Grammer rules

ir a + infinitive = to be going to do something (in the near future)

(voy, vas, va, vamos, vais, van) Voy a llevar a mi hermana a su casa. I am going to take my sister to her house. Vas a invitar a muchas muchachas. You are going to invite lots of girls. Cristina va a conversar con mi mamá. Christina is going to talk with my mom. Eduardo va a leer el libro. Edward is going to read the book.

"Por" and "Para"

"Por" and "para" have a variety of meanings, and they are often confused because they can each be translated as "for." Gracias por la información. Thanks for the information. Este regalo es para Juan. This gift is for Juan. To learn to use "por" and "para" correctly, you need to do two things: 1.Learn the rules for how por and para are used. 2.Memorize model sentences. "Por" has many uses, and so it is the more problematic of the two. Rule: to express gratitude or apology Model: Gracias por la ayuda. (Thanks for the help.) Rule: for multiplication and division Model: Dos por dos son cuatro. (Two times two equals four.) Rule: for velocity, frequency and proportion Model: Voy al restaurante cinco veces por semana. (I go to the restaurant five times per week.) Rule: meaning "through," "along," "by" or "in the area of" Model: Andamos por el parque. (We walk through the park.) Rule: when talking about exchange, including sales Model: Él me dio diez dólares por el libro. (He gave me ten dollars for the book.) Rule: to mean "on behalf of," or "in favor of," Model: No voté por nadie. (I didn't vote for anyone.) Rule: to express a length of time Model: Yo estudié por dos horas. (I studied for two hours.) Rule: to express an undetermined, or general time, meaning "during" Model: Se puede ver las estrellas por la noche. (One can see the stars during the night.) Rule: for means of communication or transportation Model: Prefiero viajar por tren y hablar por teléfono. (I prefer to travel by train and speak by phone.) Rule: in cases of mistaken identity, or meaning "to be seen as" Model: Me tienen por loco. (They take me for crazy.) Rule: to show the reason for an errand (with ir, venir, pasar, mandar, volver, and preguntar) Model: Paso por ti a las ocho. (I'll come by for you at eight o'clock.) Rule: when followed by an infinitive, to express an action that remains to be completed, use por + infinitive Model: La cena está por cocinar. (Dinner has yet to be cooked.) Rule: to express cause or reason Model: El hombre murió por falta de agua. The man died for lack of water. Rule: "estar por" means to be in the mood, or inclined to do something Model: Estoy por tomar café. (I'm in the mood for drinking coffee.) Rule: in passive constructions Model: El libro fue escrito por Octavio Paz. (The book was written by Octavio Paz.) "Por" also appears in many idiomatic expressions: por adelantado in advance por ahora for now por allí around there; that way por amor de Dios for the love of God por aquí around here; this way por casualidad by chance por ciento percent por cierto certainly por completo completely por dentro inside por desgracia unfortunately por ejemplo for example por eso therefore por favor please por fin finally por lo general generally por lo visto apparently por medio de by means of por lo menos at least por lo tanto consequently por mi parte as for me por ningún lado nowhere por otra parte on the other hand palabra por palabra word for word por primera vez for the first time por separado separately por supuesto of course por suerte fortunately por todas partes everywhere por todos lados on all sides por último finally "Para" -- in contrast, has relatively fewer uses. Rule: to indicate destination Model: El hombre salió para Madrid. (The man left for Madrid.) Rule: to show the use or purpose of a thing Model: El vaso es para agua. (The glass is for water.) Rule: to mean "in order to" or "for the purpose of" Model: Para hacer una paella, primero dore las carnes. To make a paella, first sauté the meats. Rule: to indicate a recipient Model: Este regalo es para ti. (This gift is for you.) Rule: to express a deadline or specific time Model: Necesito el vestido para el lunes. (I need the dress by Monday.) Rule: to express a contrast from what is expected Model: Para un niño lee muy bien. (For a child, he reads very well.) Rule: "estar para" to express an action that will soon be completed Model: El tren está para salir. (The train is about to leave.) It is quite important to learn to use these two prepositions correctly, because if you inadvertently substitute one for the other, you might end up saying something altogether different from what you had intended. Study the two examples: Juan compró el regalo para María. Juan bought the gift for Maria. (he bought it to give to her) Juan compró el regalo por María. Juan bought the gift for Maria. (he bought it because she could not) "Por" and "para" can also be used in questions. "¿Por qué?" means "Why?" (for what reason) while "¿Para qué?" means "Why?" (for what purpose). ¿Por qué estudias español? For what reason do you study Spanish? Possible answer: Porque es un requisito. Because it's required. ¿Para qué estudias español? For what purpose do you study Spanish? Possible answer: Para ser profesor de español. In order to become a Spanish teacher.

Preterite: Part III

-ar and -er verbs that change their stem in the present tense do not change in the preterite. They are conjugated just like other regular preterite verbs. Present Preterite entender entender entiendo entendí entiendes entendiste entiende entendió entendemos entendimos entendéis entendisteis entienden entendieron Present Preterite cerrar cerrar cierro cerré cierras cerraste cierra cerró cerramos cerramos cerráis cerrasteis cierran cerraron -ir verbs that change their stem in the present tense do change in the preterite, but in a different way. They change e:i and o:u in the third person, singular and plural. Present Preterite preferir preferir prefiero preferí prefieres preferiste prefiere prefirió preferimos preferimos preferís preferisteis prefieren prefirieron Present Preterite dormir dormir duermo dormí duermes dormiste duerme durmió dormimos dormimos dormís dormisteis duermen durmieron Let's add two more flashcards for stem-changing verbs in the preterite: Verb Flashcards Complete List -ar and -er stem-changing verbs do not change in the preterite cerrar entender cerré entendí cerraste entendiste cerró entendió cerramos entendimos cerrasteis entendisteis cerraron entendieron -ir stem-changing verbs do change in the preterite (e:i and o:u third person singular and plural) preferir dormir preferí dormí preferiste dormiste prefirió durmió preferimos dormimos preferisteis dormisteis prefirieron durmieron

Subjunctive: Part I

All too frequently, the topic of the subjunctive is made far more difficult than is necessary. Let's try a slightly different approach, with the goal of making this topic less troublesome. The subjunctive is not a tense; rather, it is a mood. Tense refers to when an action takes place (past, present, future), while mood merely reflects how the speaker feels about the action. The subjunctive mood is rarely used in English, but it is widely used in Spanish. Here are some examples of the subjunctive being used in English: The doctor recommends that he take the pills with food. Subjunctive conjugation: he take The law requires that you be 18 years old to vote. Subjunctive conjugation: you be If I were a rich man, I wouldn't have to work hard. Subjunctive conjugation: I were So far, you have studied verb tenses in the indicative mood. The indicative mood is used to express factual information, certainty, and objectivity. Usted va al Perú en diciembre. You are going to Peru in December. The above sentence merely reports the fact that you are going to Peru in December, so the indicative mood is used. Let's change the above example slightly: No dudo que usted va al Perú en diciembre. I don't doubt that you are going to Peru in December. In the above sentence, the clause "no dudo" introduces a quality of certainty, -- the speaker has no doubt, so the indicative mood is used in the second clause (va) as well as the first (no dudo). Let's make another slight change to our example: Dudo que usted vaya al Perú en diciembre. I doubt that you are going to Peru in December. In the above sentence, the clause "dudo" introduces a quality of uncertainty, -- the speaker does have doubt, so here the subjunctive mood is used in the second clause (vaya). The subjunctive mood is used to express everything except certainty and objectivity: things like doubt, uncertainty, subjectivity, etc. Yo dudo que usted vaya al Perú en diciembre. I doubt that you are going to Peru in December. Since the above statement does not express certainty, the subjunctive (vaya) is required in the second clause. The difference between indicative and subjunctive is the difference between certainty/objectivity (indicative) and possibility/subjectivity (subjunctive). Indicative John goes to the store. (This sentence merely states the certain, objective fact that John goes to the store.) I know that John goes to the store. (The clause "I know" tells us that the speaker feels that it is a certain, objective fact that John goes to the store.) There is no doubt that John goes to the store. (The clause "there is no doubt" tells us that the speaker feels that it is a certain, objective fact that John goes to the store.) Subjunctive I want John to go to the store. (The clause "I want" tells us that the speaker feels that there is uncertainty as to whether John goes to the store.) I hope that John goes to the store. (The clause "I hope" tells us that the speaker feels that there is uncertainty as to whether John goes to the store.) It is possible that John will go to the store. (The clause "it is possible" tells us that the speaker feels that there is uncertainty as to whether John goes to the store.) It's good that John goes to the store. (The clause "it's good" alerts us that the speaker is about to express a subjective opinion.) It's important that John goes to the store. (The clause "it's important" alerts us that the speaker is about to express a subjective opinion.) Because there must be some uncertainty or subjectivity to warrant the use of the subjunctive, you will usually see it in sentences that contain a main clause which introduces a quality of uncertainty or subjectivity. I hope she will come. I hope = main clause I know she will come. I know = main clause I feel she will come. I feel = main clause. The above examples all have main clauses, but only the first and the third introduce an element of uncertainty or subjectivity. In learning to use the subjunctive, it is quite helpful if one can first recognize such clauses. The following is a list of clauses commonly associated with the use of the subjunctive: a menos que ... unless ... antes (de) que ... before ... con tal (de) que ... provided that ... cuando ... when ... conviene que ... it is advisable that ... después (de) que ... after ... dudar que ... to doubt that ... en caso de que ... in case ... en cuanto ... as soon as ... es aconsejable que ... it's advisable that ... es bueno que ... it's good that ... es difícil que ... it's unlikely that ... es dudoso que ... it is doubtful that ... es fácil que ... it's likely that ... es fantástico que ... it's fantastic that ... es importante que ... it's important that ... es imposible que ... it's impossible that ... es improbable que ... it's unlikely that ... es incierto que ... it's uncertain that ... es increíble que ... it's incredible that ... es (una) lástima que ... it's a pity that ... es malo que ... it's bad that ... es mejor que ... it's better that ... es menester que ... it's necessary that ... es necesario que ... it's necessary that ... esperar que ... to wish that ... es posible que ... it's possible that ... es preciso que ... it's necessary that ... es preferible que ... it's preferable that ... es probable que ... it's probable that ... es raro que ... it's rare that ... es ridículo que ... it's ridiculous that ... estar contento que to be happy that ... es terrible que ... it's terrible that ... hasta que ... until ... insistir en que ... to insist that ... mandar que ... to order that ... más vale que ... it's better that ... mientras que ... while ... negar que ... to deny that ... no creer que ... not to believe that ... no es cierto que ... it's not certain that ... no estar convencido de que ... to not be convinced that ... no estar seguro de que ... to not be sure that ... no es verdad que ... it's not true that ... no imaginarse que ... to not imagine that ... no parecer que ... to not seem that ... no pensar que ... to not think that ... no suponer que ... to not suppose that ... ojalá que ... if only he would ... para que ... in order that ... pedir que ... to ask that ... preferir que ... to prefer that ... prohibir que ... to prohibit that ... puede ser que ... it may be that ... querer que ... to want that ... recomendar que ... to recommend that ... rogar que ... to plead that ... sentir que ... to regret that ... sin que ... without ... sugerir que ... to suggest that ... tan pronto como ... as soon as ... temer que ... to fear that ... tener miedo de que ... to be afraid that ... As you can see, the list is quite long, and this isn't even a complete list! There are even more expressions that trigger use of the subjunctive that we haven't included. Instead of trying to memorize such a long list, why not familiarize yourself with a much shorter list of expressions with which the subjunctive is not used? creer que ... to believe that ... no dudar que ... to not doubt that ... es cierto que ... it is certain that ... es claro que ... it is clear that ... es evidente que ... it is certain that ... es obvio que ... it is obvious that ... estar seguro que ... to be sure that ... es verdad que ... it is true that ... no cabe duda que ... there's no doubt that ... no es dudoso que ... it is not doubtful that ... no hay duda que ... there is no doubt that ... Since these expressions introduce a quality of certainty, they do not trigger the use of the subjunctive. If you encounter a sentence with a main clause followed by a second clause, and the main clause introduces a quality of certainty or objectivity, the sentence will use the indicative mood in the second clause, since the sentence will be reporting something certain. If you encounter a sentence with a main clause followed by a second clause, and the main clause does not introduce a quality of certainty or objectivity, the sentence will usually use the subjunctive mood in the second clause, since the sentence will not be reporting something certain. Let's add another flashcard to remind us of the fundamental difference between the indicative and subjunctive moods: Verb Flashcards Complete List Indicative Mood certainty and objectivity Subjunctive Mood uncertainty and subjectivity

Estar

PLACE P osition L ocation A ction C ondition E motion

Direct Object Pronouns: Part III

Remember, a direct object receives the action of the verb. Bill hit the ball. "Ball" receives the action of the verb "hit." Sherry reads the book. "Book" receives the action of the verb "reads." And, the direct object can also be a person. Sherry hit Bill. (DO=Bill) Also, remember that the direct object answers the question "what?" or "whom?" with regard to what the subject of the sentence is doing. Bill hit the ball. Bill hit what? The ball. Sherry hit Bill. Sherry hit whom? Bill. Often, it is desirable to replace the name of the direct object with a pronoun. Example 1 Paul bought the flowers. He took the flowers home and gave the flowers to his wife. Example 2 Paul bought the flowers. He took them home and gave them to his wife. When the pronoun replaces the name of the direct object, use the following pronouns: me (me) te (you-familiar) lo, la (him, her, it, you-formal) nos (us) os (you-all-familiar) los, las (them, you-all-formal) When a sentence has two verbs, the first verb is conjugated and the second verb remains in the infinitive form. poder to be able pagar to pay Puedo pagar diez pesos. I am able to pay 10 pesos. preferir to prefer hablar to speak Elena prefiere hablar español. Elena prefers to speak Spanish. In sentences with two verbs, there are two options regarding the placement of the direct object pronoun. 1.Place it immediately before the conjugated verb. 2.Attach it directly to the infinitive. Here are examples of the direct object pronoun placed before the conjugated verb: Lo quiero ver. I want to see it. Lo debemos comprar. We should buy it. María nos debe visitar. Mary should visit us. Juan lo necesita lavar. John needs to wash it. Here are examples of the direct object pronoun attached directly to the infinitive: Quiero verlo. I want to see it. Debemos comprarlo. We should buy it. María debe visitarnos. Mary should visit us. Juan necesita lavarlo. John needs to wash it. Here are the two methods side by side. Neither method is "better" than the other. Lo quiero ver. Quiero verlo. I want to see it. Lo debemos comprar. Debemos comprarlo. We should buy it. María nos debe visitar. María debe visitarnos. Mary should visit us. Juan lo necesita lavar. Juan necesita lavarlo. John needs to wash it. These same rules apply for questions and negative statements. ¿Lo debemos comprar? ¿Debemos comprarlo? Should we buy it? Juan no lo necesita lavar. Juan no necesita lavarlo. John doesn't need to wash it.

Commands Review: Part II

The affirmative vosotros command is formed by simply replacing the final "r" of the infinitive with "d." Comprad (vosotros) el anillo. (You-all) Buy the ring. Escribid (vosotros) la tarea. (You-all) Do the homework. Comed (vosotros) la patata. (You-all) Eat the potato. The negative vosotros commands use the corresponding present subjunctive forms. No compréis (vosotros) el anillo. (You-all) Don't buy the ring. No escribáis (vosotros) la tarea. (You-all) Don't write the homework. No comáis (vosotros) la patata. (You-all) Don't eat the potato. With affirmative commands using a reflexive verb, the final "d" of the verb form is dropped before adding the pronoun "os." Sentad + os = Sentaos. Sit down. The only exception is the verb "irse" which retains the final "d." ¡Idos! Go away! Verbs ending in "-ir" will require a written accent. Vestid + os = Vestíos. Get dressed. Nosotros commands are used when the speaker is included, and are used to express the idea "let's + verb." To form these commands, use the nosotros form of the present subjunctive. Comamos allí. Let's eat there. Contemos el dinero. Let's count the money. To form the negative command, place the word no before the same verb form (present subjunctive). No comamos allí. Let's not eat there. No contemos el dinero. Let's not count the money. The only exception is the verb ir(se), which uses the present indicative for the affirmative command only. Vamos ahora. Let's go now. but No vayamos a la tienda. Let's not go to the store. As with other commands, a written accent is often required when pronouns are added. With affirmative commands, the final "s" of the verb form is dropped before adding the pronouns "nos" or "se." Sentemos + nos = Sentémonos. Let's sit down. Escribamos + se + la = Escribámosela. Let's write it to them. But not with negative commands. No nos sentemos. Let's not sit down. No se la escribamos. Let's not write it to them. When the command is given through a third party, indirect commands are used. The form is "que + present subjunctive." Que entre María. Let María come in. Que vengan a las cuatro. Have them come at four o'clock. Indirect commands are also used to convey a hope or a wish. Que lo hagas tú. Why don't you do it? Que vivas para siempre. May you live forever. The following examples include pronouns and negative commands. Que los entren ahora. Let them in now. Que no los entren ahora. Don't let them in now. Que se ponga Sara el vestido negro. Have Sara put on the black dress. Que no se ponga Sara el vestido blanco. Don't have Sara put on the white dress.

Direct Object Pronouns: Part I

The object that directly receives the action of the verb is called the direct object. Bill hit the ball. "Ball" receives the action of the verb "hit." Sherry reads the book. "Book" receives the action of the verb "reads." The direct object can also be a person. Sherry hit Bill. (DO=Bill) The direct object answers the question "what?" or "whom?" with regard to what the subject of the sentence is doing. Bill hit the ball. Bill hit what? Bill hit the ball. Sherry hit Bill. Sherry hit whom? Sherry hit Bill. Often, it is desirable to replace the name of the direct object with a pronoun. Example 1 Paul bought the flowers. He took the flowers home and gave the flowers to his wife. Example 2 Paul bought the flowers. He took them home and gave them to his wife. When the pronoun replaces the name of the direct object, use the following pronouns: me (me) te (you-familiar) lo, la (him, her, it, you-formal) nos (us) os (you-all-familiar) los, las (them, you-all-formal) In an affirmative statement with one verb, the direct object pronoun comes immediately before the conjugated verb. Tengo = I have Tengo la pluma. = I have the pen. La tengo. = I have it. The pronoun (la) comes immediately before the verb (tengo). Notice that if the subject of the sentence changes, this does not affect the direct object pronoun. Juan la tiene. Juan tiene = John has Juan tiene la pluma. = John has the pen. Juan la tiene. = John has it. and María la tiene. María tiene = Mary has María tiene la pluma. = Mary has the pen. María la tiene. = Mary has it. However, if the direct object of the sentence changes to a masculine noun, the masculine pronoun must be used. Juan lo tiene. Juan tiene = John has Juan tiene el libro. = John has the book. Juan lo tiene. = John has it. but Juan la tiene. Juan tiene = John has Juan tiene la pluma. = John has the pen. Juan la tiene. = John has it. Likewise, if the direct object of the sentence changes from singular to plural, the plural pronoun must be used. Juan lo tiene. Juan tiene = John has Juan tiene el libro. = John has the book. Juan lo tiene. = John has it. but María los tiene. María tiene = Mary has María tiene los libros. = Mary has the books. María los tiene. = Mary has them. Look at how Spanish and English are different. "Lo tengo" and "La tengo" BOTH mean "I have it." Differences: 1."It" has two forms in Spanish: lo, la 2."Tengo" one word in Spanish = two words in English (I have) 3.The word order is different. In Spanish, the pronoun (lo, la) comes before the verb; in English, the pronoun (it) comes after the verb. When you try to translate literally from English to Spanish, sometimes it works very well: John eats the soup. John = Juan John eats = Juan come John eats the = Juan come la John eats the soup = Juan come la sopa. Other times, direct translation doesn't work so well: I eat the soup. I = Yo I eat = Yo como I eat the = Yo como la I eat the soup = Yo como la sopa. Because "como" means "I eat," the word "yo" is redundant. A better translation might be: I eat the soup. Como la sopa. Sometimes, when you try to translate literally, you run into much bigger problems: I eat it. (the soup - la sopa) I = Yo I eat = Yo como I eat it. = Yo como la. This is completely incorrect! The correct translation would be: I eat it. (the soup) La como. As you can see, directly translating sentences with direct object pronouns doesn't work, so ... don't do it! There is a better, easier way. Learn to translate groups of words, rather than individual words. The first step is to learn to view two Spanish words as a single phrase. Try to think of each line as a single phrase, not two separate words: la como lo como la leo lo leo la veo lo veo la tengo lo tengo la compro lo compro Read each line again. Before you do, glance at the translation beneath it. Then, read each line thinking of it as a phrase that has the same meaning as the English phrase below it. la como I eat it (feminine DO - la sopa, la comida, etc.) lo como I eat it (masculine DO - el pollo, el arroz, etc.) la leo I read it lo leo I read it la veo I see it lo veo I see it la tengo I have it lo tengo I have it la compro I buy it lo compro I buy it In the previous examples, it is clear that the subject of the sentence is "I" because the verbs are all conjugated in the "yo" form. With other verb forms, it is often desirable to add a word to clarify the subject. Juan la come. (la comida) Juan eats it. María lo tiene. (el libro) María has it. El chico la compra. (la pluma) The boy buys it. La chica lo ve. (el edificio) The girl sees it. Ustedes lo leen. (el periódico) You-all read it. Now, some examples of plural direct objects. Juan come dos sándwiches. Los come. or Juan los come. María tiene tres libros. Los tiene. or María los tiene. El chico compra dos revistas. Las compra. or El chico las compra. La chica ve dos coches. Los ve. or La chica los ve. Ella compra dos televisores. Los compra. or Ella los compra. Tenemos dos mesas. Las tenemos. or Nosotros las tenemos. Now, some examples where the direct object is a person. I know you. Te conozco. She loves him. Ella lo ama. She loves me. Ella me ama. Juan sees her. Juan la ve. They call us. Ellos nos llaman. We call them. Los llamamos. Just as no one has ever learned to ride a bicycle by reading about it, neither will you learn to use direct object pronouns simply by reading this lesson. The key to success, as always, is to practice, practice, practice.

Past Perfect

The past perfect is formed by combining the auxiliary verb "had" with the past participle. I had studied. He had written a letter to María. We had been stranded for six days. Because the past perfect is a compound tense, two verbs are required: the main verb and the auxiliary verb. I had studied. (main verb: studied ; auxiliary verb: had) He had written a letter to María. (main verb: written ; auxiliary verb: had) We had been stranded for six days. (main verb: been ; auxiliary verb: had) In Spanish, the past perfect tense is formed by using the imperfect tense of the auxiliary verb "haber" with the past participle. Haber is conjugated as follows: había habías había habíamos habíais habían You have already learned in a previous lesson that the past participle is formed by dropping the infinitive ending and adding either -ado or -ido. Remember, some past participles are irregular. The following examples all use the past participle for the verb "vivir." (yo) Había vivido. I had lived. (tú) Habías vivido. You had lived. (él) Había vivido. He had lived. (nosotros) Habíamos vivido. We had lived. (vosotros) Habíais vivido. You-all had lived. (ellos) Habían vivido. They had lived. For a review of the formation of the past participle [click here]. When you studied the past participle, you practiced using it as an adjective. When used as an adjective, the past participle changes to agree with the noun it modifies. However, when used in the perfect tenses, the past participle never changes. Past participle used as an adjective: La puerta está cerrada. The door is closed. Past participle used in the past perfect tense: Yo había cerrado la puerta. I had closed the door. Here are a couple of more examples: Past participle used as an adjective: Las puertas están abiertas. The doors are open. Past participle used in the past perfect tense: Juan había abierto las puertas. Juan had opened the doors. Note that when used to form the perfect tenses, only the base form (abierto) is used. Let's look more carefully at the last example: Juan había abierto las puertas. Juan had opened the doors. Notice that we use "había" to agree with "Juan". We do NOT use "habían" to agree with "puertas." The auxiliary verb is conjugated for the subject of the sentence, not the object. Compare these two examples: Juan había abierto las puertas. Juan had opened the doors. Juan y María habían puesto mucho dinero en el banco. Juan and Maria had put a lot of money in the bank. In the first example, we use "había" because the subject of the sentence is "Juan." In the second example, we use "habían" because the subject of the sentence is "Juan y María." The past perfect tense is used when a past action was completed prior to another past action. Expressions such as "ya", "antes", "nunca", "todavía" and "después" will often appear in sentences where one action was completed before another. Cuando llegaron los padres, los niños ya habían comido. When the parents arrived, the children had already eaten. Yo había comido antes de llamarles. I had eaten prior to calling them. This idea of a past action being completed before another past action need not always be stated; it can be implied. Juan había cerrado la ventana antes de salir. (stated) Juan had closed the window before leaving. Juan había cerrado la ventana. (implied) Juan had closed the window. The auxiliary verb and the past participle are never separated. To make the sentence negative, add the word "no" before the conjugated form of haber. (yo) No había vivido. I had not lived. (tú) No habías vivido. You had not lived. (él) No había vivido. He had not lived. (nosotros) No habíamos vivido. We had not lived. (vosotros) No habíais vivido. You-all had not lived. (ellos) No habían vivido. They had not lived. Again, the auxiliary verb and the past participle are never separated. Object pronouns are placed immediately before the auxiliary verb. Pablo le había dado mucho dinero a su hermana. Pablo had given a lot of money to his sister. To make this sentence negative, the word "no" is placed before the indirect object pronoun (le). Pablo no le había dado mucho dinero a su hermana. Pablo had not given a lot of money to his sister. With reflexive verbs, the reflexive pronoun is placed immediatedly before the auxiliary verb. Compare how the present perfect differs from the simple present, when a reflexive verb is used. Me lavo las manos. (present) I wash my hands. Me había lavado las manos. (past perfect) I had washed my hands. To make this sentence negative, the word "no" is placed before the reflexive pronoun (me). No me había lavado las manos. I had not washed my hands. For a review of reflexive verbs click [here] and [here]. Questions are formed as follows. Note how the word order is different than the English equivalent. ¿Habían llegado ya las chicas? Had the girls arrived yet? ¿Habías probado ya el postre? Had you tried the dessert yet? Here are the same questions in negative form. Notice how the auxiliary verb and the past participle are not separated. ¿No habían llegado ya las chicas? Hadn't the girls arrived yet? ¿No habías probado ya el postre? Hadn't you tried the dessert yet? Let's add another verb flashcard for the past perfect tense: Verb Flashcards Complete List Past Perfect haber + past participle había hablado, había comido, había vivido había habías había habíamos habíais habían

Present Perfect

The present perfect is formed by combining the auxiliary verb "has" or "have" with the past participle. I have studied. He has written a letter to María. We have been stranded for six days. Because the present perfect is a compound tense, two verbs are required: the main verb and the auxiliary verb. I have studied. (main verb: studied ; auxiliary verb: have) He has written a letter to María. (main verb: written ; auxiliary verb: has) We have been stranded for six days. (main verb: been ; auxiliary verb: have) In Spanish, the present perfect tense is formed by using the present tense of the auxiliary verb "haber" with the past participle. Haber is conjugated as follows: he has ha hemos habéis han You have already learned in a previous lesson that the past participle is formed by dropping the infinitive ending and adding either -ado or -ido. Remember, some past participles are irregular. The following examples all use the past participle for the verb "comer." (yo) He comido. I have eaten. (tú) Has comido. You have eaten. (él) Ha comido. He has eaten. (nosotros) Hemos comido. We have eaten. (vosotros) Habéis comido. You-all have eaten. (ellos) Han comido. They have eaten. For a review of the formation of the past participle [click here]. When you studied the past participle, you practiced using it as an adjective. When used as an adjective, the past participle changes to agree with the noun it modifies. However, when used in the perfect tenses, the past participle never changes. Past participle used as an adjective: La cuenta está pagada. The bill is paid. Past participle used in the present perfect tense: He pagado la cuenta. I have paid the bill. Here's a couple of more examples: Past participle used as an adjective: Las cuentas están pagadas. The bills are paid. Past participle used in the present perfect tense: Juan ha pagado las cuentas. Juan has paid the bills. Note that when used to form the present perfect tense, only the base form (pagado) is used. Let's look more carefully at the last example: Juan ha pagado las cuentas. Juan has paid the bills. Notice that we use "ha" to agree with "Juan". We do NOT use "han" to agree with "cuentas." The auxiliary verb is conjugated for the subject of the sentence, not the object. Compare these two examples: Juan ha pagado las cuentas. Juan has paid the bills. Juan y María han viajado a España. Juan and Maria have traveled to Spain. In the first example, we use "ha" because the subject of the sentence is "Juan." In the second example, we use "han" because the subject of the sentence is "Juan y María." The present perfect tense is frequently used for past actions that continue into the present, or continue to affect the present. He estado dos semanas en Madrid. I have been in Madrid for two weeks. Diego ha sido mi amigo por veinte años. Diego has been my friend for 20 years. The present perfect tense is often used with the adverb "ya". Ya han comido. They have already eaten. La empleada ya ha limpiado la casa. The maid has already cleaned the house. The auxiliary verb and the past participle are never separated. To make the sentence negative, add the word "no" before the conjugated form of haber. (yo) No he comido. I have not eaten. (tú) No has comido. You have not eaten. (él) No ha comido. He has not eaten. (nosotros) No hemos comido. We have not eaten. (vosotros) No habéis comido. You-all have not eaten. (ellos) No han comido. They have not eaten. Again, the auxiliary verb and the past participle are never separated. Object pronouns are placed immediately before the auxiliary verb. Pablo le ha dado mucho dinero a su hermana. Pablo has given a lot of money to his sister. To make this sentence negative, the word "no" is placed before the indirect object pronoun (le). Pablo no le ha dado mucho dinero a su hermana. Pablo has not given a lot of money to his sister. With reflexive verbs, the reflexive pronoun is placed immediatedly before the auxiliary verb. Compare how the present perfect differs from the simple present, when a reflexive verb is used. Me cepillo los dientes. (present) I brush my teeth. Me he cepillado los dientes. (present perfect) I have brushed my teeth. To make this sentence negative, the word "no" is placed before the reflexive pronoun (me). No me he cepillado los dientes. I have not brushed my teeth. For a review of reflexive verbs click [here] and [here]. Questions are formed as follows. Note how the word order is different than the English equivalent. ¿Han salido ya las mujeres? Have the women left yet? ¿Has probado el chocolate alguna vez? Have you ever tried chocolate? Here are the same sentences in negative form. Notice how the auxiliary verb and the past participle are not separated. ¿No han salido ya las mujeres? Haven't the women left yet? ¿No has probado el chocolate ninguna vez? Haven't you ever tried chocolate? Let's add another verb flashcard for the present perfect tense: Verb Flashcards Complete List Present Perfect haber + past participle he hablado, he comido, he vivido he has ha hemos habéis han

Irregular Verbs: Estar, Ir, Dar

estar(to be) ir(to go) dar(to give) estoy voy doy estás vas das está va da estamos vamos damos estáis vais dais están van dan

Preterite: Part VI

A number of verbs that are irregular in the preterite follow a particular pattern. While their stems change, they all take the following endings: -e -iste -o -imos -isteis -ieron Here are the verbs, along with their corresponding stem changes: Infinitive Stem Change andar anduv- estar estuv- tener tuv- caber cup- haber hub- poder pud- poner pus- saber sup- hacer hic- querer quis- venir vin- Here are two examples of how this pattern is applied: estar (estuv-) saber (sup-) estuve supe estuviste supiste estuvo supo estuvimos supimos estuvisteis supisteis estuvieron supieron Note: The one exception is the third person singular of hacer. As you learned in a previous lesson, the c changes to z to form "hizo." Another card for this pattern of irregular preterites: irregular preterite pattern: andar, estar, tener, caber, haber, poder, poner, saber, hacer, querer, venir Infinitive Stem Change Endings andar anduv- -e estar estuv- -iste tener tuv- -o caber cup- -imos haber hub- -isteis poder pud- -ieron poner pus- saber sup- hacer hic- querer quis- venir vin- Exception: hacer (el/ella/usted hizo)

Pronouns as Objects of Prepositions

A pronoun is a word that is used instead of the name of a person or thing. Juan - he, him María - she, her María and Juan - they, them etc. You have already learned one set of pronouns, called the subject pronouns. yo tú él, ella, usted nosotros/as vosotros/as ellos, ellas, ustedes As the name implies, subject pronouns are the pronouns to use for the subject of the sentence. Juan come mucho. Él come mucho. Juan y María hablan español. Ellos hablan español. When the pronoun acts as the object of a preposition, a different set of pronouns is used. Subject Pronouns Obj. Prep. Pronouns yo mí tú ti él él ella ella usted usted nosotros/as nosotros/as vosotros/as vosotros/as ellos/as ellos/as ustedes ustedes Note: Only mí and ti are different from the subject pronouns. Use this second set of pronouns to replace the noun that comes immediately after a preposition. Juan habla de mí. Juan speaks of me. Hablo con ellos. I speak with them. Pablo compró un anillo para ella. Pablo bought a ring for her. Whenever mí follows the preposition con, the two words combine to form conmigo. ¿Por qué no vienes conmigo? Why don't you come with me? Whenever ti follows the preposition con, the two words combine to form contigo. No voy contigo, voy con ellos. I'm not going with you, I'm going with them. Whenever you want to say "with him, with her, with you (formal), with them, with you-all (formal)" there are two possibilities. If the pronoun is referring to the subject of the sentence, use consigo. If the pronoun does not refer to the subject of the sentence, use con + the appropriate pronoun. Pronoun does refer to the subject He took the pens with him(self). Él llevó las plumas consigo. Why don't you take a book with you(rself)? ¿Por qué no lleva un libro consigo? Pronoun does not refer to the subject They live with him. Ellos viven con él. I don't want to talk to you. No quiero hablar con usted. There are six special prepositions that are followed by subject pronouns rather than object pronouns. entre between excepto except incluso including menos except según according to salvo except Examples: Entre tú y yo, esta comida es horrible. Todos beben agua, incluso yo. Según tú, la chica es bonita.

Reflexive Verbs: Part I

A verb is reflexive when the subject and the object are the same. I wash myself. subject: I verb: wash object: myself Since the subject and object are the same, the verb is reflexive. I wash the car. subject: I verb: wash object: car Since the subject and object are different, the verb is not reflexive. Here's another example of how a verb can be either reflexive or non-reflexive. I scratch myself. subject: I verb: scratch object: myself Since the subject and object are the same, the verb is reflexive. I scratch the dog. subject: I verb: scratch object: dog Since the subject and object are different, the verb is not reflexive. When a verb is reflexive, the infinitive ends in "se." lavar to wash (non-reflexive) lavarse to wash oneself (reflexive) rascar to scratch (non-reflexive) rascarse to scratch oneself (reflexive) There is one reflexive verb you have been using since you began studying Spanish. llamarse - to call oneself ¿Cómo se llama usted? What do you call yourself? Me llamo Juan. I call myself Juan. Note: A more "natural" translation would be "What is your name?" and "My name is Juan." When you learned to conjugate regular verbs, you needed to learn a set of pronouns called "subject pronouns." lavar yo lavo tú lavas él, ella, usted lava nosotros/as lavamos vosotros/as laváis ellos, ellas, ustedes lavan To learn to conjugate reflexive verbs, you need to learn a different set of pronouns called "reflexive pronouns." These pronouns are positioned before the verb, while the ending "se" is dropped and the verb is conjugated normally. lavarse yo me lavo I wash (myself) tú te lavas you wash (yourself) (informal) él se lava he washes (himself) ella se lava she washes (herself) usted se lava you wash (yourself) (formal) nosotros nos lavamos we wash (ourselves) nosotras nos lavamos we wash (ourselves) (feminine) vosotros os laváis you-all wash (yourselves) (informal) vosotras os laváis you-all wash (yourselves) (informal, feminine) ustedes se lavan you-all wash (yourselves)(formal) ellos se lavan they wash (themselves) ellas se lavan they wash (themselves) (feminine) The reflexive pronouns are not subject pronouns; rather they are object pronouns. me (myself) te (yourself) se (himself, herself, yourself) nos (ourselves) os (yourselves) se (themselves, yourselves) The purpose of the reflexive object pronouns is to show that the action of the verb remains with the subject. Juan se lava la cara. Juan washes his face. (reflexive) Juan lava su carro. (non-reflexive) Juan washes his car. Note: When referring to body parts, use the definite article, thus "la cara" not "su cara." Note that many, many verbs can be made reflexive. All it means when a verb is reflexive is that the action remains with the subject. wash the dog (non-reflexive) wash your face (reflexive) raise the book (non-reflexive) raise your arm (reflexive) put the baby to bed (non-reflexive) go to bed (reflexive) wake up your son (non-reflexive) wake up yourself (reflexive) ...and so on Now add a flashcard for reflexive verbs: Verb Flashcards Complete List lavarse to wash oneself yo me lavo tú te lavas él se lava ella se lava usted se lava nosotros nos lavamos nosotras nos lavamos vosotros os laváis vosotras os laváis ustedes se lavan ellos se lavan ellas se lavan

Formation of Adverbs

Adverbs are words that describe, or modify, verbs, adjectives or other adverbs. He ran quickly. ("quickly" describes how he "ran") She spoke more slowly than he. ("slowly" describes how she "spoke") ("more" modifies "slowly") Most Spanish adverbs are formed by adding -mente to the feminine singular form of the adjective. This ending corresponds to -ly in English. Adjective Fem. Form Adverb claro clara claramente constante constante constantemente difícil difícil difícilmente Note: When an adjective has a written accent, the adverb retains it. Another way to form an adverb is to use the preposition con + the singular form of the noun. cuidadoso (carefully) cuidadosamente or con cuidado perfecto (perfectly) perfectamente or con perfección cariñoso (affectionately) cariñosamente or con cariño Some adverbs do not follow any pattern of origination, and must simply be memorized. Here is a list of some common ones: bastante quite demasiado too mal badly mucho a lot muy very nunca never peor worse poco little siempre always When two adverbs modify the same verb, only the second one uses the -mente ending. Note that the first adverb is the same as the feminine singular form of the adjective. Juan trabaja lenta y cuidadosamente. Juan works slowly and carefully. El chico le habló clara y cortésmente. The boy spoke to him clearly and courteously. El autor escribió rápida y fácilmente. The author wrote quickly and easily.

Conjugation of Regular Imperfect Indicative Verbs

As one of the Spanish's two simple past tenses, the imperfect indicative has a conjugation that is essential to learn. It is the verb form used most often to describe conditions as they existed in the past, to provide background to events and to describe habitual actions. As is the case with some of the other conjugation forms, the imperfect indicative forms are made by removing the infinitive ending of the verb (-ar, -er or -ir) and replacing it with an ending that indicates who is performing the action of the verb. To take one example, the infinitive form of the verb that means "to speak" is hablar. Its infinitive ending is -ar, leaving the stem of habl-. To say "I was speaking," add -aba to the stem, forming hablaba. To say "you were speaking" (singular informal), add -abas to the stem, forming hablabas. Other forms exist for other persons. (Note: In this lesson, the forms "was speaking," "was learning" and so on are used to translate the imperfect indicative. Other translations also could be used, such as "used to speak" or even "spoke." The translation used depends on the context.) The endings are quite different for verbs that end in -er and -ir, but the principle is the same. Remove the infinitive ending, then add the appropriate ending to the remaining stem. The following chart shows the conjugations for each of the three infinitive types. The added endings for each verb are indicated in boldface. The pronouns, often not needed in sentences, are included here for clarity. • -ar verbs using hablar (to speak) as an example • yo hablaba (I was speaking) • tú hablabas (you were speaking) • él/ella/usted hablaba (he was speaking, she was speaking, you were speaking) • nosotros/nosotras hablábamos (we were speaking) • vosotros/vosotras hablabais (you were speaking) • ellos/ellas/ustedes hablaban (they were speaking. you were speaking) • -er verbs using aprender (to learn) as an example • yo aprendía (I was learning) • tú aprendías (you were learning) • él/ella/usted aprendía (he was learning, she was learning, you were learning) • nosotros/nosotras aprendíamos (we were learning) • vosotros/vosotras hablabais (you were learning) • ellos/ellas/ustedes aprendían (they were learning, you were learning) • -ir verbs using escribir (to write) as an example • yo escribía (I was writing) • tú escribías (you were writing) • él/ella/usted escribía (he was writing, she was writing, you were writing) • nosotros/nosotras escribíamos (we were writing) • vosotros/vosotras escribíais (you were writing) • ellos/ellas/ustedes escribían (they were writing, you were writing) As you may notice, the -er and -ir verbs follow the same pattern in the imperfect indicative. Also, the first- and third-person singular forms (the "I" and "he/she/it/you" forms) are the same. Thus hablaba could mean "I was speaking," "he was speaking," "she was speaking," "it was speaking" or "you were speaking." If the context doesn't otherwise indicate, a pronoun or subject noun is used before the verb in such cases to indicate who is performing the action. Note also that the conjugations above are for verbs that follow the regular conjugation. Fortunately, very few verbs are irregular in this tense. Here are some examples of sentences that use the imperfect indicative, which is indicated in boldface. Note how the translation can vary with context: • Llamó a la policía mientras yo compraba drogas. She called the police while I was buying drugs. • Se saturaba el aire con olores. The air was saturated with odors. • ¿Qué hacían los famosos antes de convertirse en estrellas? What did the famous people do before they became stars? • Los indígenas vivíamos en un estado de infrahumanidad. We indigenous people lived a state of subhumanity.

Future Perfect

As with the other perfect tenses, the future perfect is formed by combining the auxiliary verb "haber" with the past participle. In this case, "haber" is conjugated in the future tense. habré habrás habrá habremos habréis habrán The future perfect tense is used to describe what will have happened in the future before a different action takes place, or by a specific time. I will have studied before I take the test. He will have completed the task by six o'clock. Remember, some past participles are irregular. Also remember that the past participle never changes form in the perfect tenses. (yo) Habré escrito el libro antes del año nuevo. I will have written the book before the new year. (tú) ¿Habrás comprado una casa en un año? Will you have bought a house in a year? (él) Habrá pagado todas las deudas para el dos de octubre. He will have paid all the debt by October 2. (nosotros) Habremos vuelto de España para el doce de junio. We will have returned from Spain by June 12. (vosotros) Para cuando Juan llegue, vosotros ya habréis salido. By the time Juan arrives, you-all will already have left. (ellos) Para cuando María vuelva, ellos ya habrán comido. By the time Maria returns, they will have already eaten. For a review of the formation of the past participle [click here]. The auxiliary verb and the past participle are never separated. To make the sentence negative, add the word "no" before the conjugated form of haber. (yo) No habré comido. I will not have eaten. (tú) No habrás leído el libro. You will not have read the book. (él) No habrá escrito la carta. He will not have written the letter. (nosotros) No habremos aprendido nada. We will not have learned anything. (vosotros) No habréis dormido. You-all will not have slept. (ellos) No habrán llegado. They will not have arrived. Again, the auxiliary verb and the past participle are never separated. Object pronouns are placed immediately before the auxiliary verb. Pablo le habrá dado un regalo a su esposa. Pablo will have given a gift to his wife. To make this sentence negative, the word "no" is placed before the indirect object pronoun (le). Pablo no le habrá dado ningún regalo a su esposa. Pablo will not have given a gift to his wife. With reflexive verbs, the reflexive pronoun is placed immediatedly before the auxiliary verb. Compare how the present perfect differs from the simple present, when a reflexive verb is used. Me lavo las manos. (present) I wash my hands. Me habré lavado las manos. (future perfect) I will have washed my hands. To make this sentence negative, the word "no" is placed before the reflexive pronoun (me). No me habré lavado las manos. I will not have washed my hands. For a review of reflexive verbs click [here] and [here]. Questions are formed as follows. ¿Habrán llegado ya las chicas? Will the girls have arrived? ¿Habrás comido ya? Will you have already eaten? Here are the same questions in negative form. Notice how the auxiliary verb and the past participle are not separated. ¿No habrán llegado ya las chicas? Will the girls not have already arrived? ¿No habrás comido ya? Will you not have already eaten? Let's add another verb flashcard for the future perfect tense: Verb Flashcards Complete List Future Perfect haber + past participle habrá hablado, habrá comido, habrá vivido habré habrás habrá habremos habréis habrán

The Definite Article: Part II

By now, you are quite familiar with the definite articles: el la los las You are probably comfortable with the normal uses of the definite article. El chico es alto. La chica es guapa. Los hombres comen mucho. Las mujeres charlan. In this lesson, you will learn some additional rules to help you use the definite article correctly. For example, feminine singular nouns that begin with an emphasized a or ha use the masculine form of the article. el agua el hacha el hambre el águila This rule only applies to the singular form of the noun. The plural form uses the feminine article. el agua las aguas el hacha las hachas el hambre las hambres el águila las águilas Note: The reason the singular form uses the masculine article is that when the first syllable is an emphasized a or ha, the article la tends to run together with the first syllable of the word when they are spoken. This doesn't happen with the article las. The definite article is used with some countries and cities, and is not used with others. Here are some examples where it is used: la Argentina el Brasil el Canadá el Ecuador la Florida la Habana la India el Japón el Paraguay el Perú el Salvador el Uruguay There is no convenient rule to tell you when to use the definite article. You simply have to memorize the ones that do. The definite article is always used with compound geographic names. la América Central la América del Sur los Estados Unidos la Gran Bretaña The definite article is used when talking about a person, but it is not used when talking directly to a person. El señor Gómez es profesor. Señor Gómez, ¿es usted profesor? La señorita está muy bonita. ¡Señorita! Usted está muy bonita esta noche. The definite article is used when reflexive verbs are followed by body parts, clothing or other very personal possessions. María se lava la cara. Él se pone el traje. The definite article is often used in place of the possessive adjective when talking about parts of the body, or possessions that might be considered "personal." For example, in English it would be quite common to say: Joseph washes his clothes. To convey the same meaning in Spanish, it would be correct to say: Jose lava la ropa. (not "su" ropa)

Formal Commands

Commands are used when ordering, or telling someone to do something. This is often referred to as the "imperative" form of the verb. Compre Ud. el anillo. (You) Buy the ring. Haga Ud. la tarea. (You) Do the homework. Compren Uds. los libros. (You-all) Buy the books. Hagan Uds. el trabajo. (You-all) Do the work. By now, you are well acquainted with the fact that Spanish has both a formal and an informal style of speech (tú / Ud.). This distinction applies to commands. Compre Ud. el anillo. Buy the ring. (formal) Compra (tú) los dulces. Buy the candy. (familiar) Informal, or familiar, speech is used among friends, coworkers, relatives, or when addressing a child. Formal speech is generally used to be polite or to express respect. For that reason, the formal commands are often referred to as polite commands. The formal commands are formed the same way as the present subjunctive: 1.Start with the yo form of the present indicative. 2.Then drop the -o ending. 3.Finally, add the following endings: -ar verbs: -e (for Ud.), -en (for Uds.) -er and -ir verbs: -a (for Ud.), -an (for Uds.) The following examples of formal commands use three regular verbs: hablar, comer, and escribir. Hable Ud. más lentamente. Hablen Uds. más lentamente. Speak more slowly. Coma Ud. la cena. Coman Uds. la cena. Eat the dinner. Escriba Ud. la carta. Escriban Uds. la carta. Write the letter. Remember, if the first person singular (yo) form is irregular, that irregularity is carried over into the formation of the formal command. Tengan Uds. un buen viaje. (yo tengo) Have a good trip. Traiga Ud. el dinero. (yo traigo) Bring the money. Venga Ud. conmigo. (yo vengo) Come with me. This also applies to stem-changing verbs. Cuente Ud. sus beneficios. (yo cuento) Count your blessings. Vuelvan Uds. pronto. (yo vuelvo) Return quickly. Pida dinero. (yo pido) Ask for money. As with the present subjunctive, the following verbs are irregular: dar dé Ud. den Uds. estar esté Ud. estén Uds. ir vaya Ud. vayan Uds. ser sea Ud. sean Uds. saber sepa Ud. sepan Uds. Note that affirmative and negative commands use the same verb forms. Hable Ud. Speak. No hable Ud. Don't speak. Coma Ud. Eat. No coma Ud. Don't eat. Escriba Ud. Write. No escriba Ud. Don't write. Also note that the subject pronouns Ud. and Uds. may or may not be used. Using them adds a degree of formality or politeness to the command. Hable. Speak. Hable Ud. Speak (sir). (more respectful) Coma. Eat. Coma Ud. Eat (sir). (more polite) Let's add two flashcards for the formal commands: Verb Flashcards Complete List Formal Commands (Imperative) Use the present subjunctive forms Hable Ud. Speak. No hable Ud. Don't speak. Coma Ud. Eat. No coma Ud. Don't eat. Escriba Ud. Write. No escriba Ud. Don't write. Irregular Formal Commands (Imperative) Same irregulars as the present subjunctive forms dar dé Ud. den Uds. estar esté Ud. estén Uds. ir vaya Ud. vayan Uds. ser sea Ud. sean Uds. saber sepa Ud. sepan Uds.

Commands Review: Part I

Commands are used when ordering, or telling someone to do something. This is often referred to as the "imperative" form of the verb. Spanish has both formal and an informal commands. The formal commands (both affirmative and negative) use the present subjunctive verb form: hablar hable Ud. no hablen Uds. comer no coma Ud. coman Uds. decir diga Ud. no digan Uds. As with the present subjunctive, the following verbs are irregular: (dar) dé, den (estar) esté, estén (ir) vaya, vayan (ser) sea, sean (saber) sepa, sepan The affirmative informal (tú) commands use the present indicative Ud. form: Cuenta tus beneficios. Count your blessings. Habla más lentamente. Speak more slowly. The negative informal (tú) commands use the present subjunctive. No cuentes tus beneficios. Don't count your blessings. No hables más lentamente. Don't speak more slowly. The following eight verbs have irregular familiar commands in the affirmative: decir - di salir - sal hacer - haz ser - sé ir - ve tener - ten poner - pon venir - ven With all affirmative commands, the object pronouns are attached directly to the end of the imperative form of the verb. Compre Ud. el anillo. Buy the ring. Cómprelo Ud. Buy it. If both direct and indirect object pronouns are attached, the indirect object pronoun comes before the direct object pronoun. Cómprelo Ud. Buy it. Cómpremelo Ud. Buy it for me. Note that in order to maintain the original stress of the verb, a written accent is often needed. If the command has more than one syllable, a written accent is required when one or more pronoun is added. Command: compre (two syllables) cómprelos cómpremelos If the command has only one syllable, a written accent is only necessary when two pronouns are added. Command: haz (one syllable) hazlo (one pronoun, no accent required) házmelo (two pronouns, accent is required) With all negative commands, the object pronouns come before the imperative form of the verb. No compre Ud. el anillo. Don't buy the ring. No lo compre. Don't buy it. If there are both direct and indirect object pronouns, the indirect object pronoun comes before the direct object pronoun. No me lo compre. Don't buy it for me

Relative Pronouns: el que, la que, los que, las que, and lo que

Continuing with the subject of "relative pronouns," remember that pronouns are words that refer to a noun. Relative pronouns are called "relative" because they are "related" to a noun that has previously been stated. The relative pronoun "el que" (and its related forms) is used to refer to both people and things. Note that there are four forms to accomodate singular and plural, masculine and feminine: el que, la que, los que, las que. Mi tía, la que es profesora, viene a visitarme hoy día. My aunt, the one who is a professor, is coming to visit me today. Las mesas, las que son de plástico, son baratas. The tables, the ones that are made of plastic, are cheap. Mi tío, el que es taxista, llegará pronto. My uncle, the one who is a taxi driver, will arrive soon. Mis pantalones, los que son viejos, son muy cómodos. My pants, the ones that are old, are very comfortable. Another set of relative pronouns can be used in place of el que, la que, los que, and las que: el cual la cual los cuales las cuales These are not commonly used in everyday conversation, and are generally reserved for written Spanish or formal oratory. When the relative pronoun refers to an abstract idea, use "lo que." Lo que quieres no existe. That which you want does not exist. No comprendo lo que ocurre. I do not understand that which is happening.

Relative Pronouns: quien

Continuing with the subject of "relative pronouns," remember that pronouns are words that refer to a noun. Relative pronouns are called "relative" because they are "related" to a noun that has previously been stated. The relative pronoun "quien" is used only to refer to people, and has a plural form "quienes." (There is no masculine/feminine distinction.) Mi tío, quien es profesor, viene a visitarme hoy día. My uncle, who is a professor, is coming to visit me today. La chica, con quien fui al cine, es mi novia. The girl, with whom I went to the movies, is my girlfriend. Quien estudia bastante, gana buenas notas. He who studies hard earns good grades. When the relative pronoun refers to a person and is in the direct object position, either "que" or "a quien" may be used. Each is correct. Notice that the "personal a" is used with "quien" but is not used with "que." La señorita que conocí anoche es la hermana de Raquel. La señorita a quien conocí anoche es la hermana de Raquel. The young lady whom I met last night is Raquel's sister. When the relative pronoun occurs after a preposition and refers to a person, "quien" must be used. After a preposition, "que" is only used to refer to things. Los chicos, con quienes fuimos a la playa, son nuestros amigos. The boys, with whom we went to the beach, are our friends. El libro en que pienso es extenso, no es corto. The book I'm thinking of is long, not short. In English, although it is technically incorrect, common usage often finds a sentence ending in a preposition. Notice that this never occurs in Spanish. Ella es la señorita en quien estoy pensando. She is the young lady I'm thinking about. / She is the young lady about whom I'm thinking. Mi padre es la persona a quien envío la carta. My father is the person I'm sending the letter to. / My father is the person to whom I'm sending the letter.

Ser

DOCTOR D escription O ccupation C haracteristic T ime O rigin R elationships

Cardinal Numbers 31-1000

First, let's review the cardinal numbers 1-30: 1. uno 2. dos 3. tres 4. cuatro 5. cinco 6. seis 7. siete 8. ocho 9. nueve 10. diez 11. once 12. doce 13. trece 14. catorce 15. quince 16. dieciséis 17. diecisiete 18. dieciocho 19. diecinueve 20. veinte 21. veintiuno 22. veintidós 23. veintitrés 24. veinticuatro 25. veinticinco 26. veintiséis 27. veintisiete 28. veintiocho 29. veintinueve 30. treinta The next step is to learn to count by 10s all the way to 100: 10. diez 20. veinte 30. treinta 40. cuarenta 50. cincuenta 60. sesenta 70. setenta 80. ochenta 90. noventa 100. cien Now, see how easy it is to fill in the gaps: 31. treinta y uno 32. treinta y dos 33. treinta y tres 34. treinta y cuatro 35. treinta y cinco 36. treinta y seis 37. treinta y siete 38. treinta y ocho 39. treinta y nueve 40. cuarenta 41. cuarenta y uno 42. cuarenta y dos etc. This pattern continues all the way to 100: 53. cincuenta y tres 54. cincuenta y cuatro 65. sesenta y cinco 66. sesenta y seis 78. setenta y ocho 88. ochenta y ocho 99. noventa y nueve etc. From 101-199, use "ciento": ciento uno ciento dos ciento tres ciento sesenta y uno ciento sesenta y dos etc. Notice that "y" is used only in numbers 31-99 (and 131-199, 231-299, 331-399, etc.) and it is not used to separate hundreds from tens. Correct: ciento ochenta y nueve Incorrect: ciento y ochenta y nueve To get to 1000, all of the rules you have learned so far continue to apply. All you need to do now is learn to count by 100s all the way to 1000, and that is quite easy: 100. cien 200. doscientos 300. trescientos 400. cuatrocientos 500. quinientos 600. seiscientos 700. setecientos 800. ochocientos 900. novecientos 1000. mil Here are some more examples: 142. ciento cuarenta y dos 375. trescientos setenta y cinco 612. seiscientos doce 907. novecientos siete 999. novecientos noventa y nueve Remember from an earlier lesson, there is a masculine and a feminine form for the number one: un libro one book una pluma one pen This is also true for the numbers 200, 300, 400, etc. doscientos libros doscientas plumas cuatrocientos señores cuatrocientas señoras When there is exactly 100 of something, and the number is used with the noun, use the shortened form "cien." cien dólares cien gatas cien perros cien pesetas Finally, in Spanish a period is used to indicate thousands, and a comma is used as a decimal point. English 1,543.67 Spanish 1.543,67

The Conditional Tense

Frequently, the conditional is used to express probability, possibility, wonder or conjecture, and is usually translated as would, could, must have or probably. The student said that he would study one more hour. (probability, possibility) What time could it have been? (wonder, conjecture) He must have been at home. (wonder, conjecture) We were probably busy when you called. (probability, possibility) Note: when "would" is used in the sense of a repeated action in the past, the imperfect is used. To conjugate regular -ar, -er and -ir verbs in the conditional, simply add one of the following to the infintive: ía ías ía íamos íais ían Here are all three regular conditional verb forms together: hablar comer vivir hablaría comería viviría hablarías comerías vivirías hablaría comería viviría hablaríamos comeríamos viviríamos hablaríais comeríais viviríais hablarían comerían vivirían Here are the previous examples, translated to Spanish. El alumno dijo que estudiaría una hora más. The student said that he would study one more hour. ¿Qué hora sería? What time could it have been? Estaría en su casa. He must have been at home. Estaríamos ocupados cuando llamaste. We were probably busy when you called. The same twelve common verbs that are irregular in the future tense are also irregular in the conditional tense. Their endings are regular, but their stems change in the same way they change in the future tense. Because the endings are the same as all other conditional tense verbs, we show only the "yo" form, and have underlined the irregular stem. We have also grouped them according to their patterns of change. caber yo cabría poner yo pondría decir yo diría haber yo habría salir yo saldría hacer yo haría poder yo podría tener yo tendría querer yo querría valer yo valdría saber yo sabría venir yo vendría Next, let's look at some specific uses of the conditional. To express speculation about the past: Aquél día correrían más de veinticinco kilómetros. That day they must have run more than 25 kilometers. To express the future from the perspective of the past: Yo sabía que abrirían la tienda a las siete. I knew that they would open the store at seven o'clock. To express hypothetical actions or events which may or may not occur: Sería interesante estudiar chino. It would be interesting to study Chinese. To indicate what would happen were it not for some certain specific circumstance: Yo viajaría pero no tengo dinero. I would travel but I don't have money. For polite use to soften requests: Por favor, ¿podría decirme a qué hora abre la gasolinera? Could you please tell me what time the gas station opens? To ask for advice: ¿Cuál compraría Ud.? Which one would you buy? For reported speech: Juan dijo que terminaría el trabajo. Juan said that he would finish the work. To express what would be done in a particular situation: ¿Hablarías inglés en España? Would you speak English in Spain? No. Hablaría español. No. I would speak Spanish. Let's look at one more use of the conditional. To express an action which is contrary to fact: Si yo tuviera tiempo, iría al cine esta noche. If I had time, I would go to the movies tonight. Note: This last example uses a verb tense you are not yet familiar with -- the imperfect subjunctive (tuviera). This topic will be covered in depth in a later lesson. Finally, a few words need to be said to call attention to the contrasting uses of the future and the conditional. As previously stated, the conditional is used for conjecture and to express probability with regards to a past action, as in the following example: ¿Qué hora sería? What time could it have been? Serían las cinco. It was probably five o'clock. If, however, the conjecture or expression of probability is about the present, the future tense is used: ¿Qué hora será? What time can it be? Serán las cinco. It is probably five o'clock. With regards to reported speech, notice that if the main clause is in the past, the conditional is used. Juan dijo que terminaría el trabajo. Juan said that he would finish the work. But if the main clause is in the present, the future is used. Juan dice que terminará el trabajo. Juan says that he will finish the work. Let's add two flashcards for the conditional tense: Verb Flashcards Complete List Conditional Tense Infinitive + ending (-ía, -ías, -ía, -íamos, -íais, -ían) Conditional Tense Irregulars caber yo cabría poner yo pondría decir yo diría haber yo habría salir yo saldría hacer yo haría poder yo podría tener yo tendría querer yo querría valer yo valdría saber yo sabría venir yo vendría

Preterite vs Imperfect: Part IV

Here are all three regular preterite verb forms together: hablar comer vivir hablé comí viví hablaste comiste viviste habló comió vivió hablamos comimos vivimos hablasteis comisteis vivisteis hablaron comieron vivieron Note: The nosotros forms for -ar and -ir verbs are the same in both preterite and present tenses: hablamos, vivimos. Here are all three regular imperfect verb forms together: hablar comer vivir hablaba comía vivía hablabas comías vivías hablaba comía vivía hablábamos comíamos vivíamos hablabais comíais vivíais hablaban comían vivían Generally speaking, the preterite is used for actions in the past that are seen as completed, while the imperfect tense is used for past actions that did not have a definite beginning or a definite end. Juan habló dos horas. Juan spoke two hours. (action completed) Las chicas hablaban en inglés. The girls used to speak in English. (no definite beginning or end) Another way to view this is that the preterite tells us specifically when an action took place, while the imperfect tells us in general when an action took place. The preterite is used in the following situations: •For actions that can be viewed as single events •For actions that were repeated a specific number of times •For actions that occurred during a specific period of time •For actions that were part of a chain of events •To state the beginning or the end of an action The imperfect is used in the following situations: •For actions that were repeated habitually •For actions that "set the stage" for another past action •For telling time •For stating one's age •For mental states (usually) •For physical sensations (usually) •To describe the characteristics of people, things or conditions Ser, ir, dar and hacer are irregular in the preterite: ser ir dar hacer fui fui di hice fuiste fuiste diste hiciste fue fue dio hizo fuimos fuimos dimos hicimos fuisteis fuisteis disteis hicisteis fueron fueron dieron hicieron Note: This is not a typo; ser and ir do have identical conjugations in the preterite! There are only three irregular verbs in the imperfect: ser ir ver era iba veía eras ibas veías era iba veía éramos íbamos veíamos erais ibais veíais eran iban veían Some words and phrases indicate specific time frames, and therefore signal the use of the preterite. ayer (yesterday) anteayer (the day before yesterday) anoche (last night) desde el primer momento (from the first moment) durante dos siglos (for two centuries) el otro día (the other day) en ese momento (at that moment) entonces (then) esta mañana (this morning) esta tarde (this afternoon) la semana pasada (last week) el mes pasado (last month) el año pasado (last year) hace dos días, años (two days, years ago) ayer por la mañana (yesterday morning) ayer por la tarde (yesterday afternoon) Other words and phrases indicate repetitive, vague or non-specific time frames, and therefore signal the use of the imperfect. a menudo (often) a veces (sometimes) cada día (every day) cada semana (every week) cada mes (every month) cada año (every year) con frecuencia (frequently) de vez en cuando (from time to time) en aquella época (at that time) frecuentemente (frequently) generalmente (usually) muchas veces (many times) mucho (a lot) nunca (never) por un rato (for awhile) siempre (always) tantas veces (so many times) todas las semanas (every week) todos los días (every day) todo el tiempo (all the time) varias veces (several times) -ar and -er verbs that change their stem in the present tense do not change in the preterite. They are conjugated just like other regular preterite verbs. Present Preterite cerrar cerrar cierro cerré cierras cerraste cierra cerró cerramos cerramos cerráis cerrasteis cierran cerraron -ir verbs that change their stem in the present tense do change in the preterite, but in a different way. They change e:i and o:u in the third person, singular and plural. Present Preterite preferir preferir prefiero preferí prefieres preferiste prefiere prefirió preferimos preferimos preferís preferisteis prefieren prefirieron Present Preterite dormir dormir duermo dormí duermes dormiste duerme durmió dormimos dormimos dormís dormisteis duermen durmieron There are a number of orthographic changing verbs in the preterite: •Verbs that end in -gar change g to gu •Verbs that end in -car change c to qu •Verbs that end in -zar change z to c •Verbs that end in -aer, -eer, -oír, -oer, and uir change ió to yó and ieron to yeron Here are three more verbs that are irregular in the preterite: decir traer ver dije traje vi dijiste trajiste viste dijo trajo vio dijimos trajimos vimos dijisteis trajisteis visteis dijeron trajeron vieron Verbs that end in -ucir are irregular and conjugated as follows: producir produje produjiste produjo produjimos produjisteis produjeron There are a number of verbs that are irregular in the preterite that follow a particular pattern. The pattern is that while their stems change, they all take the following endings: -e -iste -o -imos -isteis -ieron Here are the verbs, along with their corresponding stem changes: Infinitive Stem Change andar anduv- estar estuv- tener tuv- caber cup- haber hub- poder pud- poner pus- saber sup- hacer hic- querer quis- venir vin- Exception: hacer (el/ella/usted hizo) Some verbs actually change meaning, depending upon whether they are used in the preterite or the imperfect. This is not surprising, since the difference in meaning can be traced back to the different way in which these two past tenses are used. conocer Conocí a Juan hace cinco años. I met Juan five years ago. (completed action) En aquella época conocíamos muy bien la ciudad. At that time we knew the city very well. (no definite beginning or end) querer María quiso comprar la casa. Maria tried to buy the house. (completed action) Juan quería comprar la casa. Juan wanted to buy the house. (no definite beginning or end) no querer María no quiso comprar la casa. Maria refused to buy the house. (completed action) Juan no quería comprar la casa. Juan did not want to buy the house. (no definite beginning or end) saber María lo supo ayer. Maria found out yesterday. (completed action) Juan sabía que María venía. Juan knew that Maria was coming. (no definite beginning or end) poder María pudo levantar la mesa. Maria succeeded in lifting the table. (completed action) Juan podía participar en la manifestación. Juan was able to participate in the demonstration. (no definite beginning or end) tener María tuvo una carta de su mamá. Maria received a letter from her mom. (completed action) Juan tenía un coche nuevo. Juan used to have a new car. (no definite beginning or end)

Direct and Indirect Object Pronouns Used Together

Here are the direct object pronouns and the indirect object pronouns side by side: DO Pronouns IO Pronouns English Equivalent me me me te te you (familiar) lo, la le him, her, it, you (formal) nos nos us os os you-all (familiar) los, las les them, you-all (formal) When you have both a direct object pronoun and an indirect object pronoun in the same sentence, the indirect object pronoun comes first. Ellos me los dan. They give them to me. IO pronoun: me DO pronoun: los Ella te la vende. She sells it to you. IO pronoun: te DO pronoun: la Whenever both pronouns begin with the letter "l" change the first pronoun to "se." le lo = se lo le la = se la le los = se los le las = se las les lo = se lo les la = se la les los = se los les las = se las The reason for changing "le lo" to "se lo" is merely to avoid the tongue-twisting effect of two short consecutive words that begin with the letter "l". To demonstrate this, first quickly say "les las" and then quickly say "se las." See how much easier it is to say "se las?" In negative sentences, the negative word comes directly before the first pronoun. No se lo tengo. I don't have it for you. Nunca se los compro. I never buy them for her. Because the pronoun se can have so many meanings, it is often helpful to clarify it by using a prepositional phrase. Él se lo dice. Ambiguous. He tells it to (whom?). Él se lo dice a Juan. He tells it to him. (to Juan) Él se lo dice a María. He tells it to her. (to María) Él se lo dice a ella. He tells it to her. In sentences with two verbs, there are two options regarding the placement of the pronouns. Place them immediately before the conjugated verb or attach them directly to the infinitive. She should explain it to me. Ella me lo debe explicar. Ella debe explicármelo. I want to tell it to you. Te lo quiero decir. Quiero decírtelo. You need to send it to them. Se la necesitas enviar a ellos. Necesitas enviársela a ellos. Note that when attaching the pronouns to the infinitive, a written accent is also added to the final syllable of the infinitive. This preserves the sound of the infinitive. When the pronouns are attached to the infinitive, make the sentence negative by placing the negative word directly before the conjugated verb. Ella debe explicármelo. Ella no debe explicármelo. Quiero decírtelo. No quiero decírtelo. Necesitas enviársela a ellos. No necesitas enviársela a ellos. When the pronouns come before the conjugated verb, make the sentence negative by placing the negative word directly before the pronouns. Ella me lo debe explicar. Ella no me lo debe explicar. Te lo quiero decir. No te lo quiero decir. Se la necesitas enviar a ellos. No se la necesitas enviar a ellos.

Months, Seasons and Dates

Here are the months in Spanish. Note that, like the days of the week, they are not capitalized. enero January febrero February marzo March abril April mayo May junio June julio July agosto August septiembre September octubre October noviembre November diciembre December To express "in a certain month," use the preposition "en." Vamos a México en enero. We are going to Mexico in January. Las clases empiezan en el mes de septiembre. Classes begin in September. Here are the four seasons. Las estaciones del año. la primavera spring el verano summer el otoño autumn el invierno winter Note that the articles are normally used with the seasons. En América del Norte, la primavera empieza en marzo. In North America, spring begins in March. En América del Sur, la primavera empieza en septiembre. In South America, spring begins in September. Note: The seasons are reversed south of the equator. When it is winter in New York, NY, it is summer in Santiago, Chile. Here are some ways to inquire as to the date. ¿Cuál es la fecha de hoy? ¿A cuántos estamos hoy? ¿Qué día es hoy? ¿A cuántos estamos? If you are talking about the first day of the month, use the expression "el primer día" or simply "el primero." ¿Qué día es hoy? Hoy es lunes, el primer día de mayo. Hoy es lunes, el primero de mayo. Today is Monday, May 1. For all other days of the month, use the cardinal numbers. ¿Cuál es la fecha de hoy? (Tuesday, March 25) Hoy es martes, el veinticinco de marzo. ¿A cuántos estamos hoy? (Sunday, June 3) Estamos al domingo, el tres de junio. The Spanish way is to write the day + month + year. This is different from the American way (month + day + year). el 29 de febrero de 1996 February 29, 1996 29.2.96 2/29/96

Ordinal Numbers

Here are the ordinal numbers first - tenth: primero first segundo second tercero third cuarto fourth quinto fifth sexto sixth séptimo seventh octavo eighth noveno ninth décimo tenth So, the ordinal numbers have four forms, just like other adjectives that end in -o. primero primeros primera primeras Primero and tercero drop the -o in the masculine singular adjective form. el primer día el tercer año Ordinal numbers usually precede the noun. However, if the noun they refer to is royalty, a pope, or a street, they come after the noun. Carlos Quinto ("Quinto" comes after "Carlos" - royalty) el quinto libro ("quinto" comes before "libro") la Calle Sexta ("sexta" comes after "calle" - street) la sexta pluma ("sexta" comes before "pluma") Ordinal numbers are not normally used after 10. la Calle Dieciséis Sixteenth Street el siglo diecinueve the nineteenth century

Comparisons of Inequality

If two things are not equal, they are unequal. We are not the same height. You are taller than I. The two items do not cost the same. The camera is more expensive than the television. In Spanish, inequality is expressed by using one of the following formulae: más (menos) + adjective + que más (menos) + adverb + que más (menos) + noun + que Here are some examples: Tú eres más alto que yo. You are taller than I. Mónica habla más lentamente que Carmen. Monica speaks more slowly than Carmen. Tengo menos libros que Arsenio. I have fewer books than Arsenio. If the comparative is followed by a number, use de rather than que. Hay menos de veinte alumnos en la clase. There are less than twenty students in the class. Él tiene más de noventa años. He is more than ninety years old. (Literally: He has more than ninety years.) Note that when the sentence is negative, que is used even with numbers, to convey the meaning "only." Tengo más de cinco dólares. (I have more than five dollars.) but No tengo más que cinco dólares. (I only have five dollars.) Hay más de veinte estudiantes en la clase. (There are more than twenty students in the class.) but No hay más que veinte estudiantes en la clase. (There are only twenty students in the class.)

Subjunctive: Part II

In Part I, you learned that the subjunctive mood is used whenever the speaker feels any uncertainty about the action of the sentence, or when the speaker is expressing a subjective opinion. In this lesson you will begin to learn how to conjugate verbs in the present subjunctive. For most verbs, the present subjunctive is formed by following these three steps: 1.Start with the yo form of the present indicative. 2.Then drop the -o ending. 3.Finally, add the following endings: -ar verbs: -e, -es, -e, -emos, -éis, -en -er and -ir verbs: -a, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an Regular -ar verbs like hablar (yo hablo). hablo - o = habl habl + e = hable habl + es = hables habl + e = hable habl + emos = hablemos habl + éis = habléis habl + en = hablen Regular -er verbs like comer (yo como). como - o = com com + a = coma com + as = comas com + a = coma com + amos = comamos com + áis = comáis com + an = coman Regular -ir verbs like vivir (yo vivo). vivo - o = viv viv + a = viva viv + as = vivas viv + a = viva viv + amos = vivamos viv + áis = viváis viv + an = vivan The formula also works for verbs that have irregular "yo" forms in the present indicative. Study these examples: conocer (yo conozco) conozco - o = conozc conozc + a = conozca conozc + as = conozcas conozc + a = conozca conozc + amos = conozcamos conozc + áis = conozcáis conozc + an = conozcan tener (yo tengo) tengo - o = teng teng + a = tenga teng + as = tengas teng + a = tenga teng + amos = tengamos teng + áis = tengáis teng + an = tengan salir (yo salgo) salgo - o = salg salg + a = salga salg + as = salgas salg + a = salga salg + amos = salgamos salg + áis = salgáis salg + an = salgan For -ar and -er stem-changing verbs, the formula applies except that there is no stem change in the nosotros and vosotros forms. Study these examples: pensar (yo pienso) pienso - o = piens piens + e = piense piens + es = pienses piens + e = piense pens + emos = pensemos pens + éis = penséis piens + en = piensen perder (yo pierdo) pierdo - o = pierd pierd + a = pierda pierd + as = pierdas pierd + a = pierda perd + amos = perdamos perd + áis = perdáis pierd + an = pierdan contar (yo cuento) cuento - o = cuent cuent + e = cuente cuent + es = cuentes cuent + e = cuente cont + emos = contemos cont + éis = contéis cuent + en = cuenten volver (yo vuelvo) vuelvo - o = vuelv vuelv + a = vuelva vuelv + as = vuelvas vuelv + a = vuelva volv + amos = volvamos volv + áis = volváis vuelv + an = vuelvan For -ir stem-changing verbs, the formula applies except that the stem change in the nosotros and vosotros forms follows these patterns: o:ue verbs change o to u; e:ie verbs change e to i; e:i verbs change e to i. Study these examples: dormir (yo duermo) duermo - o = duerm duerm + a = duerma duerm + as = duermas duerm + a = duerma durm + amos = durmamos durm + áis = durmáis duerm + an = duerman sentir (yo siento) siento - o = sient sient + a = sienta sient + as = sientas sient + a = sienta sint + amos = sintamos sint + áis = sintáis sient + an = sientan pedir (yo pido) pido - o = pid pid + a = pida pid + as = pidas pid + a = pida pid + amos = pidamos pid + áis = pidáis pid + an = pidan There are just a few more rules for conjugating verbs in the present subjunctive. They will be covered in the next two lessons. Let's add flashcards for the conjugations covered in this lesson: Verb Flashcards Complete List Present Subjunctive - hablar hable hables hable hablemos habléis hablen Present Subjunctive - comer coma comas coma comamos comáis coman Present Subjunctive - vivir viva vivas viva vivamos viváis vivan Present Subjunctive - verbs with irregular first persons in present indicative conocer - conozca, conozcas, conozca, conozcamos, conozcáis, conozcan tener - tenga, tengas, tenga, tengamos, tengáis, tengan salir - salga, salgas, salga, salgamos, salgáis, salgan Present Subjunctive - -ar and -er stem-changing verbs Conjugate just like regular subjunctives (using "yo" form of the indicative) except the stem change does not occur in the nosotros/vosotros forms: pensar piense pienses piense pensemos penséis piensen Present Subjunctive - -ir stem-changing verbs Conjugate just like regular subjunctives (using "yo" form of the indicative) except the stem change in the nosotros and vosotros forms follows these patterns: o:ue verbs change o to u; e:ie verbs change e to i; e:i verbs change e to i.: dormir - durmamos sentir - sintamos pedir - pidamos

Subjunctive: Part IV

In Part I, you learned that the subjunctive mood is used whenever the speaker feels uncertain about the action of the sentence, or when the speaker is expressing a subjective opinion. In Part II, you learned the basic rules for conjugating regular verbs and stem-changing verbs. You learned that -ar verbs take the endings: -e, -es, -e, -emos, -éis, -en And -er and -ir verbs take the endings: -a, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an In Part III, you learned how to conjugate verbs in the present subjunctive that change orthographically. In this lesson, you will learn about verbs that are irregular in the present tense subjunctive. The good news is that we will only examine six irregular verbs. The bad news is that, like all irregular verbs, you just have to memorize them. But wait! More good news! The practice exercises and the verb flashcards will make memorizing them easy. Here are the six verbs that are irregular in the present subjunctive: dar - to give dé des dé demos deis den estar - to be esté estés esté estemos estéis estén haber - to have (auxiliary verb) haya hayas haya hayamos hayáis hayan ir - to go vaya vayas vaya vayamos vayáis vayan saber - to know sepa sepas sepa sepamos sepáis sepan ser - to be sea seas sea seamos seáis sean Let's add flashcards for the irregular verbs covered in this lesson: Verb Flashcards Complete List Present Subjunctive - dar dé des dé demos deis den Present Subjunctive - estar esté estés esté estemos estéis estén Present Subjunctive - haber haya hayas haya hayamos hayáis hayan Present Subjunctive - ir vaya vayas vaya vayamos vayáis vayan Present Subjunctive - saber sepa sepas sepa sepamos sepáis sepan Present Subjunctive - ser sea seas sea seamos seáis sean

Subjunctive: Part III

In Part I, you learned that the subjunctive mood is used whenever the speaker feels uncertain about the action of the sentence, or when the speaker is expressing a subjective opinion. In Part II, you learned the basic rules for conjugating regular verbs and stem-changing verbs. You learned that -ar verbs take the endings: -e, -es, -e, -emos, -éis, -en And -er and -ir verbs take the endings: -a, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an In this lesson you will learn how to conjugate verbs in the present subjunctive that change orthographically. Remember the old question: What came first, the chicken or the egg? That's a hard one to answer. There's another question, one that pertains to learning Spanish, that's much easier to answer. Spanish spelling is nearly perfect phonetically. That is, if you can pronounce it, you can spell it, and if you see it written, you can pronounce it. Have you ever asked yourself, "Which came first, the pronunciation or the spelling?" This is a much easier question to answer than the "chicken-egg" question. The answer is that the pronunciation came first. Later, an alphabet was developed to represent that pronunciation on paper. Fortunately, when the rules for the alphabet were developed, they were kept simple and straightforward. That is why, in Spanish, you can spell any word that you can pronounce, and you can pronounce any word that you see written. With regard to verb conjugations, these strict rules for spelling often lead to something called "orthographic" changes. These are changes in spelling, changes that are made for one purpose -- to preserve the sound of the infinitive. All of the verbs we discuss in this lesson have orthographic changes. All of these orthographic changes occur for one reason and one reason only. If we were to simply apply the rules learned in the previous lesson, then we would lose the sound of the infinitive. These orthographic changes ensure that the spelling properly reflects the way these words are actually pronounced. Remember, pronunciation comes first. Spelling merely reflects the way a word is pronounced. Here are the rules for the orthographic changes in the present subjunctive: For verbs that end in -zar, the z changes to c when it comes before the letter e. empezar (e:ie) empiece empieces empiece empecemos empecéis empiecen For verbs that end in -ger or -gir, the g changes to j when it comes before the letter a. escoger escoja escojas escoja escojamos escojáis escojan elegir (e:i) elija elijas elija elijamos elijáis elijan For verbs that end in -guir, the gu changes to g when it comes before the letter a. seguir (e:i) siga sigas siga sigamos sigáis sigan For verbs that end in -car, the c changes to qu when it comes before the letter e. buscar busque busques busque busquemos busquéis busquen For verbs that end in -gar, the g changes to gu when it comes before the letter e. pagar pague pagues pague paguemos paguéis paguen For verbs that end in uir, add the letter y before the letter a. huir huya huyas huya huyamos huyáis huyan There is just one more consideration for conjugating verbs in the present subjunctive. We will cover that in the next lesson. Let's add flashcards for the verbs that change orthographically in the present subjunctive: Verb Flashcards Complete List -zar: z changes to c before e (present subjunctive) empezar (e:ie) empiece empieces empiece empecemos empecéis empiecen -ger or -gir: g changes to j before a (present subjunctive) escoger escoja escojas escoja escojamos escojáis escojan -guir: gu changes to g before a (present subjunctive) seguir (e:i) siga sigas siga sigamos sigáis sigan -car: c changes to qu before e -gar g changes to gu before e (present subjunctive) buscar / pagar busque / pague busques / pagues busque / pague busquemos / paguemos busquéis paguéis busquen / paguen uir: add y before a (present subjunctive) huir huya huyas huya huyamos huyáis huyan

Subjunctive: Part VII

In Part I, you learned that the subjunctive mood is used whenever the speaker feels uncertain about the action of the sentence, or when the speaker is expressing a subjective opinion. In Parts II - IV, you learned all the rules for conjugating regular verbs in the present subjunctive. In this lesson, you will simply practice another of the many ways the subjunctive is used: after certain impersonal expressions. Here is a list of common impersonal expressions that introduce an aspect of uncertainty or subjectivity, and therefore trigger the use of the subjunctive. You will notice that there is some overlap with other lessons. That is, you may see some of these impersonal expressions in other subjunctive lessons, as well. conviene que ... it is advisable that ... es aconsejable que ... it is advisable that ... es bueno que ... it's good that ... es difícil que ... it's unlikely that ... es dudoso que ... it's doubtful that ... es fácil que ... it's likely that ... es fantástico que ... it's fantastic that ... es importante que ... it's important that ... es imposible que ... it's impossible that ... es improbable que ... it's unlikely that ... es incierto que ... it's uncertain that ... es increíble que ... it's incredible that ... es (una) lástima que ... it's a shame that ... es malo que ... it's bad that ... es mejor que ... it's better that ... es menester que ... it's necessary that ... es necesario que ... it's necessary that ... es posible que ... it's possible that ... es preciso que ... it's necessary that ... es preferible que ... it's preferable that ... es probable que ... it's likely that ... es raro que ... it's rare that ... es ridículo que ... it's ridiculous that ... es terrible que ... it's terrible that ... más vale que ... it's better that ... ojalá que ... if only he would ... puede ser que ... it could be that ... Remember, there are also impersonal expressions that trigger the use of the indicative mood, since they introduce a quality of certainty or objectivity. Here's a partial list of such expressions that we will mix into the practice exercises for this lesson, just to keep you on your toes! es evidente que ... it is certain that ... es obvio que ... it is obvious that ... es verdad que ... it's true that ... no es dudoso que ... it is not doubtful that ... no hay duda que ... there is no doubt that ... Let's add a flashcard for some impersonal expressions that trigger the use of the subjunctive: Verb Flashcards Complete List Present Subjunctive - impersonal expressions es bueno que es importante que es posible que es raro que es malo que es ridículo que es terrible que puede ser que

Subjunctive: Part VI

In Part I, you learned that the subjunctive mood is used whenever the speaker feels uncertain about the action of the sentence, or when the speaker is expressing a subjective opinion. In Parts II - IV, you learned all the rules for conjugating regular verbs in the present subjunctive. In this lesson, you will simply practice another of the many ways the subjunctive is used: to express ignorance or doubt. Here is a list of common expressions that introduce an aspect of ignorance or doubt to the sentence, and therefore trigger the use of the subjunctive. dudar que ... to doubt that ... es dudoso que ... it is doubtful that ... es improbable que ... it's unlikely that ... es incierto que ... it's uncertain that ... es posible que ... it's possible that ... no creer que ... not to believe that ... no es cierto que ... it's not certain that ... no estar convencido de que ... to not be convinced that ... no estar seguro de que ... to not be sure that ... no parecer que ... to not seem that ... no pensar que ... to not think that ... no suponer que ... to not suppose that ... puede ser que ... it may be that ... negar que ... to deny that ... no es verdad que ... it's not true that ... no es cierto que ... it's not certain that ... no imaginarse que ... to not imagine that ... temer que ... to suspect that ... Remember, there are also expressions that trigger the use of the indicative mood, since they introduce a quality of certainty. Here's a partial list of such expressions that we will mix into the practice exercises for this lesson, just to keep you on your toes! no dudo que ... to not doubt that ... estar seguro de que ... to be certain that ... creer que ... to think that ... no negar que ... to not deny that ... es verdad que ... it's true that ... Let's add a flashcard for some expressions that introduce an aspect of ignorance or doubt: Verb Flashcards Complete List Present Subjunctive - ignorance or doubt dudar que es improbable que es incierto que es posible que no creer que puede ser que es aconsejable que temer que

Subjunctive: Part VIII

In Part I, you learned that the subjunctive mood is used whenever the speaker feels uncertain about the action of the sentence, or when the speaker is expressing a subjective opinion. In Parts II - IV, you learned all the rules for conjugating regular verbs in the present subjunctive. In this lesson, you will simply practice another of the many ways the subjunctive is used: with actions that are not yet completed. Here is a list of common expressions that may indicate that the action that follows has not yet been completed. These expressions will always invoke the subjunctive: a menos que ... unless ... antes (de) que ... before ... con tal (de) que ... provided that ... en caso de que ... in case ... para que ... so that ... sin que ... without ... The following expressions only invoke the subjunctive when they indicate that the action that follows has not yet been completed: después de que... after... en cuanto... as soon as... hasta que... until... mientras que... while... tan pronto como... as soon as... Remember, there are also expressions that trigger the use of the indicative mood, since they introduce a quality of certainty or objectivity. Here's a partial list of such expressions that we will mix into the practice exercises for this lesson, just to keep you on your toes! es cierto que ... it is certain that ... es claro que ... it is clear that ... es evidente que ... it is certain that ... es obvio que ... it is obvious that ... es verdad que ... it is true that ... Let's add a flashcard for some expressions that may indicate that the action that follows has not yet been completed: Verb Flashcards Complete List Present Subjunctive - incompleted actions a menos que antes de que con tal de que después de que hasta que mientras que tan pronto como

Subjunctive: Part V

In Part I, you learned that the subjunctive mood is used whenever the speaker feels uncertain about the action of the sentence, or when the speaker is expressing a subjective opinion. In Parts II - IV, you learned all the rules for conjugating regular verbs in the present subjunctive. In this lesson, you will simply practice one of the many ways the subjunctive is used: to express desire. Here is a list of common expressions that introduce an aspect of desire to the sentence, and therefore trigger the use of the subjunctive. esperar que to wish that ... insistir en que ... to insist that ... mandar que ... to order that ... preferir que ... to prefer that ... prohibir que ... to prohibit that ... querer que ... to want that ... es aconsejable que ... it's advisable that ... es necesario que ... it's necessary that ... pedir que ... to ask that ... recomendar que ... to recommend that ... rogar que ... to plead that ... sugerir que ... to suggest that ... Remember, there are also expressions that trigger the use of the indicative mood, since they introduce a quality of certainty or objectivity. Here's a partial list of such expressions that we will mix into the practice exercises for this lesson, just to keep you on your toes! creer que ... to believe that ... no dudar que ... to not doubt that ... estar seguro que ... to be sure that ... no es dudoso que ... it is not doubtful that ... no hay duda que ... there is no doubt that ... Let's add a flashcard for some of the phrases used to indicate desire: Verb Flashcards Complete List Present Subjunctive - desire esperar que insistir en que mandar que preferir que prohibir que querer que es aconsejable que es necesario que pedir que recomendar que rogar que sugerir que

Saber vs Conocer / Pedir vs. Preguntar

In Spanish, there are two verbs that express the idea "to know." These two verbs are "saber" and "conocer." The verb you choose depends upon the context in which it is used. These verbs are not interchangeable. To express knowledge or ignorance of a fact or information about something, use "saber." Juan sabe donde está María. Juan knows where Maria is. Yo no sé tu número de teléfono. I don't know your telephone number. To say that one is or is not acquainted with a person, a place, or an object, use conocer. Yo no conozco a María. I don't know (am not acquainted with) Maria. Alberto y Alfredo conocen Madrid. Alberto and Alfredo know (are acquainted with) Madrid. To express knowledge or ignorance of a subject or learning discipline, use saber or conocer, depending upon the context. Juan no sabe nada de inglés. Juan doesn't know any English. Él sabe matemáticas. He knows mathematics. Juan conoce la literatura española. Juan is familiar with Spanish literature. To express knowledge or ignorance of a skill, or how to do something, use saber + infinitive. María sabe conducir. Maria knows how to drive. No sé nadar muy bien. I don't know how to swim very well. To say that you know something by heart, use saber. María sabe los verbos irregulares. Maria knows the irregular verbs (by heart). Ella no sabe la letra de esa canción. She doesn't know the words to that song. The situation with regards to the correct use of saber and conocer can be summarized as follows: saber to know a fact, to know something thoroughly, to know how to do something conocer to be acquainted with a person, place, or thing The same sort of situation exists with respect to the two Spanish verbs pedir and preguntar. They both mean "to ask" but they are not interchangeable. Fortunately, the rules for using them are a bit more straightforward: pedir to ask for, or request an object, service or favor Pido más carne. I ask for more meat. Pedimos ahora. We order now (ask for service). preguntar to ask a question, or request information Pregunto qué hora es. I ask what time it is. Preguntamos a qué hora sirven la cena. We ask what time they serve dinner.

Imperfect: Part I

In a previous lesson, you learned that the imperfect is used for past actions that are not seen as completed. Use of the imperfect tense implies that the past action did not have a definite beginning or a definite end. You also learned how to conjugate regular -ar verbs. In this lesson, you will learn how to conjugate -er and -ir verbs, and become more familiar with the uses of the imperfect. To conjugate regular -ar verbs in the imperfect, simply drop the ending (-ar) and add one of the following: aba abas aba ábamos abais aban To conjugate regular -er and -ir verbs in the imperfect, simply drop the ending (-er or -ir) and add one of the following: ía ías ía íamos íais ían Here are all three regular imperfect verb forms together: hablar comer vivir hablaba comía vivía hablabas comías vivías hablaba comía vivía hablábamos comíamos vivíamos hablabais comíais vivíais hablaban comían vivían The imperfect is used for actions that were repeated habitually. Almorzábamos juntos todos los días. We would lunch together every day. Las señoras siempre charlaban por las mañanas. The ladies would always chat in the mornings. The imperfect is used for actions that "set the stage" for another action. Yo leía cuando entró mi papá. I was reading when my papa entered. (note that "entered" is preterite) The imperfect is used for telling time and stating one's age. Eran las siete de la noche. It was seven o'clock at night. La niña tenía cinco años. The little girl was five years old. The above examples all fall within our general rule for using the imperfect: The imperfect is used for past actions that are not seen as completed. Let's add two more flashcards for regular -er and -ir verbs in the imperfect tense: Verb Flashcards Complete List Imperfect: regular -er -ía -ías -ía -íamos -íais -ían comía, comías, comía, comíamos, comíais, comían Imperfect: regular -ir -ía -ías -ía -íamos -íais -ían vivía, vivías, vivía, vivíamos, vivíais, vivían

"Hace ..." to mean "ago"

In a previous lesson, you learned to use the verb hacer with the present tense form of a verb to indicate the length of time an action has been taking place: Hace + time + que + present tense form of the verb Hace un año que estudio español. I have been studying Spanish for one year. When the verb is in the preterite tense, a different meaning is conveyed: Hace + time + que + preterite tense form of the verb Hace un año que estudié español. I studied Spanish one year ago. There is another way to convey the same idea: Preterite tense form of the verb + hace + time Estudié español hace un año. I studied Spanish one year ago. Note the differences and similarities: Hace un año que estudio español. I have been studying Spanish for one year. Hace un año que estudié español. I studied Spanish one year ago. Estudié español hace un año. I studied Spanish one year ago.

Preterite: Part IV

In order to preserve the sound of the infinitive, a number of verbs change orthographically (spelling) in the preterite tense. The following changes occur in the "yo" form only: Verbs that end in -gar change g to gu Verbs that end in -car change c to qu Verbs that end in -zar change z to c Here are three examples: yo jugué (jugar) yo busqué (buscar) yo almorcé (almorzar) Some common orthographic changing verbs for the preterite tense in these categories are: -gar -car -zar cegar aparcar almorzar colgar buscar autorizar jugar clarificar cazar llegar clasificar comenzar pagar destacar cruzar plegar empacar empezar regar justificar forzar rogar practicar organizar tragar sacar simbolizar vagar tocar tropezarse For verbs that end in -aer, -eer, -oír, and -oer, the él/ella/usted forms use the ending "yó" (rather than ió) and the third person plural uses the ending "yeron" (rather than ieron). The remaining forms gain a written accent over the letter "i." creer creí creíste creyó creímos creísteis creyeron Other verbs like creer include: caer leer oír poseer proveer roer Exceptions to this rule include: traer atraer distraer Verbs that end in -uir change in the same way, but the written accent over the letter "i" only occurs in the yo form. huir huí huiste huyó huimos huisteis huyeron Other verbs like huir include: construir contribuir destruir fluir incluir influir The preterite has quite a few irregular verbs, so flashcards can really help you to master them: Verb Flashcards Complete List preterite: creer, caer, leer, oír creí creíste creyó creímos creísteis creyeron preterite: huir, construir, contribuir, incluir huí huiste huyó huimos huisteis huyeron

Preterite: Part I

In the last lesson, you learned that the preterite is used for past actions that are seen as completed. You also learned how to conjugate regular -ar verbs. In this lesson, you will learn how to conjugate -er and -ir verbs, and become more familiar with the uses of the preterite. To conjugate regular -ar verbs in the preterite, simply drop the ending (-ar) and add one of the following: é aste ó amos asteis aron To conjugate regular -er and -ir verbs in the preterite, simply drop the ending (-er or -ir) and add one of the following: í iste ió imos isteis ieron Here are all three regular preterite verb forms together: hablar comer vivir hablé comí viví hablaste comiste viviste habló comió vivió hablamos comimos vivimos hablasteis comisteis vivisteis hablaron comieron vivieron Note: the nosotros forms for -ar and -ir verbs are the same in both preterite and present tenses: hablamos, vivimos. The preterite is used for actions that can be viewed as single events. Ella caminó por el parque. She walked through the park. Ellos llegaron a las ocho. They arrived at eight o'clock. The preterite is used for actions that were repeated a specific number of times, or occurred during a specific period of time. Ayer escribí tres cartas. Yesterday I wrote three letters. Vivimos allí por cuatro años. We lived there for four years. The preterite is used for actions that were part of a chain of events. Ella se levantó, se vistió, y salió de la casa. She got up, dressed, and left the house. The preterite is used to state the beginning or the end of an action. Empezó a nevar a las ocho de la mañana. It began to snow at eight in the morning. The above examples all fall within our general rule for using the preterite: The preterite is used for past actions that are seen as completed. Let's add two more flashcards for regular -er and -ir verbs in the preterite tense: Verb Flashcards Complete List Preterite: regular -er -í -iste -ió -imos -isteis -ieron comí, comiste, comió, comimos, comisteis, comieron Preterite: regular -ir verbs -í -iste -ió -imos -isteis -ieron viví, viviste, vivió, vivimos, vivisteis, vivieron

Ser and Estar: Part II

In the previous lesson you learned the fundamental difference between ser and estar - essence or condition. The examples used the verbs in conjunction with adjectives to clearly illustrate this point. In practice, ser and estar are not always used with adjectives, nor is it always easy for the non-native speaker to choose between the two verbs. Therefore, it is extremely useful to learn some concrete rules for deciding when to use ser or estar. This lesson examines some common uses for the verb ser. Ser is used to express the hour, day, and date. ¿Qué hora es? What time is it? Son las dos. It's two o'clock. ¿Qué día es hoy? What day is today? Hoy es lunes. Today's Monday. ¿Qué fecha es hoy? What's the date today? Es el cinco de mayo. It's May fifth. Ser is used to express place of origin. ¿De dónde eres tú? Where are you from? Soy de Colombia. I'm from Colombia. Ser is used to express occupation. ¿Cuál es tu trabajo? What do you do? Soy carpintero I'm a carpenter. Ser is used to express nationality. ¿Es ella puertorriqueña? Is she Puerto Rican? No, es guatemalteca. No, she's Guatemalan. Ser is used to express religious or political affiliation. ¿Son los García bautistas? Are the Garcias Baptists? No, son católicos. No, they're Catholics. ¿Es el gobierno socialista? Is the government socialist? No, es comunista. No, it's communist. Ser is used to express the material something is made of. ¿De qué material es la mesa? What's the table made of? Es de madera. It's made of wood. Ser is used to express possession. ¿De quién es la pluma? Whose pen is it? Es de Emilio. It's Emilio's. Ser is used to express the relationship of one person to another. ¿Quién es Rogelio? Who is Roger? Es el esposo de Marta. He's Martha's husband. Ser is used with certain impersonal expressions. Es importante practicar cada día. It's important to practice every day. Es necesario hablar mucho. It's necessary to speak a lot. Ser is used to tell where an event is taking place. La película es en el cine. The movie is at the theatre. La fiesta es en el club Fantástico. The party is in the Fantastic Club. Ser is used with adjectives to express inherent, or essential qualities. Miguel es un hombre sincero. Mike is a sincere man. También es guapo. He's also handsome. Let's review. Ser is used to express: 1.the hour, day, and date 2.place of origin 3.occupation 4.nationality 5.religious or political affiliation 6.the material something is made of 7.possession 8.relationship of one person to another 9.certain impersonal expressions 10.where an event is taking place 11.essential qualities Let's add another flashcard: Verb Flashcards Complete List Uses of ser the hour, day, and date place of origin occupation nationality religious or political affiliation the material something is made of possession relationship of one person to another certain impersonal expressions where an event is taking place essential qualities

Reflexive Verbs: Part II

In the previous lesson, you learned that a verb is reflexive when the subject and the object are the same. I wash myself. subject: I verb: wash object: myself Since the subject and object are the same, the verb is reflexive. I wash the car. subject: I verb: wash object: car Since the subject and object are different, the verb is not reflexive. You also learned that when a verb is reflexive, the infinitive ends in "se." lavar to wash (non-reflexive) lavarse to wash oneself (reflexive) rascar to scratch (non-reflexive) rascarse to scratch oneself (reflexive) You should have memorized a set of pronouns called "reflexive pronouns." me (myself) te (yourself) se (himself, herself, yourself) nos (ourselves) os (yourselves) se (themselves, yourselves) You learned to conjugate reflexive verbs like this: lavarse yo me lavo I wash (myself) tú te lavas you wash (yourself) (informal) él/ella se lava he/she washes (him/herself) usted se lava you wash (yourself) (formal) nosotros/as nos lavamos we wash (ourselves) vosotros/as os laváis you-all wash (yourselves) (informal) ustedes se lavan you-all wash (yourselves) (formal) ellos/as se lavan they wash (themselves) In the lesson titled Direct Object Pronouns Part III you learned that when there are two verbs, you have two options on where to place the pronoun: before the conjugated verb or attached to the end of the infinitive. I want to see it. (querer, ver) Lo quiero ver. Quiero verlo. Lo debemos comprar. Debemos comprarlo. We should buy it. María nos debe visitar. María debe visitarnos. Mary should visit us. Juan lo necesita lavar. Juan necesita lavarlo. John needs to wash it. The same is true regarding reflexive pronouns. When the sentence has two verbs, the pronoun can be placed directly before the conjugated verb or attached to the end of the infinitive. I want to see myself. Me quiero ver. Quiero verme. John needs to wash his hair. Juan se necesita lavar el pelo. Juan necesita lavarse el pelo. Maria can wash her face now. Ahora María se puede lavar la cara. Ahora María puede lavarse la cara. I have just gone to bed. Acabo de acostarme. Me acabo de acostar. We prefer to wash with scented soap. Preferimos lavarnos con jabón perfumado. Nos preferimos lavar con jabón perfumado. Whenever a verb directly follows a preposition, it remains in the infinitive form. For reflexive verbs, the ending -se changes to agree with the subject. Observe the differences in the following sentences, all of which are about counting burros before falling asleep. Antes de dormirme, yo cuento burros. Antes de dormirte, tú cuentas burros. Antes de dormirse, la chica cuenta burros. Antes de dormirnos, nosotros contamos burros. Antes de dormiros, vosotros contáis burros. Antes de dormirse, los chicos cuentan burros. In English, many verbs can be used transitively (with a direct object) or intransitively (without a direct object). The sun dried the clothes. (transitive) The clothes dried in the sun. (intransitive) In Spanish, these intransitive constructions frequently employ the reflexive form. The sun dried the clothes. (transitive) El sol secó la ropa. The clothes dried in the sun. (intransitive) La ropa se secó al sol. Sometimes, the reflexive construction is used merely to emphasize who is performing the action of the sentence. The cake? Maria ate it. ¿La torta? María se la comió. For some verbs, the meaning changes when they are used reflexively. aburrir - to bore aburrirse - to be bored acordar - to agree acordarse de - to remember acostar - to put to bed acostarse - to go to bed casar - to perform a marriage ceremony casarse con - to become married to someone despedir - to fire despedirse de - to say goodbye dormir - to sleep dormirse - to fall asleep ir - to go irse - to go away, to leave morir - to die (abruptly, as of an accident, war, etc.) morirse - to die (as from natural causes; also "to die" figuratively) negar - to deny negarse a - to refuse parecer - to seem parecerse a - to resemble poner - to put ponerse - to put on probar - to try, to taste probarse - to try on quitar - to take away quitarse - to take off A few verbs are always used reflexively. arrepentirse (e:ie) - to repent atreverse a - to dare darse cuenta de - to realize jactarse de - to boast quejarse de - to complain about suicidarse - to commit suicide

Informal Commands ("tú")

In the previous lesson, you learned that commands are used when ordering, or telling someone to do something. This is often referred to as the "imperative" form of the verb. Compra (tú) el anillo. (You) Buy the ring. Escribe (tú) la tarea. (You) Do the homework. Compra (tú) los libros. (You) Buy the books. Come (tú) la patata. (You) Eat the potato. Remember that Spanish has both a formal and an informal style of speech (tú/Ud.). This distinction applies to commands. Compre Ud. el anillo. Buy the ring. (formal) Compra (tú) los dulces. Buy the candy. (familiar) Remember, formal speech is generally used to be polite or to express respect. Informal, or familiar, speech is used among friends, coworkers, relatives, or when addressing a child. The affirmative informal (tú) commands are formed the same way as the present indicative Ud. form: (hablar - ar + a = habla) (comer - er + e = come) (escribir - ir + e = escribe) Be sure to note that the "tú" commands use the usted form, not the tú form! The following examples of commands use three regular verbs: hablar, comer, and escribir. Habla (tú) más lentamente. (You) Speak more slowly. Come (tú) la cena. (You) Eat the dinner. Escribe (tú) la carta. (You) Write the letter. Note that the negative informal commands use the tú form of the present subjunctive. No cuentes tus beneficios. Don't count your blessings. No hables más lentamente. Don't speak more slowly. Be sure to note that this is the tú form! Compare the affirmative informal (tú) commands with the negative informal (tú) commands: Cuenta tus beneficios. Count your blessings. No cuentes tus beneficios. Don't count your blessings. Habla más lentamente. Speak more slowly. No hables más lentamente. Don't speak more slowly. Also note that the subject pronoun tú is not normally used with imperative form. Habla más lentamente. (You) Speak more slowly. Come la cena. (You) Eat the dinner. Escribe la carta. (You) Write the letter. Let's add a flashcard for the informal tú commands: Verb Flashcards Complete List Informal (tú) Commands (Imperative) Affirmative: Use the present indicative Ud. form Negative: Use the present subjunctive tú form Habla. Speak. No hables. Don't speak. Come. Eat. No comas. Don't eat. Escribe. Write. No escribas. Don't write.

Preterite: Part II

In this lesson you will learn to conjugate four important verbs in the preterite tense: ser, ir, dar and hacer. These four verbs are irregular; you must memorize them: ser ir dar hacer fui fui di hice fuiste fuiste diste hiciste fue fue dio hizo fuimos fuimos dimos hicimos fuisteis fuisteis disteis hicisteis fueron fueron dieron hicieron Note: This is not a typo; ser and ir do have identical conjugations in the preterite! To review some of the rules for using the preterite: •The preterite is used for actions that can be viewed as single events. •The preterite is used for actions that were repeated a specific number of times. •The preterite is used for actions that occurred during a specific period of time. •The preterite is used for actions that were part of a chain of events. •The preterite is used to state the beginning or the end of an action. Let's add two more flashcards for irregular verbs in the preterite tense: Verb Flashcards Complete List Preterite: ser, ir fui fuiste fue fuimos fuisteis fueron Preterite: dar, hacer di diste dio dimos disteis dieron hice hiciste hizo hicimos hicisteis hicieron

Demonstratives

In this lesson, we will discuss demonstratives of two types: demonstrative adjectives and demonstrative pronouns. The first step in clearly understanding these two topics is to review the differences between "adjectives" and "pronouns." adjective describes a noun pronoun takes the place of a noun In the following sentences, the words in bold all function as adjectives, since they all describe the noun "book." Give me the red book. Give me the big book. Give me that book. Give me this book. Notice that adjectives answer the question "Which?" in relation to the nouns that they modify. (Which book? The red book. The big book. That book. This book.) In the following sentences, the words in bold all function as pronouns, since they all take the place of a noun. Maria is next; give her the ball. Juan is here; say hello to him. That pencil is yours; this is mine. This book is mine; that is yours. Notice that pronouns replace a noun. ("her" replaces "Maria" - "him" replaces "Juan" - "this" replaces "pencil" - "that" replaces "book") As you have just seen, the words "this" and "that" can function as both adjectives and pronouns. This book is mine. (adjective) This (one) is mine. (pronoun) That book is yours.(adjective) That (one) is yours. (pronoun) The same is true in Spanish. Juan reads this book. (adjective) Juan lee este libro. Juan reads this. (pronoun) Juan lee este. That statue is Greek. Esa estatua es griega. That (one) is American. Esa es americana. Spanish has three words where English only has two. In English, we say "this" or "that" depending upon whether the object is close to us or not. In Spanish, we also say "this" and "that," but there is another, separate word used to mean "that one over there." This form is used when the object is more than just a short distance away, for example, on the other side of the room. Here are the three forms for "this" "that" and "that one over there." este this ese that aquel that one over there Remember that in Spanish, adjectives have four forms: masculine singular, masculine plural, feminine singular, feminine plural. For example the adjective "short" has four forms in Spanish: bajo, bajos, baja, bajas. el chico bajo los chicos bajos la chica baja las chicas bajas The demonstrative adjectives also have four forms: este libro (this book) estos libros (these books) esta pluma (this pen) estas plumas (these pens) ese libro (that book) esos libros (those books) esa pluma (that pen) esas plumas (those pens) aquel libro (that book over there) aquellos libros (those books over there) aquella pluma (that pen over there) aquellas plumas (those pens over there) Here are the corresponding demonstrative pronouns: este (this one - masculine) estos (these ones - masculine) esta (this one - feminine) estas (these ones - feminine) ese (that one - masculine) esos (those ones - masculine) esa (that one - feminine) esas (those ones - feminine) aquel (that one over there - masc.) aquellos (those ones over there - masc.) aquella (that one over there - fem.) aquellas (those ones over there - fem.) Each demonstrative pronoun also has a neuter form. They do not change for number or gender, and they are used to refer to abstract ideas, or to an unknown object. esto (this matter, this thing) eso (that matter, that thing) aquello (that matter/thing over there) Note: The rule used to be that the demonstrative pronouns always carried a written accent, while the demonstrative adjectives did not. But in 1959 the Real Academia Española, the institution responsible for regulating the Spanish language, ruled in its revised spelling rules Nuevas normas that the written accent is only required to remove certain ambiguities, the type of which almost never appear in written Spanish. Thus, in practice, the written accent is not required. However, it should also be noted that not everyone has jumped on the RAE bandwagon, -- including Madrid's daily newspaper El País as well as the majority of Spanish grammars that you are likely to encounter.

First Person Commands ("nosotros")

Nosotros commands are used when the speaker is included, and are used to express the idea "let's + verb." To form these commands, use the nosotros form of the present subjunctive. Comamos allí. Let's eat there. Contemos el dinero. Let's count the money. To form the negative command, place the word no before the same verb form (present subjunctive). No comamos allí. Let's not eat there. No contemos el dinero. Let's not count the money. The only exception is the verb ir(se), which uses the present indicative for the affirmative command only. Vamos ahora. Let's go now. but No vayamos a la tienda. Let's not go to the store. As with other commands, a written accent is often required when pronouns are added. With affirmative commands, the final "s" of the verb form is dropped before adding the pronouns "nos" or "se." Sentemos + nos = Sentémonos. Let's sit down. Escribamos + se + la = Escribámosela. Let's write it to them. But not with negative commands. No nos sentemos. Let's not sit down. No se la escribamos. Let's not write it to them. Note that "Vamos a + infinitive" can also be used to convey the meaning "Let's ___." Note the two different ways of saying the same thing. Trabajemos juntos. Let's work together. Vamos a trabajar juntos. Let's work together. Let's add a flashcard for nosotros commands: Verb Flashcards Complete List Nosotros commands (let's ...). Use present subjunctive (except ir) Comamos allí. No comamos allí. Vamos ahora. No vayamos ahora.

Imperfect: Part III

One way to determine if a verb is actually the imperfect is to try substituting one of the following: was/were ...ing used to ... would (meaning used to) ... The following examples show how to use this substitution test for the imperfect: I worked in the agency during the day. I was working in the agency during the day. I visited my grandmother every day. I used to visit my grandmother every day. Every afternoon I took a nap. Every afternoon I would take a nap. One does not normally think of a general mental state or physical sensations as having a definite beginning or end, and so they are usually expressed in the imperfect. Ramón tenía miedo de hablar en público. Ramón was afraid to speak in public. Yo creía que Juan podía hacerlo. I thought that Juan could do it. Me gustaba el coche. I liked the car. (The car was pleasing to me.) The imperfect is used to describe how things were or what things were like. Use the imperfect when describing the characteristics of people, things or conditions. Era un muchacho muy inteligente. He was a very intelligent boy. Era una señorita muy guapa. She was a beautiful young lady. Las ventanas estaban abiertas. The windows were open. La casa era blanca. The house was white.

Irregular Comparatives

Recall from a previous lesson some examples of comparatives and superlatives: Tú eres más alto que yo. You are taller than I. Juan es el chico más inteligente de la clase. John is the smartest boy in the class. The following adjectives have irregular forms for the comparative and the superlative: Adjective: bueno (good) Comparative: mejor (better) Superlative: el/la mejor (best) Adjective: malo (bad) Comparative: peor (worse) Superlative: el/la peor (the worst) Note that the words más and menos are not used with the irregular comparatives. Correct: Este libro es bueno, pero ese libro es mejor. Correct: Esta película es mala, pero esa película es peor. With the irregular superlatives, the definite article is used. Este libro es bueno. This book is good. Ese libro es mejor. That book is better. Aquel libro es el mejor. That book over there is the best. Here are two more adjectives with irregular comparatives and superlatives: Adjective: grande (big) Comparative: mayor (older; greater) Superlative: el/la mayor (the oldest; the greatest) Adjective: pequeño (small) Comparative: menor (younger; less) Superlative: el/la menor (youngest; least) Note that when referring to size, grande and pequeño follow the normal rules for comparative and superlative forms. That is, they do not use the irregular forms menor and mayor. Esta casa es grande. This house is big. Esa casa es más grande. That house is bigger. Aquella casa es la más grande. That house over there is the biggest. When referring to age, use the irregular forms mayor and menor. Juan es menor que María. Juan is younger than Maria. María es la mayor de la familia. Maria is the oldest of the family. When referring to the concepts "less" or "greater", use the irregular forms mayor and menor. El agua es de mayor importancia que la comida. Water is more important than food. La comida es de menor importancia que el agua. Food is less important than water. The words joven and viejo are used for non-comparative descriptions of age. El niño es joven. The boy is young. El abuelo es viejo. The grandfather is old.

Informal Commands ("vosotros")

Remember that the "vosotros" verb forms are primarily used in Spain, and are not, by and large, used in Latin America. The affirmative vosotros command is formed by simply replacing the final "r" of the infinitive with "d." Comprad (vosotros) el anillo. (You-all) Buy the ring. Escribid (vosotros) la tarea. (You-all) Do the homework. Comprad (vosotros) los libros. (You-all) Buy the books. Comed (vosotros) la patata. (You-all) Eat the potato. As with the negative "tú" commands, the negative vosotros commands use the corresponding present subjunctive forms. No compréis (vosotros) el anillo. (You-all) Don't buy the ring. No escribáis (vosotros) la tarea. (You-all) Don't write the homework. No compréis (vosotros) los libros. (You-all) Don't buy the books. No comáis (vosotros) la patata. (You-all) Don't eat the potato. Remember, formal speech is generally used to be polite or to express respect. Informal, or familiar, speech is used among friends, coworkers, relatives, or when addressing a child. The pronouns (vosotros, vosotras) are not normally used. Comprad el anillo. (You-all) Buy the ring. No escribáis la tarea. (You-all) Don't write the homework. No compréis los libros. (You-all) Don't buy the books. Comed la patata. (You-all) Eat the potato. With affirmative commands using a reflexive verb, the final "d" of the verb form is dropped before adding the pronoun "os." Sentad + os = Sentaos. Sit down. The only exception is the verb "irse" which retains the final "d." ¡Idos! Go away! Verbs ending in "-ir" will require a written accent. Vestid + os = Vestíos. Get dressed. Let's add a flashcard for the informal vosotros commands: Verb Flashcards Complete List Informal (vosotros) Commands (Imperative) Affirmative: Change the final "r" of the infinitive to "d" Negative: Use the present subjunctive vosotros form Hablad. Speak. No habléis. Don't speak. Comed. Eat. No comáis. Don't eat. Escribid. Write. No escribáis. Don't write.

Preterite vs Imperfect: Part II

Remember, Spanish has two past tenses: preterite and imperfect. Most verbs can be put into either tense, depending upon the meaning. The preterite tells us specifically when an action took place. The imperfect tells us in general when an action took place. Some words and phrases indicate specific time frames, and therefore signal the use of the preterite. ayer (yesterday) anteayer (the day before yesterday) anoche (last night) desde el primer momento (from the first moment) durante dos siglos (for two centuries) el otro día (the other day) en ese momento (at that moment) entonces (then) esta mañana (this morning) esta tarde (this afternoon) la semana pasada (last week) el mes pasado (last month) el año pasado (last year) hace dos días, años (two days, years ago) ayer por la mañana (yesterday morning) ayer por la tarde (yesterday afternoon) Other words and phrases indicate repetitive, vague or non-specific time frames, and therefore signal the use of the imperfect. a menudo (often) a veces (sometimes) cada día (every day) cada semana (every week) cada mes (every month) cada año (every year) con frecuencia (frequently) de vez en cuando (from time to time) en aquella época (at that time) frecuentemente (frequently) generalmente (usually) muchas veces (many times) mucho (a lot) nunca (never) por un rato (for awhile) siempre (always) tantas veces (so many times) todas las semanas (every week) todos los días (every day) todo el tiempo (all the time) varias veces (several times) Some of these are more obvious than others. The sure-fire way to learn these is to practice, practice, practice! Speaking of practice, one of the most effective methods of practicing is your verb flashcards. Let's add two more flashcards so that you can become very familiar with the most common expressions that can provide a hint as to whether to use preterite or imperfect: Verb Flashcards Complete List Expressions that signal use of preterite ayer (yesterday) la semana pasada (last week) anoche (last night) el mes pasado (last month) el otro día (the other day) el año pasado (last year) entonces (then) hace dos días, años (two days, years ago) esta mañana (this morning) ayer por la mañana (yesterday morning) Expressions that signal use of imperfect a menudo (often) generalmente (usually) a veces (sometimes) muchas veces (many times) cada día (every day) siempre (always) cada año (every year) todo el tiempo (all the time) de vez en cuando (from time to time) varias veces (several times)

Direct Object Pronouns: Part II

Remember, a direct object receives the action of the verb. Bill hit the ball. "Ball" receives the action of the verb "hit." Sherry reads the book. "Book" receives the action of the verb "reads." And, the direct object can also be a person. Sherry hit Bill. (DO=Bill) Also, the direct object answers the question "what?" or "whom?" with regard to what the subject of the sentence is doing. Bill hit the ball. Bill hit what? The ball. Sherry hit Bill. Sherry hit whom? Bill. Often, it is desirable to replace the name of the direct object with a pronoun. Example 1 Paul bought the flowers. He took the flowers home and gave the flowers to his wife. Example 2 Paul bought the flowers. He took them home and gave them to his wife. When the pronoun replaces the name of the direct object, use the following pronouns: me (me) te (you-familiar) lo, la (him, her, it, you-formal) nos (us) os (you-all-familiar) los, las (them, you-all-formal) In a negative sentence with one verb, the direct object pronoun is placed between the negative word and the conjugated verb. Affirmative Sentence I buy the books. Compro los libros. Los compro. (I buy them.) Negative Sentence I don't buy the books. No compro los libros. No los compro. (I don't buy them.) Compare the following affirmative statements with their negative counterparts. Los compras. No los compras. Guadalupe siempre lo estudia. Guadalupe nunca lo estudia. Ellos nos conocen. Ellos no nos conocen. Remember, don't try to translate word-for-word. Instead, think in terms of phrases, or concepts. For example, the sentence "No los compras" contains two concepts: 1.los compras (you buy them) 2.no (makes the whole sentence negative)

Imperfect: Part II

Remember, the imperfect is used for past actions that are not seen as completed. Use of the imperfect tense implies that the past action did not have a definite beginning or a definite end. The imperfect tells when -- in general, an action occurred. Good news! There are only three irregular verbs in the imperfect. You must simply memorize them. ser ir ver era iba veía eras ibas veías era iba veía éramos íbamos veíamos erais ibais veíais eran iban veían To review some of the rules for using the imperfect: •The imperfect is used for actions that were repeated habitually. •The imperfect is used for actions that "set the stage" for another action. •The imperfect is used for telling time and stating one's age. Let's add another flashcard for the three irregular verbs in the imperfect tense: Verb Flashcards Complete List Imperfect: ser, ir, ver ser ir ver era iba veía eras ibas veías era iba veía éramos íbamos veíamos erais ibais veíais eran iban veían

Preterite vs Imperfect: Part I

Spanish has two past tenses: preterite and imperfect. Most verbs can be put into either tense, depending upon the meaning. In this lesson, you will learn to conjugate regular -ar verbs in the preterite and the imperfect. You will also learn the basic difference between the preterite and the imperfect, so that you can begin using them correctly. To conjugate regular -ar verbs in the preterite, simply drop the ending (-ar) and add one of the following: é aste ó amos asteis aron To conjugate regular -ar verbs in the imperfect, simply drop the ending (-ar) and add one of the following: aba abas aba ábamos abais aban Compare the verb "hablar" conjugated in the preterite and the imperfect. Preterite Imperfect hablé hablaba hablaste hablabas habló hablaba hablamos hablábamos hablasteis hablabais hablaron hablaban Generally speaking, the preterite is used for actions in the past that are seen as completed. Use of the preterite tense implies that the past action had a definite beginning and definite end. Juan habló de la una hasta las dos. Juan spoke from one until two o'clock. (clearly stated beginning and end) It is important to realize that the beginning and the end may not always be clearly stated. Juan habló dos horas. Juan spoke for two hours. (implied beginning and end) Juan habló con la estudiante. Juan spoke with the student. (implied beginning and end) Generally speaking, the imperfect is used for actions in the past that are not seen as completed. Use of the imperfect tense implies that the past action did not have a definite beginning or a definite end. Las chicas hablaban en inglés. The girls used to speak in English. (no definite beginning or end) You have now learned the basic difference between the preterite and the imperfect: •The preterite tells us specifically when an action took place. •The imperfect tells us in general when an action took place. Note: Although this difference may appear simple, this is actually a complex topic, and you will learn the finer points in later lessons. Let's add two more flashcards, one for regular -ar preterite, and one for regular -ar imperfect: Verb Flashcards Complete List Preterite: regular -ar verbs -é -aste -ó -amos -asteis -aron hablé, hablaste, habló, hablamos, hablasteis, hablaron Imperfect: regular -ar verbs -aba -abas -aba -ábamos -abais -aban hablaba, hablabas, hablaba, hablábamos, hablabais, hablaban

Tener que, Hay que

Tener que + infinitive is one way to express obligation or necessity. This expression can be translated as "someone has to do something." Tener is conjugated according to the subject of the sentence. Tengo que comer las verduras. I have to eat the vegetables. Ángel tiene que leer el periódico. Ángel has to read the newspaper. Ellos tienen que comprar una revista. They have to buy a magazine. Hay que + infinitive is used to express the idea of "one must do something" or, "it is necessary to do something." It is a more general expression and since there is no subject, the verb form hay is always used. Hay que tomar un taxi. It is necessary to take a taxi. Hay que estudiar mucho. One must study a lot. These examples illustrate the contrasting uses of these two expressions: María tiene un examen el lunes. Ella tiene que estudiar. María has a test on Monday. She has to study. No es fácil aprender el español. Hay que practicar mucho. It isn't easy to learn Spanish. It is necessary to practice a lot.

Irregular Commands ("tú")

The following eight verbs have irregular familiar commands in the affirmative: decir - di salir - sal hacer - haz ser - sé ir - ve tener - ten poner - pon venir - ven Note that these irregularities only occur with affirmative tú commands. As with all other verbs, to form negative informal commands with these verbs, use the "tú" form of the present subjunctive. Di la verdad. (Tell the truth.) No digas mentiras. (Don't tell lies.) Haz tu tarea. (Do your homework.) No hagas eso. (Don't do that.) Let's add another flashcard for the irregular tú commands: Verb Flashcards Complete List Irregular Informal (tú) Commands (Imperative) (Affirmative Only) decir - di salir - sal hacer - haz ser - sé ir - ve tener - ten poner - pon venir - ven

Preterite: Part V

The following verbs are irregular in the preterite and must be memorized: decir traer ver dije traje vi dijiste trajiste viste dijo trajo vio dijimos trajimos vimos dijisteis trajisteis visteis dijeron trajeron vieron Also like traer: atraer detraer distraer extraer maltraer retraer sustraer Verbs that end in -ucir are irregular and conjugated as follows: producir produje produjiste produjo produjimos produjisteis produjeron Other verbs in this category include: aducir conducir coproducir deducir inducir introducir reducir traducir That's right! More flashcards for the irregular preterites: Verb Flashcards Complete List preterite: decir, traer dije traje dijiste trajiste dijo trajo dijimos trajimos dijisteis trajisteis dijeron trajeron preterite: ver vi viste vio vimos visteis vieron preterite: -ucir (producir, conducir, traducir) produje produjiste produjo produjimos produjisteis produjeron

Verbs with Irregular First Persons

The following verbs have irregular forms for the first person singular of the present tense: caber (to fit) yo quepo caer (to fall) yo caigo conducir (to drive) yo conduzco conocer (to know, to be acquainted with) yo conozco escoger (to choose) yo escojo dirigir (to direct) yo dirijo hacer (to do, to make) yo hago poner (to put, to place) yo pongo saber (to know something - a fact) yo sé salir (to leave) yo salgo seguir (to follow) yo sigo traer (to bring) yo traigo valer (to be worth) yo valgo ver (to see) yo veo In addition to memorizing the above listed verbs, you should familiarize yourself with the following three rules: 1. For verbs that end in -cer and -cir, change the c to zc for the yo form: conocer (to know) yo conozco conducir (to drive) yo conduzco crecer (to grow) yo crezco traducir (to translate) yo traduzco establecer (to establish) yo establezco producir (to produce) yo produzco 2. For verbs that end in -ger and -gir, change the g to j for the yo form: escoger (to choose) yo escojo dirigir (to direct) yo dirijo emerger (to emerge) yo emerjo fingir (to pretend) yo finjo 3. For verbs that end in -guir, change the gu to g for the yo form: seguir (to follow) yo sigo conseguir (to get) yo consigo distinguir (to distinguish) yo distingo It is extremely important that you learn these verbs, because material covered later assumes that you have mastered this. At times, learning the irregular verbs may seem daunting, but it's not as bad as it seems. Your best tool is your verb flashcards, which should be separate from any other flashcards you might be using. Add the following 14 verb flashcards to your collection: Verb Flashcards Complete List caber (to fit) yo quepo caer (to fall) yo caigo conducir (to drive) yo conduzco conocer (to know, to be acquainted with) yo conozco escoger (to choose) yo escojo dirigir (to direct) yo dirijo hacer (to do, to make) yo hago poner (to put, to place) yo pongo saber (to know something - a fact) yo sé salir (to leave) yo salgo seguir (to follow) yo sigo traer (to bring) yo traigo valer (to be worth) yo valgo ver (to see) yo veo

Future Tense

The future tense is used to tell what "will" happen, or what "shall" happen. I will go to the beach next month. I shall write the letter next week. But, the future tense is not used to express a willingness to do something. For this, use the verb "querer." ¿Quieres ir a la tienda? Will you go to the store? The future tense is also used to express wonder or probability in the present state. ¿Quién será ella? I wonder who she is? (Who could she be?) Estará viajando solo. He is probably traveling alone. For actions that will occur in the near future, the present tense is more commonly used. Esta noche voy al cine. Tonight I'm going to the movies. Further in the future, use the future tense. El año que viene iré a España. Next year I'm going to Spain. Regular verbs in the future tense are conjugated by adding the following endings to the infinitive form of the verb: -é, -ás, -á, -emos, -éis, -án. hablaré hablarás hablará hablaremos hablaréis hablarán There are twelve common verbs that are irregular in the future tense. Their endings are regular, but their stems change. Since the endings are the same as all other future tense verbs, we show only the "yo" form, and have underlined the irregular stem. We have also grouped them according to their patterns of change. caber yo cabré poner yo pondré decir yo diré haber yo habré salir yo saldré hacer yo haré poder yo podré tener yo tendré querer yo querré valer yo valdré saber yo sabré venir yo vendré Note that compound verbs based on the irregular verbs inherit the same irregularities. Here are a few examples: desquerer yo desquerré resaber yo resabré anteponer yo antepondré mantener yo mantendré prevaler yo prevaldré Let's add two flashcards for the future tense: Verb Flashcards Complete List Future Tense Infinitive + ending (-é, -ás, -á, -emos, -éis, -án) Future Tense Irregulars caber yo cabré poner yo pondré decir yo diré haber yo habré salir yo saldré hacer yo haré poder yo podré tener yo tendré querer yo querré valer yo valdré saber yo sabré venir yo vendré

The meaning of ya

The most common meanings of ya are "now" and "already," although it can even mean "later." Often, it signifies a slight amount of impatience, although it sometimes can indicate satisfaction or agreement with the person being spoken to. As you might have guessed, it's a word you'll come across more often in informal conversation than you will in formal writing. Following are some examples of ya in use. Please note that many of the sentences given could be translated or understood differently, again depending on the context in which they're spoken and sometimes the intonation. • already (the most common meaning when used with a verb in a past tense): Lo he leído ya. I've already read it. El lunes ya lo habré visto. By Monday I will have already seen it. • now (especially when describing an anticipated action): Ya está aquí. She's here now. Ya salen. They're leaving now. • now, already (when expressing surprise): ¿Sales ya? You're leaving already? You're leaving now? • right now: Lo quiero ya. I want it right now. Tienes que estudiar ya. You need to study right now. • still, any more (especially when used in the negative): Ya no trabaja aquí. He doesn't work here any more. • to note that a wish has been satisfied: ¡Ya conseguí el trabajo! I got the job! Ya entiendo. Now I understand. • to indicate frustration: ¡Basta ya! Enough already! ¡Ya está bien! That's plenty! ¡Ya era hora! It's about time! • to indicate emphasis: ¡Ya lo sé! I already know that! Es difícil, ya verás. It's difficult, you'll see. Ya puedes empezar a estudiar. You had better start studying. El no comió, que ya es decir. He didn't eat, which is saying something. Ya me gustaría ser inteligente. I'd love to be intelligent. • later (to indicate something will happen in the indefinite future): Ya ocurriré. It'll happen. Ya lo haré. I'll get it done. • to express agreement (or, with an ironic tone, to express incredulity): ¡Ya, ya! Oh, sure! Ya, y el papa es luterano. Sure, and the pope is Lutheran. Ya, pero es difícil. Yes, but it's difficult. • to call attention to something: Ya que no está aquí, podemos salir. Since he's not here, we can leave. • to offer reassurance: Ya aprobarás el examen. You'll pass the test. Ya verás. You'll see.

Relative Pronouns: que

The next few lessons will cover a subject called "relative pronouns." Remember, pronouns are words that refer to a noun. Relative pronouns are called "relative" because they are "related" to a noun that has previously been stated. One way to view relative pronouns is to recognize that they combine two sentences that share a common noun. In the following example, the common noun is "milk" or "leche." ¿Dónde está la leche? Where is the milk? Compraste leche. You bought milk. ¿Dónde está la leche que compraste? Where is the milk that you bought? Another way to view relative pronouns is to recognize that they are used to introduce a clause that modifies a noun. In the following example, the clause "I finished last night" modifies the noun "book." Terminé el libro anoche. I finished the book last night. El libro es muy extenso. The book is very long. El libro que terminé anoche es muy extenso. The book that I finished last night is very long. The most common relative pronoun, and the one used in the previous two examples is "que". It can be used to refer to both persons and things, in either the subject or the object position. "Que" is the Spanish equivalent of the English words: who, whom, which, and that. El hombre que es pobre ... (person, subject) The man who is poor ... Los libros que son extensos ... (thing, subject) The books which are long ... La señorita que conocí ... (person, object) The young lady whom I met ... La carta que leíste ... (thing, object) The letter that you read ... The relative pronoun is often omitted in English, but it is never omitted in Spanish. La casa que compramos es nueva. The house (that) we bought is new. El programa que miraba era cómico. The show (that) I was watching was comical.

Relative Pronouns and Adjectives: Review

The past few lessons have covered the subject of "relative pronouns." The most common relative pronoun is "que". It can be used to refer to both persons and things, in either the subject or the object position. "Que" is the Spanish equivalent of the English words who, whom, which, and that. El hombre que es pobre ... (person, subject) The man who is poor ... Los libros que son extensos ... (thing, subject) The books which are long ... La señorita que conocí ... (person, object) The young lady whom I met ... La carta que leiste ... (thing, object) The letter that you read ... The relative pronoun "quien" is used only to refer to people, and has a plural form "quienes". (There is no masculine/feminine distinction.) Mi tío, quien es profesor, viene a visitarme hoy día. My uncle, who is a professor, is coming to visit me today. When the relative pronoun refers to a person and is in the direct object position, either "que" or "a quien" may be used. Each is correct. Notice that the "personal a" is used with "quien" but in not use with "que". La señorita que conocí anoche es la hermana de Raquel. La señorita a quien conocí anoche es la hermana de Raquel. The young lady whom I met last night is Raquel's sister. When the relative pronoun refers to a person and occurs after a preposition, "quien" must be used. After a preposition, "que" is only used to refer to things. Los chicos, con quienes fuimos a la playa, son nuestros amigos. The boys, with whom we went to the beach, are our friends. El libro en que pienso es extenso, no es corto. The book I'm thinking of is long, not short. The relative pronoun "el que" (and its related forms) is used to refer to both people and things. Note that there are four forms to accommodate singular and plural, masculine and feminine: el que, la que, los que, las que. Mi tía, la que es profesora, viene a visitarme hoy día. My aunt, the one who is a professor, is coming to visit me today. Las mesas, las que son de plástico, son baratas. The tables, the ones that are made of plastic, are cheap. Mi tío, el que es taxista, llegará pronto. My uncle, the one who is a taxi driver, will arrive soon. Mis pantalones, los que son viejos, son muy cómodos. My pants, the ones that are old, are very comfortable. Another set of relative pronouns can be used in place of el que, la que, los que, and las que: el cual la cual los cuales las cuales These are not commonly used in everyday conversation, and are generally reserved for written Spanish or formal oratory. When the relative pronoun refers to an abstract idea, use "lo que". Lo que quieres no existe. That which you want does not exist. No comprendo lo que ocurre. I do not understand that which is happening. The relative adjective "cuyo" (and its related forms) relates the owner to that which is owned, as does the English "whose". Note that there are four forms to accommodate singular and plural, masculine and feminine: cuyo, cuya, cuyos, cuyas. La niña, cuyo padre es profesor, es muy simpática. The girl, whose father is profesor, is very nice. El hombre, cuya madre murió, escribió su biografía. The man, whose mother died, wrote her biography. El coche, cuyos faros no funcionan, es un peligro. The car, whose lights do not work, is a danger. Pedro, cuyas hermanas son guapas, es mi amigo. Pedro, whose sisters are beautiful, is my friend. Note that the adjective agrees in number and gender with the thing being owned, not with the owner: La niña, cuyo padre es profesor, es muy simpática. El hombre, cuya madre murió, escribió su biografía. El coche, cuyos faros no funcionan, es un peligro. Pedro, cuyas hermanas son guapas, es mi amigo. The relative pronoun is often omitted in English, but it is never omitted in Spanish. La casa que compramos es nueva. The house (that) we bought is new. El programa que miraba era cómico. The show (that) I was watching was comical. In English, although it is technically incorrect, common usage often finds a sentence ending in a preposition. Notice that this never occurs in Spanish. Ella es la señorita en quien estoy pensando. She is the young lady I'm thinking about. / She is the young lady about whom I'm thinking. Mi padre es la persona a quien envío la carta. My father is the person I'm sending the letter to. / My father is the person to whom I'm sending the letter.

Past Participle

The past participle will be important in future lessons covering the perfect tenses. To form the past participle, simply drop the infinitive ending (-ar, -er, -ir) and add -ado (for -ar verbs) or -ido (for -er, -ir verbs). hablar - ar + ado = hablado comer - er + ido = comido vivir - ir + ido = vivido The following common verbs have irregular past participles: abrir (to open) - abierto (open) cubrir (to cover) - cubierto (covered) decir (to say) - dicho (said) escribir (to write) - escrito (written) freír (to fry) - frito (fried) hacer (to do) - hecho (done) morir (to die) - muerto (dead) poner (to put) - puesto (put) resolver (to resolve) - resuelto (resolved) romper (to break) - roto (broken) ver (to see) - visto (seen) volver (to return) - vuelto (returned) Note that compound verbs based on the irregular verbs inherit the same irregularities. Here are a few examples: componer - compuesto describir - descrito devolver - devuelto Most past participles can be used as adjectives. Like other adjectives, they agree in gender and number with the nouns that they modify. La puerta está cerrada. The door is closed. Las puertas están cerradas. The doors are closed. El restaurante está abierto. The restaurant is open. Los restaurantes están abiertos. The restaurants are open. The past participle can be combined with the verb "ser" to express the passive voice. Use this construction when an action is being described, and introduce the doer of the action with the word "por." La casa fue construida por los carpinteros. The house was built by the carpenters. La tienda es abierta todos los días por el dueño. The store is opened every day by the owner. Note that for -er and -ir verbs, if the stem ends in a vowel, a written accent will be required. creer - creído oír - oído Note: this rule does not apply, and no written accent is required for verbs ending in -uir. (construir, seguir, influir, distinguir, etc.) Let's add two more flashcards for the past participles, since they will later be used for the perfect tenses: Verb Flashcards Complete List Past Participle Infinitive - ending + ado/ido (hablado, comido, vivido) Past Participle Irregulars abrir (to open) - abierto (open) cubrir (to cover) - cubierto (covered) decir (to say) - dicho (said) escribir (to write) - escrito (written) freír (to fry) - frito (fried) hacer (to do) - hecho (done) morir (to die) - muerto (dead) poner (to put) - puesto (put) resolver (to resolve) - resuelto (resolved) romper (to break) - roto (broken) ver (to see) - visto (seen) volver (to return) - vuelto (returned)

Present Progressive

The present progressive is formed by combining the verb "to be" with the present participle. (The present participle is merely the "-ing" form of a verb.) I am studying. I am studying with María. In English, present progressive can be used to describe what is happening now, or what will happen in the future. I am studying now. I am studying with María tonight. In Spanish, the present progressive is only used to describe an action that is in the process of taking place. It is not used for future actions. I am studying now. (use present progressive) I am studying with María tonight. (do not use present progressive) To form the present progressive in Spanish, combine a form of "estar" with the present participle. Estoy hablando. I am speaking. Juan está comiendo. John is eating. María está escribiendo una carta. Mary is writing a letter. In order to form the present progressive, you must know how to conjugate the verb estar, and how to form the present participle. You already know how to conjugate the verb estar: estar estoy estás está estamos estáis están To form the present participle of regular -ar verbs, add -ando to the stem of the verb. hablar: hablando (hablar - ar + ando) trabajar: trabajando (trabajar - ar + ando) estudiar: estudiando (estudiar - ar + ando) To form the present participle of regular -er and -ir verbs, add -iendo to the stem of the verb. comer: comiendo (comer - er + iendo) hacer: haciendo (hacer - er + iendo) vivir: viviendo (vivir - ir + iendo) escribir: escribiendo (escribir - ir + iendo) To form the present participle of -ir stem changing verbs, change e:i and o:u in the stem, and then add -iendo to the stem of the verb. servir: sirviendo pedir: pidiendo decir: diciendo dormir: durmiendo morir: muriendo poder: pudiendo Sometimes when forming the present participle it is necessary to change the spelling of a word so that it agrees with the way it is pronounced. We call this an "orthographic" change. Here are some common examples: caer: cayendo creer: creyendo huir: huyendo ir: yendo influir: influyendo oír: oyendo traer: trayendo leer: leyendo seguir: siguiendo The following examples illustrate the rules for forming the present participle. hablar: hablando (-ar) comer: comiendo (-er) vivir: viviendo (-ir) decir: diciendo (e:i) dormir: durmiendo (o:u) leer: leyendo (orthographic) seguir: siguiendo (orthographic) To form the present progressive, simply conjugate the verb estar to agree with the subject of the sentence, and follow it with the present participle. Juan está comiendo pan. John is eating bread. María y Carmen están hablando con nosotros. Mary and Carmen are speaking with us. Remember, only use the present progressive for actions that are "in progress." Compare the uses of the present indicative with the uses of the present progressive. Estudio español. (Present Indicative) I study Spanish. I am studying Spanish (these days). I do study Spanish. Estoy estudiando español. (Present Progressive) I am studying (right now, at this moment) Spanish. It is important to remember that you would never use the present progressive to say something like "We are going to Spain this summer." Use present progressive only for actions that are "in progress." Let's add two more verb flashcards: one for present progressive and one for practice in forming the present participle: Verb Flashcards Complete List Present Progressive estar + present participle I am speaking (right now, at this moment) Never use present progressive for something that will occur in the future. Present Participle (-ando, -iendo, yendo) hablar - hablando (-ar) comer - comiendo (-er) vivir - viviendo (-ir) decir - diciendo (e:i) dormir - durmiendo (o:u) leer - leyendo (orthographic) seguir: siguiendo (orthographic)

Time Expressions with "hacer"

The verb "hacer" can be used in a number of ways to indicate the length of time an action has been taking place. The first way uses the formula: Hace + time + que + present tense form of the verb Hace un año que estudio español. I have been studying Spanish for one year. Hace dos años que ellas estudian inglés. They have been studying English for two years. To make this type of expression negative, just add the word "no" before the verb, as in the following formula: Hace + time + que + no + present tense form of the verb Hace un año que no estudio español. I haven't studied Spanish for a year. Hace dos años que ellas no estudian inglés. They haven't studied English for two years. Another way to use the verb "hacer" to express how long something has been taking place is to use the following formula: Present tense form of the verb + desde hace + time Estudio español desde hace un año. I have been studying Spanish for one year. Ellas estudian inglés desde hace dos años. They have been studying English for two years. To make this type of expression negative, again simply add the word "no" before the verb, as in the following formula: No + present tense form of the verb + desde hace + time No estudio español desde hace un año. I haven't studied Spanish for a year. Ellas no estudian inglés desde hace dos años. They haven't studied English for two years. So, when it comes to using the verb "hacer" to express the length of time an action has been taking place, there are two ways to say the same thing: Estudio español desde hace un año. Hace un año que estudio español. I have been studying Spanish for one year.

The Verb Form "hay"

The verb form "hay" has two meanings: there is there are Examples: Hay muchos libros en la biblioteca. There are many books in the library. Hay un libro encima de la mesa. There is a book on the table. Más ejemplos: Hay dos baños en mi casa. There are two baths in my house. Hay cuatro océanos en el mundo. There are 4 oceans in the world. Hay un libro y una pluma en la mesa. There is one book and one pen on the table. or: There is a book and a pen on the table. When used in questions, "hay" has two different meanings: Is there? Are there? Ejemplos: ¿Hay un hotel en el centro? Is there a hotel downtown? ¿Hay algunos libros por aquí? Are there any books around here? Más ejemplos: ¿Hay muchos estudiantes en la clase? Are there lots of students in the class? ¿Hay cuatro sillas en el cuarto? Are there 4 chairs in the room? ¿Hay una chica o dos? Is there one girl or two? The verb form "hay" can also be used to answer questions. ¿Hay un hotel en el centro? Is there a hotel downtown? Sí. Sí hay. Yes. Yes there is. ¿Hay algunos libros por aquí? Are there any books around here? No. No hay. No. No there aren't. It is vital that you begin a collection of verb flashcards. This will be your key to success in mastering the Spanish verbs. We will tell you when you need to add a card to this collection. Begin by creating a card with the verb form "hay" on one side, and the English translations on the other side: Verb Flashcards Complete List hay there is, there are

Telling Time

The verb ser is used to express the time of day. Use es when referring to "one o'clock" and use son when referring to all other hours. Es la una. It's one o'clock. Son las dos. It's two o'clock. The feminine article (la, las) is used before the hour because it refers to "la hora." Es la una. It's one o'clock. Son las dos. It's two o'clock. Minutes can be added to the hour using the word y (and). Es la una y cinco. It's five minutes past one. Son las tres y doce. It's twelve minutes past three. Minutes can be subtracted from the hour using the word menos (less). Es la una menos cinco. It's five minutes till one. Son las tres menos doce. It's twelve minutes till three. You can also use the words media (half) and cuarto (quarter). Es la una y media. It's half past one. Son las dos y cuarto. It's quarter past two. Son las tres menos cuarto. It's quarter till three. To say something occurs at a specific time, use the formula a + la(s) + time. La fiesta empieza a las nueve. The party begins at nine o'clock. El banco abre a las ocho y media. The bank opens at half past eight. To differentiate between a.m. and p.m. use the expressions de la mañana, de la tarde and de la noche. Son las dos de la tarde. It's two in the afternoon. Son las dos de la mañana. It's two in the morning. Son las diez de la noche. It's ten in the evening. When no specific time is mentioned, use the expressions por la mañana, por la tarde, por la noche. Siempre leo el periódico por las mañanas. I always read the newspaper in the morning. Here are a number of useful time expressions: por la mañana in the morning (no specific time) de la mañana in the morning (specific time) por la tarde in the afternoon (no specific time) de la tarde in the afternoon (specific time) por la noche in the evening or night (no specific time) de la noche in the evening or night (specific time) la mañana morning el mañana morrow, future mañana por la mañana tomorrow morning pasado mañana the day after tomorrow ayer yesterday anoche last night la noche anterior, anteanoche the night before last el lunes que viene next Monday la semana que viene next week el año que viene next year el lunes pasado last Monday la semana pasada last week el año pasado last year al mediodía at noon a la medianoche at midnight alrededor de around de día days durante el día during the day a tiempo on time en punto exactly, on-the-dot tarde late temprano early

Superlatives

There are two types of superlative: relative and absolute. Relative: John is the smartest boy in the class. Absolute: John is very smart. The relative superlative describes a noun within the context of some larger group. John is the smartest boy in the class. Mary is the youngest person in the room. Of the three, Moe is the meanest. The absolute superlative does not describe the noun in the context of a larger group. John is very smart. The book is extremely expensive. The food is indescribably tasty. In English, the relative superlative is formed by using the word "most" or the ending "-est." John is the most intelligent boy in the class. Mary is the smartest girl in the class. In Spanish, the relative superlative construction is similar to the comparative. definite article + noun + más (menos) + adjective + de Here are some superlative examples. Juan es el chico más inteligente de la clase. John is the smartest boy in the class. Bill Gates es el hombre más rico de los EEUU. Bill Gates is the richest man in the U.S. Just like in English, the noun can be omitted. All of the following are correct. María es la chica más delgada de la clase. Mary is the thinnest girl in the class. María es la más delgada de la clase. Mary is the thinnest in the class. The absolute superlative for adjectives has three possible forms. muy + adjective sumamente + adjective adjective + ísimo (-a, -os, -as) The following translations are somewhat arbitrary. Each superlative statement is a little stronger than the one that precedes it. muy guapo very handsome sumamente guapo extremely handsome guapísimo indescribably handsome

Verbs Like Gustar

This is a good time to discuss the verb "gustar" because using it requires use of the IO pronouns. Me gusta el cuarto. I like the room. Nos gustan los libros. We like the books. In English, the following sentences are correct: I like the room. We like the books. Examine the same sentences more closely. I like the room. I = subject of sentence like = verb the room = direct object We like the books. We = subject of sentence like = verb the books = direct object In English, it is correct to construct a sentence that has the subject "liking" a direct object. In Spanish, this never occurs. In Spanish, a different construction is used. English: I like the room. Spanish: The room is pleasing to me. English: We like the books. Spanish: The books are pleasing to us. The first thing you need to notice is that both versions really mean the same thing. They are merely different expressions of the same idea. Idea: My feelings with regard to the book are positive. English Way: I like the book. Spanish Way: The book is pleasing to me. The second thing to notice is that in English, the subject of the sentence is the person (I, we) while in Spanish the subject of the sentence is the object (room, books). The room is pleasing to me. Subject: The room I like the room. Subject: I Finally notice that while the English sentence has a direct object, the Spanish sentence has an indirect object. The room is pleasing to me. me = Indirect Object I like the room. room = Direct Object Let's study the following example: Me gustan los libros. Literal Translation: To me are pleasing the books. Actual Translation: I like the books. Notice that gustar is conjugated as "gustan" not "gusto." A common mistake is to say "Me gusto los libros." This is incorrect because the subject of the sentence is "los libros" even though it comes at the end. Remember, the verb is conjugated to agree with the subject of the sentence. Me gustan los libros. (I like the books.) Notice that the conjugation of gustar changes to "gusta" when the subject of the sentence is singular. Me gusta el libro. (I like the book.) Since the subject of the sentence must be either singular (book) or plural (books), the only forms of gustar you will use are "gusta" and "gustan." This is true regardless of what IO pronoun appears in the sentence. Me gusta el libro. I like the book. Te gusta el libro. You like the book. Nos gusta el libro. We like the book. Me gustan los libros. I like the books. Te gustan los libros. You like the books. Nos gustan los libros. We like the books. Remember, gustar becomes either gusta or gustan, depending upon whether the subject of the sentence is singular or plural. It has nothing to do with which IO pronoun is used. Subject is singular - use gusta Me gusta el libro. Te gusta el libro. Subject is plural - use gustan Me gustan los libros. Te gustan los libros. Remember, the IO pronoun is not the subject of the sentence! Nos gustamos ... incorrect! Te gustas ... incorrect! Here are some examples of the correct use of gustar. Notice that the only forms of gustar that appear are gusta and gustan, even though each of the IO pronouns is used. Singular Subject Plural Subject Me gusta la casa. Me gustan las casas. Te gusta el cuarto. Te gustan los cuartos. Le gusta la silla. Le gustan las sillas. Nos gusta el hotel. Nos gustan los hoteles. Os gusta la comida. Os gustan las comidas. Les gusta el reloj. Les gustan los relojes. Look more closely at one example: Le gusta la silla. It is impossible to tell whether this means: 1.He likes the chair. 2.She likes the chair. 3.You (usted) like the chair. For purposes of clarification, the sentence will often begin with a prepositional phrase that clarifies just who the IO pronoun refers to. A él le gusta la silla. He likes the chair. A Juan le gusta la silla. John likes the chair. A ella le gusta la silla. She likes the chair. A María le gusta la silla. Mary likes the chair. A usted le gusta la silla. You (formal) like the chair. As you can see, by adding a prepositional phrase, we remove the ambiguity of the "le" form. You can also use a prepositional phrase to add emphasis, even if there is no ambiguity. 1. A Juan le gusta el café. John likes coffee. 2. A mí me gusta el té. I like tea. In the first example, "a Juan" clarifies the ambiguous pronoun "le." In the second example, there is no ambiguity. "Me gusta el té" can only mean "I like tea." In this case, "a mí" adds emphasis, drawing attention to the fact that tea is what I like (as contrasted with what Juan likes). Another way to look at it: John likes coffee. Me, I like tea. A Juan le gusta el café. A mí me gusta el té. Now that you know how to correctly use the verb gustar, here is a list of verbs that operate in the same manner: aburrir to bore fascinar to be fascinating to bastar to be sufficient importar to be important to caer bien (mal) to (not) suit interesar to be interesting to dar asco to be loathsome molestar to be a bother disgustar to hate something parecer to appear to be doler (o:ue) to be painful picar to itch encantar to "love" something quedar to be left over, remain faltar to be lacking something volver (o:ue) loco to be crazy about The practice exercises focus on 5 useful verbs: gustar faltar molestar parecer disgustar Note that all of the other verbs listed above behave in the same fashion as the five practice verbs.

Volver a + infinitive

To do something again volver a + infinitive = to do something again Vuelvo a leer el libro. I read the book again. Cristina vuelve a conversar con mi mamá. Christina speaks with my mom again. Remember, volver is an o:ue stem-changing verb. vuelvo vuelves vuelve volvemos volvéis vuelven (vuelvo, vuelves, vuelve, volvemos, volvéis, vuelven) volver a + infinitive = to do something again

Acabar de + infinitive

To have just done something (acabo, acabas, acaba, acabamos, acabáis, acaban) In Spanish, many useful expressions are formed by combining two verbs. When this occurs, the first verb is conjugated, while the second verb remains in the infinitive form. Yo voy a viajar a España. I am going to travel to Spain. Tú acabas de comer. You have just eaten. Juan puede nadar cada día. Juan can swim every day. María vuelve a leer el libro. María reads the book again. One such expression combines the verb acabar (conjugated) with an infinitive. The preposition "de" is always used. The formula is: acabar de + infinitive = to have just done something (in the very recent past) Acabo de llevar a mi hermana a su casa. I just took my sister to her house. Acabas de invitar a muchas muchachas. You have just invited many girls. Cristina acaba de conversar con mi mamá. Christina has just spoken with my mom. Nosotros acabamos de leer el libro. We just read the book. Vosotros acabáis de escribir unas cartas. You-all have just written some letters. Ellos acaban de nadar en el mar. They have just swum in the ocean.

Possessive Pronouns

We begin this lesson with a review of the difference between an adjective and a pronoun. adjective describes a noun pronoun takes the place of a noun Look at the following sentence pairs. One has an adjective, while the other has a pronoun. My book is large. (adjective, describes book) Yours is small. (pronoun, takes the place of noun) Your car is green. (adjective, describes car) Mine is red. (pronoun, takes the place of noun) Now, let's look at each sentence a little more closely. My book is large. My is an adjective because it modifies, or describes the noun "book." Furthermore, it is a "possessive" adjective because it tells who owns, or possesses, the book. Yours is small. Yours is a pronoun, because it replaces or takes the place of a noun. In this case, the previous sentence tells us that "yours" is replacing the noun "book." Furthermore, it is a "possessive" pronoun because it tells who owns, or possesses, the noun it is replacing. Your car is green. Your is an adjective because it modifies the noun "car." Furthermore, it is a "possessive" adjective because it tells who owns, or possesses, the car. Mine is red. Mine is a pronoun, because it replaces or takes the place of a noun. In this case, the previous sentence tells us that "mine" is replacing the noun "car." Furthermore, it is a "possessive" pronoun because it tells who owns, or possesses, the noun it is replacing. So far, we have been talking about the difference between the possessive adjective and the possessive pronoun. You will recall that in a previous lesson, you already learned about the possessive adjectives. mi(s) my mi libro mis plumas tu(s) your (fam. sing.) tu libro tus plumas su(s) his, her, your (formal), their su libro sus plumas nuestro(-a, -os, -as) our nuestro libro nuestras plumas vuestro(-a, -os, -as) your (fam. pl.) vuestro libro vuestras plumas The possessive pronouns are similar to the possessive adjectives, but they are normally used with the definite article. mine el mío / la mía los míos / las mías yours (familiar) el tuyo / la tuya los tuyos / las tuyas yours (formal), his, hers el suyo / la suya los suyos / las suyas ours el nuestro / la nuestra los nuestros / las nuestras yours (familiar) el vuestro / la vuestra los vuestros / las vuestras yours (formal), theirs el suyo / la suya los suyos / las suyas Now let's translate our model sentences: Mi libro es grande. My book is large. El tuyo es pequeño. Yours is small. Tu carro es verde. Your car is green. El mío es rojo. Mine is red. The previous translations assume that you are talking to a friend, or someone you know well, and are using the informal "tú" form of speech. But remember, Spanish also has a more formal form of speech. Notice how the same sentences change if we assume that you are talking to someone in a position of authority, using the more formal "usted" form of speech. Mi libro es grande. (no change) My book is large. El suyo es pequeño. (formal) Yours (formal) is small. Su carro es verde. (formal) Your (formal) car is green. El mío es rojo. (no change) Mine is red. The definite article is usually omitted when the possessive pronoun comes after the verb ser: El carro grande es mío. The big car is mine. El carro pequeño es suyo. The small car is hers. Notice the following ambiguity: El carro grande es suyo. The big car is his. El carro grande es suyo. The big car is hers. El suyo, la suya, los suyos, las suyas can be clarified as follows: El carro grande es suyo. The big car is his. (unclarified) El carro grande es de él. The big car is his. (clarified) La casa pequeña es suya. The small house is hers. (unclarified) La casa pequeña es de ella. The small house is hers. (clarified) Los carros grandes son suyos. The big cars are theirs. (unclarified) Los carros grandes son de ellas. The big cars are theirs. (clarified) Las casas pequeñas son suyas. The small houses are theirs. (unclarified) Las casas pequeñas son de ellos. The small houses are theirs. (clarified) Note: de + el are contracted to form "del," however, de + él are not contracted.

Relative Adjectives: cuyo, cuya, cuyos, cuyas

We include the relative adjective "cuyo" (and its related forms) in this discussion because it relates the owner to that which is owned, as does the English "whose". Note that there are four forms to accomodate singular and plural, masculine and feminine: cuyo, cuya, cuyos, cuyas. La niña, cuyo padre es profesor, es muy simpática. The girl, whose father is a professor, is very nice. El hombre, cuya madre murió, escribió su biografía. The man, whose mother died, wrote her biography. El coche, cuyos faros no funcionan, es un peligro. The car, whose lights do not work, is a danger. Pedro, cuyas hermanas son guapas, es mi amigo. Pedro, whose sisters are beautiful, is my friend. Note that the adjective agrees in number and gender with the thing being owned, not with the owner: La niña, cuyo padre es profesor, es muy simpática. El hombre, cuya madre murió, escribió su biografía. El coche, cuyos faros no funcionan, es un peligro. Pedro, cuyas hermanas son guapas, es mi amigo.

Indirect Commands

When the command is given through a third party, indirect commands are used. The form is "que + present subjunctive." Que entre María. Let María come in. Que vengan a las cuatro. Have them come at four o'clock. Indirect commands are also used to convey a hope or a wish. Que lo hagas tú. (I want) You (to) do it. Que vivas para siempre. May you live forever. The following examples include pronouns and negative commands. Que ellos entren ahora. Let them in now. Que no entren ellos ahora. Don't let them in now. Que se ponga Sara el vestido negro. Have Sara put on the black dress. Que no se ponga Sara el vestido blanco. Don't have Sara put on the white dress. Let's add a flashcard for indirect commands: Verb Flashcards Complete List Indirect commands Use "que + present subjunctive" Que entre María. Let María come in. Que vengan a las cuatro. Have them come at four o'clock.

Comparisons of Equality

When things being compared have equal characteristics, the comparison of equality is used. The book is as good as the movie. The boy is as tall as the girl. To form the comparisons of equality using adjectives or adverbs, use the following formula: tan + adjective (adverb) + como El libro es tan bueno como la película. (The book is as good as the movie.) El chico es tan alto como la chica. (The boy is as tall as the girl.) To form comparisons of equality with nouns, use the following formula: tanto(-a,-os,-as) + noun + como Juan tiene tanto dinero como María. (as much money as) Él tiene tanta paciencia como ella. (as much patience as) Tiene tantos libros como ella. (as many books as) Tiene tantas plumas como ella. (as many pens as) Choose the form of tanto to agree with the noun it modifies. tanto dinero tanta paciencia tantos libros tantas plumas When actions (not things) are being compared, and there is no adjective, use the following formula: verb + tanto + como Sus estudiantes aprenden tanto como mis estudiantes. (learn as much as) Rosario cocina tanto como Josefina. (cooks as much as) Las naranjas cuestan tanto como las manzanas. (cost as much as) When actions (not things) are being compared, and there is an adjective, use the following formula: verb + tan + adjective (masculine form) + como Aquí se trabaja tan duro como ahí. (work as hard as) El niño juega tan poco como la niña. (plays as little as) Ellos duermen tan poco como ella. (sleep as little as)

Ser and Estar: Part I

Whole books have been written about the two important Spanish verbs: ser and estar. This will be the subject of our discussion for the next few lessons. Soon, you will have a very good understanding of how these two verbs are used. Ser and estar can both be translated as "to be." Here is the English verb, fully conjugated: to be I am you are he/she is we are you-all are they are Notice that these two sentences can have different meanings in English. The apple is green. (Meaning the apple is not ripe.) The apple is green. (Meaning the color of the apple is green.) In the first case, our example speaks of the condition of the apple. The apple is green because it has not yet ripened. When the condition of the apple changes, that is, when it has ripened, it will no longer be green, it will be ripe. In the second case, our example speaks of the essential characteristics of the apple. The apple is green in color. This particular apple remains green even after it has ripened. In English, the verb "to be" can be used to tell how something is (the condition) and what something is (the essence). How is the apple? It is unripe. What color is the apple? It is green. In Spanish, a different verb is used to express "to be" depending on whether the speaker intends to address a condition or an essential quality. La manzana está verde. The apple is green. (condition) La manzana es verde. The apple is green. (essence) Note how the adjective "verde" actually changes meaning, depending upon whether it is used with ser or estar. La manzana está verde. (condition: verde = unripe) La manzana es verde. (essential characteristic: verde = color green) To address condition, use estar. Estar is an irregular verb. It does not follow the standard rules of conjugation for regular -ar verbs. Therefore, you must memorize it. estar estoy estás está estamos estáis están To address an essential quality, use ser. Ser is also irregular and must be memorized. ser soy eres es somos sois son If you are talking about what something is, use ser; if you are talking about how something is, use estar. What is she like? She is quiet. Use ser: Ella es callada. How is she acting? She is being quiet. Use estar: Ella está callada. Let's add the two important verbs ser and estar to our set of verb flashcards: Verb Flashcards Complete List ser (to be) soy eres es somos sois son estar (to be) estoy estás está estamos estáis están

Using Object Pronouns with Commands

With all affirmative commands, the object pronouns are attached directly to the end of the imperative form of the verb. Compre Ud. el anillo. Buy the ring. Cómprelo Ud. Buy it. Traiga Ud. las cartas. Bring the letters. Tráigalas Ud. Bring them. If both direct and indirect object pronouns are attached, the indirect object pronoun comes before the direct object pronoun. Cómprelo Ud. Buy it. Cómpremelo Ud. Buy it for me. Tráigalas Ud. Bring them. Tráigaselas Ud. Bring them to her. Note that in order to maintain the original stress of the verb, a written accent is often needed. If the command has more than one syllable, a written accent is required when one or more pronoun is added. Command: compre (two syllables) cómprelos cómpremelos If the command has only one syllable, a written accent is only necessary when two pronouns are added. Command: haz (one syllable) hazlo (one pronoun, no accent required) házmelo (two pronouns, accent is required) These rules for accentuation apply to all affirmative imperative forms. Hágamelo Ud. Házmelo. Hágalo Ud. Hazlo. With all negative commands, the object pronouns come before the imperative form of the verb. No compre Ud. el anillo. Don't buy the ring. No lo compre. Don't buy it. No traiga Ud. las cartas. Don't bring the letters. No las traiga. Don't bring them. If there are both direct and indirect object pronouns, the indirect object pronoun comes before the direct object pronoun. No me lo compre. Don't buy it for me. No se las traiga. Don't bring them to her. Remember the rule regarding two object pronouns: whenever both pronouns begin with the letter "l" change the first pronoun to "se." le lo = se lo le la = se la le los = se los le las = se las les lo = se lo les la = se la les los = se los les las = se las Let's add a flashcard for pronoun placement when using commands: Verb Flashcards Complete List Pronoun placement with commands Affirmative commands: attach to verb Negative commands: precede verb Tráigaselas. No se las traiga.

Preterite vs Imperfect: Part III

You have already learned that the preterite and the imperfect are used in different situations. The preterite is used for actions that are viewed as completed, while the imperfect is used for actions that did not have a definite beginning or a definite end. Estudié dos horas. I studied two hours. (completed action) Yo estudiaba antes de los exámenes. I used to study before the tests. (no definite beginning or end) Some verbs actually change meaning, depending upon whether they are used in the preterite or the imperfect. This is not surprising, since the difference in meaning can be traced back to the different way in which these two past tenses are used. conocer Conocí a Juan hace cinco años. I met Juan five years ago. (completed action) En aquella época conocíamos muy bien la ciudad. At that time we knew the city very well. (no definite beginning or end) querer María quiso comprar la casa. Maria tried to buy the house. (completed action) Juan quería comprar la casa. Juan wanted to buy the house. (no definite beginning or end) no querer María no quiso comprar la casa. Maria refused to buy the house. (completed action) Juan no quería comprar la casa. Juan did not want to buy the house. (no definite beginning or end) saber María lo supo ayer. Maria found out yesterday. (completed action) Juan sabía que María venía. Juan knew that Maria was coming. (no definite beginning or end) poder María pudo levantar la mesa. Maria succeeded in lifting the table. (completed action) Juan podía participar en la manifestación. Juan was able to participate in the demonstration. (no definite beginning or end) tener María tuvo una carta de su mamá. Maria received a letter from her mom. (completed action) Juan tenía un coche nuevo. Juan used to have a new car. (no definite beginning or end)

Irregular Verbs: Estar, Ir, Dar

You should already know how to conjugate the verb estar. estoy estás está estamos estáis están Notice that ir and dar follow the same pattern as estar; they are irregular in the first person singular (yo). estar(to be) ir(to go) dar(to give) estoy voy doy estás vas das está va da estamos vamos damos estáis vais dais están van dan Since these verbs are irregular, their conjugations must be memorized. Make a flashcard with these three verbs on one side, and their conjugations on the other side. It seems that there are two options when it comes to learning the irregular verbs. The first is to view them as complex and difficult, in which case you will struggle, wring your hands in consternation, and never really learn them. We do not advocate this approach. Let's add a flashcard for the irregular verbs estar, ir, and dar: Verb Flashcards Complete List estar, ir, dar estoy - voy - doy estás - vas - das está - va - da estamos - vamos - damos estáis - vais - dais están - van - dan