Spanish conjugation explanation
Spelling change: -cer → -z-
<p>For Spanish verbs ending in <strong style="font-style: italic;">-cer</strong> or <strong style="font-style: italic;">-cir</strong> preceded by a <strong>consonant</strong>, a spelling change occurs in certain forms. This change is necessary to <strong>preserve the pronunciation</strong> of the stem.</p>
<p>The letter <strong style="font-style: italic;">c</strong> has two different sounds:</p>
<ul>
<li>Soft <span style="font-style: italic;">/s/</span> (or <span style="font-style: italic;">/θ/</span> in Spain) when followed by <strong style="font-style: italic;">e</strong> or <strong style="font-style: italic;">i</strong>.</li>
<li>Hard <span style="font-style: italic;">/k/</span> when followed by <strong style="font-style: italic;">a</strong> or <strong style="font-style: italic;">o</strong>.</li>
</ul>
<p>To maintain the soft sound when the grammatical ending starts with <strong style="font-style: italic;">a</strong> or <strong style="font-style: italic;">o</strong>, the letter <strong>c</strong> must change to <strong>z</strong>.</p>
<p style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">c → z</p>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">Affected Verbs</div>
<p>This rule applies to verbs where the <strong style="font-style: italic;">-cer</strong> or <strong style="font-style: italic;">-cir</strong> ending follows a <strong>consonant</strong> (usually <span style="font-style: italic;">n</span> or <span style="font-style: italic;">r</span>).</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>-cer examples:</strong>
<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/convencer/" title="Click to see conjugations for convencer" target="_blank">convencer</a>
(<span style="font-style: italic;">to convince</span>),<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/ejercer/" title="Click to see conjugations for ejercer" target="_blank">ejercer</a>
(<span style="font-style: italic;">to exercise/practice</span>),<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/vencer/" title="Click to see conjugations for vencer" target="_blank">vencer</a>
(<span style="font-style: italic;">to defeat/expire</span>).</li><li><strong>-cir examples:</strong>
<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/esparcir/" title="Click to see conjugations for esparcir" target="_blank">esparcir</a>
(<span style="font-style: italic;">to scatter</span>),<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/zurcir/" title="Click to see conjugations for zurcir" target="_blank">zurcir</a>
(<span style="font-style: italic;">to darn/mend</span>).</li></ul>
<p>The change (<span style="font-style: italic;">c</span> → <strong>z</strong>) affects the following tenses:</p>
<ul>
<li>The
<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext" href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/14/" target="_blank">Present Indicative</a>
(first person singular only)</li><li>The
<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext" href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/19/" target="_blank">Present Subjunctive</a>
(all forms)</li><li>The
<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext" href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/22/" target="_blank">Imperative</a>
(forms derived from the subjunctive stem)</li></ul>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">Examples</div>
<ul>
<li>
<div><strong>convencer</strong> (c becomes z before o)</div>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Yo no <span class="green_emphasis">convenzo</span> a nadie con mis argumentos. (<span style="font-style: italic;">I don't convince anyone with my arguments.</span>)</div>
</li>
<li>
<div><strong>ejercer</strong> (c becomes z before a)</div>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Espero que ella <span class="green_emphasis">ejerza</span> su derecho al voto. (<span style="font-style: italic;">I hope that she exercises her right to vote.</span>)</div>
</li>
<li>
<div><strong>esparcir</strong> (c becomes z before o)</div>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Yo <span class="green_emphasis">esparzo</span> las semillas en el jardín. (<span style="font-style: italic;">I scatter the seeds in the garden.</span>)</div>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">Important Contrast</div>
<p>It is important to check if the ending is preceded by a consonant or a vowel. Verbs ending in <strong style="font-style: italic;">-cer</strong> or <strong style="font-style: italic;">-cir</strong> preceded by a <strong>vowel</strong> (like
<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/conocer/" title="Click to see conjugations for conocer" target="_blank">conocer</a>
,<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/nacer/" title="Click to see conjugations for nacer" target="_blank">nacer</a>
, or<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/conducir/" title="Click to see conjugations for conducir" target="_blank">conducir</a>
) usually usually follow a different pattern where <strong>z</strong> is added before <strong>c</strong> (-zc-).</p><p>
<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext" href="/conjugationExplanation/spanish_orthograpic_change_cer_zc/" target="_blank">Click here to learn about the -cer/-cir → -zc- change</a>
.</p><div class="conjugation_explanation_title">Conjugation Tables</div>
<p>In the following tables, the forms of
<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/convencer/" title="Click to see conjugations for convencer" target="_blank">convencer</a>
affected by the C → Z change are highlighted:</p><div class="study_conjugations_tense_container">
<a class="study_conjugations_tense_label box_label tense_box no_dark_mode " href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/14/" 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">
yo
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">convenzo<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>convences
</span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
él
</span>convence
</span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
nosotros
</span>convencemos
</span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
vosotros
</span>convencéis
</span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
ellos
</span>convencen
</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/19/" target="_blank" title="Open tense guide">Presente 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">
yo
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">convenza<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">convenzas<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">convenza<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">convenzamos<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">convenzáis<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">convenzan<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/22/" 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">
(tú)
</span>convence
</span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
(usted)
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">convenza<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">convenzamos<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>convenced
</span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
(ustedes)
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">convenzan<span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<p>Here are the affected forms for the verb
<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/ejercer/" title="Click to see conjugations for ejercer" target="_blank">ejercer</a>
:</p><div class="study_conjugations_tense_container">
<a class="study_conjugations_tense_label box_label tense_box no_dark_mode " href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/14/" 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">
yo
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">ejerzo<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>ejerces
</span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
él
</span>ejerce
</span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
nosotros
</span>ejercemos
</span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
vosotros
</span>ejercéis
</span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
ellos
</span>ejercen
</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/19/" target="_blank" title="Open tense guide">Presente 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">
yo
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">ejerza<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">ejerzas<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">ejerza<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">ejerzamos<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">ejerzáis<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">ejerzan<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/22/" 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">
(tú)
</span>ejerce
</span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
(usted)
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">ejerza<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">ejerzamos<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>ejerced
</span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
(ustedes)
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">ejerzan<span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>