Conjugate stem-changing -ir verbs (e > i): competir, reír, servir in the present tense in Spanish (El Presente)

Written by qualified Spanish expert Ana Matilla MA, BA

Last updated: 2024-02-23

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Competir, reír, and servir are stem-chaning semi-regular -ir verbs in Spanish in El Presente because the stem changes in some forms.

Conjugation of competir, servir and reír in El Presente in Spanish

	COMPETIR to compete	SERVIR to serve	REÍR to laugh
yo	compito	sirvo	río
tú	compites	sirves	ríes
él / ella / usted	compite	sirve	ríe
nosotros / nosotras	competimos	servimos	reímos
vosotros / vosotras	competís	servís	reís
ellos / ellas/ ustedes	compiten	sirven	ríen

Notice how for all three groups, the vowel -e- becomes -i- EXCEPT for nosotros/nosotras and vosotros/vosotras where it remains -e-.

Look at and listen to these examples:

Yo compito en los 100 metros libres de natación.I compete in the 100 metres freestyle swimming.

Tú sirves las mesas de fuera.You serve the outside tables.

Ella se ríe mucho.She laughs a lot.

Nosotros nos reímos siempre con esa película.We always laugh at that movie.

Vosotras competís contra Francia.You compete against France.

Ellos sirven a los clientes. They serve the customers.

Ustedes se ríen de los niños.You laugh at the children.

It's important to note that this irregularity e > i is only for -ir verbs.

You can see more verbs that follow this pattern: A1 Spanish verb list: Stem-changing (e > i) verbs in the present tense

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