Learn about Spanish -uar verbs in El Presente de Subjuntivo
In Spanish, verbs that end in -uar take a written accent on the -u in most El Presente de Subjuntivo conjugations. Two common Spanish verbs ending in -uar are actuar (to act / perform) and continuar (to continue).
Conjugation of Spanish verbs actuar and continuar in El Presente de Subjuntivo
ACTUAR | CONTINUAR | |
yo |
actúe | continúe |
tú | actúes | continúes |
él/ella/usted | actúe | continúe |
nosotros | actuemos | continuemos |
vosotros | actuéis | continuéis |
ellos/ustedes | actúen | continúen |
Here are some examples:
The verb in the infinitive has the stress on the -ar at the end of the word: actu-ar, continu-ar. However, when it is conjugated in El Presente de Subjuntivo, the stress is on the -u- for all forms except the nosotros and vosotros forms. For example: actúe, actúes, actúes, actúen / continúe, continúes, continúe, continúen. In the nosotros and vosotros forms, the stress is on the -e at the end of the verb: actuemos, actuéis / continuemos, continuéis.
Other examples with verbs evaluar, insinuar, tatuar.
Here is a list of Spanish verbs ending in -uar
Important:
Not all verbs that end in -uar follow this rule. For example, some verbs that end in -cuar allow for spellings both (e.g. licuar, adecuar, promiscuar) with and without the written accent, and verbs that end in -guar do not need extra accents at all! They are conjugated like regular -ar verbs.Take for example verbs like adecuar and averiguar.
Conjugation of Spanish verbs adecuar and averiguar in El Presente de Subjuntivo
ADECUAR | AVERIGUAR | |
yo |
adecúe/ adecue | averigüe |
tú | adecúes/adecues |
averigües |
él/ella/usted | adecúe/adecue | averigüe |
nosotros | adecuemos | averigüemos |
vosotros | adecuéis | averigüéis |
ellos/ustedes | adecúen/adecuen | averigüen |
Important:
For verbs ending in -guar, like averiguar or apaciguar, their conjugation in El Presente de Subjuntivo has a diéresis on the letter u [ü], that's the name of the symbol formed by the two dots above the letter. In Spanish, the diéresis is only used with the letter u. Omitting it is a spelling mistake. The diéresis on the u means that the letter u must be pronounced (it's not a silent u like in guerra or Guernica)
See also Spanish -uar verbs in the present tense (El Presente: actuar, continuar)
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