All the verbs similar to servir (to serve) and dormir (to sleep), which have these same vowels underline before the last syllable, undergo a special change, aside from the regular conjugation. This change is regular for all of this type of verb in the first person singular or the eu (I) form. Below is a model of this conjugation.

TRACK 59

Special Verb: Servir (to serve)

Other verbs that follow the same model are: mentir, meaning “to tell a lie” (eu minto); preferir, meaning “to prefer” (eu prefiro); repetir, meaning “to repeat” (eu repito), and seguir, meaning “to follow” (eu sigo).

The next table shows the other special — ir verb.

TRACK 60

Special Verb: Dormir (to sleep)

A few verbs have the vowel — u — in the infinitive, and their conjugation is somewhat of the flipside of the previous ones. Instead of only the eu form changing, every other person changes, while eu and nós keep the same regular vowel of the infinitive. Here is a model of this kind of verb.

TRACK 61

Special Verb: Subir (to go up)