Spanish conjugation explanation

Spelling change: -cer → -zc-

<p>For Spanish verbs ending in <strong style="font-style: italic">-cer</strong> or <strong style="font-style: italic">-cir</strong>, a spelling change is often necessary to preserve the soft pronunciation of the letter <span style="font-style: italic">c</span>.</p>

<p>The letter <span style="font-style: italic">c</span> is pronounced like an <strong>s</strong> (or <span style="font-style: italic">th</span> in Spain) when followed by <span style="font-style: italic">e</span> or <span style="font-style: italic">i</span>. However, when followed by <span style="font-style: italic">a</span> or <span style="font-style: italic">o</span>, it sounds like a hard <strong>k</strong>. To keep the soft sound in conjugations that require an <span style="font-style: italic">a</span> or <span style="font-style: italic">o</span> ending, we must change the spelling.</p>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">Vowel rule vs. Consonant rule</div>

<p>The specific spelling change depends on the letter immediately preceding the ending:</p>

<ul>

<li>

<div><strong>Vowel + -cer/-cir:</strong></div>

<p>If a <strong>vowel</strong> comes before the ending, <strong>c</strong> changes to <strong>zc</strong>.</p>

<p style="font-style: italic;">ofrecer &#8594; yo ofrezco</p>

</li>

<li>

<div><strong>Consonant + -cer/-cir:</strong></div>

<p>If a <strong>consonant</strong> comes before the ending, <strong>c</strong> changes to <strong>z</strong>. For more details on this specific pattern, see

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext" href="/conjugationExplanation/spanish_orthograpic_change_cer_z/" target="_blank">Spelling change: -cer → -z-</a>

<p style="font-style: italic;">convencer &#8594; yo convenzo</p>

</li>

</ul>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">The "ZC" Change Pattern</div>

<p>This explanation focuses on the <strong>vowel</strong> stem group. We add a <span style="font-style: italic">z</span> before the <span style="font-style: italic">c</span> (becoming <strong>-zco</strong> or <strong>-zca</strong>) in the following forms:</p>

<ul>

<li>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext" href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/14/" target="_blank">Present Indicative</a>

<li>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext" href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/19/" target="_blank">Present Subjunctive</a>

<li>

<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext" href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/22/" target="_blank">Imperative</a>

</ul>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">Examples with

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

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Yo te <span class="green_emphasis">ofrezco</span> mi ayuda. (<span style="font-style: italic;">I offer you my help.</span>)</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence_note">Note: Other forms like <span style="font-style: italic">tú ofreces</span> do not change because <span style="font-style: italic">e</span> follows the <span style="font-style: italic">c</span>.</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Es necesario que le <span class="green_emphasis">agradezcas</span> el regalo. (<span style="font-style: italic;">It is necessary that you thank him for the gift.</span>)</div>

<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">No <span class="green_emphasis">conduzcas</span> tan rápido. (<span style="font-style: italic;">Don't drive so fast.</span>)</div>

<p>Common verbs that follow this pattern include:

<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/parecer/" title="Click to see conjugations for parecer" target="_blank">parecer</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>

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

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

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

<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">Important Exceptions</div>

<p>A few very common verbs have a vowel before the ending but are irregular and use a <strong>g</strong> instead of <strong>zc</strong>:</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>

<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>

<li>

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

</ul>

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

<p>In the following tables, the highlighted forms show the <strong>zc</strong> spelling change.</p>

<p>Model verb ending in <span style="font-style: italic">-cer</span>: <strong>

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

<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">ofrezco<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">

tú

</span>ofreces

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

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

él

</span>ofrece

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

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

nosotros

</span>ofrecemos

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

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

vosotros

</span>ofrecéis

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

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

ellos

</span>ofrecen

</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">ofrezca<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">

tú

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">ofrezcas<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">

él

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">ofrezca<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">

nosotros

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">ofrezcamos<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">

vosotros

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">ofrezcáis<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">

ellos

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

</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">ofrezca<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">

(nosotros)

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">ofrezcamos<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">

(vosotros)

</span>ofreced

</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">ofrezcan<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

</div>

</div>

<p>Model verb ending in <span style="font-style: italic">-cir</span>: <strong>

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

<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">produzco<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">

tú

</span>produces

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

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

él

</span>produce

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

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

nosotros

</span>producimos

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

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

vosotros

</span>producís

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

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

ellos

</span>producen

</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">produzca<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">

tú

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">produzcas<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">

él

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">produzca<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">

nosotros

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">produzcamos<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">

vosotros

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">produzcáis<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">

ellos

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

</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">produzca<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">

(nosotros)

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">produzcamos<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">

(vosotros)

</span>producid

</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">produzcan<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

</div>

</div>