Spanish Language Lessons

Lesson 3: -er, -ir Verbs

• To conjugate -er or -ir verbs, follow the same steps as with -ar verbs:

  1. Take off the ending (-er or -ir).

  2. Add the ending that matches the subject.

• Remember that all yo forms end in o (this works for all -er verbs and most -ir verbs, except nosotros and vosotros).

• -er and -ir verbs are the same except in two forms: nosotros and vosotros.

-er & -ir Verb Ending Chart:

Common -er and -ir Verbs:

-er Verbs

• aprender (a + inf.) = to learn

• beber = to drink

• comer = to eat

• comprender = to understand

• correr = to run

• creer (en) = to believe (in)

• deber (+ inf.) = should

• leer = to read

-ir Verbs

• abrir = to open

• asistir (a) = to attend

• compartir = to share

• decidir (+ inf.) = to decide

• describir = to describe

• escribir = to write

• recibir = to receive

• vivir = to live

Tener and Venir Verbs:

• Most forms are irregular, so they must be learned individually.

Tener & Venir Verb Chart:

• venir de = to come from

• venir a = to come to

• The endings are the same as those of regular -er and -ir verbs, except for the yo forms, which are irregular: tener → tengo, venir → vengo.

• In the tú, usted, and ustedes forms, the e of the stem changes to ie.

• Only the nosotros/as and vosotros/as forms are regular.

• In certain idiomatic or set expressions in Spanish, you use the construction tener + [noun] to express to be + [adjective].

Expressions with tener:

• tener… años = to be… years old

• tener (mucho) calor = to be (very) hot

• tener (mucho) cuidado = to be (very) careful

• tener (mucho) frío = to be (very) cold

• tener (mucha) hambre = to be (very) hungry

• tener (mucho) miedo (de) = to be (very) afraid/scared (of)

• tener (mucha) prisa = to be in a (big) hurry

• tener razón = to be right

• no tener razón = to be wrong

• tener (mucha) sed = to be (very) thirsty

• tener (mucho) sueño = to be (very) sleepy

• tener (mucha) suerte = to be (very) lucky

Expressing future actions using "ir a"

• To express actions that are going to happen in the future, use the construction ir a + [infinitive]. It is equivalent to the English "to be going + [infinitive]”.

Example:

• Yo voy a leer un libro.

• Nosotros vamos a leer un Fahrenheit 451.

• Ellos van a cantar en la fiesta.

• Tú vas a bailar en la fiesta.

• Vamos a + [infinitive] can also express the idea of let's (do something).

Examples:

• Vamos a pasear

• Vamos a comer

Expressing obligation using "tener que"

• To express an obligation, use tener que (to have to) + [infinitive].

Examples:

• Yo tengo que comer fruta.

• Nosotros tenemos que estudiar mucho.

Expressing desire using "tener ganas de"

• To ask people if they feel like doing something, use tener ganas de (to feel like) + [infinitive].

Examples:

• Yo tengo ganas de comer papas fritas.

• Ellos tienen ganas de bailar.

Lesson 4: Pasatiempos (Hobbies)

Activities

• andar en patineta - to skateboard

• bucear - to scuba dive

• escalar montañas - to climb mountains

• escribir un mensaje electrónico - to write an e-mail

• esquiar - to ski

• ganar - to win

• ir de excursión - to go on a hike

• leer correo electrónico - to read e-mail

• leer un periódico - to read a newspaper

• leer una revista - to read a magazine

• nadar - to swim

• pasear - to take a walk; to stroll

• pasear en bicicleta - to ride a bicycle

• patinar (en línea) - to (inline) skate

• practicar deportes - to play sports

• tomar el sol - to sunbathe

• ver películas - to watch movies

• visitar monumentos - to visit monuments

Deportes (Sports)

• el baloncesto - basketball

• el béisbol - baseball

• el ciclismo - cycling

• el equipo - team

• el esquí (acuático) - (water) skiing

• el fútbol - soccer

• el fútbol americano - football

• el golf - golf

• el hockey - hockey

• el/la jugador(a) - player

• la natación - swimming

• el partido - game; match

• la pelota - ball

• el tenis - tennis

• el voleibol - volleyball

Adjetivos (Adjectives)

• deportivo/a - sports-related

• favorito/a - favorite

Lugares (Places)

• el café - café

• el centro - downtown

• el cine - movie theater

• el gimnasio - gymnasium

• la iglesia - church

• el lugar - place

• el museo - museum

• el parque - park

• la piscina - swimming pool

• la plaza - city or town square

• el restaurante - restaurant

Other Vocabulary

• la diversión - fun activity; entertainment; recreation

• el fin de semana - weekend

• el pasatiempo - pastime; hobby

• los ratos libres - spare (free) time

• el videojuego - video game

Verb ir (to go)

• The verb ir (to go) is irregular in the present tense. Note that, except for the yo form (voy) and the lack of a written accent on the vosotros form (vais), the endings are the same as those for regular present tense -ar verbs.

• Think of your stem as the letter "v"

Conjugation of ir (to go)

• Ir is often used with the preposition a (to). If a is followed by the definite article el, they combine to form the contraction al. If a is followed by the other definite articles (la, las, los) there is no contraction.

Examples:

• a + el = al

• Juan va al parque.

• Mis amigos van a las montañas.

Expressing Future Actions

• The construction ir a + [infinitive] is used to talk about actions that are going to happen in the future. It is equivalent to the English to be going + [infinitive].

Examples:

• Yo voy a leer un libro.

• Nosotros vamos a leer un Fahrenheit 451.

• Ellos van a cantar en la fiesta.

• Tú vas a bailar en la fiesta.

• Vamos a + [infinitive] can also express the idea of let's (do something).

Examples:

• Vamos a pasear

• Vamos a comer

Stem-Changing Verbs

• The stem of a verb is what is left when you remove the infinitive ending (-ar, -er, or -ir). The endings follow the regular pattern. Because the stem of the verb changes, these verbs are called stem-changing verbs, stem-changers, and boot verbs.

Stem Changing e → ie

• Stem vowel changes from e to ie in all forms except the nosotros and vosotros forms.

• The change happens in the last syllable of the stem.

How to Conjugate (empezar)

1. Cross off the "-ar" ending, leaving the stem empez.

2. Because empezar is an e → ie stem changer, change the e in the stem to ie before adding the endings. (new stem is empiez)

The verb empezar (e:ie) (to begin)

• Comenzar and empezar require the preposition a when they are followed by an infinitive.

Examples:

• Ana comienza a jugar tenis a las ocho.

• Ana empieza a escribir una carta.

• Pensar + [infinitive] means to plan or to intend to do something. Pensar en means to think about someone or something.

Examples:

• Ana piensa ir a la fiesta hoy. (pensar + infinitive)

• La chica piensa en su novio. (pensar en)

Stem changing o → ue

• Stem vowel changes from o to ue in all forms except the nosotros and vosotros forms.

The verb volver (o:ue) (to return)

Verbs with Spelling Changes in the Yo Form

• The yo forms of seguir and conseguir have a spelling change in addition to the stem change e → i.

The verb seguir (e:i) (to follow; to continue)

The verb conseguir (e-i) (to get; to obtain)

Common Stem-Changing Verbs

e:ie

• cerrar - to close

• comenzar (a + inf.) - to begin

• empezar (a + inf.) - to begin

• entender - to understand

• pensar - to think

• perder - to lose; to miss

• preferir (+ inf.) - to prefer

• querer (+ inf.) - to want; to love

o:ue

• almorzar - to have lunch

• contar - to count; to tell

• dormir - to sleep

• encontrar - to find

• mostrar - to show

• poder (+ inf.) - to be able to; can

• recordar - to remember

• volver - to return

Verb jugar

• Jugar (to play a sport or a game) is the only Spanish verb that has a u:ue stem change. Jugar is followed be a+ [definite article] when the name of a sport of game is mentioned.

• Reminder: a + el = al

The verb Jugar (u→ue)

Verbs with Irregular Yo Forms

• In Spanish, several verbs have irregular yo forms in the present tense. You have already seen three verbs with the -go ending in the yo form:

  • decir (e-i) → digo

  • tener (e-ie) → tengo

  • venir (e-ie) → vengo

Other common verbs with irregular yo forms:

Common Expressions with decir:

• decir la verdad - to tell the truth

• decir que - to say that

• decir mentiras - to tell lies

• decir la respuesta - to say the answer

Uses of hacer

• hacer (to do; to make)

• Used to ask questions about what someone does When answering, hacer is frequently replaced by an action verb.

Examples:

• ¿Qué haces después de la escuela?

• Yo estudio en la biblioteca. (no need for the verb hacer)

• Yo practico deportes en el campo. (no need for hacer).

The verb poner

• Poner means to place or to put, but it can also mean to turn on (appliance/household item)

Examples:

• Yo pongo el cuaderno encima de la mesa.

• Juan pone la televisión.

Stem Changing Verbs e-i

• Stem vowel changes from e to i in all forms except the nosotros and vosotros forms.

How to Conjugate

1. Cross off the ending

2. Change the e to i in the stem.

3. Conjugate the verb (add ending).

The verb pedir (e:i) (to ask for; to request)

Common stem changing e - i

• conseguir - to get; to obtain

• decir - to say; to tell

• repetir - to repeat

• seguir - to follow; to continue; to keep (doing something)

The verb decir (e-i) (to say; to tell)

• The verb decir is irregular its yo form:

Examples:

• decir la verdad = to tell the truth

• decir mentiras = to tell lies

• decir que = to say that…

The verb salir

Salir means to leave

But it can also mean:

• salir de - to indicate someone is leaving a particular place.

Example:

• Yo salgo del hospital.

• Salimos de la clase a las tres.

salir para

• to indicate someone's destination.

Example:

• Martin sale para Costa Rica.

• Hoy salen para Colombia.

salir con

• means to leave with someone or something or to date someone.

Example:

• Nosotros salimos con amigos al cine.

• Juan sale con Rosa.

The verb ver

• The verb ver (to see) has an irregular yo form. The other forms of ver are regular.

The verb ver (to see)

The verb oír

• The verb oír (to hear) has an irregular yo form - yo oigo

• It has a spelling change i:y in the tú, usted/él/ella, and ustedes/ellos/ellas forms.

• The nosotros/as and vosotros/as forms have an accent mark.

The verb oír (to hear)

• While most commonly translated as to hear, oír is also used in contexts where the verb to listen would be used in English.

Examples:

• Oigo a unas personas en la otra sala.

• I hear some people in the other room.

• ¿Oyes la radio por la mañana?

• Do you listen to the radio in the morning?

Lesson 5: Los viajes y las vacaciones (Travel and Vacations)

Activities

• acampar - to camp

• confirmar una reservación - to confirm a reservation

• estar de vacaciones (f. pl.) - to be on vacation

• hacer las maletas - to pack (one's suitcases)

• hacer un viaje - to take a trip

• hacer (wind)surf - to (wind)surf

• ir de compras (f. pl.) - to go shopping

• ir de vacaciones - to go on vacation

• ir en autobús (m.), auto(móvil) (m.), avión (m.), barco (m.), moto(cicleta) (f.), taxi (m.) - to go by bus, car, plane, boat, motorcycle, taxi

• jugar a las cartas - to play cards

• montar a caballo (m.) - to ride a horse

• pescar - to fish

• sacar/tomar fotos (f. pl.) - to take photos

Lugares (Places)

• el/la agente de viajes - travel agent

• el aeropuerto - airport

• la agencia de viajes - travel agency

• el campo - countryside

• el equipaje - luggage

• el/la inspector(a) de aduanas - customs inspecto

• la estación de autobuses, del metro, de tren - bus, subway, train station

• el/la viajero/a - traveler

• la llegada - arrival

• el mar - sea

• el paisaje - landscape

• el pasaje (de ida y vuelta) - (round-trip) ticket

• el pasaporte - passport

• la playa - beach

• la salida - departure; exit

• la tabla de (wind)surf - surfboard/sailboard

Palabras adicionales

• ahora mismo - right now

• el año - year

• ¿Cuál es la fecha (de hoy)? - What is the date (today)?

• de buen/mal humor - in a good/bad mood

• la estación - season

• el mes - month

• todavía - yet; still

El tiempo (Weather)

• Hace (mucho) calor. - It's (very) hot.

• Hace (mucho) frío. - It's (very) cold.

• Llueve. (llover o:ue) - It's raining.

• Está lloviendo. - It's raining.

• Nieva. (nevar e:ie) - It's snowing.

• Está nevando. - It's snowing.

• Está (muy) nublado. - It's (very) cloudy.

• Hace fresco. - It's cool.

• Hace (mucho) sol. - It's (very) sunny.

• Hace (mucho) viento. - It's (very) windy.

Los números ordinales (Ordinal Numbers)

• primer, primero/a - first

• segundo/a - second

• tercer, tercero/a - third

• cuarto/a - fourth

• quinto/a - fifth

• sexto/a - sixth

• séptimo/a - seventh

• octavo/a - eighth

• noveno/a - ninth

• décimo/a - tenth

El hotel (Hotel)

• el ascensor - elevator

• el/la botones - bellhop

• la habitación - room

• la cama - bed

• el/la empleado/a - employee

• individual, doble - single, double

• el hotel - hotel

• el/la huésped - guest

• la llave - key

• el piso - floor (of a building)

• la planta baja - ground floor

Adjectives that describe emotions and conditions

• abierto/a - open

• aburrido/a - bored

• alegre - happy

• avergonzado/a - embarrassed

• cansado/a - tired

• cerrado/a - closed

• cómodo/a - comfortable

• confundido/a - confused

• contento/a - content

• desordenado/a - disorderly

• enamorado/a - in love

• enojado/a (con) - angry (with)

• equivocado/a - wrong

• feliz - happy

• limpio/a - clean

• listo/a - ready; smart

• nervioso/a - nervous

• ocupado/a - busy

• ordenado/a - orderly

• preocupado/a (por) - worried (about)

• seguro/a - sure

• sucio/a - dirty

• triste - sad

Estar with Adjectives (Conditions/Emotions)

• The verb estar is used to talk about how you feel and to say where people, places, and things are located. Estar is also used with adjectives to talk about certain emotional and physical conditions.

• Adjectives and nouns must match in Gender (masc/fem) and number (sing/plural)

Use estar with adjectives to describe the physical condition of places and things.

• La habitación está sucia. - The room is dirty.

• La puerta está cerrada. - The door is closed.

Use estar with adjectives to describe how people feel, both mentally and physically.

• Yo estoy cansada.

• Two important expressions with estar that you can use to talk about conditions and emotions are:

  • estar de buen humor - to be in a good mood

  • estar de mal humor - to be in a bad mood

The present progressive

• Both Spanish and English use the present progressive, which consists of the present tense of the verb to be and the present participle of another verb (the -ing form in English).

• Form the present progressive with the present tense of estar and a present participle.

Formula:

• FORM OF ESTAR + PRESENT PARTICIPLE

Examples:

• Estoy pescando. - I am fishing.

• Estamos comiendo. - We are eating.

• The present participle of regular -ar, -er, and -ir verbs is formed as follows:

Attention!

• When the stem of an -er or -ir verb end in a vowel, the present participle ends in -yendo.

Irregular present participles

• Ir, poder, and venir have irregular present participles (yendo, pudiendo, viniendo).

-ir stem-changing verbs

• e:ie in the present tense → ei in the present participle: preferir → prefiriendo

• e:i in the present tense → ei in the present participle: conseguir → consiguendo

• o:ue in the present tense → ou in the present participle: dormir → durmiendo

Ser and Estar

• You have already learned that ser and estar both mean to be but are used for different purposes.

Uses of ser

1. Nationality/place of origin

2. Profession/occupation

3. Characteristics (people/things)

4. Generalizations

5. Possession

6. What something is made of

7. Time and date

8. When and where an event takes place

Uses of estar

1. Location/Spatial relationship

2. Health/well-being

3. Physical states/conditions

4. Emotional state

5. Certain weather expressions

6. Ongoing actions (present progressive)

Compare & Contrast

• The use of the present progressive is much more restricted in Spanish than in English. In Spanish, the present progressive is mainly used to emphasize that an action is in progress at the time of speaking.

Examples:

• Maru está escuchando música latina ahora mismo. - Maru is listening to Latin music right now.

• Felipe y su amigo todavía están jugando al fútbol. - Felipe and his friend are still playing soccer.

• In English, the present progressive is often used to talk about situations and actions that occur over an extended period of time or in the future. In Spanish, the simple present tense is often used instead.

Examples:

• Xavier estudia computación este semestre. - Xavier is studying computer science this semester.

• Marissa sale mañana para los Estados Unidos. - Marissa is leaving tomorrow for the United States.

Ser and estar with adjectives

• With many descriptive adjectives, ser and estar can both be used, but the meaning will change.

Examples:

• Juan es delgado. - Juan is thin.

• Juan está más delgado hoy. - Juan looks thinner today.

• Ana es nerviosa. - Ana is a nervous person.

• Ana está nerviosa por el examen. - Ana is nervous because of the exam.

Direct object nouns and pronouns

• A direct object noun follows the verb and generally receives the action of the verb

• the D.O. noun answers the question What are Olga Lucía and Valentina taking?

the personal a:

• When the direct object noun in Spanish is a person or a pet it is preceded by the word a. This is called the personal a and there is no English equivalent for this construction.

Examples:

• Mariela mira a Carlos. - Mariela is watching Carlos.

• Mariela mira televisión. - Mariela is watching TV.

• Direct object pronouns are words that replace direct object nouns. Like English, Spanish uses DOP to avoid repeating a noun already mentioned.

• In affirmative sentences, DOP generally appear before the conjugated verb. In negative sentences, the pronoun is placed between the word no and the verb.

• When the verb is an infinitive construction, such as ir a + [infinitive], the DOP can be placed before the conjugated form OR it can be attached to the infinitive.

• When the verb is the present progressive the DOP can be placed before, the conjugated form OR it can be attached to the present participle.

Lesson 6 La Ropa (Clothing)

Clothing Items

• el abrigo - coat

• los (blue)jeans - jeans

• la blusa - blouse

• la bolsa - purse; bag

• la bota - boot

• los calcetines (el calcetín) - sock(s)

• la camisa - shirt

• la camiseta - t-shirt

• la cartera - wallet

• la chaqueta - jacket

• el cinturón - belt

• la corbata - tie

• la falda - skirt

• las gafas (de sol) - (sun)glasses

• los guantes - gloves

• el impermeable - raincoat

• las medias - pantyhose; stockings

• los pantalones - pants

• los pantalones cortos - shorts

• la ropa - clothing; clothes

• la ropa interior - underwear

• las sandalias - sandals

• el sombrero - hat

• el suéter - sweater

• el traje - suit

• el traje de baño - bathing suit

• el vestido - dress

• los zapatos de tenis - sneakers

Ir de Compras (Going Shopping)

• el almacén - department store

• el centro comercial - shopping mall

• la caja - cash register

• el/la cliente/a - customer

• el/la dependiente/a - clerk

• el dinero - money

• (en) efectivo - cash

• el mercado (al aire libre) - (open-air) market

• un par (de zapatos)