Recall that innate irregularities are those specific to verbs rather than groups of verbs. That is, the irregularities are not shared by different verbs across the three conjugations and are not simply spelling accommodations made to maintain consistent pronunciation.

Some verbs ending in –er or –ir may undergo a change in the yo form, where the ending becomes –go. This group may be divided into two sub-categories: Some remain regular verbs in other forms, while others undergo base changes in second-, third-, or first-person plural forms.

Verbs that remain regular in all but the yo form are listed in the following table.

Verbs That End in –GO in the Yo Form

Other verbs, however, are irregular in more than one way. That is, in addition to the –go ending in the yo form, they undergo other irregularities in the base, such as an i to ie change (in venir and tener), an i to y change (see oír), or an e to i change (like in the verb decir). The following table provides these verbs’ conjugations in the present tense.

Verbs with the –GO Transformation and Other Base Irregularities

Verbs with the –GO Transformation and Other Base Irregularities

Verb Practice #8

Translate the following sentences using the appropriate verb forms. Use your English-to-Spanish and Spanish-to-English dictionary to look up words you don't already know. Then, check your answers.

1. I hear noises at night.

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2. Do you (formal, singular) hear her?

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3. Ricardo does exercises at night.

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4. They come to visit.

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5. You (informal, plural) come to visit your parents.

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Additional Irregular Verbs

Some irregular verbs do not seem to fit into any category. These verbs include ir (to go), haber (to have/be), and caber (to fit). You've already come across ir and haber; caber is conjugated in the following table. Please note that despite a radical change in the yo form, caber is actually regular in the other forms of the present tense.

Conjugating Caber in the Present Tense