Spanish 3 Midterm

🟧 1. Ser vs. Estar

Both mean “to be”, but usage depends on meaning, not time.

💙 SER = permanent / defining

Used for identity & long-term traits → D.O.C.T.O.R.

Trick: Ser = who you are

• Description: Soy alta. → I am tall.

• Occupation: Él es médico. → He is a doctor.

• Characteristic: Somos simpáticos. → We are nice/friendly.

• Time/Date: Es la una. → It is one o’clock.

• Origin: Soy de México. → I am from Mexico.

• Relationship: Ella es mi amiga. → She is my friend.

SER – to be

• yo → soy

• tú → eres

• él / ella / Ud. → es

• nosotros/as → somos

• vosotros/as → sois

• ellos / ellas / Uds. → son

💛 ESTAR = temporary / changeable

Used for how or WHERE someone/something is → P.L.A.C.E.

Trick: Estar = how or where you are

• Position: El libro está en la mesa. → The book is on the table.

• Location: Estoy en la escuela. → I am at school.

• Action: Estoy comiendo. → I am eating.

• Condition: Estoy cansado. → I am tired.

• Emotion: Ella está feliz. → She is happy.

ESTAR – to be

• yo → estoy

• tú → estás

• él / ella / Ud. → está

• nosotros/as → estamos

• vosotros/as → estáis

• ellos / ellas / Uds. → están

🧠 TRICK:
👉 Ser = who you are
👉 Estar = how / where you are

🟦 2. Pronouns & Possessives

👤 Subject Pronouns

yo (I)
tú (you)
él / ella (he / she)
nosotros/as (we)
vosotros/as (you all – Spain)
ellos/as (they)

📝 Subject pronouns are often dropped:

• Yo estudio. → Estudio.

👜 Possessive Adjectives

Possessive adjectives are words that show ownership or “whose” something is. In English, they’re like:

• my, your, his, her, our, their

In Spanish, they do the same thing but they have to match the thing being owned in gender and number. That part is key.

Agree with the noun owned, not the owner.

Examples:

• mi cuaderno = my notebook

• nuestras clases = our classes

• sus amigos = his/her/their friends

🔗 Pronouns After Prepositions/

A preposition is a word that connects nouns/pronouns to the rest of the sentence, like:
a, para, por, con, sin, de, sobre, entre etc.

Prepositions: a, para, por, con, sin, de, sobre, entre, etc.

Use these pronouns after them:

Special Forms

• conmigo → with me

• contigo → with you

• entre tú y yo → between you and me (exception!)

⭐ Examples

• El regalo es para ti.

  • The gift is for you.

  • (para → preposition, ti → pronoun after preposition)

• ¿Quieres venir conmigo?

  • Do you want to come with me?

  • (con → preposition, migo → special form with yo)

• Esto queda entre tú y yo.

  • This stays between you and me.

  • (entre → preposition, special exception with “tú y yo”)

• Hablé de él.

  • I talked about him.

  • (de → preposition, él → pronoun after preposition)

🟩 3. Present Tense Verbs

🟢 Regular Verbs

Regular Verb Conjugations

Review endings

Example

• Hablar → yo hablo, tú hablas, él habla, nosotros hablamos...

• Comer → yo como, tú comes...

• Vivir → yo vivo, tú vives...

🧠 Tip: Practice by making flashcards or quiz yourself: “How do I say ‘we live’ → vivimos.”

🔴 Irregular Verbs (VERY IMPORTANT 🚨)

An irregular verb is any verb that does not follow the normal conjugation rules in one or more tenses.

🔹 The verb might change:

• its stem

• its ending

• both

🔹 There’s no single predictable pattern for all irregular verbs—you usually have to memorize them.

Examples:

• ser → soy, eres, es

• ir → voy, vas, va

• tener → tengo, tienes

• hacer → hago

📝 Tengo mucha tarea. (I have a lot of homework)

🔄 Stem-Changing (BOOT) Verbs

A stem-changing verb is a type of irregular verb where only the stem vowel changes, but the endings stay regular.

❗ Change in all forms except nosotros & vosotros

BOOT verbs: only change in yo, tú, él/ella, ellos/ellas.

🧠 Nosotros & vosotros stay regular! → dormimos, jugamos.

🟨 4. Reflexive Verbs

Used when the subject does the action to themselves 🪞

Pronouns: me, te, se, nos, os, se

Common verbs: levantarse, ducharse, acostarse, vestirse, despertarse

🧍‍♀ Reflexive Verbs Chart

✅ Examples:

• Me levanto a las siete. (I get up at 7)

• Te duchas por la mañana. (You shower in the morning)

🧠 Action done to yourself.

🟦 5. Gustar & Similar Verbs

Formula: (IOP) + verb (gustar-like) + thing liked (subject)
Tip: The verb agrees with the thing, not the person.

Indirect Object Pronouns (IOPs):

Common Verbs Like Gustar

Structure: (IOP) + verb (gustar-like) + thing liked
Tip: The verb agrees with the thing, not the person.

✅ Examples:

• Me gusta el chocolate. → I like chocolate.

• Me gustan los libros. → I like books.

• A ella le encantan los perros. → She loves dogs.

• Nos interesa la historia. → History interests us / We are interested in history.

🧠 Remember: The verb agrees with the thing liked, not the person. For example:

• Me gustan los libros → libros is plural → use gustan.

• Me gusta el chocolate → chocolate is singular → use gusta.

🟥 6. Tener Que / Ir a + Infinitive

❗ Tener que + infinitive = obligation

🔹 Tener (to have)

Irregular verb

Conjugation

Singular

• Yo tengo – I have

• Tú tienes – You have (informal)

• Usted tiene – You have (formal)

• Él / Ella tiene – He / She has

Plural

• Nosotros/as tenemos – We have

• Vosotros/as tenéis – You all have (Spain)

• Ustedes tienen – You all have (formal)

• Ellos/as tienen – They have

⭐ Expressions with TENER

(English uses “to be,” Spanish uses TENER)

• Tener hambre – to be hungry

• Tener sed – to be thirsty

• Tener calor / frío – to be hot / cold

• Tener sueño – to be sleepy

• Tener miedo – to be scared

• Tener prisa – to be in a hurry

• Tener suerte – to be lucky

• Tener vergüenza – to be shy/embarrassed

• Tener razón – to be right

• Tener dolor de… – to have an ache

• Tener ___ años – to be ___ years old

• Tener ganas de… – to feel like / look forward to

• Tener (own) – to have / own

Examples

• Tengo hambre. – I am hungry.

• Tiene 15 años. – He/She is 15 years old.

• Tenemos ganas de salir. – We feel like going out.

📌 Tener que + Infinitive (HAVE TO)

👉 Used for obligations

Formula:
Tener + que + infinitive

Examples

• Mis amigos tienen que estudiar. – My friends have to study.

• Tengo que hacer la tarea. – I have to do the homework.

• Ella tiene que trabajar hoy. – She has to work today.

⏰ Ir a + Infinitive (GOING TO)

👉 Used for future plans

Formula:
Ir + a + infinitive

Examples

• Voy a viajar el próximo verano. – I am going to travel next summer.

• Vamos a estudiar para el examen. – We are going to study for the exam.

• Ellos van a comer en casa. – They are going to eat at home.

🟪 7. Preterite Tense (PAST)

🟦 Regular Preterite Endings

-AR: é, aste, ó, amos, asteis, aron
-ER/-IR: í, iste, ió, imos, isteis, ieron

2⃣ Stem-Changing -IR Verbs in the Preterite (3rd Person Only)

💡 Key Things to Remember:

1. Regular verbs (-AR, -ER, -IR) have no stem change in the past.

2. -IR stem-changing verbs only change e → i or o → u in the 3rd person forms.

3. Accent marks: always on yo and él/ella/usted for -AR verbs, and -ER/-IR verbs in the preterite.

🔴 Irregular Preterite Verbs

No accents. All use endings:

Yo → -e. Nosotros → -imos

Tu→ -iste. Vosotros → -isteis

El/Ella/Ud → -o. Ellos/Ellas/Uds. → -ieron

A. Stem-Changing Irregulars (with meanings)

⭐ Helpful Tips

• Only irregular form to memorize: hizo (NOT hico).

• These verbs follow identical endings, so only stems change.

Ir / Ser – Preterite (Past)

Both look the same! Use context to know which is which.

Super Quick Rule

• If it’s a place → ir

• If it’s describing something → ser

B. J-Stem Verbs (with meanings)

(ellos/ellas/ustedes use -eron, no “i”)

J-stems drop the i in the ellos form

Verbs That Change Meaning in the Preterite

These verbs change meaning ONLY in the preterite, not in the present.

⭐ Examples

• Conocí a Marta ayer. → I met Marta yesterday.

• Supimos la verdad. → We found out the truth.

• Pudieron entrar. → They managed to get in.

• Quise ayudar. → I tried to help.

⏱ Preterite Time Markers

Tip: 

 If you can clearly answer “When?” or “How many times?”, you probably need the preterite.

🟫 8. Constructions with SE

🌍 Impersonal SE

General statements (no subject

Talks about people in general (“one/they/people …”)

Verb is usually 3rd person singular, even if there’s no object

• Se habla español aquí.
  → Spanish is spoken here.

1⃣ Impersonal “se” → general “people”

• No specific object

• Verb → 3rd person singular

• Think: “One/they/people do …”

Example:

• Se come bien aquí. → People eat well here.

🏷 Passive-like SE

Focus on the action, not who did it

Talks about an action being done to an object

Verb agrees with the object

Always 3rd person

• Se venden libros. (Books are sold)

• Se come bien aquí. (People eat well here)

Passive-like “se” → something is done to an object

• There is an object

• Verb → 3rd person singular/plural, depending on the object

• Think: “Something is sold / is rented / is made …”

Examples:

• Se venden libros. → Books are sold. (libros = plural → venden)

• Se alquila apartamento. → Apartment is rented. (apartamento = singular → alquila)

✅ Memory trick:

• No object → impersonal → singular

• Has object → passive → verb matches object

🟨 9. Vocabulary to Review

⏰ Daily Routines

• levantarse – to get up

• ducharse – to shower

• desayunar – to eat breakfast

• acostarse – to go to bed

🩺 Health & Wellness

• enfermo/a – sick

• fiebre – fever

• dolor – pain

• médico – doctor

• receta – prescription

🎉 Celebrations

• fiesta – party

• cumpleaños – birthday

• invitaciones – invitations

• decoraciones – decorations

⚽ Sports & Hobbies

• jugar – to play

• practicar – to practice

• ir al gimnasio – to go to the gym

✈ Travel

• viajar – to travel

• museo – museum

• playa – beach

• hotel – hotel

• pasaporte – passport

😊 Emotions & Conditions

• feliz – happy

• triste – sad

• cansado/a – tired

• preocupado/a – worried

• aburrido/a – bored

10. Vocabulary: Las fiestas

Celebrations

• el aniversario (de bodas) - (wedding) anniversary

• la boda - wedding

• brindar - to toast (drink)

• celebrar - to celebrate

• el cumpleaños - birthday

• el día de fiesta - holiday

• divertise (e:ie) - to have fun

• la fiesta - party

• el/la invitado/a - guest

• invitar - to invite

• la Navidad - Christmas

• pasarlo bien/mal - to have a good/bad time

• la quinceañera - young woman celebrating her fifteenth birthday

• regalar - to give (a gift)

• reírse (e:ie) - to laugh

• relajarse - to relax

• sonreír (e:ie)

• sorprender - to surprise

• la sorpresa - surprise

• la adolescencia - adolescence

• cambiar (de) - to change

• el edad - age

• el estado civil - martial status

• las etapas de la vida - the stages of life

• graduarse (de/en)-  to graduate (from/in)

• jubilarse - to retire (from work)

• la juventud - youth

• la madurez - maturity; middle age

• la muerte - death

• nacer - to be born

• el nacimiento - birth

• la niñez - childhood

• la vejez - old age

• la amistad - friendship

• el amor - love

• casado/a - married

• casarse (con) - to get married (to)

• comprometerse (con) - to get engaged (to)

• divorciado/a - divorced

• divorciarse (de) - to get divorced (from)

• el divorcio - divorce

• enamorarse (de) - to fall in love (with)

• juntos/as - together

• llevarse bien/man (con) - to get along well/badly (with)

• el matrimonio - marriage

• odiar - to hate

• la pareja - (married) couple; partner

• el/la recién casado/a - newlywed

• romper (con) - to break up (with)

• salir (con) - to go out (with); to date

• separado/a - separated

• separase (de) - to separate (from)

• soltero/a - single

• tener una cita - to have a date; to have an appointment

• viudo/a - widower/widow

• la botella (de vino) - bottle (of wine)

• el champán - champagne

• los dulces - sweets; candy

• el flan (de caramelo)

• baked (caramel) custard

• la galleta - cookie

• el helado - ice cream

• el pastel (de chocolate) - (chocolate) cake; pie

• el postre - dessert