Spanish conjugation explanation
Irregular Future/Conditional stems
<p>While most Spanish verbs are regular in the
<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext" href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/16/" target="_blank">Future</a>
and<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext" href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/17/" target="_blank">Conditional</a>
tenses (simply adding endings to the full infinitive), a small group of highly frequent verbs use an <strong>irregular stem</strong>.</p><p>It is important to remember two keys regarding these irregularities:</p>
<ul>
<li>The <strong>endings</strong> added to the stem are completely regular.</li>
<li>If a verb has an irregular stem in the Future, it has the <strong>same irregular stem</strong> in the Conditional.</li>
</ul>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">1. Dropping the vowel</div>
<p>In this group, the vowel <span style="font-style: italic;">e</span> of the infinitive ending is dropped to form the stem.</p>
<ul>
<li>
<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/poder/" title="Click to see conjugations for poder" target="_blank">poder</a>
→ <span class="green_emphasis">podr</span>é</li><li>
<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/caber/" title="Click to see conjugations for caber" target="_blank">caber</a>
→ <span class="green_emphasis">cabr</span>é</li><li>
<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/saber/" title="Click to see conjugations for saber" target="_blank">saber</a>
→ <span class="green_emphasis">sabr</span>é</li><li>
<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/querer/" title="Click to see conjugations for querer" target="_blank">querer</a>
→ <span class="green_emphasis">querr</span>é (the <span style="font-style: italic;">e</span> drops, leaving the double <span style="font-style: italic;">r</span>)</li></ul>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">No <strong>podré</strong> dormir esta noche. (<span style="font-style: italic;">I won't be able to sleep tonight.</span>)</div>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Él dijo que <strong>sabría</strong> qué hacer. (<span style="font-style: italic;">He said he would know what to do.</span>)</div>
<p>Here is the conjugation of <span style="font-style: italic;">saber</span> in the Future tense:</p>
<div class="study_conjugations_tense_container">
<a class="study_conjugations_tense_label box_label tense_box no_dark_mode " href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/16/" target="_blank" title="Open tense guide">Futuro</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">
yo
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">sabr<span style="text-decoration: underline;">é</span><span class="irregularity_circle">●</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">
tú
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">sabr<span style="text-decoration: underline;">ás</span><span class="irregularity_circle">●</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">
él
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">sabr<span style="text-decoration: underline;">á</span><span class="irregularity_circle">●</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">
nosotros
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">sabr<span style="text-decoration: underline;">emos</span><span class="irregularity_circle">●</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">
vosotros
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">sabr<span style="text-decoration: underline;">éis</span><span class="irregularity_circle">●</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">
ellos
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">sabr<span style="text-decoration: underline;">án</span><span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">2. Replacing the vowel with 'd'</div>
<p>For these verbs (often ending in <span style="font-style: italic;">-ner</span> or <span style="font-style: italic;">-lir</span>), the vowel <span style="font-style: italic;">e</span> or <span style="font-style: italic;">i</span> is replaced by a <strong>d</strong>.</p>
<ul>
<li>
<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/tener/" title="Click to see conjugations for tener" target="_blank">tener</a>
→ <span class="green_emphasis">tendr</span>é</li><li>
<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/poner/" title="Click to see conjugations for poner" target="_blank">poner</a>
→ <span class="green_emphasis">pondr</span>é</li><li>
<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/salir/" title="Click to see conjugations for salir" target="_blank">salir</a>
→ <span class="green_emphasis">saldr</span>é</li></ul>
<p>A common mistake is simply removing the vowel (writing <span class="red_emphasis">poneras</span> or <span class="red_emphasis">ponras</span>). Be sure to add the <strong>d</strong>.</p>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Mañana <strong>tendremos</strong> más tiempo. (<span style="font-style: italic;">Tomorrow we will have more time.</span>)</div>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">¿Te <strong>pondrías</strong> esa camisa? (<span style="font-style: italic;">Would you put on that shirt?</span>)</div>
<p>Notice in the tables below how the stem <span style="font-style: italic;">saldr-</span> is used for both tenses:</p>
<div class="study_conjugations_tense_container">
<a class="study_conjugations_tense_label box_label tense_box no_dark_mode " href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/16/" target="_blank" title="Open tense guide">Futuro</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">
yo
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">saldré<span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
tú
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">saldrás<span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
él
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">saldrá<span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
nosotros
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">saldremos<span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
vosotros
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">saldréis<span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
ellos
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">saldrán<span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_tense_container">
<a class="study_conjugations_tense_label box_label tense_box no_dark_mode " href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/17/" target="_blank" title="Open tense guide">Condicional</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">
yo
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">saldría<span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
tú
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">saldrías<span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
él
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">saldría<span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
nosotros
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">saldríamos<span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
vosotros
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">saldríais<span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
ellos
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">saldrían<span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">3. Shortened stems</div>
<p>Two very common verbs use a significantly shortened stem that must be memorized:</p>
<ul>
<li>
<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/hacer/" title="Click to see conjugations for hacer" target="_blank">hacer</a>
→ <span class="green_emphasis">har</span>é</li><li>
<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/decir/" title="Click to see conjugations for decir" target="_blank">decir</a>
→ <span class="green_emphasis">dir</span>é</li></ul>
<p>Learners often try to regularize these (<span class="red_emphasis">haceré</span>) or apply preterite stems (<span class="red_emphasis">hicieré</span>). The stems <span style="font-style: italic;">har-</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">dir-</span> are unique to the Future and Conditional.</p>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Lo <strong>haré</strong> mañana. (<span style="font-style: italic;">I will do it tomorrow.</span>)</div>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Nadie <strong>diría</strong> eso. (<span style="font-style: italic;">No one would say that.</span>)</div>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">Compound Verbs</div>
<p>Verbs formed by adding a prefix to these irregular verbs generally keep the irregularity.</p>
<ul>
<li>
<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/quitar/" title="Click to see conjugations for quitar" target="_blank">quitar</a>
is regular, but<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/deshacer/" title="Click to see conjugations for deshacer" target="_blank">deshacer</a>
follows <span style="font-style: italic;">hacer</span> → <span class="green_emphasis">deshar</span>é</li> <li><a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/proponer/" title="Click to see conjugations for proponer" target="_blank">proponer</a>
follows <span style="font-style: italic;">poner</span> → <span class="green_emphasis">propondr</span>é</li> <li><a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/mantener/" title="Click to see conjugations for mantener" target="_blank">mantener</a>
follows <span style="font-style: italic;">tener</span> → <span class="green_emphasis">mantendr</span>é</li></ul>