In the preterite tense, verbs ending in -gar, -car, and -zar require a spelling change in the yo form. This keeps their pronunciation consistent.
The spelling changes
When conjugating these verbs for yo, drop the -ar ending and make the following adjustments before adding the -é:
| Verb ending | Yo ending | Example |
|---|---|---|
| -gar | -gué | pagué |
| -car | -qué | saqué |
| -zar | -cé | empecé |
Verbs ending in -gar
To keep the hard "g" sound of verbs like pagar or cargar, we add a "u" to make -gué.
| I paid the restaurant bill. | Pagué la cuenta del restaurante. |
| I charged the tax to the card. | Cargué el impuesto a la tarjeta. |
Verbs ending in -car
To keep the hard "k" sound of verbs like sacar or verificar, the "c" changes to "qu" to make -qué.
| I took cash out of the ATM yesterday. | Saqué efectivo del cajero ayer. |
| I verified the cash from the ATM. | Verifiqué el efectivo del cajero. |
Verbs ending in -zar
For verbs like empezar or autorizar, the "z" changes to a "c" to make -cé.
| I started the transfer to pay the debt. | Empecé la transferencia para pagar la deuda. |
| I authorized the transfer for the loan. | Autoricé la transferencia para el préstamo. |
These spelling changes only happen in the yo form. All other pronouns follow the standard regular -ar endings (e.g., yo pagué, but tú pagaste).
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