you convert	you do convert	you're converting	du bekehrst
hervir	hierves	you boil	you do boil	you're boiling	du kochst
preferir	prefieres	you prefer	you do prefer	you're preferring	du ziehst vor

What do they have in common now ?

The stem (verb minus AR, ER or IR) tells you the action.

Using the -as or -es ending says you are doing this action, and it's going on NOW.

Each verb form in Spanish matches a specific pronoun, so Spanish doesn't need to use the pronoun.

That means: each of the conjugated forms you see says ALL of the given "meaning."

The TÚ is understood, because of the ending.

You don't need to say TÚ. If you do add the TÚ, it usually adds emphasis, saying you dooo ...

A look at other forms:

YO	TÚ	ÉL	ELLA	USTED
NOSOTROS	VOSOTROS	ELLOS	ELLAS	USTEDES

Present tense: Stem-changing verbs: E -> IE

Él form

To make this form, drop the -ar, -er, or -ir.

Look for the E nearest the end of the stem, and change it to IE.

Add the normal ending for present tense conjugation.

This is important to realize, because the present tense yo form is the basis for forming present subjunctive forms.

AR					deutsch
cerrar	cierra	he closes	he does close	he's closing	er schließt
comenzar	comienza	he starts, begins	he does start, begin	he's starting, beginning	er fängt an
pensar	piensa	he thinks	he does think	he's thinking	er denkt

ER
defender	defiende	he defends	he does defend	he's defending	er verteidigt
entender	entiende	he understands	he does understand	he's understanding	er kapiert
tender	tiende	he spreads out	he does spread out	he's spreading out	er breitet aus

IR
convertir	convierte	he converts	he does convert	he's converting	er