invertir
/een-behr-TEER/
to invest
Invertir can mean to invest money or resources to watch them grow.
invertir(verb)
to invest
?money, time, or energy into something for a future benefit
to spend / to devote
?usually referring to time or resources
📝 In Action
Quiero invertir mis ahorros en una empresa tecnológica.
B1I want to invest my savings in a tech company.
Ella invierte mucho tiempo en estudiar español cada día.
A2She spends a lot of time studying Spanish every day.
💡 Grammar Points
The Stem Change
In many present-tense forms, the 'e' in the middle changes to 'ie'. Think of it as the word growing stronger when you say it!
The Sneaky 'i'
In the past tense (preterite), when talking about him, her, or them, the 'e' changes to a simple 'i' (invirtió). This is a common pattern for '-ir' verbs.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Forgetting the stem change
Mistake: "Yo inverto mucho tiempo."
Correction: Yo invierto mucho tiempo. Remember the 'e' splits into 'ie' in the 'yo' form!
⭐ Usage Tips
Money vs. Time
In English, we 'spend' time, but in Spanish, it's very natural to use 'invertir' for time because it suggests you are doing something productive.
Invertir also means to reverse or invert the natural order or position of something.
invertir(verb)
to reverse / to invert
?to change the order or position of something
to turn upside down
?physical orientation
📝 In Action
Si inviertes el orden de los colores, el diseño se ve mejor.
B2If you reverse the order of the colors, the design looks better.
El profesor nos pidió invertir la pirámide para el experimento.
C1The teacher asked us to invert the pyramid for the experiment.
💡 Grammar Points
Double Duty
This verb is the same as the one for money, just used in a physical way. It follows the exact same stem-changing rules.
⭐ Usage Tips
Math and Logic
You will often hear this in math class when talking about 'inverting' fractions or logic when 'reversing' an argument.
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
imperfect
present
indicative
preterite
imperfect
present
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: invertir
Question 1 of 2
Which form of 'invertir' is correct for 'I invest'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'invertir' used for 'spending' money on groceries?
Not usually. 'Invertir' implies you expect a return or a benefit later (like a business or education). For regular buying, use 'gastar' (to spend).
Is this verb regular?
No, it is stem-changing. The middle 'e' changes to 'ie' in most present forms and to 'i' in the third-person past forms and the gerund.