Spanish Present Participle Stem-changing Verbs

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Some verbs in the present tense in Spanish change their form when conjugated in the present participle.

• Some verbs ending in -ir with a stem vowel o change to the vowel u

Examples:
Dormir (to sleep)
Luis está durmiendo en mi sofá.
Luis is sleeping on my sofa.

Morir (to die)
¡Sofia se está muriendo de hambre!
Sofia is dying of hunger! Or Sofia is starving!

• Some verbs ending in -ir change the stem vowel e to i

Example:
Competir (to compete)
Sam está compitiendo en los Juegos Olímpicos de natación.
Sam is competing in the swimming Olympics.

Some Stem-changing Verbs Ending in -ir in the Present Participle

Verb ending in -ir	Stem-change verb	Meaning
Advertir	advirtiendo	to warn
Conseguir	consiguiendo	to get
Consentir	consintiendo	to agree/to spoil
Decir	diciendo	to say
Hervir	hirviendo	boil
Pedir	pidiendo	to ask for
Reír	riendo	to laugh
Repetir	repitiendo	to repeat
Seguir	siguiendo	to follow
Servir	sirviendo	to serve
Sugerir	sugiriendo	to suggest
Venir	viniendo	to come

Examples:
Samantha está hirviendo el agua para el café.
Samantha is boiling the water for the coffee.

Aurora está pidiendo asistencia médica.
Aurora is asking for medical assistance.

Los meseros están sirviendo la cena.
The waiters are serving the dinner.

Mis tíos están viniendo de España.
My uncles are coming from Spain.