O to U Stem-changing -IR Verbs Gerunds

In Spanish, there is a small group of -IR verbs that undergo a stem change from O to U in certain conjugations, particularly in their gerund forms. This article focuses on how these verbs behave when forming gerunds, which are verb forms ending in -ando or -iendo.

Key Points

  1. These stem-changing verbs in the infinitive form have an ‘o’ in the last syllable of the stem.
  2. In conjugations, this ‘o’ typically changes to ‘ue’ in all persons except nosotros.
  3. However, in their gerund form, these verbs change the ‘o’ to ‘u’.

Common O to U Stem-changing -IR Verbs in Gerund Form

  1. Dormir (to sleep)
  2. Morir (to die)
  3. Podrir/Pudrir (to rot)

Note: Both “morir” and “dormir” are typically classified as O to UE stem-changing verbs in most conjugations, but their gerunds follow the O to U pattern.

Gerund Formation

To form the gerund of these verbs:

  1. Remove the -IR ending
  2. Change the ‘o’ in the stem to ‘u’
  3. Add -IENDO

Examples

  1. Dormir (to sleep)
    • Infinitive: dormir
    • Gerund: durmiendo
  2. Morir (to die)
    • Infinitive: morir
    • Gerund: muriendo
  3. Podrir/Pudrir (to rot)
    • Infinitive: podrir/pudrir
    • Gerund: pudriendo

Usage in Sentences

  1. Los niños están durmiendo profundamente. (The children are sleeping deeply.)
  2. El árbol se está muriendo por falta de agua. (The tree is dying due to lack of water.)
  3. La fruta está pudriendo en el frutero. (The fruit is rotting in the fruit bowl.)

Comparison with Other Stem-changing Verbs

  • Unlike typical O to UE stem-changing verbs, which don’t change their stem in gerunds, these verbs change ‘o’ to ‘u’ in their gerund form.
  • This behavior is similar to E to I stem-changing verbs, which also keep their stem change in gerunds.

Special Cases: “Morir” and “Dormir”

“Morir” and “Dormir” are unique cases:

  • In most conjugations, they follow the O to UE pattern (e.g., muero, mueres, muere; duermo, duermes, duerme).
  • However, their gerunds follow the O to U pattern (muriendo, durmiendo), not the O to UE pattern.

Conclusion

While the group of O to U stem-changing -IR verbs is small, it includes some common and important verbs like “dormir” and “morir”. It’s crucial to remember that these verbs maintain an O to U stem change when forming gerunds, even though they may follow different patterns in other conjugations.

Dive Deeper:

Related topics:

You are here:

Master Spanish Verb Conjugation: Your Ultimate Guide for both Latin American and Castilian Spanish > Master Latin American Spanish Verb Conjugations: Your Key to Conversational Fluency > Spanish Gerunds > Stem-changing -IR Verb Gerunds > O to U Stem-changing -IR Verbs Gerunds

Finally, Spanish teachers worth your time!

Experience the LingoToGo difference for yourself with a free week of unlimited lessons.

Expert teachers, raving students, guaranteed fun.

Get one week free

No credit card required. No obligation.

Free trial only available in the Americas and Europe. If you are in another region, you can sign up for one week of unlimited Spanish lessons for one dollar. Here’s the link to sign up for $1.