elementary spanish

🔤 ALPHABET (EL ALFABETO)

Vowels (always the same sound):

A = ah
E = eh
I = ee
O = oh
U = oo

Special letters:

Ñ = ny (niño)
J = strong h (José)
LL = y sound (llama)
H = silent (hola)

🌎 SPANISH-SPEAKING WORLD

Spanish is spoken in:

• Spain
• Mexico
• Central America
• South America
• Caribbean (Cuba, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico)

⚠ Brazil = Portuguese

🌍 COUNTRIES, CAPITALS & LOCATIONS

Europe
Spain — Madrid — Europe

North America
Mexico — Mexico City — North America

Caribbean
Cuba — Havana — Caribbean
Dominican Republic — Santo Domingo — Caribbean
Puerto Rico — San Juan — Caribbean

Central America
Guatemala — Guatemala City — Central America
Honduras — Tegucigalpa — Central America
El Salvador — San Salvador — Central America
Nicaragua — Managua — Central America
Costa Rica — San José — Central America
Panama — Panama City — Central America

South America
Colombia — Bogotá — South America
Venezuela — Caracas — South America
Ecuador — Quito — South America
Peru — Lima — South America
Bolivia — Sucre / La Paz — South America
Chile — Santiago — South America
Argentina — Buenos Aires — South America
Paraguay — Asunción — South America
Uruguay — Montevideo — South America

👋 GREETINGS

Hola = Hello
Buenos días = Good morning
Buenas tardes = Good afternoon
Buenas noches = Good night
¿Cuál es tu nombre? = What is your name?
Estoy bien = I am good
Estoy mal = I am bad
Más o menos = so-so

❓ QUESTION WORDS (INTERROGATIVOS)

¿Qué? = What
¿Quién(es)? = Who
¿Dónde? = Where
¿Cuándo? = When
¿Por qué? = Why
¿Cómo? = How
¿Cuánto/a(s)? = How much/many

⚠ ALWAYS use accents

👤 SUBJECT PRONOUNS

Yo = I
Tú = You (informal)
Él = He
Ella = She
Usted = You (formal)
Nosotros/as = We
Ellos/as = They

⚠ Often dropped in Spanish

📚 ARTICLES

Definite (the):
el = masculine singular
la = feminine singular
los = masculine plural
las = feminine plural

Indefinite (a/some):
un = masculine
una = feminine
unos = masculine plural
unas = feminine plural

⚖ GENDER RULES

-o → masculine (el libro)
-a → feminine (la mesa)

🔢 PLURALS

Vowel → +s (libro → libros)
Consonant → +es (papel → papeles)

⭐ VERB SER (TO BE)

soy = I am
eres = you are
es = he/she is
somos = we are
son = they are

Uses:

• Identity
• Origin
• Description
• Time

🔢 NUMBERS (1–100)

1–15:
uno, dos, tres, cuatro, cinco, seis, siete, ocho, nueve, diez, once, doce, trece, catorce, quince

16–19:
dieciséis, diecisiete, etc.

20–29:
veintiuno, veintidós, etc.

30+:
treinta y uno
cuarenta y cinco

📍 HAY (THERE IS / ARE)

Hay = there is / there are
Examples:
Hay un libro
Hay tres estudiantes

⚠ SAME form always

⚙ PRESENT TENSE VERBS

-AR (hablar):
hablo
hablas
habla
hablamos
hablan

-ER (comer):
como
comes
come
comemos
comen

-IR (vivir):
vivo
vives
vive
vivimos
viven

👨‍👩‍👧 VOCABULARY

Family:
madre = mother
padre = father
hermano = brother
hermana = sister

Classroom:
l libro = book
mesa = table
profesor/profesora = teacher
estudiante = student

🔗 CONTRACTIONS

a + el = al
de + el = del
Examples:
Voy al colegio
Es del profesor

⚠ MUST contract

🚨 KEY RULES TO REMEMBER

• Match gender (el / la)
• Match number (singular/plural)
• Match verb with subject
• Use SER correctly
• Use accents in questions
• Don’t pluralize “hay”

🌎 ADDITIONAL NOTES ON SPANISH-SPEAKING COUNTRIES

These Spanish-speaking countries represent diverse cultures, languages, and histories that enrich the global community. Understanding their capitals and geographical locations enhances comprehension of Hispanic culture and fosters appreciation for linguistic diversity.