-EER verbs form a distinct group in Spanish with unique conjugation rules in the Preterite (Past) tense. While they mostly follow the regular -er verb patterns, they undergo a special spelling change in the third-person forms to maintain correct pronunciation and stress.
What Sets -EER Verbs Apart?
- End in -eer (examples include leer, creer, poseer)
- Change ‘i’ to ‘y’ in the third-person singular and plural forms in the preterite tense
- Follow regular -er verb conjugations for all other forms
How to Conjugate -EER Verbs in the Preterite Tense
Let’s use the verb “leer” (to read) as an example:
- Yo leí (I read)
- Tú leíste (You read)
- Él/Ella/Usted leyó (He/She/You [formal] read)
- Nosotros leímos (We read)
- Vosotros leísteis (You all [informal] read)
- Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes leyeron (They/You all [formal] read)
Notice the change from ‘i’ to ‘y’ in the third-person singular (“leyó”) and plural (“leyeron”) forms.
Common -EER Verbs You’ll Encounter
Here are some of the most frequently used -EER verbs:
- Leer (to read)
- Creer (to believe)
- Poseer (to possess)
- Proveer (to provide)
- Releer (to reread)
Examples in Context
- Creer (to believe):
- Yo creí, tú creíste, él creyó, nosotros creímos, vosotros creísteis, ellos creyeron
- Poseer (to possess):
- Yo poseí, tú poseíste, ella poseyó, nosotros poseímos, vosotros poseísteis, ellos poseyeron
Putting It All Together
- Ayer leí un libro interesante. (Yesterday, I read an interesting book.)
- Ellos no creyeron mi historia. (They didn’t believe my story.)
- La empresa poseyó la patente por diez años. (The company possessed the patent for ten years.)
Key Takeaways
- Only the third-person forms (singular and plural) change ‘i’ to ‘y.’
- All other forms follow the regular -er verb preterite conjugation.
- This change is purely for spelling and does not affect pronunciation.
- The stress remains on the last syllable in all forms.
By mastering these unique -EER verbs, you’ll gain the ability to express completed past actions with accuracy and fluency, bringing you one step closer to sounding like a native Spanish speaker.
Synonyms:
- English: -EER Spelling-Change Verbs in Simple Past, Past Simple, Preterite Tense, Past Historic
- Spanish: Verbos en -EER con Cambios Ortográficos en Pretérito Indefinido, Pretérito Perfecto Simple, Pretérito