Spanish conjugation explanation

Spelling change: -cer → -z-

<p>The spelling of some verb forms changes in order <strong>to preserve the pronunciation</strong> of the infinitive. In verbs ending in <strong style="font-style: italic">-cer</strong> and <strong style="font-style: italic">-cir</strong>, the <span style="font-style: italic">c</span> is pronounced <span style="font-style: italic">/s/ or /th/</span>. When <span style="font-style: italic">c</span> is followed by <span style="font-style: italic">a</span> or <span style="font-style: italic">o</span>, the pronunciation changes to <span style="font-style: italic">/k/</span>. The spelling change that we have to do differs based on the letter at the end of the verb stem before <strong style="font-style: italic">-cer</strong> or <strong style="font-style: italic">-cir</strong>:</p>

<ul>

<li>

If it's a <strong>consonant</strong> (e.g. <span style="font-style: italic">vencer, ejercer, convencer, esparcir</span>, etc.): we <strong>replace the <span style="font-style: italic">c</span> with <span style="font-style: italic">z</span></strong> in order to preserve the <span style="font-style: italic">/s/ or /th/</span> sound.

</li>

<li>

If it's a <strong>vowel</strong> (e.g. <span style="font-style: italic">conocer, parecer, aparecer, producir, ofrecer</span>, etc.): we <strong>add a <span style="font-style: italic">z</span> before the <span style="font-style: italic">c</span></strong>. Exceptions: <span style="font-style: italic">decir, hacer, satisfacer</span> (we replace the <span style="font-style: italic">c</span> with <span style="font-style: italic">g</span>).

</li>

</ul>

<p>In the following conjugation tables, the affected verb forms of <span style="font-style: italic">convencer</span> are highlighted:</p>

<div class="study_conjugations_tense_container">

<a class="study_conjugations_tense_label box_label" href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/14/" target="_blank" title="Open tense guide">Presente</a>

<div class="study_conjugations_conjugation conjugations_table two_columns">

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

yo

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">convenzo<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

tú

</span>convences

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

él

</span>convence

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

nosotros

</span>convencemos

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

vosotros

</span>convencéis

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

ellos

</span>convencen

</span>

</div>

</div>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_tense_container">

<a class="study_conjugations_tense_label box_label" href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/19/" target="_blank" title="Open tense guide">Presente subjuntivo</a>

<div class="study_conjugations_conjugation conjugations_table two_columns">

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

yo

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">convenza<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

tú

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">convenzas<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

él

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">convenza<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

nosotros

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">convenzamos<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

vosotros

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">convenzáis<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

ellos

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">convenzan<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_tense_container">

<a class="study_conjugations_tense_label box_label" href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/22/" target="_blank" title="Open tense guide">Imperativo afirmativo</a>

<div class="study_conjugations_conjugation conjugations_table two_columns">

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">---</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

(tú)

</span>convence

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

(usted)

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">convenza<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

(nosotros)

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">convenzamos<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

(vosotros)

</span>convenced

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

(ustedes)

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">convenzan<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

</div>

</div>

<p>In the following conjugation tables, the affected verb forms of <span style="font-style: italic">conocer</span> are highlighted:</p>

<div class="study_conjugations_tense_container">

<a class="study_conjugations_tense_label box_label" href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/14/" target="_blank" title="Open tense guide">Presente</a>

<div class="study_conjugations_conjugation conjugations_table two_columns">

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

yo

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">conozco<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

tú

</span>conoces

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

él

</span>conoce

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

nosotros

</span>conocemos

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

vosotros

</span>conocéis

</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

ellos

</span>conocen

</span>

</div>

</div>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_tense_container">

<a class="study_conjugations_tense_label box_label" href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/19/" target="_blank" title="Open tense guide">Presente subjuntivo</a>

<div class="study_conjugations_conjugation conjugations_table two_columns">

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

yo

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">conozca<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

tú

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">conozcas<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

él

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">conozca<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

nosotros

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">conozcamos<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

vosotros

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">conozcáis<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">

ellos

</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">conozcan<span class="irregularity_circle">&#9679;</span></span></span>

</div>

</div>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_tense_container">

<a class="study_conjugations_tense_label box_label" href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/22/" target="_blank" title="Open tense guide">Imperativo afirmativo</a>

<div class="study_conjugations_conjugation conjugations_table two_columns">

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">---</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">---</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">---</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">---</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">---</span>

</div>

</div>

<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">

<div class="conjugation_form">

<span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">---</span>

</div>

</div>

</div>

</div>