Present Subjunctive Stem Changing Verbs

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To conjugate the verbs with spelling changes in the present subjunctive in Spanish, use the spelling changes that occur in the yo form of the preterit indicative.

Spanish Stem Changing Verbs Present Subjunctive

• Verbs ending in -car changes to –qu.

Example:

Explicar: expliqué (to explain).

Le expliqué las razones a la jueza.
I explained the reasons to the judge.

• Verbs ending in -gar changes to -gu.

Example:

Llegar: llegué (to come/ to arrive).

Quiero que tú llegues hoy por la tarde a mi casa.
I want you to come to my house this afternoon.

• Verbs ending in -ger and -gir change the g of the stem to j.

Examples:

Escoger: Escoja (to choose).

Amelía quiere que escoja la ropa para la cena.
Amelia wants me to choose the clothes for dinner.

Exigir: Exija (to demand)

Quiero que Manuel exija sus derechos.
I want Manuel to demand his rights.

• Verbs ending in -zar changes to -c.

Example:

Comenzar: comencé (to start).

Yo comencé mis clases de español hoy.
I started my Spanish classes today.

More on Stem-changing Verbs in the Present Subjunctive in Spanish

Stem-changing verbs ending in -ar and -er change the stem vowel e to ie in the present indicative show the same changes in the present subjunctive, with the exceptions of the plural nosotros and vosotros.

Pronoun	Verb ending in -ar Pensar (to think)	Verb ending in -er Entender (to understand)
Yo	piense	entienda
Tú	pienses	entiendas
Él/Ella/Usted	piense	entienda
Nosotros / nosotras	pensemos	entendamos
Vosotros / vosotras	penséis	entendáis
Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes	piensen	entiendan

Stem-changing verbs ending in -ar and -er change the stem vowel o to ue in the present indicative show the same changes in the present subjunctive, with the exceptions of the plural nosotros and vosotros.

Pronoun	Verb ending in -ar Demostrar (to demostrate)	Verb ending in -er Envolver (to wrap)
Yo	demuestre	envuelva
Tú	demuestres	envuelvas
Él/Ella/Usted	demuestre	envuelva
Nosotros/nosotras	demostremos	envolvamos
Vosotros/vosotras	demostréis	envolváis
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes	demuestren	envuelvan

Some stem-changing verbs ending in -ir have different changes in the stem vowel in the present subjunctive:

Pronoun	Mentir (to lie) e changes to ie	Morir (to die) o changes to ue	Servir (to serve) e changes to i
Yo	mienta	muera	sirva
Tú	mientas	mueras	sirvas
Él/Ella/Usted	mienta	muera	sirva
Nosotros/nosotras	mintamos	muramos	sirvamos
Vosotros/vosotras	mintáis	muráis	sirváis
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes	mientan	mueran	sirvan

Examples:

Dudo que ustedes entiendan mis acciones.
I doubt that you guys understand my actions.

Por favor, envuelva bien las telas y los hilos.
Please, wrap fabrics and threads tightly.

¿Quieres que te sirvan la cena?
Do you want dinner served?