What is correct conjugation for reir?

Question

Hi,

I have at home plenty of textbooks for spanish and they differs in conjugation of verb REIR (or REIRSE) in indicative present.

First half uses forms rIo, rIes, rIe, ... (with SHORT I) and the second half (like you - in www.spanishdict.com) uses LONG I.

So what is correct?:

1. Is one of the form newer than the other?
2. Or does it depend on country (Spain vs. Latin America etc.)?

Thanks for answer. Mirek

• getting my vote, well explained question;) - Heidita Oct 23, 2009

Answer 1

Hi, Mirek

This accent is added because of the pronunciation, so that it sounds more like "ri-o" ("ri" is stressed), a two-syllable word instead of one.

• Thank you Issabela for your great explanation (one-syllable versus two-syllable). Just now I remeber it very well. - mirek Oct 20, 2009
• it prevents a diphthong from being created in fancy terminology. - qfreed Oct 20, 2009

Answer 2

Sorry I have expressed bad before. I wrote long i and short i, but I thought i with accent mark, or i without accent mark.

The both versions I saw in different grammars of Spanish. Mirek

Answer 3

There is difference between conjugation of verb "reír" in preterit in third person of single here (www.spanishdict.com) and in "official" web page (http://www.rae.es/rae.html):

• reí, reíste, rió versus
• reí, reíste, rio.

Here (and also in spanish.about.com etc) is "rió" but in rae.html is "rio".

I have two questions:

1) Have these two forms different or same pronounciation?

I think they sounds the same! Like one syllabe. On the contrary of spanish equivalent of the river (río), where are two syllabes (ree - oh). Is it right?

2) Are these twe forms correct both? I think the form "rió" is historically older form of correct ortography and the form "rio" is the newer one.

Thanks in advance. Mirek

Answer 4

Thanks Heidita,

I am glad to have correct answers, of course.

But I find certainty and it is possible to reach only in many many discussions with other people (like you and not only from one, two or more written "authority" resources of the rules.

I am very glad to find your "club" (www.spanishdict.com): the answers for questions are here very quick and nice.

Thank you very much. Mirek

• thanks a lot, mirek, we do have a good crowd of people here, I am happy:):) - Heidita Oct 23, 2009

Answer 5

Long I? Do you mean a capitalized "I"? I think you need to switch fonts or get a computer screen with better resolution. Those i's have accent marks above them.

río (small i with accent mark above it)

ríes

ríe

Answer 6

If you need some practise with Spanish pronunciation (and accents), click here and here.

• Thanks Issabela, nice links. - mirek Oct 20, 2009

Answer 7

The "official" conjugation is

here

You will notice that this site, like most sites and paper dictionaries, has a few small errors with this word. So do newspapers.

• Thanks lorenzo, it is great! - mirek Oct 20, 2009

Answer 8

Hi mirek, nice questions

1) Have these two forms different or same pronounciation?

You are right, same pronounciation.

2) Are these twe forms correct both? I think the form "rió" is historically older form of correct ortography and the form "rio" is the newer one.

Yes, correct too

I think soon you will not need us, you can answer all your questions by yourself

Good job