Irregular Conjugation Models
These are conjugation models—patterns that groups of verbs follow—not just isolated irregular verbs. When you look up a verb, you see its model; mastering the model helps you conjugate all verbs in that family.
This page showcases the model-based method: understand the pattern, then apply it.
Auxiliary (1)
Defective (2)
Irregular (28)
andar
IrregularAndar — irregular preterite (to walk)
asir
IrregularAsir — irregular yo: asgo (to seize / grasp)
caber
IrregularCaber — irregular yo + preterite (to fit)
caer
IrregularCaer — irregular yo (caigo) + spelling (to fall)
dar
IrregularDar — monosyllabic irregular (to give)
decir
IrregularDecir — highly irregular (to say / tell)
erguir
IrregularErguir — suppletive stem alternation (to raise / erect)
estar
IrregularEstar — to be (state/location)
hacer
IrregularHacer — highly irregular (to make / do)
ir
IrregularIr — to go (suppletive)
oír
IrregularOír — irregular + spelling (to hear)
placer
IrregularPlacer — archaic irregular forms (to please)
poner
IrregularPoner — yo pongo + irregular (to put / place)
predecir
IrregularPredecir — like decir (partial) (to predict)
producir
IrregularProducir — c→zc + irregular preterite (to produce)
pudrir
IrregularPudrir — dual infinitive (to rot)
raer
IrregularRaer — like caer/roer (to scrape)
reír
IrregularReír — e→í + spelling (to laugh)
roer
IrregularRoer — multiple yo forms (to gnaw)
saber
IrregularSaber — irregular yo + future (to know facts)
salir
IrregularSalir — yo salgo + future (to leave / go out)
satisfacer
IrregularSatisfacer — like hacer (to satisfy)
ser
IrregularSer — to be (permanent)
traer
IrregularTraer — yo traigo + spelling (to bring)
valer
IrregularValer — yo valgo + future (to be worth)
ver
IrregularVer — shortened stem (to see)
voz_pasiva
IrregularPassive voice (ser + participle)
yacer
IrregularYacer — multiple yo forms (to lie in position)
Mixed (12)
ahincar
MixedAhincar — mixed: accent í + c→qu (to press / insist)
avergonzar
MixedAvergonzar — mixed o→ue + z→c (to shame / embarrass)
cocer
MixedCocer — mixed o→ue + c→z (to cook / boil)
colgar
MixedColgar — mixed o→ue + g→gu (to hang)
elegir
MixedElegir — mixed e→i + g→j (to choose / elect)
empezar
MixedEmpezar — mixed e→ie + z→c (to begin / start)
enraizar
MixedEnraizar — mixed accent í + z→c (to take root)
forzar
MixedForzar — mixed o→ue + z→c (to force)
regar
MixedRegar — mixed e→ie + g→gu (to water / irrigate)
reñir
MixedReñir — mixed e→i + elision ñ (to scold / quarrel)
seguir
MixedSeguir — mixed e→i + gu→g (to follow / continue)
trocar
MixedTrocar — mixed o→ue + c→qu (to exchange / swap)
Orthographic (23)
actuar
OrthographicActuar — orthographic ú in stressed syllable (to act)
airar
OrthographicAirar — orthographic í in stressed syllable (to anger)
aullar
OrthographicAullar — orthographic ú in stressed syllable (to howl)
averiguar
OrthographicAveriguar — orthographic diaeresis ü (to find out / investigate)
bruñir
OrthographicBruñir — elision of unstressed i (to burnish / polish)
cazar
OrthographicCazar — orthographic z→c before e (to hunt)
coger
OrthographicCoger — orthographic g→j before a/o (to take / catch)
conocer
OrthographicConocer — orthographic c→zc before a/o (to know people/places)
creer
OrthographicCreer — orthographic unstressed i→y (to believe)
delinquir
OrthographicDelinquir — orthographic qu→c before a/o (to commit a crime)
dirigir
OrthographicDirigir — orthographic g→j before a/o (to direct / manage)
distinguir
OrthographicDistinguir — orthographic gu→g before a/o (to distinguish)
guiar
OrthographicGuiar — orthographic accent í in stressed (to guide)
influir
OrthographicInfluir — orthographic add -y- before vowel (to influence)
lucir
OrthographicLucir — orthographic c→zc before a/o (to shine / display)
mecer
OrthographicMecer — orthographic c→z before a/o (to rock / sway)
pagar
OrthographicPagar — orthographic g→gu before e (to pay)
parecer
OrthographicParecer — orthographic c→zc before a/o (to seem / appear)
prohibir
OrthographicProhibir — orthographic accent í in stressed (to prohibit)
reunir
OrthographicReunir — orthographic accent ú in stressed (to gather / meet)
sacar
OrthographicSacar — orthographic c→qu before e (to take out / remove)
tañer
OrthographicTañer — elision of unstressed i (to play instrument / toll)
zurcir
OrthographicZurcir — orthographic c→z before a/o (to darn / mend)
Pronominal (1)
Stem change (18)
adquirir
Stem changeAdquirir — stem change i→ie (to acquire)
defender
Stem changeDefender — stem change e→ie (to defend)
desosar
Stem changeDesosar — stem change o→hue (to debone)
discernir
Stem changeDiscernir — stem change e→ie (-ir verb) (to discern)
dormir
Stem changeDormir — stem change o→ue + o→u (to sleep)
encontrar
Stem changeEncontrar — stem change o→ue (to find / encounter)
errar
Stem changeErrar — stem change e→ye (to err / wander)
jugar
Stem changeJugar — stem change u→ue (to play)
mover
Stem changeMover — stem change o→ue (to move)
oler
Stem changeOler — stem change o→hue (to smell)
pedir
Stem changePedir — stem change e→i (to ask for / request)
pensar
Stem changePensar — stem change e→ie (to think)
poder
Stem changePoder — stem change o→ue + irregular (to be able to / can)
querer
Stem changeQuerer — stem change e→ie + irregular (to want / love)
sentir
Stem changeSentir — stem change e→ie + e→i (to feel / regret)
tener
Stem changeTener — to have / to hold
venir
Stem changeVenir — stem change e→ie + g-insertion (to come)
volver
Stem changeVolver — stem change o→ue + irregular PP (to return)