Conjugate stem-changing -ir verbs (e > i): competir, reír, servir in the present tense in Spanish (El Presente)

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Competir, reír, and servir are stem-chaning semi-regular -ir verbs in Spanish in El Presente because the stem changes in some forms. 

Conjugation of competir, servir and reír in El Presente in Spanish

  COMPETIR
to compete
SERVIR
to serve
REÍR
to laugh
 yo compito
sirvo
río
  compites sirves ríes

él / ella / usted  

compite
sirve
ríe
nosotros  / nosotras 
competimos servimos
reímos
vosotros  / vosotras 
competís
servís
reís
ellos / ellas/ ustedes  
compiten sirven
ríen

Notice how for all three groups, the vowel -e- becomes -i- EXCEPT for nosotros/nosotras and vosotros/vosotras where it remains -e-.

Look at and listen to these examples:

Yo compito en los 100 metros libres de natación.I compete in the 100 metres freestyle swimming.

sirves las mesas de fuera.You serve the outside tables.

Ella se ríe mucho.She laughs a lot.

Nosotros nos reímos siempre con esa película.We always laugh at that movie.

Vosotras competís contra Francia.You compete against France.

Ellos sirven a los clientes. They serve the customers.

Ustedes se ríen de los niños.You laugh at the children.

It's important to note that this irregularity e > i is only for -ir verbs.

You can see more verbs that follow this pattern: A1 Spanish verb list: Stem-changing (e > i) verbs in the present tense

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Examples and resources

Ella se ríe mucho.She laughs a lot.
Vosotras competís contra Francia.You compete against France.
Nosotros nos reímos siempre con esa película.We always laugh at that movie.
Yo compito en los 100 metros libres de natación.I compete in the 100 metres freestyle swimming.
Ellos sirven a los clientes. They serve the customers.
Ustedes se ríen de los niños.You laugh at the children.
sirves las mesas de fuera.You serve the outside tables.
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