Verb Conjugation - Spanish Level II (Vocabulary Flashcards)

Infinitive vs Conjugation

• Infinitive (dictionary form) is the base form of a verb (e.g., hablar, comer, vivir).
• Conjugation is the form that agrees with pronouns (1st/2nd/3rd person) and number (singular/plural).
• Dictionary forms you’ll see: To be, to see, to read, to go, to talk (infinitives in English).

Pronouns, Persons, and Form

• Spanish pronouns align with 1st, 2nd, 3rd persons and singular/plural.
• 1st person: Yo (singular) / Nosotros(as) (plural)
• 2nd person: Tú (singular informal) / Vosotros(as) (plural informal, Spain); Usted (singular formal)
• 3rd person: Él/Ella (singular) / Ellos/Ellas (plural); Ustedes (plural formal in Spain and used for both formal/informal in the Americas)
• In Spanish there is no neuter/It; every noun has gender (masculine or feminine).
• The pronouns can be omitted in Spanish since verb endings show the subject; pronouns are used for emphasis or clarity.

Informal vs Formal, and Regional Usage

• Tú is informal; Usted is formal.
• Vosotros is informal plural (used in Spain); Ustedes is the plural you in the Americas and is also used for formal plural in Spain.
• If unsure, use Usted/Ustedes (formal) to be safe.
• The speaker notes that some forms like vosotros/estáis are rarely used in the Americas.

Infinitive Endings and Examples

• Infinitives always end in one of these endings: -ar, -er, -ir
• Examples: Ser, estar, comer, hablar, vivir
• In Spanish, each conjugated form has a distinct ending depending on the subject pronoun.

SER vs ESTAR (Irregular Verbs)

• SER: to be (used for characteristics/ex essence, identity)
• ESTAR: to be (used for states/locations or temporary conditions)
• Both are irregular and essential to memorize.
• Conjugations:
  • SER: $<br /> \text{Yo } soy \ \text{Tú } eres \ \text{Él/Ella/Usted } es \ \text{Nosotros } somos \ \text{Vosotros } sois \ \text{Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes } son<br />$
  • ESTAR: $<br /> \text{Yo } estoy \ \text{Tú } estás \ \text{Él/Ella/Usted } está \ \text{Nosotros } estamos \ \text{Vosotros } estáis \ \text{Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes } están<br />$
• Note: In practice, pronouns are often omitted; pronouns may be used for emphasis or to avoid ambiguity.

Quick Take for Last-Minute Review

• Infinitives: -ar, -er, -ir endings.
• Conjugation aligns with 1st/2nd/3rd person and singular/plural.
• There is no neuter; gender affects articles and adjectives.
• Tú/Usted and Vosotros/Ustedes vary by region; default to Usted/Ustedes when unsure.
• SER vs ESTAR are the two essential imperfect/irregular verbs; memorize their present tense forms.
• Most verbs follow predictable endings by person/number once you know the -ar/-er/-ir group.