diff --git a/lib/src/french/BeschFre.gf b/lib/src/french/BeschFre.gf
index 3ace02ece..05acc10aa 100644
--- a/lib/src/french/BeschFre.gf
+++ b/lib/src/french/BeschFre.gf
@@ -229,7 +229,8 @@ oper v_besch101 : Str -> VerbeN = \s -> mkNV (conj s) ; --- to do
       _ + "cer"             => conj1placer parler ;
       _ + "ger"             => conj1manger parler ;
       _ + "yer"             => conj1payer parler ;
-      _                     => conj1aimer parler
+      _ + "er"              => conj1aimer parler ;
+      _                     => Predef.error ("verb infinitive must end er/ir/re, not satisfied by" ++ parler)
     } ;
 
 -- The following can be more reliable.
diff --git a/lib/src/italian/ParadigmsIta.gf b/lib/src/italian/ParadigmsIta.gf
index a4e2cc34c..cf0a8c7fd 100644
--- a/lib/src/italian/ParadigmsIta.gf
+++ b/lib/src/italian/ParadigmsIta.gf
@@ -386,7 +386,7 @@ oper
       verb = case are of {
         "ire" =>  finire_100 x ;
         "ere" =>  temere_20 x ;
-        _ => case i of {
+        "are" => case i of {
           "c" => cercare_7 x ;
           "g" => legare_8 x ;
           _ => case ci of {
@@ -394,7 +394,8 @@ oper
             "gi" => mangiare_10 x ;
            _    => amare_6 x
             }
-          }
+          } ;
+         _ => Predef.error ("regular verb infinitive must end are/ire/ere, not satisfied by" ++ x)
         }
     in verbBesch verb ** {vtyp = VHabere ; p = [] ; lock_V = <>} ;
 
diff --git a/lib/src/spanish/ParadigmsSpa.gf b/lib/src/spanish/ParadigmsSpa.gf
index 23417087b..960c623b1 100644
--- a/lib/src/spanish/ParadigmsSpa.gf
+++ b/lib/src/spanish/ParadigmsSpa.gf
@@ -375,15 +375,16 @@ oper
       verb = case ar of {
         "ir" =>  vivir_7 x ;
         "er" =>  deber_6 x ;
-        _ => case z of {
+        "ar" => case z of {
            "u" => actuar_9 x ;
            "z" => cazar_21 x ;
            "i" => guiar_43 x ;
            "g" => pagar_53 x ;
            "c" => sacar_72 x ;
            _   => cortar_5 x
-            }
-          }
+            } ;
+         _ => Predef.error ("regular verb infinitive must end ar/ir/er, not satisfied by" ++ x)
+         }
     in verbBesch verb ** {vtyp = VHabere ; p = [] ; lock_V = <>} ;
 
   reflV v = v ** {vtyp = VRefl} ;
diff --git a/lib/src/translator/CheckInflection.hs b/lib/src/translator/CheckInflection.hs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8cd9c78e7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/src/translator/CheckInflection.hs
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+-- elementary soundness check of a dictionary, e.g. if all verbs have verb-like endings
+-- usage: checkSoundness <Filename> <Lang>
+-- comment out bad lines in tmp/file with --UNSOUND
+
+checkSoundness file lang = do
+  dict <- readFile file >>= return . lines
+  let wrongs = [(if has then ("--UNSOUND " ++ d) else d,has) | d <- dict, let has = hasError lang (words d)]
+  putStrLn $ unlines $ [p | (p,h) <- wrongs, h]
+  writeFile ("tmp/" ++ file) $ unlines $ map fst wrongs
+
+hasError lang ws = case ws of
+  u:v:ww | isError lang u v -> True
+  _:v:ww -> hasError lang (v:ww)
+  _ -> False
+
+isError lang u v = case lang of
+  "Spa" -> case bareOp u of
+     "mkV"  | head v == '"' -> notElem (dp 2 (stringOf v)) ["ar","er","ir","se"] 
+     "mkV2" | head v == '"' -> notElem (dp 2 (stringOf v)) ["ar","er","ir","se"] 
+     _ -> False
+
+dp :: Int -> String -> String
+dp i s = drop (length s - i) s
+
+stringOf s = takeWhile (/='"') (tail s)
+
+bareOp = filter (notElem "()")