Spanish Vocabulary and Grammar: Community, Errands, and the Preterite Tense

Places in a Community (Lugares en la comunidad)

  • el banco: Bank.
  • el centro: Downtown area.
  • el consultorio: Doctor's or dentist's office.
  • la estación de servicio: Service station (Gas station).
  • las estaciones de servicio: The plural form for service stations.
  • la farmacia: Pharmacy.
  • el supermercado: Supermarket.
  • al dentista, la dentista: Refers to going to the dentist (male/female).
  • el médico, la médica: Doctor (male/female).

Mail and Correspondence (El correo)

  • el buzón: Mailbox.
  • los buzones: The plural form for mailboxes.
  • la carta: Letter.
  • echar una carta: To mail a letter.
  • el correo: Post office.
  • enviar (i -> í): To send. Note the accent change in some present tense conjugations.
  • el sello: Stamp.
  • la tarjeta: Card.

Sporting Goods Store (Tienda de artículos deportivos)

  • el equipo deportivo: Sports equipment.
  • el palo de golf: Golf club.
  • los patines: Skates.
  • la pelota: Ball.
  • la raqueta de tenis: Tennis racket.
  • varios, -as: Various or several.

Pharmacy Products (Productos de la farmacia)

  • el cepillo de dientes: Toothbrush.
  • el champú: Shampoo.
  • el jabón: Soap.
  • la pasta dental: Toothpaste.

Errands, Actions, and Excuses (Diligencias y acciones)

  • cerrar (e -> ie): To close. This is a stem-changing verb in the present tense.
  • cobrar un cheque: To cash a check.
  • cuidar a: To take care of (someone or something).
  • devolver (o -> ue) un libro: To return a book. This is a stem-changing verb in the present tense.
  • la gasolina: Gasoline.
  • ir a pie: To go on foot (walking).
  • llenar (el tanque): To fill (the tank).
  • sacar un libro: To take out or check out a book from a library.
  • se abre: It opens.
  • se cierra: It closes.
  • se me olvidó: I forgot. (Literally: "It forgot itself to me").

Useful Expressions and Adverbs

  • caramba: Good gracious!
  • casi: Almost.
  • ¡Cómo no!: Of course!
  • en seguida: Right away.
  • hasta: Until.
  • por: Used to express duration (for how long).
  • pronto: Soon.
  • Hasta pronto: See you soon.
  • quedarse: To stay.
  • todavía: Still.

Grammar: Preterite of Ir (to go) and Ser (to be)

  • Both verbs share the same conjugation in the preterite tense:     * fui: I was / I went     * fuiste: You were / You went     * fue: He/She/It was; He/She/It went     * fuimos: We were / We went     * fuisteis: You all (plural/informal) were / went     * fueron: They/You all (plural/formal) were / went

Grammar: Preterite of Irregular Verbs (Tener, Estar, Poder)

  • Preterite of tener (to have):     * tuve: I had     * tuviste: You had     * tuvo: He/She/It had     * tuvimos: We had     * tuvisteis: You all had     * tuvieron: They had
  • Preterite of estar (to be):     * estuve: I was     * estuviste: You were     * estuvo: He/She/It was     * estuvimos: We were     * estuvisteis: You all were     * estuvieron: They were
  • Preterite of poder (to be able to):     * pude: I could/was able to     * pudiste: You could/were able to     * pudo: He/She/It could/was able to     * pudimos: We could/were able to     * pudisteis: You all could/were able to     * pudieron: They could/were able to

Grammar: Direct Object Pronouns

  • Used to replace the direct object in a sentence to avoid repetition.
  • lo: Him / It (masculine)
  • la: Her / It (feminine)
  • los: Them (masculine)
  • las: Them (feminine)

Reference Information

  • Textbook Page: 152.
  • Additional Vocabulary: See pages 498-499 for expanded vocabulary lists.