Preterite stem changes: e to i
In the preterite tense, certain -ir verbs undergo a stem change where the e in the stem changes to an i.
Unlike the present tense, this change only happens in the third-person forms: él/ella/usted and ellos/ellas/ustedes. The other forms keep the regular e in the stem.
| Pronoun | pedir | sentir |
|---|---|---|
| yo | pedí | sentí |
| tú | pediste | sentiste |
| él/ella/usted | pidió | sintió |
| nosotros/nosotras | pedimos | sentimos |
| vosotros/vosotras | pedisteis | sentisteis |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | pidieron | sintieron |
You can use these verbs to describe past behaviors, like making a choice or making a bad excuse (una excusa).
| The customer chose the most expensive dish on the menu. | El cliente eligió el plato más caro del menú. |
| The boy lied and made a very bad excuse. | El niño mintió y puso una excusa muy mala. |
Reflexive verbs and plural forms
This rule also applies to many common reflexive verbs, such as sentirse (to feel), vestirse (to get dressed), divertirse (to have fun), and despedirse (to say goodbye). As always, place the reflexive pronoun (se) right before the conjugated verb.
Use these forms to talk about how a group got ready, or if someone took the blame (la culpa) for a situation.
| She felt sad because it was her fault and cried. | Ella se sintió triste porque fue su culpa y lloró. |
| The boys got dressed in old clothes and had a lot of fun. | Los chicos se vistieron con ropa vieja y se divirtieron mucho. |
| The guest said goodbye to the family and followed his path. | El invitado se despidió de la familia y siguió su camino. |
Other everyday verbs that follow this e → i pattern include servir (to serve), repetir (to repeat), and seguir (to follow).
| My friend ordered the food, but the waiter served another dish. | Mi amigo pidió la comida, pero el camarero sirvió otro plato. |
| The teacher repeated the question, but the student didn't answer. | El profesor repitió la pregunta, pero el estudiante no respondió. |
