Verbos de alternancia vocalica no presente
Verbos de alternancia vocalica no presente means “Vowel-changing verbs in the present indicative”. Some -IR verbs keep the regular endings but shift the stem vowel. Formation: -IR: e->i so no eu (prefiro, sinto, sigo); dormir o->u so no eu (durmo); subir u->o em voce/ele (sobe)
Vowel-changing verbs in the present indicative
B1Formation
-IR: e->i so no eu (prefiro, sinto, sigo); dormir o->u so no eu (durmo); subir u->o em voce/ele (sobe)
Explanation
Some -IR verbs keep the regular endings but shift the stem vowel. In verbs with e in the stem (preferir, sentir, seguir, servir, vestir, repetir, mentir), the e becomes i ONLY in the eu form: prefiro, sinto, sigo, while preferimos and preferem keep the e. Pedir also adds g->c, giving peco. Dormir changes o->u only in the eu form (durmo), while voce and ele keep the o (dorme). Subir is the opposite: eu is regular (subo), but voce and ele change u->o (sobe). Remember that the shift almost always touches just the first-person singular.
Examples
Note
Warning for Spanish speakers: these verbs do NOT diphthongize in Portuguese. Say prefiro (not prefiero), sinto (not siento), durmo (not duermo). And remember: in the e->i verbs the change stays only in eu, so eu prefiro but nos preferimos.
FAQ
Verbos de alternancia vocalica no presente — what does it mean and how is it used?
Vowel-changing verbs in the present indicative. Some -IR verbs keep the regular endings but shift the stem vowel. In verbs with e in the stem (preferir, sentir, seguir, servir, vestir, repetir, mentir), the e becomes i ONLY in the eu form: prefiro, sinto, sigo, while preferimos and preferem keep the e. Pedir also adds g->c, giving peco. Dormir changes o->u only in the eu form (durmo), while voce and ele keep the o (dorme). Subir is the opposite: eu is regular (subo), but voce and ele change u->o (sobe). Remember that the shift almost always touches just the first-person singular.
Verbos de alternancia vocalica no presente — how do you form it?
-IR: e->i so no eu (prefiro, sinto, sigo); dormir o->u so no eu (durmo); subir u->o em voce/ele (sobe)
Verbos de alternancia vocalica no presente — any usage notes?
Warning for Spanish speakers: these verbs do NOT diphthongize in Portuguese. Say prefiro (not prefiero), sinto (not siento), durmo (not duermo). And remember: in the e->i verbs the change stays only in eu, so eu prefiro but nos preferimos.