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Intermediate

Stem-Changing Verbs

e→ie, o→ue, e→i

Some verbs change their stem vowel

e→ie, o→ue, e→i (in stressed syllables).

📊 Stem changes (querer e→ie)
Pronoun Form
yo quiero
tú quieres
él quiere
nosotros queremos
vosotros queréis
ellos quieren
💬 Examples
querer → quiero
to want → I want
📝 e → ie
poder → puedo
to be able → I can
📝 o → ue
The 'nosotros/vosotros' forms don't change

The stress falls on the ending there.

💬 Examples
queremos
we want
📝 No change (unstressed stem)
podemos
we can
📝 nosotros keeps the original vowel
e→i in some -IR verbs

pedir → pido, servir → sirvo.

💬 Examples
pedir → pido
to ask for → I ask for
📝 e → i
servir → sirvo
to serve → I serve
📝 e → i (-ir verbs)