e→ie

Stem-Changing Verbs E→IE

Level 1

In this present indicative group, stressed stem e becomes ie. Nosotros, vosotros and common final-stressed voseo forms retain e.

How It Works

In Spanish, some verbs are called 'stem-changing' or 'boot verbs' because their stem vowel changes when you conjugate them in the present indicative. The e→ie pattern is one of the most common.

In the six-person chart below, the change appears in the stressed stem forms, but not nosotros or vosotros. Common final-stressed voseo forms also retain e: pensás, querés, preferís. If you draw a line around the forms that change in a conjugation chart, it looks like a boot or a shoe, which is why they're often called 'boot verbs'.

Let's look at the verb pensar (to think):

  • yo pienso
  • tú piensas
  • él/ella/usted piensa
  • nosotros pensamos (no change)
  • vosotros pensáis (no change)
  • ellos/ellas/ustedes piensan

This pattern applies to -ar, -er, and -ir verbs. Here is querer (to want), an -er verb:

  • yo quiero
  • tú quieres
  • él/ella/usted quiere
  • nosotros queremos (no change)
  • vosotros queréis (no change)
  • ellos/ellas/ustedes quieren

Notice that the verb endings themselves are the same as regular -ar and -er verbs. Only the stem is different.

Common e→ie verbs:

  • Cerrar (to close)
  • Empezar (to begin)
  • Entender (to understand)
  • Preferir (to prefer)
  • Sentir (to feel)

This is a pattern for this group in the present indicative, not every tense or every verb containing e. Other tenses may have different changes: preferir gives prefirió in the preterite and prefiramos in the present subjunctive. Vosotros is chiefly used in Spain; ustedes takes the ellos/ellas form and therefore has the diphthong here. “You all” is not a general exception.

Examples (6)

  1. Yo pienso que es una buena idea.

    I think that it's a good idea.

    Word by Word: I think that is a good idea.

  2. ¿Qué quieres comer?

    What do you want to eat?

    Word by Word: What want you to eat?

  3. La tienda cierra a las nueve.

    The store closes at nine.

    Word by Word: The store closes at the nine.

  4. Ellos no entienden la lección.

    They don't understand the lesson.

    Word by Word: They not understand the lesson.

  5. Nosotros empezamos la clase pronto.

    We start the class soon.

    Word by Word: We start the class soon.

    Notice that 'empezamos' does not have a stem change because it is the 'nosotros' form.

  6. ¿A qué hora empieza la película?

    What time does the movie start?

    Word by Word: At what hour starts the movie?

Common Mistakes

  • Applying the stem change to the 'nosotros' or 'vosotros' forms.

    Nosotros piensamos mucho.
    Nosotros pensamos mucho.

    The stem change e→ie does not apply to the 'nosotros' (we) and 'vosotros' (you all, informal) forms. The stem remains unchanged for these two.

  • Forgetting to make the stem change in the required forms.

    Ella quere un café.
    Ella quiere un café.

    For 'yo', 'tú', 'él/ella/usted', and 'ellos/ellas/ustedes', the 'e' in the stem must change to 'ie' for these types of verbs.

How It Connects

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

e→ieLevel 1Stem-Changing Verbs E→IE

Learn This First

To learn e→ie stem-changing verbs, you first need to be comfortable with the regular present tense endings for -ar, -er, and -ir verbs. The stem change only affects the root of the verb in specific persons, while the endings remain identical to regular verbs.