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Spanish grammar lessons › Level A1 › The Spanish present tense and stem-changing verbs

Stem-changing verbs e → ie (querer, empezar)

Quiero, quieres… queremos: the e becomes ie when it is stressed.

Part of the free A1 Spanish course. Press the speaker next to an example to hear it.

What is a stem change?

The stem is the part of the verb before the ending: quer- in querer, empez- in empezar. In some very common verbs, the e of the stem turns into ie in the present tense. The endings stay completely regular.

The change happens only where the stem is stressed (spoken with more force): yo, tú, él/ella/usted and ellos/ustedes. In nosotros and vosotros the stress moves to the ending, so the stem stays as it is. If you draw a line around the four changing forms in the table, it looks like a boot, which is why teachers call these "boot verbs".

Personquerer (to want)empezar (to start)preferir (to prefer)
yoquieroempiezoprefiero
túquieresempiezasprefieres
él / ella / ustedquiereempiezaprefiere
nosotros / nosotrasqueremosempezamospreferimos
vosotros / vosotrasqueréisempezáispreferís
ellos / ellas / ustedesquierenempiezanprefieren

The change happens in -ar, -er and -ir verbs alike. Other common ones: pensar (to think), cerrar (to close), entender (to understand), perder (to lose; to miss a bus), comenzar (to begin), mentir (to lie), recomendar (to recommend).

  • Quiero un café, por favor.I'd like a coffee, please.
  • ¿Quieres agua?Do you want some water?
  • La clase empieza a las diez.The class starts at ten.
  • Empezamos mañana.We start tomorrow.
  • No entiendo esta palabra.I don't understand this word.
  • ¿Entendéis el ejercicio?Do you understand the exercise?
  • Mi hijo siempre pierde las llaves.My son always loses his keys.
  • Prefiero el té.I prefer tea.
  • Pensamos que es una buena idea.We think it's a good idea.
  • Ellos cierran la tienda a las ocho.They close the shop at eight.

With a second verb

Querer, preferir and pensar can be followed by an infinitive: quiero viajar (I want to travel), pienso estudiar (I'm planning to study). Empezar needs a: empiezo a trabajar (I start working). More in Querer, poder, necesitar + infinitive.

In a café in Spain, Quiero un café is normal, but ¿Me pone un café, por favor? sounds friendlier (Ordering in a café or restaurant).

Related verbs

Tener and venir also change e → ie, but they have an irregular yo form too (tengo, vengo): see Tener, venir, decir: irregular in two ways.

Latin America

The forms are the same everywhere. Ustedes quieren, ustedes empiezan is inside the boot, so it changes, like ellos.

Common mistakes

  • Quieremos → Queremos. Nosotros is outside the boot: no change.
  • Yo quero → Yo quiero. The yo form is inside the boot.
  • Ellos empezan → Ellos empiezan.
  • Empiezo trabajar → Empiezo a trabajar. Empezar takes a before an infinitive.

Practice

  1. Mi novio _____ (querer) un perro.
    My boyfriend wants a dog.
    Show the answer

    quiere

  2. Nosotros _____ (querer) ir a la playa.
    We want to go to the beach.
    Show the answer

    queremos — Nosotros is outside the 'boot': no change.

  3. ¿A qué hora _____ (empezar) la película?
    What time does the film start?
    Show the answer

    empieza

  4. Vosotros _____ a trabajar a las nueve.
    You start work at nine.
    Options: empezáis · empiezáis · empiezan · empezamos
    Show the answer

    empezáis — Vosotros is outside the boot: empezáis.

In the app, this lesson is taught one idea at a time with the examples read aloud, followed by questions that explain the rule when you get one wrong. It then comes back for review on later days, until you've answered it correctly on three separate days.
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