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Spanish Grammar: Verbs
Orthographic-Changing Verbs Defined
Because Spanish words are pronounced exactly as written, rules of spelling are very exact. Such rules sometimes cause changes in the spelling of certain verbs—especially when it is necessary to retain the original sound of the final consonant of the verb stem before the varying endings of the different tenses. However, one should note that all the verbs which appear below are completely regular; there are no changes of stem, ending, or pronunciation. The slight spelling changes which occur are introduced simply to keep the pronunciation consistent. Changes made in the writing of a word are called orthographical changes, and verbs that undergo these changes are called orthographic-changing verbs.
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Governing rules
NOTE: The rules described below may occur in one or more of the tenses.
1. Verbs ending in -car replace the c of the stem by qu before an e in the ending.
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(to take out) |
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(to attack) |
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(to look for) |
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(to place) |
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(to mean) |
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(to beg; to implore) |
2. Verbs ending in -gar insert a u before an e in the ending.
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(to pay) |
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(to load) |
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(to hang) |
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(to deliver) |
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(to arrive) |
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(to play) |
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(to deny) |
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(to beg) |
3. Verbs ending in -zar change the z of the stem to c before an e in the ending.
| See: | cruzar | (to cross) |
| See: | abrazar | (to embrace) |
| See: | alcanzar | (to reach) |
| See: | almorzar | (to lunch) |
| See: | comenzar | (to begin) |
| See: | tropezar | (to stumble) |
4. Verbs ending in -guar take a diaeresis (a mark ¨ placed over a vowel to indicate that the vowel is pronounced in a separate syllable) over the u before an e in the ending.
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(to find out) |
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(to testify) |
5. Certain verbs ending in -iar take a written accent mark over the i of the stem in the present indicative and subjunctive, except in the first and second persons of the plural.
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(to send) |
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(to trust) |
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(to distrust) |
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(to empty) |
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(to vary) |
6. Certain verbs ending in -uar take a written accent mark over the u of the stem in the present indicative and subjunctive, except in the first and second persons of the plural.
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(to continue) |
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(to situate) |
NOTE: Most verbs ending in -iar and -uar are regular and do not require the written accent mark in the cases indicated above.
7. Verbs ending in -cer and -cir preceded by a consonant replace the c by z before an a or o in the ending.
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(to conquer) |
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(to exercise) |
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(to scatter) |
8. Verbs ending in -cer or -cir preceded by a vowel insert z before c when followed by an a or o in the ending.
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(to know, to be acquainted) |
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(to establish) |
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(to seem) |
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(to shine) |
NOTE: Verbs ending in -ducir (e.g., traducir) have additional irregularities and are treated separately under Irregular Verbs.
9. Verbs ending in -ger or -gir replace the g by j before an a or o in the ending.
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(to catch) |
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(to direct) |
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(to choose) |
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(to elect) |
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(to gather) |
10. Verbs ending in -er or -ir preceded by a vowel change the i of the endings ie and ió to y. (In Spanish, unaccented i cannot stand between the two vowels.)
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(to read) |
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(to believe) |
NOTE: In the preterite forms, observe the written accent marks on the i in the second person of the singular, and in the first and second persons of the plural. The same accent mark appears in the past participle (leído).
11. Verbs ending in -uir (with the u sounded) insert y before an a, e or o in the ending.
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(to flee) |
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(to conclude) |
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(to build) |
12. Verbs ending in -guir (with the u silent) drop the u before an a or o in the ending.
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(to distinguish) |
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(to follow) |
13. Verbs ending in -quir (with the u silent) replace qu by c before a or o in the ending.
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(to be delinquent) |
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(to relinquish) |