Spanish conjugation explanation

Gerund stem changes

<p>In Spanish, the <strong>gerund</strong> (

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext" href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/23/" target="_blank">Gerundio</a>

<p>The general rule is: <strong>only <span style="font-style: italic;">-ir</span> verbs</strong> can have a stem change in the gerund. If an <span style="font-style: italic;">-ar</span> or <span style="font-style: italic;">-er</span> verb has a stem change in the present indicative, it does <strong>not</strong> keep that change in the gerund.</p>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">Change 1: E &#8594; I</div>

<p>If an <strong>-ir</strong> verb has a stem change of <strong>e &#8594; ie</strong> or <strong>e &#8594; i</strong> in the Present Indicative, the stem vowel changes to <strong>i</strong> in the gerund.</p>

<p>Common verbs in this category include

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

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

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

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

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

<ul>

<li>

<div><strong>pedir</strong> (Present: <span style="font-style: italic;">pide</span>) &#8594; <strong>pidiendo</strong></div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Ella está <span class="green_emphasis">pidiendo</span> la cuenta. (<span style="font-style: italic;">She is asking for the check.</span>)</div>

</li>

<li>

<div><strong>sentir</strong> (Present: <span style="font-style: italic;">siente</span>) &#8594; <strong>sintiendo</strong></div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Me estoy <span class="green_emphasis">sintiendo</span> mucho mejor. (<span style="font-style: italic;">I am feeling much better.</span>)</div>

</li>

<li>

<div><strong>vestir</strong> (Present: <span style="font-style: italic;">viste</span>) &#8594; <strong>vistiendo</strong></div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">El niño se está <span class="green_emphasis">vistiendo</span> solo. (<span style="font-style: italic;">The boy is dressing himself.</span>)</div>

</li>

</ul>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">Change 2: O &#8594; U</div>

<p>If an <strong>-ir</strong> verb has a stem change of <strong>o &#8594; ue</strong> in the Present Indicative, the stem vowel changes to <strong>u</strong> in the gerund.</p>

<p>The two most common verbs for this pattern are

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

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

<ul>

<li>

<div><strong>dormir</strong> (Present: <span style="font-style: italic;">duerme</span>) &#8594; <strong>durmiendo</strong></div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">El bebé está <span class="green_emphasis">durmiendo</span> en la cuna. (<span style="font-style: italic;">The baby is sleeping in the crib.</span>)</div>

</li>

<li>

<div><strong>morir</strong> (Present: <span style="font-style: italic;">muere</span>) &#8594; <strong>muriendo</strong></div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Las flores están <span class="green_emphasis">muriendo</span> de sed. (<span style="font-style: italic;">The flowers are dying of thirst.</span>)</div>

</li>

</ul>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">Contrast: -AR and -ER Verbs</div>

<p>It is a common mistake to apply stem changes to <span style="font-style: italic;">-ar</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">-er</span> verbs in the gerund. Even if these verbs have a stem change in the present tense, their gerunds remain <strong>regular</strong>.</p>

<ul>

<li>

<div><strong>pensar</strong> (Present: <span style="font-style: italic;">pienso</span>) &#8594; <strong>pensando</strong> (not <span class="red_emphasis">piensando</span>)</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Estoy <span class="green_emphasis">pensando</span> en ti. (<span style="font-style: italic;">I am thinking of you.</span>)</div>

</li>

<li>

<div><strong>entender</strong> (Present: <span style="font-style: italic;">entiendo</span>) &#8594; <strong>entendiendo</strong> (not <span class="red_emphasis">entiendiendo</span>)</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">No estamos <span class="green_emphasis">entendiendo</span> la lección. (<span style="font-style: italic;">We are not understanding the lesson.</span>)</div>

</li>

</ul>

<p><strong>Major Exception:</strong> The verb

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

<p>poder &#8594; <span class="green_emphasis">pudiendo</span></p>

<p><strong>Note:</strong> Some verbs undergo an orthographic change where an unaccented <strong>i</strong> between two vowels becomes a <strong>y</strong> (e.g., <span style="font-style: italic;">leer &#8594; leyendo</span>). Read more about that pattern here:

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext" href="/conjugationExplanation/spanish_i_to_y/" target="_blank">Spelling change: i &#8594; y</a>