Stem Change: E → IE

Many Spanish verbs are regular in their endings but change their stem vowel in certain forms. The first pattern to learn is e → ie.

How it works

When the stress falls on the stem vowel e, that vowel splits into a diphthong ie. When the stress moves elsewhere, the e stays put. In the present indicative, the stress lands on the stem in every form except nosotros.

The result is the famous "boot pattern": if you draw a line around the forms that change, it looks like a boot — all four singular and third-person forms change, while nosotros sits outside.

Pensar — to think

SubjectConjugation
yopienso
túpiensas
él / ella / ustedpiensa
nosotros / nosotraspensamos
ellos / ellas / ustedespiensan

Notice the nosotros form keeps the plain e. That's because the stress lands on -a- in pensamos, leaving the stem vowel unstressed.

Yo pienso que es una buena idea.

I think it's a good idea.

¿En qué piensas tú?

What are you thinking about?

Nosotros pensamos lo mismo.

We think the same thing.

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The boot pattern applies to -ar, -er, and -ir verbs alike. If a verb stem-changes, it changes in the same four "boot" forms every time.

Common e → ie verbs

InfinitiveMeaningYo form
quererto want, to lovequiero
sentirto feelsiento
cerrarto closecierro
empezarto beginempiezo
entenderto understandentiendo
perderto losepierdo
preferirto preferprefiero
comenzarto startcomienzo

Quiero un café, por favor.

I want a coffee, please.

La tienda cierra a las nueve.

The store closes at nine.

¿Entiendes lo que digo?

Do you understand what I'm saying?

A full example: querer

Querer is one of the most common e → ie verbs. It means both "to want" and, when used with a person, "to love."

SubjectConjugation
yoquiero
túquieres
él / ella / ustedquiere
nosotros / nosotrasqueremos
ellos / ellas / ustedesquieren

Te quiero mucho.

I love you very much.

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Dictionaries often mark stem-changing verbs with a note like (e:ie) next to the infinitive. When you see that, expect the boot pattern.

Common mistakes

❌ Yo penso que es bueno.

Wrong: forgetting the e → ie stem change in the yo form.

✅ Yo pienso que es bueno.

Correct: the stressed e becomes ie.

❌ Nosotros piensamos lo mismo.

Wrong: applying the stem change to nosotros.

✅ Nosotros pensamos lo mismo.

Correct: nosotros is outside the boot — no stem change.

❌ El autobús cierra a las diez.

Wrong: confusing cerrar (to close) with another verb.

✅ La tienda cierra a las diez.

Correct: make sure the subject makes sense with the verb.

❌ Yo quero un café.

Wrong: the stem change is e → ie, not just dropping a letter.

✅ Yo quiero un café.

Correct: quiero, with the full diphthong ie.

Next, see the parallel o → ue pattern.

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