The Spanish present subjunctive can be tricky, especially with stem-changing verbs. Let’s explore one common change that occurs with certain -ir verbs: the E to I stem change.
When Does the Subjunctive Come into Play?
The present subjunctive isn’t just any verb tense. It’s used to express specific nuances in Spanish, including:
- Wishes, hopes, and desires: Espero que te recuperes pronto (I hope you recover soon)
- Doubt or uncertainty: Dudo que lleguen a tiempo (I doubt they’ll arrive on time)
- Emotions or feelings about actions: Me alegra que estés aquí (I’m happy you’re here)
- Impersonal expressions: Es importante que estudies (It’s important that you study)
- Certain conjunctions: para que, a menos que, antes de que
How Do E to I Stem Changes Work?
For -ir verbs with this stem change, here’s the pattern:
- The ‘e’ in the stem changes to ‘i’ in all forms except nosotros/nosotras.
- The nosotros/nosotras form keeps the original ‘e’.
Let’s see this in action with the verb ‘pedir’ (to ask for):
| Subject Pronoun | Present Subjunctive |
|---|---|
| yo | pida |
| tú | pidas |
| él/ella/usted | pida |
| nosotros/as | pidamos |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | pidan |
Which Verbs Follow This Pattern?
Here are some common -ir verbs with E to I stem changes in the present subjunctive:
- pedir (to ask for)
- servir (to serve)
- repetir (to repeat)
- seguir (to follow, to continue)
- reír (to laugh)
- medir (to measure)
- impedir (to prevent)
- corregir (to correct)
Let’s See Some Examples
- Espero que me pidas ayuda si la necesitas. (I hope you ask me for help if you need it.)
- Es importante que el camarero sirva la comida caliente. (It’s important that the waiter serves the food hot.)
- El profesor sugiere que repitamos el ejercicio. (The teacher suggests that we repeat the exercise.)
- Dudo que ellos sigan nuestro consejo. (I doubt that they will follow our advice.)
- Ojalá que te rías con esta película. (I hope you laugh with this movie.)
- Es necesario que midamos el espacio antes de comprar los muebles. (It’s necessary that we measure the space before buying the furniture.)
- No creo que esto impida que logremos nuestros objetivos. (I don’t think this will prevent us from achieving our goals.)
- Es fundamental que corrijamos los errores antes de entregar el informe. (It’s essential that we correct the errors before submitting the report.)
Keep These Points in Mind
- These stem changes are specific to the present subjunctive and present indicative.
- The nosotros/nosotras form always keeps the original ‘e’.
- Verbs with E to IE changes in the present indicative (like ‘querer’) also have E to IE changes in the subjunctive. Don’t mix these up!
- Practice recognizing when the subjunctive is needed. The stem change only matters if you’re using the subjunctive in the first place.
By mastering these E to I stem changes, you’ll gain confidence and accuracy when expressing wishes, doubts, and emotions with these common -ir verbs. ¡Buena suerte!
Synonyms:
- English: E to I Boot Verbs in Present Subjunctive Mood, Subjunctive Present
- Spanish: Verbos de Cambio Radical E a I en Presente De Subjuntivo, Subjuntivo Presente, Modo Subjuntivo Presente