Categories of Spanish Verbs

Question

We all know how complicated Spanish verbs are. Here are some numerical facts about 4 classes of verbs outside of the 3 regular conjugations (-ar, -er, -ir). The numbers listed do not include reflexive forms of the same verb:

1. Verbs that end in -zar and change z to c: over 250 different verbs.

2. Verbs that end in car and change c to qu: at least 250 different verbs.

3. Verbs that end in gar and change g to gu about 150 different verbs.

4. Verbs that end in cer and change c to zc 124 different verbs (conocer is the first one we learn in this category). mecer, cocer, hacer, yacer, their compounds and placer are the exceptions here.

Imagine, when you are fluent, you won't even think about this!

Touché ! - rac1, Aug 17, 2013

That is why learning this language is so easy. Only 774 -zar, -car, -gar and -cer verbs and you did not even include the e→ie, e→i and o→ue verbs. This is too easy (not). :) - kirk1, Aug 17, 2013

Oh goody ! - ian-hill, Aug 17, 2013

You must have been sitting awake all night counting, Jubilado! - Findy, Aug 17, 2013

@ Findy: I have a book "Complete Handbook of Spanish Verbs" and thought I'd put it to use. Just a little counting. Books, my dear, books! Don't forget them! - Jubilado, Aug 17, 2013

Well that's encouraging amigo. - 0095ca4c, Aug 20, 2013

Answer 1

For placer:

3rd person singular and plural

Preterite Indicative: plació or plugo ; placieron or pluguieron. (Therefore the Past Subjunctive has the plugui- root)

3rd person singular Present Subjunctive: plazca or plega or pleque (affecting the usted form of the Imperative)

Thanks. Some of these are just plain strange. But they are what they are. Thanks. - gringojrf, Aug 17, 2013

I am running short of brain cells to absorb all of this - best get another roll of mental floss! - Findy, Aug 17, 2013

Plugo...isn't that a disney dog? :=) - 0095ca4c, Aug 20, 2013

Answer 2

Check out yacer. It has three forms for 1st person present. Wow!

Placer seems to follow the rules of conocer. I could not find macer. cocer is doubly irregular it also has the "o" to "ue" change.

This could become an excellent daily post. Irregular verbs.

Agreed! - rac1, Aug 17, 2013

Anyone who wants to turn it into a daily post - go for it. I'm going to post an answer with the "placer" deviations. - Jubilado, Aug 17, 2013

My mistake: it's mecer. - Jubilado, Aug 17, 2013

Hola gringo, I only see yazco and yazca for first person present. What am I missing? - 0095ca4c, Aug 20, 2013

yazco, yago & yazgo per the conjugate tab at the top of the page. - gringojrf, Aug 20, 2013