Spanish conjugation explanation
Spelling change: -gir → -j-
<p>Spanish verbs ending in <strong style="font-style: italic;">-ger</strong> and <strong style="font-style: italic;">-gir</strong> undergo a spelling change in certain conjugations to preserve the pronunciation of the verb stem.</p>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">The Rule: Preserving the Sound</div>
<p>In Spanish, the letter <strong>g</strong> has two different pronunciations depending on the vowel that follows it:</p>
<ul>
<li>Before <strong>e</strong> or <strong>i</strong>, it has a "soft" sound (pronounced like the Spanish <span style="font-style: italic;">j</span> or English <span style="font-style: italic;">h</span>). This is the sound found in infinitives like
<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/coger/" title="Click to see conjugations for coger" target="_blank">coger</a>
and<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/dirigir/" title="Click to see conjugations for dirigir" target="_blank">dirigir</a>
.</li><li>Before <strong>a</strong> or <strong>o</strong>, it has a "hard" sound (like in <span style="font-style: italic;">gato</span>).</li>
</ul>
<p>To maintain the original <strong>soft pronunciation</strong> of the infinitive, we must replace the <strong>g</strong> with a <strong>j</strong> any time the verb ending starts with <strong>a</strong> or <strong>o</strong>.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>g</strong> → <span class="green_emphasis">j</span> before <strong>a</strong> or <strong>o</strong></p>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">When does this happen?</div>
<p>This spelling change occurs in the following tenses:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>
<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext" href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/14/" target="_blank">Present Indicative</a>
</strong>: First person singular (yo).</li><li><strong>
<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext" href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/19/" target="_blank">Present Subjunctive</a>
</strong>: All forms.</li><li><strong>
<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext" href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/22/" target="_blank">Imperative</a>
</strong>: Forms for <span style="font-style: italic;">usted</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">nosotros</span>, and <span style="font-style: italic;">ustedes</span>.</li></ul>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">Common Verbs</div>
<p>Frequently used verbs that follow this pattern include:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong style="font-style: italic;">-ger</strong> verbs:
<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/coger/" title="Click to see conjugations for coger" target="_blank">coger</a>
(<span style="font-style: italic;">to take/catch</span>),<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/proteger/" title="Click to see conjugations for proteger" target="_blank">proteger</a>
(<span style="font-style: italic;">to protect</span>),<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/recoger/" title="Click to see conjugations for recoger" target="_blank">recoger</a>
(<span style="font-style: italic;">to pick up</span>),<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/escoger/" title="Click to see conjugations for escoger" target="_blank">escoger</a>
(<span style="font-style: italic;">to choose</span>).</li><li><strong style="font-style: italic;">-gir</strong> verbs:
<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/dirigir/" title="Click to see conjugations for dirigir" target="_blank">dirigir</a>
(<span style="font-style: italic;">to direct</span>),<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/exigir/" title="Click to see conjugations for exigir" target="_blank">exigir</a>
(<span style="font-style: italic;">to demand</span>),<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/surgir/" title="Click to see conjugations for surgir" target="_blank">surgir</a>
(<span style="font-style: italic;">to arise/emerge</span>),<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/fingir/" title="Click to see conjugations for fingir" target="_blank">fingir</a>
(<span style="font-style: italic;">to pretend</span>).</li></ul>
<p><strong>Note:</strong> Verbs like
<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/elegir/" title="Click to see conjugations for elegir" target="_blank">elegir</a>
(<span style="font-style: italic;">to choose/elect</span>) and<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/esp/corregir/" title="Click to see conjugations for corregir" target="_blank">corregir</a>
(<span style="font-style: italic;">to correct</span>) undergo this spelling change <strong>in addition</strong> to an<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext" href="/conjugationExplanation/spanish_stem_change_e_i_present/" target="_blank"><span style="font-style: italic;">e → i</span> stem change</a>
.</p><div class="conjugation_explanation_title">Conjugation Examples</div>
<p><strong>1. Present Indicative</strong></p>
<p>In the Present Indicative, only the first person singular (<span style="font-style: italic;">yo</span>) form has an ending starting with <strong>o</strong>, so it is the only form that requires the <strong>j</strong>.</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">cojo<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>coges
</span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
él
</span>coge
</span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
nosotros
</span>cogemos
</span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
vosotros
</span>cogéis
</span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
ellos
</span>cogen
</span>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Yo <span class="green_emphasis">cojo</span> el autobús todos los días. (<span style="font-style: italic;">I catch the bus every day.</span>)</div>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Siempre <span class="green_emphasis">protejo</span> a mi hermana menor. (<span style="font-style: italic;">I always protect my little sister.</span>)</div>
<p><strong>2. Present Subjunctive</strong></p>
<p>In the Present Subjunctive, all endings for <strong>-er</strong> and <strong>-ir</strong> verbs start with <strong>a</strong>. Therefore, the spelling change affects <strong>all persons</strong>.</p>
<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">proteja<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">protejas<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">proteja<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">protejamos<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">protejáis<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">protejan<span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Es importante que te <span class="green_emphasis">protejas</span> del sol. (<span style="font-style: italic;">It is important that you protect yourself from the sun.</span>)</div>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">Espero que el jefe no <span class="green_emphasis">exija</span> más trabajo. (<span style="font-style: italic;">I hope the boss doesn't demand more work.</span>)</div>
<p><strong>3. Imperative</strong></p>
<p>In the Imperative, the forms for <span style="font-style: italic;">usted</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">nosotros</span>, and <span style="font-style: italic;">ustedes</span> use endings starting with <strong>a</strong>, so the <strong>g</strong> changes to <span class="green_emphasis">j</span>. The <span style="font-style: italic;">tú</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">vosotros</span> forms keep the <strong>g</strong> because their endings start with <strong>e</strong> and <strong>i</strong>, respectively (e.g., <span style="font-style: italic;">dirige, dirigid</span>).</p>
<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>dirige
</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">dirija<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">dirijamos<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>dirigid
</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">dirijan<span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">¡<span class="green_emphasis">Dirija</span> su atención a la pantalla! (<span style="font-style: italic;">Direct your attention to the screen!</span>)</div>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence"><span class="green_emphasis">Protejan</span> el medio ambiente. (<span style="font-style: italic;">Protect the environment.</span>)</div>
<p>Compare this with related patterns:
<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext" href="/conjugationExplanation/spanish_orthograpic_change_guir_g/" target="_blank">Spelling change: -guir → -g-</a>
.</p>