Irregular verbs are verbs that undergo a complete or partial change in the spelling of their stem or raíz, or sometimes in the spelling of their ending or terminación, unlike regular verbs, which keep the same raíz and terminación for all their different tenses and persons according to their conjugation group (-AR, -ER, or -IR). Most irregular verbs belong to the -ER and -IR conjugation groups. Irregular verbs in the -AR conjugation group exist but are rare.
Note that the verbs used in this sentence change their stems or raíces or endings or terminaciones from the infinitive.
Below is a list of categories for irregular verbs:
Other verbs in this category are: saber, caber, interponer, posponer, nacer, traer, valer, roer, complacer, conocer, producir, seducir, pertenencer, traducir…
Note that 1st and 2nd person plural (nosotros and vosotros) maintain the vowel "e" from the raíz of the infinitive (ped-ir) but all other persons change the "e" for an "i".
Other verbs in this category are: medir, rendir, servir, repetir, reír, seguir, vestir…
Note that 1st and 2nd person plural (nosotros and vosotros) maintain the vowel "i" from the raíz of the infinitive (adquir-ir) but all other persons change the "i" for an "ie".
Other verbs in this category are: cerrar, querer, inquirir, advertir, sentir, ingerir, invertir…
Note that 1st and 2nd person plural (nosotros and vosotros) maintain the vowel "u" from the raíz of the infinitive (jug-ar) but all other persons change the "u" for a "ue".
Other verbs in this category are: contar, dormir, morir, and their variations and pronominal form (dormirse, morirse)…
| Si te doy (dar) una entrada gratis, ¿vienes (venir) conmigo al cine? If I give you a free ticket, will you come to the movies with me? Estoy (estar) en la biblioteca, ahora no puedo (poder) hablar por teléfono. I am at the library, I can't talk on the phone right now. |
Note that the verbs used in this sentence change their stems or raíces or endings or terminaciones from the infinitive.
Below is a list of categories for irregular verbs:
A. Irregular verbs ONLY in the first person singular (yo)
Presente | DAR | HACER | SALIR |
yo | d-oy | hag-o | salg-o |
tú | d-as | hac-es | sal-es |
él, ella, usted | d-a | hac-e | sal-e |
nosotros/as | d-amos | hac-emos | sal-imos |
vosotros/as | d-áis | hac-éis | sal-ís |
ellos, ellas, ustedes | d-an | hac-en | sal-en |
Presente | VER | TRAER | CONDUCIR |
yo | ve-o | traig-o | conduzc-o |
tú | v-es | tra-es | conduc-es |
él, ella, usted | v-e | tra-e | conduc-e |
nosotros/as | v-emos | tra-emos | conduc-imos |
vosotros/as | v-éis | tra-éis | conduc-ís |
ellos, ellas, ustedes | v-en | tra-en | conduc-en |
Other verbs in this category are: saber, caber, interponer, posponer, nacer, traer, valer, roer, complacer, conocer, producir, seducir, pertenencer, traducir…
| Hago mis deberes todas las tardes cuando llego a casa de entrenar al fútbol. I do my homework every evening when I get home from soccer practice. No me intentes dar lecciones, conduzco mejor que tú. Don't try to lecture me, I drive better than you. |
B. Verbs that suffer a variation from the vowel in the infinitive
B.1. Changes I/E in the stem
Presente | PEDIR |
yo | pid-o |
tú | pid-es |
él, ella, usted | pid-e |
nosotros/as | ped-imos |
vosotros/as | ped-ís |
ellos, ellas, ustedes | pid-en |
Note that 1st and 2nd person plural (nosotros and vosotros) maintain the vowel "e" from the raíz of the infinitive (ped-ir) but all other persons change the "e" for an "i".
Other verbs in this category are: medir, rendir, servir, repetir, reír, seguir, vestir…
| Mientras ellos piden la cuenta, nosotros vamos a buscar el coche al garaje. While they ask for the check, we are going to get the car from the parking lot. Yo siempre visto de negro porque me gusta mucho ese color. I always dress in black because I like that color a lot. |
B.2. Changes E-I/IE in the stem
Presente | ADQUIRIR |
yo | adquier-o |
tú | adquier-es |
él, ella, usted | adquier-e |
nosotros/as | adquir-imos |
vosotros/as | adquir-ís |
ellos, ellas, ustedes | adquier-en |
Note that 1st and 2nd person plural (nosotros and vosotros) maintain the vowel "i" from the raíz of the infinitive (adquir-ir) but all other persons change the "i" for an "ie".
Other verbs in this category are: cerrar, querer, inquirir, advertir, sentir, ingerir, invertir…
| Contra más estudies, más conocimiento adquieres. The more you study, the more knowledge you acquire. Te advertimos que no vayas al bosque tú solo. ¡Dicen que hay un monstruo! We advise you not to go to into the woods by yourself. They say there´s a monster! |
B.3. Changes O-U/UE in the stem
Presente | JUGAR |
yo | jueg-o |
tú | jueg-as |
él, ella, usted | jueg-a |
nosotros/as | jug-amos |
vosotros/as | jug-áis |
ellos, ellas, ustedes | jueg-an |
Note that 1st and 2nd person plural (nosotros and vosotros) maintain the vowel "u" from the raíz of the infinitive (jug-ar) but all other persons change the "u" for a "ue".
Other verbs in this category are: contar, dormir, morir, and their variations and pronominal form (dormirse, morirse)…
| ¿Juegas al ajedrez con tus amigos muy a menudo? Do you play chess with your friends often? El asesino muere al final de la película. The killer dies at the end of the movie. |
C. Completely irregular verbs
Presente | ESTAR | SER | IR |
yo | estoy | soy | voy |
tú | estás | eres | vas |
él, ella, usted | está | es | va |
nosotros/as | estamos | somos | vamos |
vosotros/as | estáis | sois | vais |
ellos, ellas, ustedes | están | son | van |
| ¡Felicidades! Sois los elegidos para organizar la fiesta de graduación. Congratulations! You are the chosen ones to organize the graduation party. Vamos a llegar tarde al trabajo por culpa del tráfico. We are going to be late to work because of traffic. |