When it says "yo stem", your source is referring to the fact that the
subjunctive (which is what we are dealing with here), follows the same
irregularities as the yo form of the present indicative.

In the case of acostar, there is no such irregularity, but with verbs such as
poner, caber etc, there is. For example:

PONER / CABER
* indicativo
pongo / quepo
pones / cabes
pone / cabe
ponemos / cabemos
ponéis / cabéis
ponen / caben
* subjunctivo
ponga / quepa
pongas / quepas
ponga / quepa
pongamos / quepamos
pongáis / quepáis
pongan / quepan

For this reason, the rule for making the present subjunctive is to stick endings
on the yo stem.

Acostar is not an irregular verb. Its second vowel is that special Spanish
vowel that is pronounced ue when stressed and o when unstressed. You should not
take this alternance into account when ascertaining what the yo stem is. "I go
to bed" is "yo me acuesto" but the stem is still "acost-", unlike, poner and
caber, which really are based on three different stems each: "pon-", "pong-",
"pus-" / "cab-", "quep-", "cup-".

So, "acostaos" (imperative) and "no os acostéis" (subjunctive used as
imperative) are both regular and correct.

Your source should have made this clearer.

----- Original Message -----
From: SGaviota77@...
To: Espanol-Ingles@... ; riollano818@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Tuesday, October 07, 2003 4:07 AM
Subject: [Espanol-Ingles] I have a question


Hi

I have a question for someone from Spain. I would put the question in
Spanish, but the question is too complicated for that. It concerns the
"vosotros"
form of "acostarse."

My workbook says, "To regularly form negative commands in the vosotros form,
do the following:

add -éis to the "yo stem" of -ar verbs

add -áis to the "yo stem" of -er and -ir verbs

My workbook translates "Don't go to bed!" as "¡No os acostéis!"

It seems to me that the "yo stem" of "acostarse" would be "acuest"

Is this making sense to anyone? Anyway, I am stumped on this one. Up until
now everything I have studied about Spanish has been totally logical.

Thanks to anyone who knows the answer to this, whether they are from Spain or
elsewhere!

Sue



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