Stem Vowel Changes in -ir Verbs

Level 3

Some -ir verbs change the vowel of their stem in the present: subir → subo, sobes; sentir → sinto, sentes; pedir → pido, pides. The endings stay regular.

How It Works

1. u becomes o: subir, durmir, fuxir

  • subir: subo, sobes, sobe, subimos, subides, soben
  • durmir: durmo, dormes, dorme, durmimos, durmides, dormen
  • fuxir: fuxo, foxes, foxe, fuximos, fuxides, foxen

Others in this group include acudir, bulir, cubrir (and descubrir), cuspir, lucir, sacudir, sufrir, sumir (and consumir) and tusir. The u comes back everywhere else: suba, durma in the present subjunctive, and sube, durme as commands.

2. i only in the eu form: sentir, seguir, servir

  • sentir: sinto, sentes, sente, sentimos, sentides, senten
  • seguir: sigo, segues, segue, seguimos, seguides, seguen

Also servir, mentir, ferir and their family (consentir, conseguir, perseguir). The i also appears in the whole present subjunctive (sinta, siga) and in the ti command (sirve ti, sigue ti).

3. i in every stressed form: pedir, medir, vestir

  • pedir: pido, pides, pide, pedimos, pedides, piden

Also medir, repetir, vestir, preferir, advertir, divertir, competir, suxerir and others. Subjunctive pida, command pide.

Verbs that do not change

Verbs whose stem vowel is a or i never change (partir, vivir, dividir), and neither do many learned verbs in u (discutir, conducir, unir, resumir). Verbs in -uír keep their u: constrúes, never constroes.

No Spanish diphthongs

Galician never splits the vowel into ie or ue: it is sentes and dormes, not Spanish-style sientes or duermes. In everyday speech you will also hear regularised forms such as fuxes or sirves; the standard keeps the alternation shown above.

Examples (6)

  1. Eu subo polas escaleiras, pero ti sobes no ascensor.

    I go up by the stairs, but you take the lift.

    Subo keeps u; sobes, with the stress on the stem, has an open o.

  2. Durmo oito horas, pero o bebé dorme moito menos.

    I sleep eight hours, but the baby sleeps much less.

  3. Sinto moito o que pasou.

    I am very sorry about what happened.

    Only the eu form of sentir has i.

  4. Que sentes cando escoitas esta música?

    What do you feel when you hear this music?

  5. Eu pido peixe e ti pides carne, e logo pedimos o postre xuntos.

    I order fish and you order meat, and then we order dessert together.

    Pedir has i in pido and pides, but e in the unstressed pedimos.

  6. Os gatos foxen cando ven o can.

    The cats run away when they see the dog.

    Fuxir changes u to o in foxen.

Common Mistakes

  • Using a Spanish diphthong.

    Que sientes?
    Que sentes?

    Galician does not change e to ie. The ti form of sentir is sentes.

  • Putting i in the nós form of pedir.

    Pidimos a conta.
    Pedimos a conta.

    In pedimos the stress falls on the ending, so the stem keeps the e of the infinitive.

  • Using sento for I feel.

    Sento moito o atraso.
    Sinto moito o atraso.

    Sento is a form of sentar (to sit). The eu form of sentir is sinto.

How It Connects

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Stem Vowel Changes in -ir VerbsLevel 3

Learn This First

Some -ir verbs change the vowel of the stressed present stem.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.