Learning Irregular Verbs in Spanish: Conjugation, Examples and Practice

👉 How to use Irregular Verbs in Spanish?

– Spanish Grammar Basics for Beginners –

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Spanish irregular verbs: what are they?

In Spanish, verbs are considered irregular if the stem is modified in one or more persons, in any or all tenses.

However, the ending remains unchanged. Irregular verbs can be classified into three categories:

  • diphthong verbs;
  • weakening verbs;
  • alternating verbs.

Diphthong verbs

The diphthong is a modification of the verb stem. It applies a modification of the vowels when the final “-e” or “-o” of the verb root carries the tonic accent.

It applies to the three persons of the singular (“yo”; “tú”; “él”, “ella”, “usted”) as well as to the third person of the plural (“ellos”, “ellas”, “ustedes”), in the present tense (indicative, subjunctive and imperative).

There are three types of diphthongs:

  • the final “-e” becomes “-ie” ;
  • the final “-o” becomes “-ue”;
  • the “-u” becomes “-ue”.

Verbs with an “-ie” diphthong

When the final “-e” of the verb stem has a tonic accent, the diphthong in “-ie” is applied.

The root of verbs in this category change like the verb “pensar” (to think).

Present tense Present subjunctive Imperative
Yo pienso piense
piensas pienses piensa
Él, ella, Usted piensa piense piense
Nosotros, nosotras pensamos pensemos pensemos
Vosotros, vosotras pensáis penséis pensad
Ellos, ellas, Ustedes piensan piensen piensen

Verbs with a diphthong in “-ue”

When the final “-o” of the verb stem has a tonic accent, the diphthong in “-ue” is applied.

The radical of verbs in this category changes like the verb “contar” (to count).

Present tense Present subjunctive Imperative
Yo cuento cuente
cuentas cuentes cuente
Él, ella, Usted cuenta cuente cuente
Nosotros, nosotras contamos contemos contemos
Vosotros, vosotras contáis contéis contad
Ellos, ellas, Ustedes cuentan cuenten cuenten

Be careful, a verb can never start with a diphthong.

Verbs that diphthong at the first vowel change their spelling. They take an “h-” as the first letter.

Example:

  • Oler (to smell) → Yo huelo

The verb “jugar” (to play) is the only verb where the “-u” in the stem changes to “-ue”.

It follows the conjugation pattern of the verb “contar” (to count).

Weakening verbs

Like the diphthong, weakening is a modification that applies to the root of certain verbs.

The “-e” of the verb root is transformed into “-ie”:

  • in the third person singular (“yo”; “tú”; “él”, “ella”, “usted”) and the third person plural (“ellos”, “ellas”, “ustedes”) in the present tense ;
  • in the third person singular (“él”, “ella”, “usted”) and in the third person plural (“ellos”, “ellas”, “ustedes”) in the past simple;
  • in all persons of the present subjunctive tense ;
  • in all persons of the imperfect subjunctive tense;
  • in all persons of the future subjunctive tense
  • in all persons of the imperative ;
  • in the gerund.

Verbs with a weakening in « -i »

The radical of the verbs in this category change like the verb “pedir” (to ask).

Present tense Simple past tense Present subjunctive Imperfect subjunctive Future subjunctive Imperative
Yo pido pedí pida pidiera / pidiese pidiere
pides pediste pidas pidieras / pidieses pidieres pide
Él, ella, Usted pide pidió pida pidiera / pidiese pidiere pida
Nosotros, nosotras pedimos pedimos pidamos pidiéramos / pidiésemos pidiéremos pidamos
Vosotros, vosotras pedís pedisteis pidáis pidierais / pidieseis pidiereis pedid
Ellos, ellas, Ustedes piden pidieron pidan pidieran / pidiesen pidieren pidan
Gerund
pidiendo

Verbs that weaken in “-y

Verbs that end in “-uir” become weaker. This means that the “-i” of their root changes to “-y”.

The stem of verbs in this category changes like the one of the verb “construir” (to build).

Present tense Simple past tense Present subjunctive Imperfect subjunctive Future subjunctive Imperative
Yo construyo construí construya construyera / construyese construyere
construyes construiste construyas construyeras / construyeses construyeres construye
Él, ella, Usted construye construyó construya construyera / construyese construyere construya
Nosotros, nosotras construimos construimos construyamos construyéramos / construyésemos construyéremos construyamos
Vosotros, vosotras construís construisteis construyáis construyerais / construyeseis construyereis construyid
Ellos, ellas, Ustedes construyen construyeron construyan construyeran / construyesen construyeren construyan
Gerund
construyendo

Verbs that weaken in « -i »

The “-e” in the root of verbs ending in “-eír” or “eñir” weaken to “-i”.

The radical of the verbs in this category change like the verb “teñir” (to dye).

Present tense Simple past tense Present subjunctive Imperfect subjunctive Future subjunctive Imperative
Yo tiño teñí tiña tiñera / tiñese tiñere
tiñes teñiste tiñas tiñeras / tiñeses tiñeres tiñe
Él, ella, Usted tiñe tiñó tiña tiñera / tiñese tiñere tiña
Nosotros, nosotras teñimos teñimos tiñamos tiñéramos / tiñésemos tiñéremos tiñamos
Vosotros, vosotras teñís teñisteis tiñáis tiñerais / tiñeseis tiñereis teñid
Ellos, ellas, Ustedes tiñen tiñeron tiñan tiñeran / tiñesen tiñeren tiñan
Gerund
tiñendo

Alternating verbs

These are verbs that alternate between diphthong and weakening.

They diphthong in the three persons singular (“yo”; “tú”; “él”, “ella”, “usted”) as well as in the third person plural (“ellos”, “ellas”, “ustedes”) in the present tense modes (indicative, subjunctive, imperative)

They weaken :

  • in the first two persons plural (“nosotros”, “nosotras”; “vosotros”, “vosotras”) in the Present subjunctive ;
  • in the third person singular and plural (“él”, “ella”, “usted”; “ellos”, “ellas”, “ustedes”) in the Simple past tense;
  • in the first person plural (“nosotros”, “nosotras”) in the Imperative ;
  • in Gerund.

There are two forms of alternation:

  • the final “-e” becomes “-ie” and “-i”;
  • the final “-o” becomes “-ue” and “-u”.

The alternation in “-ie” and “-e

The radical of the verbs in this category change like the verb “preferir” (to prefer).

Present tense Simple past tense Present subjunctive Imperfect subjunctive Future subjunctive Imperative
Yo prefiero preferí prefiera prefiriera / prefiriese prefiriere
prefieres preferiste prefieras prefirieras / prefirieses prefirieres prefiere
Él, ella, Usted prefiere prefirió prefiera prefiriera / prefiriese prefiriere prefiera
Nosotros, nosotras preferimos preferimos prefiramos prefiriéramos / prefiriésemos prefiriéremos prefiramos
Vosotros, vosotras preferís preferisteis prefiráis prefirierais / prefirieseis prefiriereis preferid
Ellos, ellas, Ustedes prefieren prefirieron prefieran prefirieran / prefiriesen prefirieren prefieran
Gerund
prefiriendo

The alternation in « -ue » and « -u »

The radical of the verbs in this category change like the verb “dormir” (to sleep).

Present tense Simple past tense Present subjunctive Imperfect subjunctive Future subjunctive Imperative
Yo duermo dormí durmiera / durmiese durmiere
duermes dormiste durmieras / durmieses durmieres duerme
Él, ella, Usted duerme durmió duerme durmiera / durmiese durmiere duerma
Nosotros, nosotras dormimos dormimos durmamos durmiéramos / durmiésemos durmiéremos duermamos
Vosotros, vosotras dormís dormisteis durmáis durmierais / durmieseis durmiereis dormid
Ellos, ellas, Ustedes duermen durmieron duerman durmieran / durmiesen durmieren duerman
Gerund
durmiendo

Verbs in “-acer”, “-ecer”, “-ocer” and “-ucir

The root of verbs in “-acer”, “-ecer”, “-ocer” and “-ucir” are transformed. Their “-c” becomes “-zc”:

  • in the first person singular (“yo”) in the Present tense ;
  • in all persons of the Present subjunctive ;
  • in the third person singular (“él”, “ella”, “Usted”); in the first and third person plural (“nosotros”, “nosotras”; “ellos”, “ellas”, “Ustedes”) in the Imperative.

The radical of the verbs in this category change like the verb “nacer” (to be born).

Present tense Present subjunctive Imperative
Yo nazco nazca
naces nazcas nace
Él, ella, Usted nace nazca nazcamos
Nosotros, nosotras nacemos nazcamos nazcamos
Vosotros, vosotras nacéis nazcáis naced
Ellos, ellas, Ustedes nacieron nazcan nazcan

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