Instruction: Spanish Preterite – Irregular car, gar, zar

In the preterite tense, Spanish verbs ending in -car, -gar, and -zar undergo spelling changes in the first person singular (yo) form to preserve the pronunciation of the original verb stem. These changes are necessary because of the way certain consonants interact with the vowel e that is used in the yo form of these verbs.

Understanding and applying these changes is important for accurate written verb conjugation in the preterite tense.

Spelling Changes in the yo Form

Here’s a breakdown of the spelling changes:

• -car verbs: c changes to qu before é
• -gar verbs: g changes to gu before é
• -zar verbs: z changes to c before é

These changes only occur in the yo form. The other forms of the verb follow the regular preterite endings for -ar verbs.

Conjugation Patterns

Here’s how these verbs are conjugated in the preterite tense:

1. -car Verbs:

In the yo form, the c changes to qu before the é ending.

2. -gar Verbs:

In the yo form, the g changes to gu before the é ending.

3. -zar Verbs:

In the yo form, the z changes to c before the é ending.

Examples of Conjugation in Sentences

• Buscar:
• Yo busqué un lugar tranquilo para estudiar. (I looked for a quiet place to study.)
• Explicar:
• Yo expliqué el problema a mis compañeros. (I explained the problem to my classmates.)
• Sacar:
• Yo saqué una buena nota en el examen. (I got a good grade on the exam.)
• Llegar:
• Yo llegué temprano al aeropuerto. (I arrived early at the airport.)
• Apagar:
• Yo apagué mi computadora antes de irme. (I turned off my computer before leaving.)
• Jugar:
• Yo jugué baloncesto en el parque ayer. (I played basketball at the park yesterday.)
• Alcanzar:
• Yo alcancé a ver el final de la película. (I managed to see the end of the movie.)
• Almorzar:
• Yo almorcé con mis amigos después de la clase. (I had lunch with my friends after class.)
• Comenzar:
• Yo comencé a trabajar en un nuevo proyecto. (I started working on a new project.)

Conclusion

Mastering the spelling changes in the preterite tense for -car, -gar, and -zar verbs is helpful for writing correct verb conjugations. These changes only occur in the yo form, but they are also important for maintaining the correct pronunciation of the verb stem. Keep practicing these verbs to build your confidence and accuracy in using the preterite tense!