Yo pienso en ti.
English: I think about you.
- Language
- Spanish
- Level
- A2
- Unit
- Verbos en presente
- Practice types
- 0
What this grammar point covers
In Spanish, some verbs change a vowel in their stem when conjugated in the present tense. These are called stem-changing verbs.
When to use it
You use these forms when talking about actions happening now (present tense) with certain verbs. The vowel change happens in all forms except nosotros and vosotros.
Key forms
- e → ie (pensar → pienso)
- o → ue (dormir → duermo)
- e → i (pedir → pido)
Examples
Tú duermes mucho.
English: You sleep a lot.
Ella pide ayuda.
English: She asks for help.
Nosotros pensamos igual.
English: We think the same.
Ellos juegan al fútbol.
English: They play soccer.
Tips
- Remember: The stem vowel changes in all forms except nosotros and vosotros.
- Not all verbs change their vowels; memorize the most common ones.
- Check the verb list to know which verbs are stem-changing.
Exceptions and edge cases
- The change does not happen in nosotros and vosotros forms.
- Some verbs have additional irregularities (like 'jugar' changes u → ue).