Present Tense Stem-Changing Verbs - o>ue Verbs

In the last post we talked about e>ie stem-changing verbs. The next type of stem-changing verbs are those where the o changes to ue.  One such verb is poder (to be able or "can").  The o in the stem will change to to ue, and just as with the e>ie verbs, this change will only happen in the boot.

poder

                                                 puedo             podemos
                                                 puedes            podéis
                                                 puede             pueden

Poder works very nicely with other verbs:

No puedo nadar.    I cannot swim.
Podemos salir cuando termine.     We can go out when I finish.
¿Puedes tocar el piano?    Can you play the piano?

Here are some common o>ue verbs:

absolver - to absolve, acquit
acordarse - to remember
acostarse - to go to bed, lay down
almorzar - to have lunch
apostar - to bet
cocer - to cook
colgar - to hang
contar - to count, tell
costar - to cost
demostrar - to demonstrate
doler - to hurt
dormir - to sleep
encontrar - to find, meet
llover - to rain
morder - to bite
morir - to die
mostrar - to show
*oler - to smell
poder - to be able
recordar - to remember, remind
resolver - to solve
rogar - to beg
soltar - to release, let go
volar - to fly
volver - to return, come back

*When a stem change happens at the very beginning of the conjugated verb, the letter h will precede the change.  Such is the case with a verb like oler:

                                              huelo               olemos
                                              hueles              oléis
                                              huele                huelen

Since the verb forms olemos and oléis do not undergo a stem change, there is no need for the h.  Next time we will talk about the last type of present tense stem change, e>i verbs.  ¡Hasta la próxima!