Present Subjunctive of -er, -re, and -ir Verbs

Outside the first conjugation, Central Catalan still uses -i in the stem-stressed present-subjunctive forms, but three practical models must be kept apart: second-conjugation perdre → perdi, pure third-conjugation dormir → dormi, and incoative third-conjugation servir → serveixi. The first two look simple; the third inserts an incoative extension in four of its six forms.

The hard part is not merely attaching endings. Learners must know whether an -ir verb is pure or incoative and whether a frequent second-conjugation verb uses a special stem. This page gives the regular models. Velar stems such as begui, conegui, and vingui belong on the velar-stem page.

Second conjugation: the perdre model

Regular -er and -re verbs follow the same broad Central series: stem-stressed -i, -is, -i, and -in, with first- and second-person plural forms in -em and -eu. The infinitive ending itself disappears.

The plural perdem and perdeu are identical to the present indicative: Sempre perdem el tren asserts a habit, but No vol que perdem el tren places the event inside a wish. Context identifies the mood.

Do not assume that every second-conjugation verb follows perdre without a stem change. Many extremely common verbs are velar or irregular: beure → begui, prendre → prengui, conèixer → conegui, poder → pugui. There is no reliable English clue for this; learn the present-subjunctive stem with each high-frequency verb.

Pure third conjugation: the dormir model

Pure -ir verbs do not insert -eix-. Their Central present subjunctive has the same distribution of stem and ending stress:

The label “pure” is morphological; it does not mean “more correct” or “more Catalan.” Verbs such as dormir and sentir belong to this class, while servir and many other -ir verbs are incoative. You cannot freely choose between dormi and an invented dormeixi. The class is a lexical property of the verb.

Incoative third conjugation: the servir model

Incoative verbs add the extension written -eix- in the four stem-stressed Central forms. The extension disappears in nosaltres and vosaltres, where the ending itself is stressed.

The first example has serveixi because servir is incoative and the third-person singular is stem-stressed. Reduir and oferir are also incoative, but their spelling and stem shape need care. The class alternation is not related to progressive meaning, despite the traditional name “incoative.” In contemporary Catalan, serveixi does not inherently mean “begin to serve.”

Vowel contact and diaeresis

In vowel-final stems, Catalan spelling distinguishes syllables carefully. In the incoative verb traduir, the Central paradigm is tradueixi, tradueixis, tradueixi, traduïm, traduïu, tradueixin. The diaeresis in traduïm and traduïu shows that the u and i belong to separate syllables.

Writing traduim or traduiu loses a required orthographic distinction. Accent and diaeresis rules remain in force inside verb paradigms; endings do not excuse missing marks.

Regional standard systems

Valencian standard uses -a rather than Central -i in the stem-stressed forms of the second and third conjugations (regional: Valencian). Incoative verbs use the corresponding -isc-/-isqu- pattern:

Pure dormir similarly gives Valencian dorma, dormes, dorma, dormim, dormiu, dormen (regional: Valencian). These are standard forms, not errors or colloquial reductions.

Balearic standard normally has perdi and dormi. It also admits expanded plural forms for some pure verbs, such as dormiguem and dormigueu, and a specifically Balearic incoative series: servesqui, servesquis, servesqui, serviguem, servigueu, servesquin (regional: Balearic). Northwestern and Northern standards largely align with the Central -i models presented here, though individual verbs and local speech show variation (regional: Northwestern / Northern). Use a coherent regional paradigm; do not splice servisca into an otherwise Central series unless you are deliberately representing Valencian.

Weak pronouns, negation, and agreement

Weak pronouns precede the finite subjunctive in an ordinary subordinate clause, and no precedes the pronoun cluster:

In negative commands, the same preverbal order appears: No t'adormis; no li responguis. An affirmative command instead attaches the pronoun: Adorm-te; respon-li. The relationship between imperative and subjunctive forms is real, but pronoun placement follows clause type.

Person agreement remains fully active even when subjects are omitted. Serveixi can have jo, ell/ella, or vostè as its subject; context or an overt noun resolves the ambiguity. Serveixin is third-person plural, including polite vostès.

Mood comes from meaning, not a trigger alone

Compare an asserted fact with a desired or uncertain situation:

The first clause identifies an actual program and asserts its function. The second describes a sought, not-yet-identified program, so the relevant property is not established. English uses “works” in both places; Catalan makes the assertion contrast visible.

Mini-dialogue: choosing a venue

Ofereixi, serveixi, and reservin are incoative present subjunctives. Truquem belongs to the first conjugation, while càpiguem is an irregular form of cabre and should not be generalized as a regular second-conjugation model.

Common Mistakes

1. Keeping the infinitive ending.

2. Adding the incoative extension to a pure verb.

3. Omitting the incoative extension where it belongs.

4. Dropping a required diaeresis.

5. Assuming every que-clause needs subjunctive.

Key Takeaways

• Use perdi, perdis, perdi, perdem, perdeu, perdin as the regular Central second-conjugation model.
• Distinguish pure dormi from incoative serveixi; the verb's lexical class determines the pattern.
• Expect many common second-conjugation verbs to use special, especially velar, stems.
• Valencian standard has perda, dorma, and servisca series; Balearic also preserves standard regional alternatives.
• Maintain every diaeresis and place weak pronouns according to clause type.