Portuguese conjugation explanation

Stem change: -e- → -i-

<p>For a specific group of verbs ending in <strong style="font-style: italic">-ir</strong>, if the last vowel of the stem is <strong>e</strong>, it changes to <strong>i</strong>. This change occurs exclusively in the <strong>first person singular</strong> (S/1, _eu_) of the

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext" href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/1/" target="_blank">Present Indicative</a>

.</p>

<p>This irregularity is a crucial "bridge" concept in Portuguese grammar: the irregular S/1 form in the indicative serves as the base for building the entire Present Subjunctive.</p>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">Common Verbs</div>

<p>Many high-frequency verbs follow this pattern. It is helpful to memorize these as a group associated with the <span style="font-style: italic">e &#8594; i</span> shift:</p>

<ul>

<li>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/por/sentir/" title="Click to see conjugations for sentir" target="_blank">sentir</a>

(<span style="font-style: italic">to feel</span>)</li>

<li>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/por/preferir/" title="Click to see conjugations for preferir" target="_blank">preferir</a>

(<span style="font-style: italic">to prefer</span>)</li>

<li>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/por/mentir/" title="Click to see conjugations for mentir" target="_blank">mentir</a>

(<span style="font-style: italic">to lie</span>)</li>

<li>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/por/sugerir/" title="Click to see conjugations for sugerir" target="_blank">sugerir</a>

(<span style="font-style: italic">to suggest</span>)</li>

<li>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/por/repetir/" title="Click to see conjugations for repetir" target="_blank">repetir</a>

(<span style="font-style: italic">to repeat</span>)</li>

<li>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/por/servir/" title="Click to see conjugations for servir" target="_blank">servir</a>

(<span style="font-style: italic">to serve</span>)</li>

<li>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/por/vestir/" title="Click to see conjugations for vestir" target="_blank">vestir</a>

(<span style="font-style: italic">to wear/dress</span>)</li>

<li>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/por/divertir/" title="Click to see conjugations for divertir" target="_blank">divertir</a>

(<span style="font-style: italic">to entertain</span>)</li>

<li>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/por/conferir/" title="Click to see conjugations for conferir" target="_blank">conferir</a>

(<span style="font-style: italic">to check</span>)</li>

</ul>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">Conjugation Pattern</div>

<p>Start with the infinitive stem. If you are conjugating for <span style="font-style: italic">eu</span>, change the final <span style="font-style: italic">e</span> of the stem to <strong class="green_emphasis">i</strong>.</p>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">sentir &#8594; eu <span class="green_emphasis">sinto</span></div>

<p class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence_note">For all other persons (_tu, ele, nós, eles_), the <span style="font-style: italic">e</span> remains unchanged.</p>

<div class="study_conjugations_tense_container">

<a class="study_conjugations_tense_label box_label tense_box no_dark_mode " href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/1/" target="_blank" title="Open tense guide">Presente</a>

<div class="study_conjugations_conjugation conjugations_table two_columns">

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

eu

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">sinto<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

tu

</span>sentes

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

ele

</span>sente

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

nós

</span>sentimos

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

vós

</span>sentis

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

eles

</span>sentem

</span>

</div>

</div>

</div>

</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">Impact on Derived Tenses</div>

<p>This rule is vital because the stem of the S/1 form of the Present Indicative is used to form the entire

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext" href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/8/" target="_blank">Present Subjunctive</a>

.</p>

<p>Because the S/1 form is <span style="font-style: italic">s<strong class="green_emphasis">i</strong>nto</span>, the entire Present Subjunctive will use the <span style="font-style: italic">i</span> instead of <span style="font-style: italic">e</span>.</p>

<div class="study_conjugations_tense_container">

<a class="study_conjugations_tense_label box_label tense_box no_dark_mode " href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/8/" target="_blank" title="Open tense guide">Presente do Subjuntivo</a>

<div class="study_conjugations_conjugation conjugations_table two_columns">

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

que eu

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">sinta<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

que tu

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">sintas<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

que ele

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">sinta<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

que nós

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">sintamos<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

que vós

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">sintais<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

que eles

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">sintam<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

</div>

</div>

<p>This also affects the commands (Imperative) derived from the subjunctive (specifically _você_, _nós_, and _vocês_). Notice below how the informal _tu_ form keeps the <span style="font-style: italic">e</span> (it comes from the indicative), while the formal forms switch to <span style="font-style: italic">i</span>.</p>

<div class="study_conjugations_tense_container">

<a class="study_conjugations_tense_label box_label tense_box no_dark_mode " href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/11/" target="_blank" title="Open tense guide">Imperativo Afirmativo</a>

<div class="study_conjugations_conjugation conjugations_table two_columns">

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">---</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

(tu)

</span>sente

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

(você)

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">sinta<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

(nós)

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">sintamos<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

(vós)

</span>senti

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

(vocês)

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">sintam<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

</div>

</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">Exceptions and Variations</div>

<ul>

<li>

<div><strong>Pedir and Medir (Consonant Change only):</strong></div>

<p>The verbs

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/por/pedir/" title="Click to see conjugations for pedir" target="_blank">pedir</a>

(<span style="font-style: italic">to ask</span>) and

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/por/medir/" title="Click to see conjugations for medir" target="_blank">medir</a>

(<span style="font-style: italic">to measure</span>) are important exceptions. In the first person singular, they change their consonant from <span style="font-style: italic">d</span> to <span style="font-style: italic">ç</span> to preserve the soft sound, but they <strong>do not</strong> change the vowel <span style="font-style: italic">e</span> to <span style="font-style: italic">i</span>.</p>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Eu <span class="green_emphasis">peço</span> um favor. (<span style="font-style: italic">I ask a favor.</span>)</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_tense_container">

<a class="study_conjugations_tense_label box_label tense_box no_dark_mode " href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/1/" target="_blank" title="Open tense guide">Presente</a>

<div class="study_conjugations_conjugation conjugations_table two_columns">

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

eu

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">peço<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

tu

</span>pedes

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

ele

</span>pede

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

nós

</span>pedimos

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

vós

</span>pedis

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

eles

</span>pedem

</span>

</div>

</div>

</div>

</div>

</li>

<li>

<div><strong>Vir derivatives vs. Regular -erir verbs:</strong></div>

<p>It is easy to confuse regular verbs ending in <span style="font-style: italic">-erir</span> with irregular derivatives of the verb

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/por/vir/" title="Click to see conjugations for vir" target="_blank">vir</a>

(<span style="font-style: italic">to come</span>).</p>

<p>Standard verbs like

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/por/conferir/" title="Click to see conjugations for conferir" target="_blank">conferir</a>

,

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/por/preferir/" title="Click to see conjugations for preferir" target="_blank">preferir</a>

, and

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/por/referir/" title="Click to see conjugations for referir" target="_blank">referir</a>

follow the standard rule described above:</p>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">conferir &#8594; eu <span class="green_emphasis">confiro</span></div>

<p>However, derived verbs ending in <span style="font-style: italic">-ir</span> that contain the verb <span style="font-style: italic">vir</span> (such as <span style="font-style: italic">intervir</span>) follow the irregularity of <span style="font-style: italic">vir</span>, using the <strong>-ho</strong> ending rather than simply changing the stem vowel.</p>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">intervir &#8594; eu <span class="green_emphasis">intervenho</span></div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence_note">Observe clearly in the table below that the S/1 form of <span style="font-style: italic">vir</span> is <span style="font-style: italic">venho</span>. Its derivatives follow this pattern.</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_tense_container">

<a class="study_conjugations_tense_label box_label tense_box no_dark_mode " href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/1/" target="_blank" title="Open tense guide">Presente</a>

<div class="study_conjugations_conjugation conjugations_table two_columns">

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

eu

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">venho<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

tu

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">vens<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

ele

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">vem<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

nós

</span>vimos

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

vós

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">vindes<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

eles

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">vêm<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

</div>

</div>

</li>

<li>

<div><strong>Verbs ending in -gredir and -venir:</strong></div>

<p>A small group of verbs, specifically

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/por/prevenir/" title="Click to see conjugations for prevenir" target="_blank">prevenir</a>

(<span style="font-style: italic">to prevent</span>) and verbs ending in <strong style="font-style: italic">-gredir</strong> (like <span style="font-style: italic">progredir</span>, <span style="font-style: italic">agredir</span>), apply the vowel change (<span style="font-style: italic">e</span> &#8594; <span style="font-style: italic">i</span>) to <strong>all persons in the singular</strong> plus the third person plural (the boot shape).</p>

<p>These are often confused with <span style="font-style: italic">vir</span> derivatives because they end in <span style="font-style: italic">-venir</span>, but note that <span style="font-style: italic">prevenir</span> behaves differently:</p>

<div class="study_conjugations_tense_container">

<a class="study_conjugations_tense_label box_label tense_box no_dark_mode " href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/1/" target="_blank" title="Open tense guide">Presente</a>

<div class="study_conjugations_conjugation conjugations_table two_columns">

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

eu

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">previno<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

tu

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">prevines<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

ele

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">previne<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

nós

</span>prevenimos

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

vós

</span>prevenis

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

eles

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">previnem<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

</div>

</div>

</li>

</ul>

<p>For a similar stem change involving the vowel <strong>o</strong>, see

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext" href="/conjugationExplanation/portuguese_stem_change_o_ir/" target="_blank">Stem change: -o- &#8594; -u-</a>

.</p>