Spanish Verb Conjugation: Present Tense: O to UE Stem-Changing Verbs


AR	acordar	to remember	erinnern
	encontrar	to meet, encounter	treffen, begegnen
	volar	to fly	fliegen
ER	doler	to hurt	schmerzen
	mover	to move	bewegen
	volver	to return	kehren, zurückkehren
IR	dormir	to sleep	schlafen
	morir	to die	sterben

In some forms the -o nearest the end of the stem becomes an -ue.

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: O -> UE

Yo form

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

Look for the O nearest the end of the stem, and change it to UE.

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
acordar	acuerdo	I remind	I do remind	I'm reminding	ich ermahne
encontrar	encuentro	I encounter, meet	I do encounter, meet	I'm encountering, meeting	ich treffe
volar	vuelo	I fly	I do fly	I'm flying	ich fliege

ER
doler	duelo	I hurt	I do hurt	I'm hurting	ich schmerze
mover	muevo	I move	I do move	I'm moving	ich bewege
volver	vuelvo	I return	I do return	I'm returning	ich kehre zurück

IR
dormir	duermo	I sleep	I do sleep	I'm sleeping	ich schlafe
morir	muero	I die	I do die	I'm dying	ich sterbe

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: O -> UE

Tú form

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

Look for the O nearest the end of the stem, and change it to UE.

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
acordar	acuerdas	you remind	you do remind	you're reminding	du ermahnst
encontrar	encuentras	you encounter, meet	you do encounter, meet	you're encountering, meeting	du triffst
volar	vuelas	you fly	you do fly	you're flying	du fliegst

ER
doler	dueles	you hurt	you do hurt	you're hurting	du schmerzt
mover	mueves	you move	you do move	you're moving	du bewegst
volver	vuelves	you return	you do return	you're returning	du kehrst zurück

IR
dormir	duermes	you sleep	you do sleep	you're sleeping	du schläfst
morir	mueres	you die	you do die	you're dying	du stirbst

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: O -> UE

Él form

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

Look for the O nearest the end of the stem, and change it to UE.

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
acordar	acuerda	he reminds	he does remind	he's reminding	er ermahnt
encontrar	encuentra	he encounters, meets	he does encounter, meet	he's encountering, meeting	er trifft
volar	vuela	he flies	he does fly	he's flying	er fliegt

ER
doler	duele	he hurts	he does hurt	he's hurting	er schmerzt
mover	mueve	he moves	he does move	he's moving	er bewegt
volver	vuelve	he returns	he does return	he's returning	er kehrt zurück

IR
dormir	duerme	he sleeps	he does sleep	he's sleeping	er schläft
morir	muere	he dies	he does die	he's dying	er stirbt

What do they have in common now ?

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

Using the -a or -e ending says he is 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 ÉL is understood, because of the ending.

You don't need to say ÉL. If you do add the ÉL, it usually adds emphasis, saying he doooes ...