Spanish Lesson 4

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Spanish | Lessons: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9

Table of contents

1 Grammar - Stem Changing Verbs

2 Grammar - Present Participle

3 Grammar - Present Progressive

4 Vocabulary - The Family

Grammar - Stem Changing Verbs

There are three different types of stem changing verbs in Spanish:

e->ie

e->i

o->ue

The stem changes for all three singular forms (yo, tú, él/ella/Ud.) and for the third person plural (ellos/ellas/Uds.). For nosotros/as and vosotros/as the stem does not change. The endings are the same as for regular verbs (-o for yo, -as/-es for tú, ...).

Example: entender (e->ie) to understand

yo	entiendo
tú	entiendes
él	entiende
nosotros	entendemos
vosotros	entendéis
ellos	entienden

Note that the stem change is done for the second 'e' (not the first one) - in general the stem always changes for the last vowel before the -ar/-er/-ir ending.

Example: pedir (e->i) to ask for, to order

yo	pido
tú	pides
él	pide
nosotros	pedimos
vosotros	pedís
ellos	piden

Note: all e->i stem changing verbs are -ir verbs.

Example: dormir (o->ue) to sleep

yo	duermo
tú	duermes
él	duerme
nosotros	dormimos
vosotros	dormís
ellos	duermen

Here is a list of some other common stem changing verbs:

e->ie	e->i	o->ue
cerrar (to close)	competir (to compete)	almorzar (to eat lunch)
comenzar (to begin)	conseguir (to get, obtain)	costar (to cost)
defender (to defend)	pedir (to ask for, to order)	encontrar (to find)
empezar (to begin)	reír (to laugh)	morir (to die)
mentir (to lie)	repetir (to repeat)	mostrar (to show)
pensar (to think)	seguir (to follow, tocontinue)	mover (to move an object)
perder (to lose)	servir (to serve)	recordar (to remember)
preferir (to prefer)	sonreír (to smile)	volver (to return, to turn)

Exercise: Spanish Exercise Stem Changing Verbs

Grammar - Present Participle

The Spanish present participle corresponds to the English -ing form of the verb. To form the present participle for regular -ar verbs, add -ando to the stem. For -er and -ir verbs add -iendo:

	Infinitive	Present Participle	English
-ar	hablar	hablando	speaking
-er	comer	comiendo	eating
-ir	vivir	viviendo	living

Here is a list of some common verbs that have an irregular present participle:

Verb	Present Participle
caer (to fall)	cayendo
decir (to say, to tell)	diciendo
dormir (to sleep)	durmiendo
leer (to read)	leyendo
oír (to hear)	oyendo
pedir (to ask for)	pidiendo
repetir (to repeat)	repitiendo
reír (to laugh)	riendo
seguir (to follow)	siguiendo
traer (to bring)	trayendo

Grammar - Present Progressive

Like in English, the Spanish present progressive is used to describe an action in progress. It is formed by conjugating the verb estar and then adding the present participle:

yo	estoy	hablando
tú	estás	hablando
él	está	hablando
nosotros	estamos	hablando
vosotros	estáis	hablando
ellos	están	hablando

Exercise: Spanish Exercise Present Progressive

Vocabulary - The Family

La familia	The family
los padres	parents
la madre, la mamá	mother, mum
el padre, el papá	father, dad
el hijo	son
la hija	daughter
los hermanos	siblings
el hermano	brother
la hermana	sister
los abuelos	grandparents
el abuelo	grandfather
la abuela	grandmother
el nieto	grandson
la nieta	granddaughter
el tío	uncle
la tía	aunt
el sobrino	nephew
la sobrina	niece
el primo	cousin (m)
la prima	cousin (f)
el esposo	husband
la esposa	wife
el suegro	father-in-law
la suegra	mother-in-law
el yerno	son-in-law
la nuera	daughter-in-law
el cuñado	brother-in-law
la cuñada	sister-in-law

Spanish | Lessons: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9

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