Section 12.1 · The stem vowel e changes directly to i in yo, usted, and ustedes · nosotros never changes · almost all are -ir verbs · pedir · servir · repetir · seguir · decir
In Chapter 11 you learned two types of stem-changing boot verbs: e → ie and o → ue. Chapter 12 continues with a third pattern that is even simpler: the vowel e changes directly to i. No doubling, no diphthong — just a single vowel swap. The same boot shape applies: the change happens in yo, usted/él/ella, and ustedes/ellos/ellas, but never in nosotros.
Almost every e → i verb ends in -ir, which makes them easy to identify. These verbs are particularly common in service-oriented environments — hospitals, restaurants, offices, community settings — where you request things, serve others, give instructions, and follow procedures. Mastering pedir, servir, repetir, seguir, and decir gives you essential vocabulary for professional communication across virtually any workplace.
| Spanish Verb | English Meaning | Tú form | Usted form | Yo form | Nosotros (no change) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pedir | To ask for / order | pides | pide | pido | pedimos |
| Servir | To serve / to work (function) | sirves | sirve | sirvo | servimos |
| Repetir | To repeat | repites | repite | repito | repetimos |
| Seguir | To follow / continue | sigues | sigue | sigo | seguimos |
| Decir | To say / tell | dices | dice | digo (also -go!) | decimos |
| Medir | To measure | mides | mide | mido | medimos |
| Sonreír | To smile | sonríes | sonríe | sonrío | sonreímos |
Pedir means to ask for something or to order something. The stem vowel e changes to i in stressed forms: pido, pide, piden. Nosotros keeps the original e: pedimos. Pedir is used when requesting a document, a favor, a meal, or more time. It is not the same as preguntar: pedir = to ask for something (a request for an object, action, or favor); preguntar = to ask a question (seeking information). Example: Pido el reporte (I ask for the report — I want it delivered). Pregunto sobre el reporte (I ask about the report — I want information about it). In service and professional settings, ¿Qué pide usted? is the standard way to ask what someone wants to order or request.
Servir follows the e → i pattern: sirvo, sirve, servimos, sirven. It carries two important meanings. First, to serve people or food: Yo sirvo a los clientes con mucho gusto (I serve the clients with great pleasure), Usted sirve la comida en la mesa (You serve the food at the table). Second — and very commonly in the Americas — no servir means something does not work or function: Esta computadora no sirve hoy (This computer doesn’t work today), El elevador no sirve (The elevator is out of order). This second usage is essential in everyday conversation. Nosotros: servimos (no change) — Nosotros servimos a la comunidad local.
Repetir follows the e → i pattern: repito, repite, repetimos, repiten. The e in the stem changes to i in stressed forms; nosotros keeps the original e: repetimos. This verb is essential when learning a language, confirming instructions, or reviewing procedures. In a language classroom: Yo repito la frase para aprender (I repeat the phrase to learn), Nosotros repetimos el ejercicio en clase (We repeat the exercise in class). In professional settings: ¿Puede usted repetir la información, por favor? (Could you repeat the information, please?) is a courteous and essential request. Repetir can also mean to have a second helping of food: ¿Repite usted? (Would you like more / a second serving?)
Seguir (to follow / to continue) follows e → i: sigo, sigue, seguimos, siguen. It is used for following rules, directions, or paths: Usted sigue las reglas del hospital (You follow the hospital rules), Siga derecho dos cuadras (Go straight two blocks — command form). Seguir + gerund expresses continuing an action: Sigo trabajando (I keep working). Decir (to say/tell) is special: it combines the e → i stem change AND the -go yo irregularity from Section 11.3. Yo form: digo (both e→i and -go). All other forms use the e → i change without -go: dice, decimos, dicen. Decir la verdad (to tell the truth) is a key professional expression.
All three boot verb patterns you have now learned share the same fundamental structure. The change happens in three forms (yo, usted, ustedes) and never in nosotros. The only difference is the vowel substitution: e becomes ie (Ch.11.1), o becomes ue (Ch.11.2), or e becomes i (Ch.12.1). E → i is the simplest of the three — a single vowel replacing a single vowel, no diphthong. Additionally, almost all e → i verbs are -ir verbs, while e → ie and o → ue can be -ar, -er, or -ir. Recognizing an -ir verb with e in the stem is a strong clue that it may follow the e → i pattern. The nosotros rule is absolute across all three patterns: stress falls on the ending, not the stem, so the stem never changes.
Listen to each sentence in Spanish, then repeat aloud during the countdown pause.
Sentences 1–5 drill pedir across all four forms, emphasizing the pedir vs. preguntar distinction. Sentences 6–10 practice servir for both “to serve” and “no sirve” (doesn’t work). Sentences 11–15 use repetir in language-learning, professional confirmation, and instruction contexts. Sentences 16–20 drill seguir (following rules and directions) and decir (saying/telling, including the double-irregular digo). Sentences 21–25 combine multiple e → i verbs with the three-pattern comparison (querer/poder/pedir) in realistic professional scenarios.
Step 1 — Spot the i: Before repeating, locate the stem vowel. Is it i (boot) or e (nosotros)? Confirm: pido (stressed → i) vs. pedimos (unstressed → e stays).
Step 2 — Compare to ie and ue: As you say each e→i form, think: “This is simpler than quiero or puedo — just one vowel.” Pido / pide / piden — short, clean, no diphthong.
Step 3 — Three-pattern fluency drill: For any boot verb sentence, swap the verb for the equivalent from all three patterns and say all three aloud: quiero / puedo / pido — quiere / puede / pide — queremos / podemos / pedimos. This locks in the pattern differences.
The e → i verb chant: Say all four forms in sequence: pido — pide — pedimos — piden. Then: sirvo — sirve — servimos — sirven. Then: repito — repite — repetimos — repiten. Then: sigo — sigue — seguimos — siguen. Then: digo — dice — decimos — dicen. Five verbs, twenty forms — say them all in under thirty seconds.
Service environment drill: Practice these five sentences as a service toolkit: (1) ¿Qué pide usted? (2) Yo sirvo con mucho gusto. (3) ¿Puede usted repetir, por favor? (4) Siga derecho y doble a la derecha. (5) Yo digo la verdad siempre. These five cover requesting, serving, confirming, directing, and communicating — the core of any service interaction.
No sirve in the workplace: Practice no sirve with five workplace items: El elevador no sirve. La impresora no sirve. El teléfono no sirve. La computadora no sirve. La fotocopiadora no sirve. This phrase is used constantly in real workplaces and is immediately practical.
Choose the correct answer. 20 questions drawn randomly from a pool of 30.