# 28. Irregular Verbs in the Past — Part 2

> Source: [video](https://youtube.com/watch?v=YHDZSHCt1DE&t=7316s)

Part 2 finishes the irregular preterites: a few one-off "miscellaneous" verbs (`caber`, `poder`, `saber`, `querer`), the `ver/dar` pair, the **stem-changing -ir verbs** that change only in the third person, the `y`-insertion verbs (`leer`, `creer`, `oír`), and the **yo-only spelling changes** for `-car`, `-gar`, `-zar` verbs.

## Key Rules
- `Caber → cupe`, `poder → pude`, `saber → supe`, `querer → quise` — all share the same irregular pattern as Part 1.
- `Ver` and `dar` use the regular `-er/-ir` preterite endings but **without accents**: `vi, viste, vio…` and `di, diste, dio…`.
- Stem-changing `-ir` verbs (sentir, pedir, dormir…) keep regular endings but change `e→i` or `o→u` **only in él/ella and ellos**.
- `Leer, creer, oír` insert a `y` in the él/ellos forms and require accents on most other forms (to keep two adjacent vowels pronounced separately).
- Yo-only spelling changes: `-car → -qué`, `-gar → -gué`, `-zar → -cé`.

## Conjugation / Pattern Tables

### Miscellaneous irregular preterites
| Verb | yo | tú | él | nosotros | vosotros | ellos |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| caber (to fit) | cupe | cupiste | cupo | cupimos | cupisteis | cupieron |
| poder (could) | pude | pudiste | pudo | pudimos | pudisteis | pudieron |
| saber (knew) | supe | supiste | supo | supimos | supisteis | supieron |
| querer (wanted) | quise | quisiste | quiso | quisimos | quisisteis | quisieron |

### ver / dar — preterite (regular endings, no accents)
| Pronoun | ver | dar |
|---|---|---|
| yo | vi | di |
| tú | viste | diste |
| él | vio | dio |
| nosotros | vimos | dimos |
| vosotros | visteis | disteis |
| ellos | vieron | dieron |

### Stem-changing -ir verbs (e → i, o → u in 3rd person only)

#### preferir (e → i)
| yo | preferí | nosotros | preferimos |
|---|---|---|---|
| tú | preferiste | vosotros | preferisteis |
| él | prefirió | ellos | prefirieron |

#### dormir (o → u)
| yo | dormí | nosotros | dormimos |
|---|---|---|---|
| tú | dormiste | vosotros | dormisteis |
| él | durmió | ellos | durmieron |

Other e→i: `mentir, sentir, seguir, conseguir, repetir, servir, pedir`.
Other o→u: `morir`.

### leer / creer / oír (y-insertion + accents)
| Pronoun | leer | creer | oír |
|---|---|---|---|
| yo | leí | creí | oí |
| tú | leíste | creíste | oíste |
| él | leyó | creyó | oyó |
| nosotros | leímos | creímos | oímos |
| vosotros | leísteis | creísteis | oísteis |
| ellos | leyeron | creyeron | oyeron |

### yo-only spelling changes

| Ending | yo form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| -car | -qué | practicar → practiqué |
| -gar | -gué | jugar → jugué |
| -zar | -cé | organizar → organicé |

All other forms of these verbs are regular.

## Examples
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Yo pude hablar con él. | I could speak with him. |
| Tú pudiste ir a la fiesta. | You could go to the party. |
| Yo supe quién ganó el juego. | I found out who won the game. |
| Yo quise jugar contigo. | I wanted to play with you. |
| Ella quiso abrir la puerta. | She wanted to open the door. |
| Yo te vi en la fiesta. | I saw you at the party. |
| Tú viste a mi madre en la casa. | You saw my mother at the house. |
| Él vio cómo yo hice mi tarea. | He saw how I did my homework. |
| Yo te di mi lápiz. | I gave you my pencil. |
| Él nos dio el pase. | He gave us the pass. |
| Yo practiqué el piano ayer. | I practiced piano yesterday. |
| Yo jugué al fútbol. | I played soccer. |
| Yo organicé mis libros. | I organized my books. |

## Notes & Gotchas
- `Saber` in the preterite (`supe`) often means "I found out" rather than "I knew."
- `Querer` in the preterite (`quise`) implies the wanting is over; `no quise` = "I refused."
- `Poder` in the preterite (`pude`) = "I managed to" / "I could (and did)." Don't confuse with the conditional `podría` ("I could / would be able to").
- The 3rd-person stem changes for `-ir` verbs in preterite mirror the same letter changes seen in present tense (`pedir → pide → pidió`).
- The yo spelling changes (`-qué, -gué, -cé`) preserve the consonant **sound** of the infinitive.