Stem Changing Ir Verbs Preterite Tense Conjugation [+16 Examples & Quiz]

In this Spanish grammar lesson you will learn about stem changing ir verbs preterite tense conjugation.

In this lesson you will learn about:

• what the stem changing ir verbs preterite tense are
• o > ue becomes o > u
• e > ie becomes e > i
• e > i becomes e > i
• what the stem changing ir verbs preterite tense conjugation look like in sentences
• how you can quiz yourself on stem changing ir verbs preterite tense conjugation
• how to practice with flashcards on stem changing ir verbs preterite tense conjugation
• how and why you should use the courses of Language Atlas to learn Spanish

By the end of the lesson you will know all about stem changing ir verbs preterite tense conjugation!

Introduction to Stem Changing Ir Verbs Preterite Tense Conjugation

Back in Spanish A1 you learnt that certain verbs change their stem in the present tense.

These were the O > UE, E > IE, and E > I stem changes.

The ir verbs in those groups change in the preterite.

However, this change only happens in the él/ella/usted form, and in the ellos/ellas/ustedes form.

In this lesson you will learn about those stem changing ir verbs preterite tense conjugation.

O > UE becomes O > U

In the table above, you can see an example of a verb where the -o becomes a -u.

Please note that this change only happens in the él/ella/usted form, and in the ellos/ellas/ustedes form.

dormir

Anoche dormí en casa de mi hermana.

I slept at my sister’s house last night.

dormir

¡Ayer dormiste más de 12 horas!

You slept more than 12 hours yesterday! [=tú]

morir

John Lennon murió asesinado.

John Lennon was murdered.

morir

Nosotros nos moríamos de ganas de verte de nuevo.

We were looking forward to seeing you again. (literally: We were dying to see you again)

dormir

¿Vosotros dormisteis bien en ese hotel?

Did you sleep well in that hotel?

morir

Mis abuelos murieron en la guerra.

My grandparents died in the war.

The only verbs in this group are dormir (to sleep) and morir (to die).

E > IE Becomes E > I

In the table above, you can see an example of a verb where the -e becomes an -i.

Please note that this change only happens in the él/ella/usted form, and in the ellos/ellas/ustedes form.

mentir

Kevin me mintió.

Kevin lied to me.

sentir

Carmen sintió un dolor muy fuerte en la espalda.

Carmen felt a sharp pain in her back.

preferir

Vosotros preferisteis quedaros en casa aquel día.

You preferred to stay at home that day.

advertir

Ellos nos advirtieron, pero no escuchamos.

They warned us, but we didn’t listen.

The only verbs in this group are advertir (to warn), mentir, (to lie), preferir (to prefer), and sentir/sentirse (to feel).

E > I Stays E > I

In the table above, you can see an example of a verb where the -e becomes an -i.

Please note that this change only happens in the él/ella/usted form, and in the ellos/ellas/ustedes form.

servir

Yo serví al presidente cuando trabajaba como camarero.

I served the president when I was working as a waiter.

repetir

Tú repetiste un curso en el instituto, ¿no?

You repeated a year in high school, didn’t you?

seguir

Usted siguió hablándole pero él ya se había ido.

You kept talking to him but he had already left.

conseguir

Nosotros conseguimos convencer a tu madre de que vendiera la casa.

We managed to convince your mother to sell the house.

pedir

Ellos pidieron un aumento de sueldo.

They asked for a pay rise.

competir

¿Ustedes compitieron en los Juegos Olímpicos?

Did you compete in the Olympic Games?

The only verbs in this group medir (to measure), pedir (to request/ask for), repetir (to repeat), seguir (to follow/continue), and servir (to serve).

Conclusion to Stem Changing Ir Verbs Preterite Tense Conjugation

This is quite a big lesson, and please feel proud after reading all of that.

You may feel a bit overwhemled and are wondering if you can even rememeber all that.

But please don’t worry, this is what you have the flashcards for.

By using the flashcards, you will memorize it in no-time!

Example Sentences on Stem Changing Ir Verbs Preterite Tense Conjugation

This section of the lesson on stem changing ir verbs preterite tense conjugation is about seeing the verbs in action.

This is valuable because you can improve your understanding of stem changing it verbs preterite tense conjugation through examples.

dormir

Anoche dormí en casa de mi hermana.

I slept at my sister’s house last night.

dormir

¡Ayer dormiste más de 12 horas!

You slept more than 12 hours yesterday! [=tú]

morir

John Lennon murió asesinado.

John Lennon was murdered.

morir

Nosotros nos moríamos de ganas de verte de nuevo.

We were looking forward to seeing you again. (literally: We were dying to see you again)

dormir

¿Vosotros dormisteis bien en ese hotel?

Did you sleep well in that hotel?

morir

Mis abuelos murieron en la guerra.

My grandparents died in the war.

mentir

Kevin me mintió.

Kevin lied to me.

sentir

Carmen sintió un dolor muy fuerte en la espalda.

Carmen felt a sharp pain in her back.

preferir

Vosotros preferisteis quedaros en casa aquel día.

You preferred to stay at home that day.

advertir

Ellos nos advirtieron, pero no escuchamos.

They warned us, but we didn’t listen.

servir

Yo serví al presidente cuando trabajaba como camarero.

I served the president when I was working as a waiter.

repetir

Tú repetiste un curso en el instituto, ¿no?

You repeated a year in high school, didn’t you?

seguir

Usted siguió hablándole pero él ya se había ido.

You kept talking to him but he had already left.

conseguir

Nosotros conseguimos convencer a tu madre de que vendiera la casa.

We managed to convince your mother to sell the house.

pedir

Ellos pidieron un aumento de sueldo.

They asked for a pay rise.

competir

¿Ustedes compitieron en los Juegos Olímpicos?

Did you compete in the Olympic Games?

Quiz Yourself on Stem Changing Ir Verbs Preterite Tense Conjugation

At the end of every lesson you can do a small quiz.

You will see the sentences of the previous chapter.

You will either need to fill in the blanks, choose the correct multiple choice option, or both.

Once you are done the correct answer will be shown.

You can redo the quiz as many times as you want!

Time's up

How to Practice With Flashcards for This Lesson

Using flashcards is an absolute necessity when it comes to learning a language!

It is the best way to memorize what you learn, you can personalize your progression because it adapts to your actions, and all flashcards have audio to improve your hearing and pronunciation.

Please read our article on how to learn a new language for more information on flashcards and the best way to learn a new language.

There are two ways to practice with Flashcards for this lesson.

1. Anki
2. The Flashcards in our Courses

Anki is a free software with which you can create and practice flashcards.

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All the flashcards have text, images, explanations, and audio.

You can also use our courses that have flashcards integrated alongside lessons with audio, quizzes and much more!

However, I am sure you are wondering, what are your courses, and why should I take them?

The Courses of Language Atlas

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