Some Spanish -iar verbs in the Spanish present subjunctive take an accent (liar, enviar, criar)

Written by qualified Spanish expert Inma Sánchez BA

Last updated: 2023-01-29

Learn about Spanish -iar verbs in El Presente de Subjuntivo

Most verbs that end in -iar in Spanish have a regular conjugation in El Presente de Subjuntivo e.g. cambiar, estudiar, apreciar, copiar. However, a few verbs follow the regular conjugation but also need a written accent in most forms of El Presente de Subjuntivo. Some common verbs that follow this rule are:

enviar (to send)
liar (to roll/to wrap)
criar (to raise/to bring up)
fotografiar (to photograph)

Here is how they are conjugated in El Presente de Subjuntivo:

	enviar	liar	criar	fotografiar
yo	envíe	líe	críe	fotografíe
tú	envíes	líes	críes	fotografíes
él/ella/usted	envíe	líe	críe	fotografíe
nosotros/-as	enviemos	liemos	criemos	fotografiemos
vosotros/-as	enviéis	lieis	crieis	fotografiéis
ellos/-as/ustedes	envíen	líen	críen	fotografíen

Here are some example sentences using these verbs in El Presente de Subjuntivo:

Cuando envíes el paquete, guarda el recibo.When you send the package, keep the receipt. [you = tú]

No lieis así el cigarrillo.Don't roll the cigarette like that. [you = vosotros]

Mi marido quiere que criemos conejos en la granja.My husband wants us to raise rabbits in the farm.

Espero que ella nos fotografíe bien y tengamos unas buenas fotos de la boda.I hope she will photograph us well [take good photos of us] so we have good photos of our wedding.

Cuando líen todos los paquetes, deben ponerlos aquí.When you wrap all the parcels, you must put them here. [you = ustedes]

Have a look at the table below that shows how most regular -iar verbs, (like cambiar and copiar) are conjugated and compare them to the table above that shows the verbs that need the written accent on nearly all the forms.

	cambiar	copiar
yo	cambie	copie
tú	cambies	copies
él/ella/usted	cambie	copie
nosotros/-as	cambiemos	copiemos
vosotros/-as	cambiéis	copiéis
ellos/-as/ustedes	cambien	copien

No cambies la emisora, que me gusta este programa.Don't [you] change the radio station, I like this program. [you = tú]

Como copiéis en el examen me enfadaré mucho con vosotros.If you copy in the exam I will be very cross with you. [you = vosotros]

Es mejor que nos cambiemos de ropa. Es una fiesta elegante.We'd better change our clothes. It's an elegant party.

Quiero que copies todo ese texto en tu cuaderno.I want you to copy all that text in your notebook. [you = tú]

Here is a list of -iar Spanish verbs that need a written accent in El Presente and El Presente de Subjuntivo

This irregularity also affects their conjugation in El Presente. For this, see Some Spanish -iar verbs in the present tense take an accent (liar, enviar, criar)

Learn more about these related Spanish grammar topics

Examples and resources