Regular verbs with a spelling change
Spelling changes in the yo form
Some verbA 'doing' word; a word expressing action. 'Walk', 'talk', 'come', 'go', 'eat' and 'sleep' are all verbs. in the preterite tenseThis is used to describe completed actions in the past. have a spelling change in the yo (I) form only. Here are some examples:
jugar (to play) → jugué (I played)
llegar (to arrive) → llegué (I arrived)
buscar (to look for) → busqué (I looked for)
pagar (to pay) → pagué (I paid)
empezar (to start) → empecé (I started)
comenzar (to start) → comencé (I started)
practicar (to practise) → practiqué (I practised)
tocar (to touch/play an instrument) → toqué (I touched/played)
organizar (to organise) → organicé (I organised)
Other spelling changes
Some verbs in the preterite have irregularSomething that does not follow regular patterns and may have a different form. spellings in the third person singularRefers to only one object or person.(él/ella/usted) and pluralMore than one of an item.(ellos/ellas/ustedes) forms only. Here are some examples:
leer (to read) → leyó, leyeron
caer (to fall) → cayó, cayeron
oír (to hear) → oyó, oyeron
creer (to believe) → creyó, creyeron
construir (to build) → construyó, construyeron
Stem-changing verbs
Stem-changing -ir verbs also have irregular spellings in the third person singular (él/ella/usted) and plural (ellos/ellas/ustedes) forms only. For example:
preferir (to prefer) → prefirió, prefirieron
dormir (to sleep) → durmió, durmieron
repetir (to repeat) → repitió, repitieron
pedir (to ask) → pidió, pidieron
morir (to die) → murió, murieron
servir (to serve) → sirvió, sirvieron
Question
Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verb in the preterite.
- Mis amigos _______________ (dormir) muy bien.
- Yo _______________ (organizar) mis prácticas laborales.
- Paco _______________ (construir) su propia casa.
- Mi madre _______________ (caer) en el jardín.
- Yo _______________ (llegar) al colegio temprano.
- Jimena y Max _______________ (leer) un libro muy interesante.
- Mis amigos durmieron muy bien (My friends slept very well).
- Yo organicé mis prácticas laborales (I organised my work experience).
- Paco construyó su propia casa (Paco built his own house).
- Mi madre cayó en el jardín (My mother fell in the garden).
- Yo llegué al colegio temprano (I arrived at school early).
- Jimena y Max leyeron un libro muy interesante (Jimena and Max read a very interesting book).
