-IR Verbs
All Spanish infinitives end in either -ar, -er, or -ir, as in hablar, leer, and escribir.
In this article we'll cover regular -ir verbs and the most common irregulars.
Regular -ir Verbs
Many -ir verbs follow the same conjugation pattern. To conjugate a regular -ir verb, follow these steps:
- First, decide your tense. Every tense in Spanish has a different set of endings.
- Next, remove the infinitive ending (-ir).
- Lastly, add the ending that matches the subject of the sentence.
Click here for a conjugation chart for the regular Spanish verb escribir. You can follow the same pattern to conjugate all other -ir verbs, unless they are irregular.
Here is a list of the most common regular -ir verbs. These verbs are regular in all forms and tenses.
Let’s take a look at some examples using these regular -ir verbs.
| examples |
|---|
Irregular -ir Verbs in the Present Tense
-ir Stem Changers
Many common -ir verbs have a stem change when conjugated in the present tense. These verbs use the same endings as regular -ir verbs, but undergo a vowel change in the last syllable of the stem.
e > ie
For verbs in this group, the e in the last syllable of the stem changes to ie. Some common -ir verbs that undergo this change are:
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| convertir | to convert/change |
| mentir | to lie |
| preferir | to prefer |
| sentir | to feel |
| sugerir | to suggest |
| venir | to come |
e > i
For verbs in this group, the e in the last syllable of the stem changes to i. Some common -ir verbs that undergo this change are:
o > ue
For verbs in this group, the o in the last syllable of the stem changes to ue. Some common -ir verbs that undergo this change are dormir(to sleep) and morir(to die).
Examples
Take a look at the conjugations of three stem-changing -ir verbs.
Irregular Yo
-guir/-gir Verbs
Verbs that end in -guir or -gir undergo a spelling change in their present tense yo forms.
- For verbs that end in -guir, the yo form ends in go.
- For verbs that end in -ger or -gir, the g in the yo form changes to a j.
Here are some examples of verbs that undergo these changes in the yo form.
More Irregular Yo Verbs
Here are more examples of verbs with irregular yo spelling changes.
| Spanish Infinitive | English Infinitive | Yo Form |
|---|---|---|
| conducir | to drive | conduzco |
| decir | to say/tell | digo |
| salir | to leave/to go out | salgo |
| traducir | to translate | traduzco |
| venir | to come | vengo |
-uir Verbs
Verbs that end in ‐uir (except for those that end in ‐guir) add a y before the normal ending in all forms except nosotros and vosotros.
| Spanish Infinitive | English Infinitive |
|---|---|
| concluir | to conclude |
| construir | to build |
| destruir | to destroy |
| fluir | to flow |
| huir | to flee |
| incluir | to include |
Oírfollows the same pattern, but ends in go in the yo form.
Let’s take a look at some examples!
Click here to learn more about irregular present tense verbs.
Irregular -ir Verbs in the Preterite Tense
Many of the must-know -ir verbs are irregular in the preterite tense. Let's take a look!
-ir Verbs with j and i Preterite Stems
Preterite “y” Verbs
Verbs that have stems ending in a vowel + -ir take a y in the él, ella, usted and ellos, ellas, ustedes forms.
Let’s take a look at an example!
| Subject | oír (to hear) |
|---|---|
| yo | oí |
| tú | oíste |
| él, ella, usted | oyó |
| nosotros | oímos |
| vosotros | oísteis |
| ellos, ellas, ustedes | oyeron |
Click here to learn more about irregular verbs in the preterite tense.
-ir Verbs with Irregular Future/Conditional Stems
Some -ir verbs have irregular stems when conjugating in the future and conditional.
Ir
The essential Spanish verb iris irregular in most forms and tenses. To review ir in all tenses, click here.
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