Stem Vowel Change

Level 2

Many -ar verbs open the stem vowel when it is stressed: e becomes è and o becomes ò.

How It Works

In some verbs the stressed stem vowel is open. You write an accent to show it: è sounds like the e in bed, and ò sounds like the o in not.

VerbieunosautresMeaning
trobartròbitrobamto find, to meet
cromparcròmpicrompamto buy
demorardemòridemoramto live, to stay
levarlèvilevamto lift
restarrèstirestamto stay
esperarespèriesperamto wait for, to hope

The open vowel appears in ieu, tu, el and eles: tròbi, tròbas, tròba, tròban. In nosautres and vosautres the vowel is plain: trobam, trobatz.

Not every verb changes. Pensar and donar keep their vowel: pensi, doni. Learn each verb as you meet it.

Examples (5)

  1. Tròbi las claus.

    I find the keys.

    Tròbi: ò in a stressed form.

  2. Trobam Maria al mercat.

    We meet Maria at the market.

    Trobam: plain o in nosautres.

  3. Cròmpi lo pan.

    I buy the bread.

    Cròmpi: crompar opens its vowel.

  4. Maria demòra a Carcassona.

    Maria lives in Carcassonne.

    Demòra: ò in the third person.

  5. Esperam lo tren.

    We wait for the train.

    Esperam: plain e in nosautres.

Common Mistakes

  • Plain vowel in a stressed form

    Trobi las claus.
    Tròbi las claus.

    In ieu, the stem is stressed, so the o opens: tròbi.

  • Open vowel in nosautres

    Tròbam Maria al mercat.
    Trobam Maria al mercat.

    In nosautres the stress moves to the ending, so the vowel stays plain.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Stem Vowel ChangeLevel 2

Learn This First

Opening the stem vowel starts from demorar, and the open vowels ò and è, so demorar, o and ò and e, é and è come first.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

trobarcrompardemorarlevarrestaresperar