Spanish 2

Course overview

What this year covers

The second year of a language is where a student stops describing the present and starts telling what happened. Unit 1 reviews the first year in seven lessons so that nothing later rests on a forgotten ending. Unit 2 takes the preterite all the way: spelling changes, the irregular stems, the boot verbs in the third person, and the indirect object pronouns that turn up in almost every sentence about giving, telling and showing. Units 3 and 4 are the center of the course: the imperfect, and then the decision between the preterite and the imperfect, taught as a decision about the frame of an event, not as a list of signal words. Unit 5 is health and the commands, which let a student give advice, directions and instructions politely and informally. Unit 6 takes travel and the city, with por and para and the negative words. Unit 7 is home, daily life and the impersonal se, with stressed possessives and demonstrative pronouns. Unit 8 is technology and work, and teaches the present perfect. Unit 9 looks ahead with the future, the conditional and the real si clause, and gives the student the language of opinion. Unit 10 covers celebrations, the arts, reading strategies, adverbs and connectors, so that sentences join into paragraphs. Unit 11 gathers the year into conversations, a written narrative, a look at Spanish in California, and a final presentation. Every lesson opens with the method, names the specific error that costs the marks, works an example in eight steps, and gives ten practice problems with complete answers. There is no audio, so the course asks the student to read every Spanish example aloud.

U1Unit 1: Back to Spanish7 lessons
U2Unit 2: The Preterite in Depth7 lessons
U3Unit 3: The Imperfect7 lessons
U4Unit 4: Preterite or Imperfect7 lessons
U5Unit 5: Health and Commands7 lessons
U6Unit 6: Travel and the City7 lessons
U7Unit 7: Home and Daily Life7 lessons
U8Unit 8: Technology and Work7 lessons
U9Unit 9: The Future7 lessons
U10Unit 10: Celebrations, Arts and Connected Writing7 lessons
U11Unit 11: Putting the Year Together5 lessons

All eleven units are open, 75 lessons in all. Every lesson opens with the method, one extended worked example, and ten practice problems. Every problem has a full worked solution, so you can find the step where yours went wrong. Each unit closes with a ten-problem mixed review.

Free preview: open any 5 lessons without an account. The counter on the left keeps track.

Lesson 1.1 · Unit 1 · Structures

The present tense you need on the first day of the year

Everything this year is built on the first-year present tense, so this lesson restores it in one place. You will review the three groups of regular verbs and the four verbs that show up in nearly every conversation: ser, estar, tener and ir. If any ending here feels unfamiliar, stay with this lesson until it does not, because a wrong ending in the present will also be wrong in every tense that follows.

The method

Three groups of regular verbs. Drop the ending (-ar, -er, -ir) and add the personal ending. Hablar: hablo, hablas, habla, hablamos, hablan. Comer: como, comes, come, comemos, comen. Vivir: vivo, vives, vive, vivimos, viven.
The -er and -ir groups differ in one place. Only nosotros separates them: comemos against vivimos. Every other ending is the same.
The ending carries the subject. You can drop yo, tú, nosotros; use the pronoun for contrast (Yo trabajo, pero ella estudia) or when it is unclear who is meant.
Ser: soy, eres, es, somos, son. It names what something is: identity, origin, description, time, possession and material. Soy de Perú. Es profesora. Son las tres.
Estar: estoy, estás, está, estamos, están. It names how or where something is: location and condition. Estoy en casa. Está cansada. Origin is ser, location is estar.
Tener: tengo, tienes, tiene, tenemos, tienen. It means "to have", gives age (Tengo quince años) and names states of the body (tengo hambre, sed, frío, calor, sueño, miedo, prisa).
Ir: voy, vas, va, vamos, van. It takes a before a place (Voy a la playa), and ir a plus an infinitive is the near future (Vamos a comer).
Negatives and questions. Put no before the verb (No tengo tiempo) and raise the voice or invert the order for a question (¿Vives aquí?). Question words carry accents: ¿dónde? ¿qué? ¿quién?

Where students lose marks: Yo estoy de México (origin takes ser: soy de), Mi hermana es en casa (location takes estar), Tengo quince alone for age (keep años), and Voy la escuela (missing a). Name the frame first: identity or origin, location or condition, possession or age, movement.

Worked example

The problem. Write seven sentences about Lucía: (1) She is from Chile. (2) She lives in Los Angeles. (3) She is sixteen. (4) Today she is at school. (5) She is tired. (6) She and her friends are going to the library. (7) She has a test.

Step one: sentence 1. Origin is what a person is, so use ser: Lucía es de Chile.

Step two: sentence 2. Vivir is a regular -ir verb and the subject is ella, so the ending is -e: Vive en Los Ángeles.

Step three: sentence 3. Age uses tener, never ser, and the noun años stays: Tiene dieciséis años.

Step four: sentence 4. A place at a moment is location, so use estar: Hoy está en la escuela.

Step five: sentence 5. Tired is a condition today, so estar again, and the adjective is feminine because Lucía is: Está cansada.

Step six: sentence 6. The subject is plural (ella y sus amigas), so ir is van, followed by a before the place: Ella y sus amigas van a la biblioteca.

Step seven: sentence 7. Tener with tiene: Tiene un examen.

Step eight: check. Seven sentences, seven right verbs: es, vive, tiene, está, está, van, tiene. Each ending matches its subject, and no sentence uses ser for location or age.

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Write the present tense of vivir for yo, tú and nosotros.
Show the full solution

Vivir is an -ir verb: stem viv- plus -o, -es, -imos. vivo, vives, vivimos
Complete with the correct form of ser or estar: Mis primos ___ de Colombia, pero ahora ___ en Texas.
Show the full solution

Origin is ser, and a place at the moment is estar. Both subjects are plural. son; están
Complete: Yo ___ (tener) catorce años y mi hermano ___ (tener) diez.
Show the full solution

Age uses tener; yo takes tengo and mi hermano takes tiene. tengo; tiene
Complete: Nosotros ___ (ir) ___ la playa.
Show the full solution

Ir with nosotros is vamos, and a place after ir needs a. vamos; a
Write the tú form of comer, escribir and tomar.
Show the full solution

Each takes the tú ending: -es for -er and -ir, -as for -ar. comes, escribes, tomas
Say "I am hungry, but my friends are not hungry."
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Hunger is a state expressed with tener, not ser or estar. No goes before the verb. Tengo hambre, pero mis amigos no tienen hambre.
Say "Where do you (informal) live, and where are you from?"
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Both questions use tú, and each question word carries an accent. Origin uses ser: de dónde eres. ¿Dónde vives y de dónde eres?
Find and fix the errors: Yo estoy de México y mi hermana es en casa.
Show the full solution

Origin takes ser, so estoy de becomes soy de. Location takes estar, so es en casa becomes está en casa. Yo soy de México y mi hermana está en casa.
Say "We are going to eat at six, and then we are going to study."
Show the full solution

The near future is ir a plus an infinitive, with vamos for nosotros, and a clock time uses a las. Vamos a comer a las seis y luego vamos a estudiar.
Write four sentences about yourself, one with ser, one with estar, one with tener and one with ir.
Show the full solution

One correct answer: Soy estudiante. Estoy en casa. Tengo quince años. Voy a la biblioteca los lunes. Each verb matches yo (soy, estoy, tengo, voy), and ir is followed by a. Soy estudiante. Estoy en casa. Tengo quince años. Voy a la biblioteca los lunes.

Lesson 1.2 · Unit 1 · Structures

The verbs that change, and the verbs that are odd in one place

Many of the most useful verbs are not fully regular. Two groups are worth separating: verbs whose stem vowel changes in the present, and verbs whose yo form is unusual. Both are predictable once you know the pattern, and the patterns are small. This lesson restores them, because the preterite and the imperfect later in the year will keep returning to these same verbs.

The method

Boot verbs change in four places. The vowel in the stem changes in yo, tú, él and ellos, and stays the same in nosotros (and vosotros). Drawn on a page, the changed forms make a boot.
E to ie. Pensar: pienso, piensas, piensa, pensamos, piensan. Also querer, empezar, preferir, cerrar, entender.
O to ue. Poder: puedo, puedes, puede, podemos, pueden. Also dormir, volver, almorzar, encontrar, costar. Jugar changes u to ue: juego, jugamos.
E to i. Only some -ir verbs: pedir: pido, pides, pide, pedimos, piden. Also servir, repetir, seguir.
The go verbs. Hacer: hago. Poner: pongo. Salir: salgo. Traer: traigo. Venir: vengo. Tener: tengo. Decir: digo. The other forms follow the normal pattern, and tener, venir, decir also change their stem.
Other odd yo forms. Ver: veo. Dar: doy. Saber: sé. Conocer: conozco. Traducir: traduzco. They are odd in yo only.
Both groups can combine. Tener: tengo, tienes, tiene, tenemos, tienen. Decir: digo, dices, dice, decimos, dicen. The yo is odd and the boot appears in the others.
Learn the odd form with the infinitive. Say it aloud as a pair: hacer, hago. When an answer asks for a yo form, check whether the verb is on these lists before you add -o.

Where students lose marks: Writing poder as podo (regular) or puedemos (the boot does not reach nosotros), writing pedimos as pidimos, and writing yo hacé or yo salo for hago, salgo. Ask two questions: is this verb on the boot list, and does the form belong inside the boot?

Worked example

The problem. Write six sentences: (1) I want to eat. (2) We can't sleep. (3) They ask for water. (4) I make dinner and put the plates on the table. (5) She says that she knows the answer. (6) I know Marta and I see her every day.

Step one: sentence 1. Querer is e to ie, and yo is inside the boot. The second verb stays an infinitive: Quiero comer.

Step two: sentence 2. Poder is o to ue, but nosotros is outside the boot, so the stem stays: No podemos dormir. Dormir stays an infinitive after poder.

Step three: sentence 3. Pedir is e to i. Ellos is inside the boot: Piden agua.

Step four: sentence 4. Both verbs are go verbs with yo: hago and pongo. Hago la cena y pongo los platos en la mesa.

Step five: sentence 5. Decir is irregular in the stem for ella, dice. Saber in yo is sé, but here the subject is ella, so it is sabe: Ella dice que sabe la respuesta.

Step six: sentence 6. Conocer is odd in yo, conozco, and is used for a person. Ver is veo, and "her" is a direct object pronoun placed before the verb: Conozco a Marta y la veo todos los días.

Step seven: the patterns. Check each verb for its pattern: quiero (boot), podemos (outside the boot), piden (e to i), hago, pongo (go), dice, sabe (boot and regular), conozco, veo (odd yo).

Step eight: check. Every verb is a form, not an infinitive, except the ones that properly follow querer and poder.

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Write the yo form of hacer, salir, traer and poner.
Show the full solution

All four are go verbs. hago, salgo, traigo, pongo
Write the nosotros form of poder, pensar and dormir.
Show the full solution

Nosotros is outside the boot, so the stem does not change. podemos, pensamos, dormimos
Complete: Marta ___ (querer) un helado y yo ___ (preferir) un jugo.
Show the full solution

Both verbs are e to ie and both subjects are inside the boot. quiere; prefiero
Write the ellos form of volver, servir and jugar.
Show the full solution

Volver is o to ue, servir is e to i, and jugar is u to ue. vuelven, sirven, juegan
Write the yo form of saber, conocer, ver and dar.
Show the full solution

Each is irregular in yo only. sé, conozco, veo, doy
Say "I can't come today, but I want to see you tomorrow."
Show the full solution

Poder is boot, venir stays an infinitive after it, querer is boot, and ver stays an infinitive. "You" as an object is te, placed before the conjugated verb. No puedo venir hoy, pero quiero verte mañana. The pronoun may also go before quiero: Te quiero ver mañana.
Find the error: Nosotros podemos y mis amigos podan, pero yo no puedo salir porque hacé la tarea.
Show the full solution

Podan needs the boot: pueden. And yo hacé is wrong for hago. Nosotros podemos y mis amigos pueden, pero yo no puedo salir porque hago la tarea.
Say "You say that you are not sleeping. We sleep eight hours."
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Decir with tú is dices, and dormir with tú is inside the boot, duermes. With nosotros the stem stays: dormimos. Dices que no duermes. Dormimos ocho horas.
Write five sentences about your day with five different verbs from this lesson.
Show the full solution

One correct answer: Empiezo la tarea a las cuatro. Prefiero estudiar en mi cuarto. Hago la tarea. Pongo mis libros en la mochila. Salgo de casa a las siete. Every verb is in the yo form, with the boot or the odd form where needed. Empiezo la tarea a las cuatro. Prefiero estudiar en mi cuarto. Hago la tarea. Pongo mis libros en la mochila. Salgo de casa a las siete.
Explain in one sentence why tengo and tienes both look different from the infinitive tener.
Show the full solution

Tener is a boot verb (tienes, tiene, tienen) and also has an irregular yo (tengo); tenemos alone keeps the regular stem. Tener changes its stem inside the boot and has an odd yo form, tengo.

Lesson 1.3 · Unit 1 · Structures

The verbs that work backward

In English "I like the books" has a subject, I, who does the liking. In Spanish the books do the pleasing, and me tells you who is pleased. That backward structure is not limited to gustar. Many useful verbs work the same way: encantar, interesar, molestar, importar, faltar and doler. One lesson restores the structure, because the same pronouns return in unit 2.

The method

The thing liked is the subject. Me gustan los libros means "the books please me." The verb agrees with the thing, so it has only two forms in daily use: gusta and gustan.
The indirect object pronouns. me, te, le, nos, les say who is pleased. They go before the verb: Me gusta, Te gusta, Le gusta, Nos gusta, Les gusta.
An infinitive counts as one thing. Me gusta cantar y bailar uses gusta, singular, even with two infinitives.
Add a plus a name for emphasis or clarity. A mí me gusta, A ti te gusta, A Marta le gusta, A nosotros nos gusta, A ellos les gusta. Le and les can mean several people, so the a phrase tells which.
The pronoun is never optional. A Marta gusta la música is wrong; A Marta le gusta la música is right.
The same pattern: encantar ("love"), interesar, molestar ("bother"), importar ("matter"), faltar ("be missing"), quedar ("remain"), doler ("hurt"). Me encantan las fresas. Nos interesa la historia. Le duele la cabeza.
Negatives and questions. No me gusta el café. ¿Te gustan los deportes? ¿A quién le gusta bailar?
Answer with the same structure. ¿Te gusta el fútbol? Sí, me gusta. or No, no me gusta, pero me encanta el tenis. Do not answer Sí, yo gusto.

Where students lose marks: Yo gusto las manzanas (English structure carried over), Me gusta los libros (wrong number: gustan), A Marta gusta (missing le), and Les gusta with no clue who. This is error 2, the wrong pronoun or a missing pronoun. Find the thing liked first, then choose gusta or gustan.

Worked example

The problem. Write five sentences: (1) I like the classes. (2) Marta loves music. (3) My brother does not like to wake up early. (4) We are interested in history. (5) Her head hurts.

Step one: sentence 1. The thing liked is "the classes", plural, so the verb is gustan, and "I" is me: Me gustan las clases.

Step two: sentence 2. Encantar works like gustar. The name is Marta, so le, and the thing is singular: A Marta le encanta la música.

Step three: sentence 3. "To wake up early" is an infinitive, so gusta. It is negative, so no goes before the pronoun: A mi hermano no le gusta levantarse temprano.

Step four: sentence 4. Interesar works the same way, with nos for "we" and a singular thing: Nos interesa la historia.

Step five: sentence 5. The body part hurts: doler is a gustar verb and "her" is le: Le duele la cabeza.

Step six: verb number. Check the verb number in each sentence: gustan (classes), encanta (music), gusta (infinitive), interesa (history), duele (head).

Step seven: pronouns. Check that every sentence has a pronoun before the verb: me, le, le, nos, le.

Step eight: check. No sentence has yo gusto or a bare a Marta. Each structure is the Spanish one, not the English one carried over.

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Complete with gusta or gustan: Me ___ las películas. Me ___ ver películas.
Show the full solution

The first thing liked is plural, and the second is an infinitive, which counts as one thing. gustan; gusta
Complete with the pronoun: A ti ___ gustan los deportes. A nosotros ___ encanta la comida.
Show the full solution

A ti goes with te, and a nosotros goes with nos. te; nos
Say "Do you (informal) like soccer?"
Show the full solution

The pronoun te goes before the verb, and the thing liked is singular. ¿Te gusta el fútbol?
Say "I don't like the coffee."
Show the full solution

No goes before the pronoun, and the coffee is singular. No me gusta el café.
Complete: A mis padres ___ ___ la música clásica.
Show the full solution

A mis padres is plural, so the pronoun is les, and the thing is singular. les gusta
Say "My friends love dancing, but my sister is not interested in dancing."
Show the full solution

Encantar with les and an infinitive; interesar with le for one person, with no before it. A mis amigos les encanta bailar, pero a mi hermana no le interesa bailar.
Find the error: Yo gusto las fresas y a Marta gusta las naranjas.
Show the full solution

Two errors. The first is the English structure: Me gustan las fresas. The second is the missing pronoun le and the wrong number: le gustan las naranjas. Me gustan las fresas y a Marta le gustan las naranjas.
Say "Her feet hurt, and my back hurts."
Show the full solution

Doler agrees with the thing that hurts: pies is plural and espalda is singular. Le duelen los pies y me duele la espalda.
Answer in Spanish in a full sentence: ¿Qué te gusta hacer los fines de semana?
Show the full solution

Answer with the same structure and an infinitive. One correct answer: Me gusta ver películas y salir con mis amigos. (Gusta is singular for the two infinitives together.)
Write three sentences about your family, one with gustar, one with encantar, one with importar.
Show the full solution

One correct answer: A mi papá le gusta cocinar. A mi mamá le encantan los libros. A mis abuelos les importa mucho la familia. Each pronoun matches the people (le, le, les) and each verb matches the thing (gusta, encantan, importa). A mi papá le gusta cocinar. A mi mamá le encantan los libros. A mis abuelos les importa mucho la familia.

Lesson 1.4 · Unit 1 · Structures

Doing something to yourself

A reflexive verb is one where the subject and the object are the same person: I wash myself, she gets dressed. In English the "myself" is often left unsaid. In Spanish it is always said, and it is a small pronoun placed before the verb. The same pronouns return all year, in verbs of emotion, in reciprocal actions and in commands, so the pattern should be secure now.

The method

The reflexive pronouns: me, te, se, nos, se. Me levanto, te levantas, se levanta, nos levantamos, se levantan. They match the subject, and they go before the verb.
The infinitive keeps se. The dictionary form is levantarse, and the -se tells you the verb is reflexive.
Core routine verbs. despertarse, levantarse, ducharse, bañarse, lavarse, cepillarse, peinarse, vestirse, acostarse, dormirse.
Some are boot verbs too. Despertarse: me despierto (e to ie). Acostarse: me acuesto (o to ue). Vestirse: me visto (e to i).
Body parts and clothing take the article. Me lavo las manos. Se pone el abrigo. Never mis manos or su abrigo, since the pronoun already says whose.
Place the pronoun before a conjugated verb or attach it to an infinitive. Me voy a levantar and Voy a levantarme are both correct.
Without the pronoun, the verb acts on someone else. Lavo el coche (I wash the car) against Me lavo (I wash myself). Acuesto a mi hermano (I put my brother to bed).
Sequence words order a routine. primero, luego, después, más tarde, por fin.

Where students lose marks: Yo levanto a las siete (missing me), Se lavo las manos (the pronoun must match yo, so me lavo), and Me lavo mis manos (the article replaces the possessive). Check three things: does the subject act on itself, does the pronoun match the subject, and is the body part an article?

Worked example

The problem. Describe Pablo's morning in six sentences: (1) He wakes up at 6:30. (2) He gets up and takes a shower. (3) He brushes his teeth. (4) He gets dressed. (5) He combs his hair. (6) He goes to school.

Step one: sentence 1. Despertarse is e to ie, and the pronoun is se: Pablo se despierta a las seis y media.

Step two: sentence 2. Two reflexive verbs, with the pronoun repeated before each: Se levanta y se ducha.

Step three: sentence 3. A body part takes the article, not su: Se cepilla los dientes.

Step four: sentence 4. Vestirse is e to i: Se viste.

Step five: sentence 5. Peinarse with el pelo: Se peina el pelo.

Step six: sentence 6. Irse means "to leave" and is reflexive; "goes to school" can also use plain ir: Va a la escuela.

Step seven: sequence. Add sequence words to order the routine: Primero se despierta... luego se levanta... por fin va a la escuela.

Step eight: check. Every reflexive verb has se, the boot appears where needed (despierta, viste), and no sentence uses su with a body part.

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Write the present tense of lavarse for yo, tú and nosotros.
Show the full solution

The pronoun changes with the subject, and the verb takes the regular -ar ending. me lavo, te lavas, nos lavamos
Complete: Mi hermana ___ ___ (acostarse) a las diez.
Show the full solution

Acostarse is o to ue, and mi hermana takes se. se acuesta
Complete: Nosotros ___ ___ (cepillarse) los dientes.
Show the full solution

Nosotros takes nos, and the verb takes -amos. nos cepillamos
Write the yo form of vestirse and despertarse.
Show the full solution

Both are boot verbs. me visto, me despierto
Say "I wash my hands."
Show the full solution

A body part takes the article. Me lavo las manos.
Say "My brothers get up early, and then they take a shower."
Show the full solution

Se before each reflexive verb, plural endings, and luego to order them. Mis hermanos se levantan temprano y luego se duchan.
Find the error: Yo levanto a las siete y lavo mis dientes.
Show the full solution

The first needs me (me levanto). The second also needs me and the article (me cepillo los dientes). Lavar of teeth is normally cepillarse. Yo me levanto a las siete y me cepillo los dientes.
Say "She is going to get dressed, and then she is going to comb her hair." Do it two ways.
Show the full solution

Place the pronoun before the conjugated verb or attach it to the infinitive. Ella se va a vestir y luego se va a peinar. / Ella va a vestirse y luego va a peinarse.
Explain the difference between Acuesto a mi hermano and Me acuesto.
Show the full solution

Without the pronoun, the verb acts on another person (I put my brother to bed). With me, the subject acts on itself (I go to bed). Acuesto a mi hermano: I put my brother to bed. Me acuesto: I go to bed.
Write a five-sentence description of your morning using sequence words and at least three reflexive verbs.
Show the full solution

One correct answer: Primero me despierto a las siete. Luego me levanto y me ducho. Después me visto y me cepillo los dientes. Más tarde desayuno con mi familia. Por fin salgo para la escuela. Reflexive verbs have me, the boot appears in despierto, and body parts take the article. Primero me despierto a las siete. Luego me levanto y me ducho. Después me visto y me cepillo los dientes. Más tarde desayuno con mi familia. Por fin salgo para la escuela.

Lesson 1.5 · Unit 1 · Structures

Replacing the thing the verb acts on

The direct object is the person or thing that receives the action of the verb: in Veo la película, the movie is what is seen. Spanish replaces it with a short pronoun that sits before the verb, which is the opposite of English word order. This is the first of the pronouns that give second-year Spanish its difficulty, so the first-year pattern must be secure before indirect pronouns arrive in unit 2.

The method

The direct object answers "what?" or "whom?". Compro el libro (What do I buy? The book.). Veo a Marta (Whom do I see? Marta.).
The pronouns: me, te, lo, la, nos, los, las. Lo replaces a masculine singular thing or a male person; la, a feminine; los and las, the plurals. Me, te, nos are the first and second person.
Match the noun you replace. Compro los libros becomes Los compro; Veo a Marta becomes La veo. The pronoun takes the gender and number of the noun, not the speaker's.
The pronoun goes before the conjugated verb. Lo tengo. No lo tengo. Never after: tengo lo is wrong.
With an infinitive or a progressive, either place works. Voy a comprarlo or Lo voy a comprar; Estoy leyéndolo or Lo estoy leyendo (with a written accent on leyéndolo).
The personal a introduces a person as the direct object. Veo a mi amigo, Conozco a tu hermana, but Veo la casa. It is not translated.
No personal a after tener for a person, or with an unspecified person. Tengo dos hermanos. Busco un doctor (any doctor) against Busco al doctor Ruiz (a particular one).
A negative answer keeps the pronoun. ¿Ves la película? No, no la veo.

Where students lose marks: Veo lo (pronoun placed after), Compro los libros y los compro (the noun and the pronoun both stated), La veo a ella with no clue, and a missing personal a. Say it as a question first: what is the thing, what is its gender and number, and does a person need a?

Worked example

The problem. Answer each question with a pronoun: (1) ¿Compras la camisa? Yes. (2) ¿Ves a tus primos? Yes, every week. (3) ¿Tienes los boletos? No. (4) ¿Vas a hacer la tarea? Yes, tonight (two ways). (5) ¿Quién te llama? My mother.

Step one: question 1. The direct object is la camisa, feminine singular, so the pronoun is la and goes before the verb: Sí, la compro.

Step two: question 2. A tus primos is plural, so the pronoun is los: Sí, los veo todas las semanas.

Step three: question 3. Los boletos is masculine plural, and the negative no comes first: No, no los tengo.

Step four: question 4. Two correct places with the infinitive: Sí, la voy a hacer esta noche or Sí, voy a hacerla esta noche. The pronoun is feminine because la tarea is.

Step five: question 5. The pronoun te is already stated in the question, so the answer needs me: Mi madre me llama.

Step six: reread. Check that each answer replaces the noun and does not repeat it.

Step seven: accents. The pronoun attached to the infinitive does not need an accent here (hacerla); it needs one only on a progressive (haciéndola).

Step eight: check. Every answer has a pronoun that matches the gender and number of its noun, and a pronoun placed before the conjugated verb or attached to the infinitive.

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Replace the noun: Compro el libro.
Show the full solution

El libro is masculine singular, so use lo before the verb. Lo compro.
Replace the noun: Veo a mis amigas.
Show the full solution

Feminine plural, so las. Las veo.
Complete with the correct pronoun: Tengo las llaves. ___ tengo aquí.
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Las llaves is feminine plural. Las
Write the correct form: Quiero ver (a / ---) mi abuelo.
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A person as the direct object takes the personal a. Quiero ver a mi abuelo.
Answer with a pronoun: ¿Lees el libro? Sí, ___.
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Sí, lo leo.
Say "I can't find them" (the keys) in two ways.
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Encontrar is a boot verb with an infinitive after poder. The pronoun goes before poder or on the infinitive. No las puedo encontrar. / No puedo encontrarlas.
Say "My mother calls me every night, and I call her on Sundays."
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The first me is me; the second pronoun is la (my mother, direct object). Both come before the verb. Mi madre me llama todas las noches y yo la llamo los domingos.
Find the errors: Tengo lo y veo Marta.
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The pronoun goes before the conjugated verb, so Tengo lo becomes Lo tengo. A person as a direct object needs the personal a, so veo Marta becomes veo a Marta. Lo tengo y veo a Marta.
Explain why Busco un doctor and Busco al doctor Ruiz are different.
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Un doctor is any doctor, so no personal a; al doctor Ruiz is a particular, named person, so a is required. No personal a for an unspecified person; a for a specific one.
Write three sentences with direct object pronouns, answering ¿Quién ve la televisión, quién escucha la música y quién ayuda a tu hermano?
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One correct answer: Mi padre la ve. Yo la escucho. Mi madre lo ayuda. Each pronoun matches the noun it replaces (la televisión, la música, a mi hermano) and sits before the verb. Mi padre la ve. Yo la escucho. Mi madre lo ayuda.

Lesson 1.6 · Unit 1 · Structures

What happened, once, and finished

The preterite is the tense of finished events. Spanish 1 gave you the regular endings and five irregular verbs, and this lesson restores them, because unit 2 extends the tense to every verb you know. The preterite is the one past tense you use first in Spanish, and it is the right choice whenever a single event is complete, whether it took one second or one year.

The method

The regular endings. -ar: -é, -aste, -ó, -amos, -aron. -er and -ir: -í, -iste, -ió, -imos, -ieron. Hablé, hablaste, habló, hablamos, hablaron. Comí, comiste, comió, comimos, comieron.
The accents tell the person. Hablo (I speak, present) against habló (he spoke, preterite), and hablé (I spoke). A missing accent changes the tense or the person.
-ar and -ir nosotros match the present. Hablamos and vivimos are the same in both tenses. Only context tells you which.
Ir and ser share one preterite. fui, fuiste, fue, fuimos, fueron. Context tells you whether it means "went" or "was".
Hacer: hice, hiciste, hizo, hicimos, hicieron. The c becomes z in hizo to keep the sound.
Ver and dar: vi, viste, vio, vimos, vieron and di, diste, dio, dimos, dieron. They take the -er/-ir endings without accents.
Time markers signal the preterite. ayer, anoche, anteayer, el lunes, la semana pasada, el año pasado, hace dos días, una vez.
The preterite tells a finished event. It does not matter how long it took: Viví en Madrid dos años is a completed period.

Where students lose marks: Hablo ayer (present for past), Yo hablé typed Yo hable (no accent), Ella hablo for ella habló, Fui al cine mistranslated as "I was at the cinema", and Hací for hice. Check the accent on every -é and -ó ending and use the irregular stems for ir, ser, hacer, ver and dar.

Worked example

The problem. Write six sentences in the past: (1) Yesterday I spoke with my teacher. (2) We ate at a restaurant. (3) They went to the park. (4) She did the homework. (5) I saw a movie last night. (6) My uncle gave me a gift.

Step one: sentence 1. Ayer signals the preterite. Hablar with yo is hablé, and "with" is con: Ayer hablé con mi profesor.

Step two: sentence 2. Comer with nosotros is comimos, and the restaurant is a place with en: Comimos en un restaurante.

Step three: sentence 3. Ir with ellos is fueron, and a goes before the place: Fueron al parque. (A + el = al.)

Step four: sentence 4. Hacer with ella is hizo, with a z: Hizo la tarea.

Step five: sentence 5. Ver with yo is vi, no accent: Anoche vi una película.

Step six: sentence 6. Dar with mi tío is dio, and "me" is the indirect object me before the verb: Mi tío me dio un regalo.

Step seven: accents. Check every -é and -ó ending: hablé, habló. The forms vi, dio take none.

Step eight: check. Every verb is a preterite form, matches its subject, and each sentence has a time marker or a clear finished event.

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Write the preterite of hablar for yo, tú and ella.
Show the full solution

-ar endings: -é, -aste, -ó. hablé, hablaste, habló
Write the preterite of comer for yo, él and ellos.
Show the full solution

-er endings: -í, -ió, -ieron. comí, comió, comieron
Write the preterite of ir for nosotros and ellas.
Show the full solution

Ir shares its preterite with ser. fuimos, fueron
Complete: Ayer yo ___ (hacer) la cena y mi hermano ___ (hacer) la tarea.
Show the full solution

hice; hizo
Complete: Anoche ellos ___ (ver) una película y yo ___ (ver) un programa.
Show the full solution

Ver has no accents in the preterite. vieron; vi
Say "Last week we went to the beach and swam."
Show the full solution

La semana pasada signals the preterite. Ir with nosotros is fuimos and nadar is nadamos (the same as the present). La semana pasada fuimos a la playa y nadamos.
Say "She gave me a book, and I thanked her." Use dar and dar las gracias.
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Dar with ella is dio, with me. The second verb is di with yo in "I gave thanks": Ella me dio un libro y yo le di las gracias.
Find and fix the errors: Ayer yo hable con mi madre y ella hace la cena.
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Hable needs the accent for the preterite (hablé), and hace is present: hizo with ayer. Ayer yo hablé con mi madre y ella hizo la cena.
Explain why fue can mean either "he went" or "he was".
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Ir and ser share the same preterite forms, so context decides. Ir and ser share one preterite: fue = went or was.
Write four sentences about last weekend with four different preterite verbs, one of them irregular.
Show the full solution

One correct answer: El sábado desayuné con mi familia. Mis amigos y yo fuimos al centro. Compré una camiseta. Vi una película por la noche. Each ending matches its subject, the accents are present (desayuné, compré), and fuimos, vi are irregular. El sábado desayuné con mi familia. Mis amigos y yo fuimos al centro. Compré una camiseta. Vi una película por la noche.

Lesson 1.7 · Unit 1 · Comparisons

More, less, the same and the most

Spanish compares in three ways: more or less, the same, and the most or least of all. First year gave you the first two. The superlative is new, and it uses the structure you already know with one small change: de instead of que. A single lesson covers all of them, with the four irregular forms that every student must learn.

The method

More or less: más / menos + adjective + que. Marta es más alta que Ana. Mi hermano es menos serio que yo.
Equal: tan + adjective + como. Soy tan alto como mi padre. The adjective stays in its form.
Equal quantity: tanto / tanta / tantos / tantas + noun + como. Tengo tantos libros como tú. Tanto agrees with the noun.
Four irregular comparatives. bueno → mejor, malo → peor, grande (age) → mayor, pequeño (age) → menor. They have the same form for masculine and feminine; the plural adds -es: mejores.
The superlative: the article + más/menos + adjective + de. Marta es la más alta de la clase. Es el mejor libro del año. The article agrees with the noun.
A number takes de, not que. Tengo más de diez libros. Menos de cinco euros.
-ísimo is "very, very". Es carísimo. Es facilísimo. La película es buenísima. It agrees: -ísimo, -ísima, -ísimos, -ísimas, and a final vowel is dropped before it.
Adverbs compare the same way. Corro más rápido que tú. Hablas tan bien como ella. The irregular adverbs are mejor and peor.

Where students lose marks: Más mejor (the double comparison), más que diez (a number takes de), tan libros como (the noun needs tantos), and el más alto que la clase (the superlative uses de). Choose the structure first (more, equal, most), then the particle (que, como, de).

Worked example

The problem. Compare Ana, Marta and Luis: Ana is 15, tall, has 8 books; Marta is 17, taller, has 12 books; Luis is 15, as tall as Ana, has 8 books. Write: (1) Marta is taller than Ana. (2) Luis is as tall as Ana. (3) Marta has more books than Ana. (4) Luis has as many books as Ana. (5) Marta is the oldest of the three. (6) Marta has more than ten books.

Step one: sentence 1. More than: más + adjective + que, and the adjective is feminine: Marta es más alta que Ana.

Step two: sentence 2. Equal adjective: tan + adjective + como: Luis es tan alto como Ana. Alto stays masculine because Luis is.

Step three: sentence 3. More of a noun: más libros que: Marta tiene más libros que Ana.

Step four: sentence 4. Equal quantity needs tanto to agree with libros: Luis tiene tantos libros como Ana.

Step five: sentence 5. The oldest is a superlative with mayor and de: Marta es la mayor de los tres.

Step six: sentence 6. A number uses de: Marta tiene más de diez libros.

Step seven: check particles. que, como, como, de, de: more and less use que, equal uses como, a superlative and a number use de.

Step eight: check. No más mejor, no que before a number, and tanto agrees with its noun.

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Complete: Mi casa es ___ grande ___ tu casa. (equal)
Show the full solution

Equal with an adjective: tan ... como. tan; como
Complete: Tengo ___ amigos ___ tú. (equal)
Show the full solution

Amigos is masculine plural, so tantos. tantos; como
Write the comparative of bueno and malo.
Show the full solution

mejor, peor
Complete: Este libro es ___ interesante ___ ese libro. (more)
Show the full solution

más; que
Complete: Tengo ___ de veinte euros. (more than)
Show the full solution

A number takes de. más
Say "My sister is the best student in the class."
Show the full solution

The superlative takes the article and de, and mejor is irregular. Mi hermana es la mejor estudiante de la clase.
Say "My brother is older than I, but he is not as tall as I."
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Age uses mayor, so mayor que; equal height negative uses no es tan alto como. Mi hermano es mayor que yo, pero no es tan alto como yo.
Find the error: Esta pizza es más mejor que la otra y es la más grande que todas.
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Más mejor is a double comparative, so use mejor. The superlative takes de, not que: de todas. Esta pizza es mejor que la otra y es la más grande de todas.
Say "The test was very, very difficult" using -ísimo.
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Difícil is a consonant-ending adjective, so dificilísimo, and examen is masculine. El examen fue dificilísimo.
Write four sentences comparing two people you know using four different structures from this lesson.
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One correct answer: Mi hermana es más alta que yo. Mi padre es tan serio como mi madre. Mi primo tiene más de veinte juegos. Mi abuela es la persona más simpática de la familia. Particles match the structures (que, como, de, de). Mi hermana es más alta que yo. Mi padre es tan serio como mi madre. Mi primo tiene más de veinte juegos. Mi abuela es la persona más simpática de la familia.

Unit 1 review · 10 problems · all lessons

Unit 1 review: Back to Spanish

These are mixed across all seven lessons and do not say which idea they want. Name the kind of problem first, then write the Spanish, and check every ending, accent and pronoun before you reveal the solution.

Say "I live in Fresno, but my parents are from Peru."
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Vivir with yo, and origin takes ser. Perú carries its accent. Vivo en Fresno, pero mis padres son de Perú.
Write the present of poder for yo and nosotros, and of hacer for yo.
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Poder is a boot verb, but nosotros is outside the boot, and hacer has a go form. puedo, podemos, hago
Say "I like the classes, and my brother likes sports."
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The thing liked is plural in both halves, so gustan, and the second half needs a plus the person. Me gustan las clases y a mi hermano le gustan los deportes.
Say "My mother gets up at six and takes a shower."
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Two reflexive verbs, each with se. Mi madre se levanta a las seis y se ducha.
Replace the noun with a pronoun: Veo a mis primos todos los domingos.
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Mis primos is masculine plural, so los, placed before the verb. Los veo todos los domingos.
Complete: Ayer yo ___ (hablar) con mi profesor y él ___ (ir) a la reunión.
Show the full solution

The preterite of hablar has an accent on yo, and ir is irregular. hablé; fue
Say "My cousin is taller than I, but I am older."
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A comparison with que, and mayor for age. Mi primo es más alto que yo, pero yo soy mayor.
Find and fix the errors: Yo gusto la pizza y mi hermana se levanto a las siete.
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Gustar works backward, and the present of levantarse with ella ends in -a. Me gusta la pizza y mi hermana se levanta a las siete.
Say "She is the best student in the class."
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The superlative takes the article and de, and mejor is irregular. Ella es la mejor estudiante de la clase.
Write four sentences about your daily routine, using a reflexive verb, a boot verb, a go verb and gustar.
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One correct answer: Me levanto a las seis. Empiezo la tarea a las cuatro. Hago la cena con mi madre. Me gusta ver películas por la noche. Each form matches yo, and gusta agrees with the infinitive. Me levanto a las seis. Empiezo la tarea a las cuatro. Hago la cena con mi madre. Me gusta ver películas por la noche.

Lesson 2.1 · Unit 2 · Structures

When the spelling has to change to keep the sound

The preterite endings you reviewed are regular, but a few spelling rules interrupt them. In the yo form, the letters c, g and z would change their sound before é, so the spelling changes to keep the sound. And in a small group of -er and -ir verbs, an i between two vowels turns into y. The changes are small, predictable, and examined often, because a missing change is a spelling error, not a different word.

The method

Verbs ending in -car change c to qu in yo. Buscar → busqué. Tocar → toqué. Sacar → saqué. Practicar → practiqué. Explicar → expliqué. Without it, busce would be pronounced "BOOS-seh".
Verbs ending in -gar change g to gu in yo. Llegar → llegué. Jugar → jugué. Pagar → pagué. Apagar → apagué. Without it, llegé would sound like "yeh-HEH".
Verbs ending in -zar change z to c in yo. Empezar → empecé. Comenzar → comencé. Almorzar → almorcé. Cruzar → crucé. Abrazar → abracé. Spanish does not write ze in this position.
Only the yo form changes. Busqué, buscaste, buscó, buscamos, buscaron. The other five forms are regular and keep the c, g, z.
Stem changes do not appear in the preterite of -ar and -er verbs. Jugué has no ue, and empecé has no ie. Pensé, volví, almorcé are regular in their stems.
Leer, creer, oír, caer and -uir verbs change i to y between vowels. Leyó, leyeron; creyó, creyeron; oyó, oyeron; cayó, cayeron; construyó, construyeron. Only él and ellos change.
The other forms of leer, creer, oír and caer carry a written accent. Leí, leíste, leímos. The accent keeps the two vowels apart as two syllables (le-í). Construir has it only in construí.
Check the yo form of every -car, -gar, -zar verb before you submit. Errors in this group are frequent because the verb looks regular.

Where students lose marks: Llegé and empezé (the letter of the infinitive left in place), busce for busqué, and leió for leyó. These are error 3, an irregular stem, spelling or accent. Scan each yo form for the ending of its infinitive first.

Worked example

The problem. Write six sentences: (1) Yesterday I looked for my keys. (2) I arrived at school at eight. (3) I started the test. (4) She read the book. (5) We heard a noise. (6) They built a house.

Step one: sentence 1. Buscar ends in -car, so c becomes qu in yo: Ayer busqué mis llaves. "For" is part of the verb buscar.

Step two: sentence 2. Llegar ends in -gar, so g becomes gu: Llegué a la escuela a las ocho.

Step three: sentence 3. Empezar ends in -zar, so z becomes c, and the stem does not change: Empecé el examen.

Step four: sentence 4. Leer is a vowel-stem verb, so ella changes i to y: Ella leyó el libro.

Step five: sentence 5. Oír with nosotros keeps the i, with an accent: Oímos un ruido.

Step six: sentence 6. Construir with ellos is construyeron: Construyeron una casa.

Step seven: accents. The accent in oímos and leí marks two separate syllables; there is no accent in leyó or construyeron.

Step eight: check. The only spelling changes occur in yo of -car, -gar, -zar and in él, ella, ellos of the vowel-stem verbs.

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Write the preterite yo form of tocar, pagar and cruzar.
Show the full solution

-car → -qué, -gar → -gué, -zar → -cé. toqué, pagué, crucé
Write the preterite yo form of sacar, jugar and almorzar.
Show the full solution

saqué, jugué, almorcé
Write the preterite of leer for tú, ella and ellos.
Show the full solution

Tú takes the accent; ella and ellos take y. leíste, leyó, leyeron
Complete: Ayer yo ___ (practicar) el piano y mi hermana ___ (practicar) la guitarra.
Show the full solution

The spelling change is only in yo. practiqué; practicó
Complete: Nosotros ___ (oír) la música, pero ellos no la ___ (oír).
Show the full solution

Nosotros keeps the i with an accent; ellos takes y. oímos; oyeron
Say "I started the homework, and then I played soccer."
Show the full solution

Empezar and jugar both change in yo, and neither has a stem change. Empecé la tarea y luego jugué al fútbol.
Say "She believed the story, but I did not believe it."
Show the full solution

Creer is a vowel-stem verb: creyó for ella, creí for yo. The object pronoun la goes before the second verb. Ella creyó la historia, pero yo no la creí.
Find and fix the errors: Yo llegé tarde y empezé la clase sin ti.
Show the full solution

The yo forms must keep the sound: llegar → llegué and empezar → empecé. Yo llegué tarde y empecé la clase sin ti.
Explain why oyeron is spelled with y and oímos is spelled with í.
Show the full solution

The i between two vowels becomes y in él and ellos forms. In the other forms, the i stays and carries an accent to mark two syllables. y in the third person, í in the others.
Write four sentences about last weekend, one with each type of spelling change: -car, -gar, -zar, and leer.
Show the full solution

One correct answer: Toqué la guitarra. Llegué a casa a las seis. Almorcé con mi familia. Leí un libro. Each yo form has the change, and leí has the accent. Toqué la guitarra. Llegué a casa a las seis. Almorcé con mi familia. Leí un libro.

Lesson 2.2 · Unit 2 · Structures

Verbs with their own stem in the past

Twelve of the most useful verbs have an irregular stem in the preterite and a single set of endings that carry no accents. Once you know the stem, you know the verb. The group is easier to learn if you sort it by its stem vowel: the u verbs, the i verbs and the j verbs. This lesson sorts them for you.

The method

One set of endings for all of them: -e, -iste, -o, -imos, -ieron. No written accents appear, which is the main visible difference from the regular preterite (-é, -ó).
The u-stem verbs. estar → estuv-, tener → tuv-, poder → pud-, poner → pus-, saber → sup-, haber → hub-. Estuve, tuviste, puso, pudimos, supieron.
The i-stem verbs. hacer → hic- (but hizo in the él form), querer → quis-, venir → vin-. Hice, quisiste, vino, hicimos, vinieron.
The j-stem verbs. decir → dij-, traer → traj-, conducir → conduj-, traducir → traduj-. Dije, trajiste, condujo, dijimos. After j, the ending is -eron, not -ieron: dijeron, trajeron.
Hacer has one more twist. The él form is hizo (with z) so the c keeps its sound.
No accents on yo or él. Tuve and tuvo, never tuvé or tuvó. This is the most frequent error with these verbs.
The meaning is the finished event. Tuve una fiesta is "I had a party" (and it happened). The same verbs shift meaning in the preterite, which unit 4 takes up.
Learn them by group. Say a model for each: tuve, tuviste, tuvo, tuvimos, tuvieron; quise, quisiste, quiso; dije, dijiste, dijo, dijimos, dijeron.

Where students lose marks: Tuvé, puse spelled pusé, hací for hice, dijieron for dijeron, and traieron for trajeron. They are all error 3. Check three things: is the verb on the list, does the stem match, and is there no accent?

Worked example

The problem. Write six sentences: (1) I had a test yesterday. (2) We were at the party. (3) She put the book on the table. (4) They could not come. (5) He said the truth. (6) You (informal) brought the cake.

Step one: sentence 1. Tener is u-stem with yo: tuve. No accent: Ayer tuve un examen.

Step two: sentence 2. Estar is u-stem with nosotros: estuvimos: Estuvimos en la fiesta.

Step three: sentence 3. Poner is u-stem with ella: puso: Ella puso el libro en la mesa.

Step four: sentence 4. Poder with ellos: pudieron. No goes before: No pudieron venir.

Step five: sentence 5. Decir is j-stem with él: dijo: Él dijo la verdad.

Step six: sentence 6. Traer is j-stem with tú: trajiste: Tú trajiste el pastel.

Step seven: accents. None of these six has an accent, and the j-stem ellos form would be -eron (not used here).

Step eight: check. Every verb uses the irregular stem with -e, -iste, -o, -imos, -ieron, and no form has -é or -ó.

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Write the preterite yo form of estar, poder, poner and saber.
Show the full solution

u-stem verbs with -e. estuve, pude, puse, supe
Write the preterite él form of hacer, querer and venir.
Show the full solution

hizo, quiso, vino
Write the preterite ellos form of decir, traer and conducir.
Show the full solution

j-stems take -eron. dijeron, trajeron, condujeron
Complete: Ayer nosotros ___ (tener) una reunión y ___ (hacer) un plan.
Show the full solution

tuvimos; hicimos
Complete: María ___ (venir) tarde y no ___ (poder) entrar.
Show the full solution

vino; pudo
Say "I put the bag on the chair, and then I told you the truth."
Show the full solution

Poner with yo is puse and decir with yo is dije. Te is the indirect object, before the verb. Puse la bolsa en la silla y luego te dije la verdad.
Say "They brought food, and we did the homework."
Show the full solution

Traer with ellos is trajeron (a j-stem takes -eron), and hacer with nosotros is hicimos. Trajeron comida y nosotros hicimos la tarea.
Find and fix the errors: Yo tuvé una idea y hací un dibujo, pero ella no pudió venir.
Show the full solution

Tuvé → tuve (no accent), hací → hice (irregular stem), pudió → pudo (no accent). Yo tuve una idea e hice un dibujo, pero ella no pudo venir.
Explain why dijeron and vinieron have different endings.
Show the full solution

After a stem ending in j, the i of -ieron disappears. Venir has an i-stem, which keeps -ieron. j-stems take -eron; others take -ieron.
Write four sentences about last week using four different irregular preterite verbs from different groups.
Show the full solution

One correct answer: Estuve en casa el lunes. Hice la tarea el martes. Vine a la escuela el miércoles. Dije la verdad el jueves. Each verb is an irregular stem with -e, no accent. Estuve en casa el lunes. Hice la tarea el martes. Vine a la escuela el miércoles. Dije la verdad el jueves.

Lesson 2.3 · Unit 2 · Structures

Where the boot appears, and where it does not

Stem-changing verbs do not all behave the same in the preterite. The -ar and -er verbs you know as boot verbs in the present have no stem change in the preterite at all. Only the -ir verbs change, and only in two forms: él and ellos. This lesson is about those two forms, which are examined often because they look different from the present-tense boot.

The method

No stem change for -ar and -er verbs. Pensar → pensé, pensaste, pensó. Volver → volví, volviste, volvió. Jugar → jugué. Almorzar → almorcé. The stem stays as in the infinitive.
The -ir boot verbs change in él and ellos only. Pedir: pedí, pediste, pidió, pedimos, pidieron. The changed stem appears twice.
E to i. pedir → pidió, pidieron; servir → sirvió; repetir → repitió; seguir → siguió; vestirse → se vistió; sentir → sintió; preferir → prefirió; divertirse → se divirtió.
O to u. dormir → durmió, durmieron; morir → murió, murieron. The vowel is u, not ue.
The other four forms are regular. Dormí, dormiste, dormimos. There is no boot in yo, tú, nosotros.
Check the infinitive ending first. Only verbs ending in -ir have this change. Volver and pensar never do.
The present and the preterite are different. Present: pide, piden; preterite: pidió, pidieron. Same stem change in the third person, but a different ending.
Spelling still applies. Leer and oír have y; the boot verbs have i or u. Do not mix the two groups.

Where students lose marks: Pedió for pidió, dormió for durmió, pensó written as piensó, and volvió written as vuelvió. Test: does the infinitive end in -ir? If not, there is no boot. If it does, only él and ellos change.

Worked example

The problem. Write six sentences: (1) I asked for water. (2) She asked for a coffee. (3) We slept ten hours. (4) They slept in the car. (5) The waiter served the soup. (6) He preferred the other restaurant.

Step one: sentence 1. Pedir with yo has no change: Pedí agua.

Step two: sentence 2. Pedir with ella is pidió: Ella pidió un café.

Step three: sentence 3. Dormir with nosotros has no change: Dormimos diez horas.

Step four: sentence 4. Dormir with ellos is durmieron: Durmieron en el coche.

Step five: sentence 5. Servir with el mesero is sirvió: El mesero sirvió la sopa.

Step six: sentence 6. Preferir with él is prefirió: Él prefirió el otro restaurante.

Step seven: boot check. The changed stem appears in sentences 2, 4, 5, 6 (all él or ellos) and not in 1 or 3 (yo, nosotros).

Step eight: check. Every changed form is an -ir verb in the third person, and no -ar or -er verb has a boot.

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Write the preterite él form of pedir, servir and repetir.
Show the full solution

e → i in the third person. pidió, sirvió, repitió
Write the preterite ellos form of dormir and morir.
Show the full solution

o → u. durmieron, murieron
Write the preterite yo form of dormir, preferir and seguir.
Show the full solution

Yo has no stem change. dormí, preferí, seguí
Complete: Mi hermano ___ (pedir) una pizza y yo ___ (pedir) una ensalada.
Show the full solution

pidió; pedí
Complete: Ellos ___ (dormir) hasta tarde y nosotros ___ (dormir) poco.
Show the full solution

durmieron; dormimos
Say "The flowers died, but the tree did not die."
Show the full solution

Morir with las flores (plural) is murieron; with el árbol is murió, and no goes before. Las flores murieron, pero el árbol no murió.
Say "She dressed, and then she followed her friends." Use vestirse and seguir.
Show the full solution

Vestirse has the pronoun se and the boot vistió; seguir with ella is siguió. Ella se vistió y luego siguió a sus amigos.
Find and fix the errors: Ellos pedieron el menú y ella dormió en el sofá. Yo pidí una limonada.
Show the full solution

Pedieron needs the boot in the third person: pidieron. Dormió needs u: durmió. And yo has no boot: pidí becomes pedí. Ellos pidieron el menú y ella durmió en el sofá. Yo pedí una limonada.
Explain why pensó has no boot but prefirió does.
Show the full solution

Pensar is an -ar verb, so it has no change in the preterite. Preferir is an -ir verb, so e becomes i in the third person. -ar and -er verbs have no stem change; -ir verbs change in él and ellos.
Write four sentences about a restaurant visit, using pedir, servir, dormir or preferir in the third person at least twice.
Show the full solution

One correct answer: Mi padre pidió una sopa. Mi madre prefirió una ensalada. El mesero sirvió el pan. Mis hermanos durmieron en el coche. Every third-person form has the boot: pidió, prefirió, sirvió, durmieron. Mi padre pidió una sopa. Mi madre prefirió una ensalada. El mesero sirvió el pan. Mis hermanos durmieron en el coche.

Lesson 2.4 · Unit 2 · Communication: presentational

Putting a series of past events in order

When you tell a story in the preterite, every event pushes the story forward. The tense does not do all the work; sequence words tell the listener what came first, what came next and how it ended. This lesson gives you the words that order a story, and the rule for combining short sentences so a paragraph does not read like a list.

The method

Begin with a time. Un día, El sábado pasado, Ayer por la mañana, Hace dos años. The first sentence sets when.
Order with sequence words. primero, luego, después, entonces, más tarde, finalmente, por fin, al final.
Before and after. Antes de and después de take an infinitive: Antes de salir, comí. Después de comer, salí. Not a conjugated verb.
Sudden events. De repente ("suddenly") and en ese momento ("at that moment") mark an event that breaks in.
Combine with y, pero, porque. Salí, pero llegué tarde porque perdí el autobús. One sentence, two events.
Replace repeated nouns with pronouns. Compré un libro y lo leí. Do not write compré un libro y leí el libro.
One tense for the series. Use the preterite for every event in the sequence. Stay in it unless the next lesson's imperfect is needed.
End with the result. Por fin, Al final, Después de todo. A story with no end is a list.

Where students lose marks: Leaving out sequence words (a list instead of a story), Después de salí (a conjugated verb after después de), and repeating nouns instead of using pronouns. Read your paragraph and ask: does each sentence tell the listener where it falls in the series?

Worked example

The problem. Tell this story in the preterite, in at least five connected sentences: Sofía woke up late, ran to the bus stop, missed the bus, called her father, and he took her to school.

Step one: opening. Begin with a time. El lunes pasado, Sofía se despertó tarde. Despertarse is reflexive, with se.

Step two: next event. Luego corrió a la parada del autobús. Correr is regular in the preterite.

Step three: the problem. Pero perdió el autobús. Perder is an -er verb with no stem change in the preterite.

Step four: the solution. Entonces llamó a su papá. A before su papá is the personal a.

Step five: the help. Él la llevó a la escuela. La replaces Sofía, before the verb.

Step six: the end. Por fin, Sofía llegó a clase. Por fin signals the end.

Step seven: connect. Add después de with an infinitive: Después de hablar con su papá, Sofía esperó cinco minutos.

Step eight: check. Every verb is preterite (se despertó, corrió, perdió, llamó, llevó, llegó), every event has a sequence word, and pronouns replace repeated nouns.

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Put these words in order: finalmente, primero, luego, al final, después.
Show the full solution

Primero begins; luego and después are in the middle; finalmente and al final close. primero, luego, después, finalmente, al final
Complete with antes de or después de: ___ cenar, hice la tarea. (first the homework, then dinner)
Show the full solution

The homework came first: antes de + infinitive. Antes de
Combine into one sentence with y: Compré un libro. Leí el libro. Use a pronoun.
Show the full solution

A pronoun replaces the second el libro: Compré un libro y lo leí.
Complete with the correct preterite: Primero yo ___ (llegar) a casa y luego ___ (cenar).
Show the full solution

Llegar has the yo spelling change; cenar is also yo. llegué; cené
Write the opening sentence of a story about last Saturday.
Show the full solution

Begin with a time marker and a first event. One correct answer: El sábado pasado, me levanté temprano y fui al parque.
Say "After eating, we went out, and suddenly it started to rain."
Show the full solution

Después de + infinitive, de repente for the sudden event, and empezar with the spelling in the third person. Después de comer, salimos y de repente empezó a llover.
Say "First I opened the door, then I called my friend, and finally we left."
Show the full solution

Three sequence words and three preterite verbs. Primero abrí la puerta, luego llamé a mi amigo y finalmente salimos.
Find and fix the errors: Después de salí, vi a mi amigo. Después yo compro un helado.
Show the full solution

Después de takes an infinitive: después de salir. The second sentence is in the present, so it should be compré. Después de salir, vi a mi amigo. Después compré un helado.
Explain why a paragraph made of six sentences starting with Yo reads like a list.
Show the full solution

There are no sequence words and no connectors to tell the listener where each event falls. Add primero, luego, después and connect with y, pero, porque.
Write a five-sentence story about a day at the beach using sequence words and pronouns.
Show the full solution

One correct answer: Primero llegamos a la playa. Luego busqué un lugar y puse la toalla. Después nadamos. De repente vi un pájaro grande y lo seguí. Al final, volvimos a casa. Each sentence has a sequence word, and lo replaces el pájaro. Primero llegamos a la playa. Luego busqué un lugar y puse la toalla. Después nadamos. De repente vi un pájaro grande y lo seguí. Al final, volvimos a casa.

Lesson 2.5 · Unit 2 · Structures

To whom, for whom

A direct object answers "what?" or "whom?". An indirect object answers "to whom?" or "for whom?". It is the person who receives or benefits from the action, and Spanish uses a small pronoun for it, one you already know from gustar. Almost every sentence about giving, telling, showing, asking and writing needs one.

The method

The indirect object pronouns: me, te, le, nos, les. They are the same as the direct object pronouns for me, te, nos, and different for the third person: le, les.
The test. Ask "to whom?" or "for whom?". Le di el libro a Marta (to whom? Marta.) The thing, el libro, is the direct object.
Verbs that usually take one. dar, decir, escribir, mandar, enviar, mostrar, ofrecer, prestar, regalar, explicar, preguntar, pedir, contar, comprar (for someone).
Position is the same as for direct objects. Before a conjugated verb or attached to an infinitive or progressive: Le escribo. Voy a escribirle. Estoy escribiéndole.
Le and les are gender-neutral. Le means "to him, her or you (usted)". Les means "to them or you (ustedes)". Add a plus a name to be clear: Le doy el libro a Ana.
The noun can be stated too. Le di el libro a Ana is correct, with both the pronoun and the noun. The pronoun is not optional, but the noun is.
Pedir versus preguntar. Pedir means "to ask for": Le pedí ayuda. Preguntar means "to ask a question": Le pregunté la hora.
Combine with a direct object noun. Me dio un regalo. Nos explicó la lección. The direct object follows the verb as a noun, and the indirect is the pronoun.

Where students lose marks: Di el libro a Ana (missing le), Les escribí a Marta (wrong number: le), Dije la verdad la profesora (missing pronoun and a), and lo di for le di. Find the person receiving, choose le or les by number, and add the pronoun even when the noun is there.

Worked example

The problem. Write five sentences: (1) I gave Ana the book. (2) She told us the truth. (3) My parents are going to buy me a gift. (4) I wrote to my grandparents. (5) We asked the teacher for help.

Step one: sentence 1. The indirect object is Ana (to whom?), so le, and the book is the direct object: Le di el libro a Ana.

Step two: sentence 2. "Us" is nos, and decir with ella is dijo, irregular: Nos dijo la verdad.

Step three: sentence 3. Two places: Mis padres me van a comprar un regalo or Mis padres van a comprarme un regalo.

Step four: sentence 4. The grandparents are plural: les, and a introduces them: Les escribí a mis abuelos.

Step five: sentence 5. Pedir with "for help" and le for one teacher: Le pedimos ayuda a la profesora.

Step six: reread. Every sentence has a pronoun and a person to whom the action goes.

Step seven: number check. le for one person (Ana, the teacher) and les for two or more (grandparents).

Step eight: check. No sentence leaves out the pronoun, and none uses a direct pronoun (lo, la) for a person receiving something.

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Complete with le or les: Doy un libro a mi hermana. ___ doy un libro.
Show the full solution

One person, so le. Le
Complete with the correct pronoun: Mi madre ___ (to me) escribe cada semana.
Show the full solution

me
Complete: Nosotros ___ (to them) mandamos una carta a los abuelos.
Show the full solution

les
Say "I am going to give you (informal) a present" in two ways.
Show the full solution

Te before voy a or attached to the infinitive. Te voy a dar un regalo. / Voy a darte un regalo.
Say "He showed us the photos."
Show the full solution

Mostrar with él is mostró; nos is the indirect object. Nos mostró las fotos.
Say "I asked my father for money, and he gave me twenty euros."
Show the full solution

Pedir with yo is pedí; dar with él is dio. Both have indirect pronouns. Le pedí dinero a mi padre y él me dio veinte euros.
Find and fix the errors: Escribí a mis amigos. Les di el libro a Marta.
Show the full solution

The first needs the pronoun: Les escribí a mis amigos. The second needs le because Marta is one person. Les escribí a mis amigos. Le di el libro a Marta.
Explain the difference between pedir and preguntar.
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Pedir means to ask for something; preguntar means to ask a question. Le pedí ayuda. Le pregunté la hora.
Sort the objects in this sentence: Le mandé un mensaje a mi amiga.
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Un mensaje is the direct object (what?), and le / a mi amiga is the indirect object (to whom?). Direct: un mensaje. Indirect: le, a mi amiga.
Write four sentences about giving, telling, showing and writing using four indirect pronouns.
Show the full solution

One correct answer: Le di un regalo a mi madre. Les dije la verdad a mis amigos. Te mostré mis fotos. Nos escribió una carta mi abuela. The pronouns le, les, te, nos match the receivers. Le di un regalo a mi madre. Les dije la verdad a mis amigos. Te mostré mis fotos. Nos escribió una carta mi abuela.

Lesson 2.6 · Unit 2 · Structures

Indirect before direct, and the change from le to se

Many sentences contain both an indirect and a direct object: "I gave it to her." Spanish places both pronouns before the verb in a fixed order, and it changes one of them so that two words that would sound alike do not collide. This is the pattern that most often costs marks in second-year Spanish, and this lesson takes it step by step.

The method

Indirect before direct. Me lo dio. Never lo me dio. A memory aid: the two pronouns appear in the order of the letters I, D (indirect, direct).
Le or les becomes se before lo, la, los, las. Le lo di is not Spanish; Se lo di is. The change is only in the third person.
The other pronouns stay. Me lo, te lo, nos lo. Me la prestas. Te los mando.
The direct pronoun matches the thing. Se lo di (the book, masculine), Se la di (the picture, feminine), Se los di (the books), Se las di (the pictures).
Both pronouns before the conjugated verb. Me lo dio. No se lo dije. The negative no comes first.
Both attach to an infinitive or progressive, with an accent. Voy a dártelo. Estoy escribiéndotela. Add a written accent to keep the stress.
Or both go before the helper verb. Te lo voy a dar and Voy a dártelo are equivalent.
Clarify se with a and a noun. Se lo di a Marta. Se alone could mean to him, to her, to you, or to them.

Where students lose marks: Le lo di (should be se lo di), Lo me dio (wrong order), Voy a darselo (no accent), and Se la di when the thing is masculine (se lo). First find the indirect, then the direct, and put them in the order I, D.

Worked example

The problem. Replace the nouns with pronouns: (1) Di el libro a Marta. (2) Mi madre me compró los zapatos. (3) Voy a escribir la carta a mis abuelos (two ways). (4) No te dije la verdad.

Step one: sentence 1. Indirect: Marta → le. Direct: el libro → lo. Together: le lo, which becomes se lo: Se lo di.

Step two: sentence 2. Indirect: me. Direct: los zapatos → los. Order: me los: Mi madre me los compró.

Step three: sentence 3. Indirect: a mis abuelos → les. Direct: la carta → la. Les la becomes se la: Voy a escribírsela or Se la voy a escribir.

Step four: accent. Attached to the infinitive, escribir + se + la needs a written accent: escribírsela.

Step five: sentence 4. Indirect: te. Direct: la verdad → la. Order: te la: No te la dije.

Step six: the negative. No goes before both pronouns.

Step seven: matching. Los matches zapatos, and la matches carta and verdad.

Step eight: check. I before D in every sentence, se replacing le/les before lo/la/los/las, and an accent on the attached form.

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Replace the nouns: Doy el regalo a mi madre.
Show the full solution

Le + lo becomes se lo. Se lo doy.
Replace the nouns: Mi padre me dio la bicicleta.
Show the full solution

Indirect me, direct la. Mi padre me la dio.
Complete with se or le: ___ lo dije a ellos.
Show the full solution

Le before lo becomes se. Se
Replace the nouns: Te mando las fotos.
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Te las mando.
Replace both objects with pronouns, attached to the infinitive: Voy a mandar la carta a ellos.
Show the full solution

Les becomes se before la, and the two attached pronouns need an accent on the infinitive. Voy a mandársela.
Say "She gave them to us" (the keys).
Show the full solution

Indirect nos, direct las llaves → las. Ella nos las dio.
Say "I can't give it to you now" (the book) in two ways.
Show the full solution

Te lo and poder, with the pronouns before poder or attached to dar. No te lo puedo dar ahora. / No puedo dártelo ahora.
Find and fix the errors: Le lo expliqué a ellos. Lo me prestó mi amigo.
Show the full solution

Le lo becomes se lo, and the order must be indirect before direct: me lo. Se lo expliqué a ellos. Me lo prestó mi amigo.
Explain why Se lo dije can have four meanings.
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Se replaces le and les, which cover him, her, you (formal), and them. Add a plus a noun to specify. Se lo dije a él / a ella / a usted / a ellos.
Write three answers with two pronouns to the questions: ¿Quién te dio el regalo? ¿Le mandas la carta a tu abuela? ¿Nos traes los libros?
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One correct answer: Mi tío me lo dio. Sí, se la mando. Sí, se los traigo. Each answer has I, D in order, with se for the third person. Mi tío me lo dio. Sí, se la mando. Sí, se los traigo.

Lesson 2.7 · Unit 2 · Communication: interpersonal

How long ago, and how long so far

English has two separate questions: "How long ago did that happen?" and "How long have you been doing that?" Spanish answers both with the verb hacer, but the structure and the tense are different. This lesson separates them so they do not collide, and ties them to durante for the length of a finished event.

The method

Ago: a preterite verb plus hace and the time. Llegué hace dos horas. ("I arrived two hours ago.") Hace does not change.
Ago, the other order. Hace dos horas que llegué. The same meaning, with que before the verb.
How long ago? ¿Cuánto tiempo hace que llegaste? or ¿Hace cuánto llegaste? The answer is Hace una hora.
For a period still going: hace plus time plus que plus the present. Hace dos años que vivo aquí. ("I have been living here for two years.")
The present, not the perfect. Spanish uses the present tense with hace ... que for something still happening.
How long so far? ¿Cuánto tiempo hace que vives aquí? The answer is Hace tres años que vivo aquí or Vivo aquí desde hace tres años.
For the length of a finished event: durante or nothing. Estudié durante dos horas. Viví en Madrid tres años. The preterite with a duration is complete.
Hace is singular. Always hace, never hacen, even with a plural time: hace dos días.

Where students lose marks: Hace dos años que viví aquí (a finished verb with que for a continuing action) and Hacen tres días for Hace tres días, and mixing the structure: Vivo hace dos años. Ask: is the action finished (preterite) or still going (present)?

Worked example

The problem. Write four sentences: (1) I arrived two hours ago. (2) I have been studying Spanish for three years. (3) How long ago did you eat? (4) We studied for two hours.

Step one: sentence 1. A finished event with "ago": preterite plus hace: Llegué hace dos horas.

Step two: sentence 2. A continuing action: hace plus time plus que plus the present: Hace tres años que estudio español.

Step three: sentence 3. The question for the finished event: ¿Cuánto tiempo hace que comiste? or ¿Hace cuánto comiste?

Step four: sentence 4. A finished event with a duration: Estudiamos durante dos horas.

Step five: compare. Sentences 1 and 2 both contain hace, but sentence 1 has a preterite and sentence 2 has a present.

Step six: singular. Hace is always singular, even with tres años.

Step seven: the other order. Sentence 1 can also be written with que first: Hace dos horas que llegué. The meaning does not change.

Step eight: check. The preterite with hace gives "ago"; the present with hace ... que gives "for".

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Complete: Salí de casa ___ una hora. (ago)
Show the full solution

hace
Complete: ___ cinco años que vivo en California. (for five years)
Show the full solution

Hace
Say "I called two days ago."
Show the full solution

Llamé hace dos días.
Say "She has lived here for ten years" using hace.
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The action continues, so the present: Hace diez años que ella vive aquí.
Say "How long have you (informal) known him?"
Show the full solution

¿Cuánto tiempo hace que lo conoces?
Say "They arrived three weeks ago, and they have been working here since then."
Show the full solution

First part is preterite with hace; second continues, so the present with desde entonces. Llegaron hace tres semanas y trabajan aquí desde entonces.
Say "I studied for four hours last night."
Show the full solution

A completed duration in the past: estudié with durante. Anoche estudié durante cuatro horas.
Find and fix the errors: Hacen dos días que llegué. Hace tres años que viví aquí.
Show the full solution

Hace is always singular. The second sentence is a continuing action, so vivo. Hace dos días que llegué. Hace tres años que vivo aquí.
Explain the difference between Estudio hace dos horas and Estudié hace dos horas.
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The first is wrong (the continuing form needs hace ... que). The second says "I studied two hours ago", a finished event. The first is incorrect; the second means I studied two hours ago.
Write three sentences about yourself: how long ago you did something, how long you have been doing something, and how long you did something in the past.
Show the full solution

One correct answer: Desayuné hace una hora. Hace cuatro años que estudio español. Practiqué guitarra durante tres meses. Each uses the right tense: preterite with hace for ago, present with hace ... que for for, preterite with durante for length. Desayuné hace una hora. Hace cuatro años que estudio español. Practiqué guitarra durante tres meses.

Unit 2 review · 10 problems · all lessons

Unit 2 review: The Preterite in Depth

These are mixed across all seven lessons and do not say which idea they want. Check each yo form for a spelling change, each irregular verb for its stem, and each pronoun for its order.

Write the preterite yo form of buscar, llegar and empezar.
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The spelling changes keep the sound. busqué, llegué, empecé
Write the preterite of leer and dormir for él and for ellos.
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Leer takes y, and dormir changes o to u in the third person. leyó, leyeron; durmió, durmieron
Complete: Ayer nosotros ___ (tener) un examen y yo ___ (hacer) mucha tarea.
Show the full solution

Two irregular stems. tuvimos; hice
Replace both nouns with pronouns: Di el libro a Marta.
Show the full solution

Le lo becomes se lo. Se lo di.
Say "She asked for a pizza and I asked for a salad."
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Pedir has the boot in ella only. Ella pidió una pizza y yo pedí una ensalada.
Say "I arrived two hours ago, and I have lived here for five years."
Show the full solution

Hace with the preterite for "ago", and hace ... que with the present for "for". Llegué hace dos horas y hace cinco años que vivo aquí.
Replace both nouns in two ways: Voy a escribir la carta a mis abuelos.
Show the full solution

Les la becomes se la, before the verb or attached to the infinitive with an accent. Se la voy a escribir. / Voy a escribírsela.
Find and fix the errors: Yo tuvé una idea y le lo dije a mi madre.
Show the full solution

Tuve has no accent, and le lo becomes se lo. Yo tuve una idea y se lo dije a mi madre.
Say "First we ate, then my father told us a story, and finally we went to bed."
Show the full solution

Three sequence words, and contar is regular in the preterite. Primero comimos, luego mi padre nos contó un cuento y finalmente nos acostamos.
Write four sentences about last weekend: one with a spelling change, one with an irregular stem, one with a boot verb in the third person, and one with an indirect object pronoun.
Show the full solution

One correct answer: Toqué la guitarra. Mis amigos vinieron a mi casa. Mi hermano pidió una pizza. Le di un regalo a mi madre. Toqué has the spelling change, vinieron the irregular stem, pidió the boot, and le the indirect pronoun. Toqué la guitarra. Mis amigos vinieron a mi casa. Mi hermano pidió una pizza. Le di un regalo a mi madre.

Lesson 3.1 · Unit 3 · Structures

A second past tense, and the easiest verb ending in Spanish

The preterite tells what happened once, as a finished event. The imperfect is the other past tense, and it tells what used to happen, what was going on, and what things were like. It is a tense of background and habit, and it has the most regular endings in the language. This lesson teaches the endings for -ar verbs. The next two lessons finish the picture, and unit 4 teaches the choice between the two pasts.

The method

The -ar endings: -aba, -abas, -aba, -ábamos, -aban. Hablar: hablaba, hablabas, hablaba, hablábamos, hablaban.
Only nosotros has a written accent. Hablábamos, cantábamos. The accent falls on the first a of the ending, which is stressed.
The yo and él forms are the same. Yo hablaba and él hablaba look identical, so the subject or the context says which.
There are no stem changes. Pensaba, jugaba, empezaba, almorzaba, volvía. The boot of the present does not exist in the imperfect.
There are no spelling changes either. Buscaba, llegaba, empezaba. The preterite's busqué, llegué belongs only to that tense.
Three English meanings. Hablaba can mean "I used to speak", "I would speak" (as a habit) and "I was speaking".
Habit markers. siempre, todos los días, cada verano, los sábados, a menudo, de niño, de pequeña.
Pronoun placement is unchanged. Lo miraba. Me levantaba temprano. The pronoun still goes before the verb.

Where students lose marks: Hablabamos with no accent (hablábamos), bailavan with v (bailaban), and juegaba for jugaba (a boot that does not exist in the imperfect). If the verb ends in -ar, add -aba to the infinitive stem, with no change in the stem.

Worked example

The problem. Write six sentences about your grandparents when you were little: (1) We visited them every Sunday. (2) My grandmother cooked. (3) My grandfather played the guitar. (4) I helped in the kitchen. (5) We always talked a lot. (6) They walked in the park every afternoon.

Step one: sentence 1. A habit ("every Sunday"), nosotros, with the accent: Los visitábamos todos los domingos. The pronoun los is before the verb.

Step two: sentence 2. Cocinar with mi abuela: Mi abuela cocinaba.

Step three: sentence 3. Tocar with mi abuelo, and no spelling change: Mi abuelo tocaba la guitarra.

Step four: sentence 4. Ayudar with yo, the same as él: Yo ayudaba en la cocina.

Step five: sentence 5. Hablar with nosotros, with the accent: Siempre hablábamos mucho.

Step six: sentence 6. Caminar with ellos, and todas las tardes for the habit: Caminaban por el parque todas las tardes.

Step seven: accent. The only written accents are on the nosotros forms: visitábamos, hablábamos.

Step eight: check. Every verb ends in -aba, -abas, -aba, -ábamos or -aban, and there is no stem change or spelling change.

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Write the imperfect yo form of hablar, cantar and trabajar.
Show the full solution

Drop -ar and add -aba. hablaba, cantaba, trabajaba
Write the imperfect nosotros form of bailar and estudiar.
Show the full solution

Nosotros takes the accent. bailábamos, estudiábamos
Complete: De niña, ella ___ (jugar) en el parque todos los días.
Show the full solution

No stem change and no spelling change in the imperfect. jugaba
Complete: Mis abuelos ___ (cocinar) todos los domingos.
Show the full solution

cocinaban
Complete: ¿Qué música ___ (escuchar) tú de pequeño?
Show the full solution

escuchabas
Say "We used to walk to school."
Show the full solution

Caminar with nosotros in the imperfect, with the accent. Caminábamos a la escuela.
Say "I used to play soccer with my cousins every summer."
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A habit, so the imperfect, and jugar has no change. Jugaba al fútbol con mis primos todos los veranos.
Find and fix the errors: Mi hermano y yo cantabamos y mis padres bailavan.
Show the full solution

Nosotros needs the accent: cantábamos. Bailaban is spelled with b. Mi hermano y yo cantábamos y mis padres bailaban.
Write the imperfect yo form of pensar, empezar and jugar. Explain why none of them changes its stem.
Show the full solution

The boot and the spelling change belong to the present and the preterite, not to the imperfect, which adds -aba to the infinitive stem. pensaba, empezaba, jugaba
Write four sentences about what you used to do on Saturdays when you were a child, using -ar verbs.
Show the full solution

One correct answer: Jugaba con mis amigos. Mi mamá cocinaba pasta. Mi papá y yo caminábamos al parque. Mis abuelos nos visitaban. Each verb is -aba, -ábamos or -aban with its subject. Jugaba con mis amigos. Mi mamá cocinaba pasta. Mi papá y yo caminábamos al parque. Mis abuelos nos visitaban.

Lesson 3.2 · Unit 3 · Structures

The same idea, one ending for two families

-er and -ir verbs share one set of imperfect endings, so one pattern covers hundreds of verbs. The ending always has an accent over the í, which is the one detail that distinguishes it from other forms. As in the -ar lesson, the stem never changes, so the boot verbs are regular here.

The method

The endings: -ía, -ías, -ía, -íamos, -ían. Comer: comía, comías, comía, comíamos, comían. Vivir: vivía, vivías, vivía, vivíamos, vivían.
The accent is on every form. The í is stressed and sits next to another vowel, so it carries the accent. Comia without it is an error.
Yo and él are the same, again. Yo comía and él comía look alike.
No stem change. Podía, quería, dormía, pedía, prefería, volvía, entendía. The boot does not exist in the imperfect.
Verbs like leer, creer, oír keep the í. Leía, creía, oía. No y, which belongs only to the preterite.
The imperfect of hay is había. Había mucha gente means "there was or there were many people".
Meaning. Vivíamos en Texas is "we lived" (for a time, no end shown) or "we used to live".
Habit and background. De niño comía... Siempre salía... Todos los días volvía...

Where students lose marks: Comia and bebia without the accent, bebiá with the accent in the wrong place, podía spelled puedía (a boot where there is none), and leyía for leía. Add -ía to the infinitive stem and check the accent.

Worked example

The problem. Write six sentences about your childhood: (1) I ate cereal every morning. (2) My brother drank milk. (3) We lived in a small house. (4) My parents worked a lot. (5) I read stories at night. (6) There was a big tree.

Step one: sentence 1. Comer with yo: Comía cereal todas las mañanas.

Step two: sentence 2. Beber with mi hermano: Mi hermano bebía leche.

Step three: sentence 3. Vivir with nosotros, with -íamos: Vivíamos en una casa pequeña.

Step four: sentence 4. Trabajar with mis padres, an -ar verb: Mis padres trabajaban mucho.

Step five: sentence 5. Leer with yo, keeping the í: Leía cuentos por la noche.

Step six: sentence 6. Hay becomes había, which is the same for singular and plural: Había un árbol grande.

Step seven: accents. Every -er and -ir verb has í: comía, bebía, vivíamos, leía.

Step eight: check. No stem changes, no y in leía, and a written accent on every í.

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Write the imperfect yo form of comer, vivir and escribir.
Show the full solution

Drop -er or -ir and add -ía. comía, vivía, escribía
Write the imperfect nosotros form of beber and salir.
Show the full solution

bebíamos, salíamos
Complete: De niño, mi hermano ___ (leer) cuentos todas las noches.
Show the full solution

leía
Complete: Mis padres ___ (vivir) en una ciudad pequeña.
Show the full solution

vivían
Complete: Tú siempre ___ (querer) un perro.
Show the full solution

Querer has no boot in the imperfect. querías
Say "I used to eat cereal every morning."
Show the full solution

Comía cereal todas las mañanas.
Say "We never ate in restaurants, but there were always good desserts."
Show the full solution

Nunca before the verb, comer with nosotros, and había for "there were". Nunca comíamos en restaurantes, pero siempre había buenos postres.
Find and fix the errors: Yo comia pizza y mi hermana bebiá jugo.
Show the full solution

The accent must sit on the í: comía, bebía. Yo comía pizza y mi hermana bebía jugo.
Explain why every -er and -ir imperfect form carries an accent.
Show the full solution

The í is the stressed syllable and sits next to another vowel (co-mí-a), so the accent keeps the two vowels as separate syllables. The stressed í needs the accent.
Write four sentences about what your family used to do on weekends when you were young, using -er and -ir verbs.
Show the full solution

One correct answer: Salíamos al parque. Mi padre leía el periódico. Mi madre escribía cartas. Comíamos en casa de mi abuela. Each verb has -ía, -íamos and an accent. Salíamos al parque. Mi padre leía el periódico. Mi madre escribía cartas. Comíamos en casa de mi abuela.

Lesson 3.3 · Unit 3 · Structures

Only three verbs break the pattern

The imperfect is the most regular tense in Spanish. Exactly three verbs are irregular in it: ser, ir and ver. The list is short and the forms are easy to remember, but they appear in nearly every sentence about the past, so learning them well pays off. The other verbs you have learned are regular here, including the boot verbs and the go verbs.

The method

Ser: era, eras, era, éramos, eran. Era alto. Éramos amigos. It is used for descriptions, identity and time in the past.
Ir: iba, ibas, iba, íbamos, iban. Iba a la escuela. Íbamos a la playa. The endings are the -ar endings.
Ver: veía, veías, veía, veíamos, veían. It keeps the e of the infinitive and takes the -ía endings.
Accents. Éramos and íbamos have an accent on the first vowel. Veía has it on the í.
These are the only three. Every other verb in the imperfect follows the -aba or -ía pattern, including tener, hacer, decir and poner.
Era gives the time in the past, but not the age. Eran las tres. Age still uses tener: Tenía diez años.
Ir a is also imperfect. Iba a estudiar means "I was going to study".
Ser and ir are different in the imperfect, unlike the preterite. Era and iba do not look alike, so there is no confusion.

Where students lose marks: Eramos and ibamos with no accent, era written eraba (an -aba ending added to an irregular verb), and veiamos with no accent. The accent belongs on the first vowel of éramos and íbamos, and on the í of veía.

Worked example

The problem. Write six sentences: (1) When I was little, I was shy. (2) I went to a small school. (3) We saw our grandparents every week. (4) It was three o'clock. (5) My cousins were very funny. (6) They went to the beach and saw dolphins.

Step one: sentence 1. Ser with yo: era. Cuando era pequeño, era tímido.

Step two: sentence 2. Ir with yo: iba. Iba a una escuela pequeña.

Step three: sentence 3. Ver with nosotros: veíamos. Veíamos a nuestros abuelos todas las semanas.

Step four: sentence 4. The time in the past uses the plural eran: Eran las tres.

Step five: sentence 5. Ser with mis primos: eran. Mis primos eran muy graciosos.

Step six: sentence 6. Ir with ellos: iban; ver with ellos: veían. Iban a la playa y veían delfines.

Step seven: accents. Veíamos and veían keep the accent on the í; éramos and íbamos have it on the first vowel.

Step eight: check. era, iba, veíamos, eran, eran, iban, veían: the three irregular verbs, spelled right.

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Write the imperfect of ser for yo and nosotros.
Show the full solution

era, éramos
Write the imperfect of ir for tú and ellos.
Show the full solution

ibas, iban
Write the imperfect of ver for yo and ellas.
Show the full solution

veía, veían
Complete: De niña, yo ___ (ser) muy tímida y ___ (ir) a una escuela pequeña.
Show the full solution

era; iba
Complete: Nosotros ___ (ver) la tele después de la cena.
Show the full solution

veíamos
Say "When I was little, I was very shy" (as a girl).
Show the full solution

Era for yo, and the adjective is feminine. Cuando era pequeña, era muy tímida.
Say "My cousins went to the beach every summer and saw the dolphins."
Show the full solution

Ir with ellos is iban, ver with ellos is veían, and todos los veranos signals the habit. Mis primos iban a la playa todos los veranos y veían los delfines.
Find and fix the errors: Nosotros eramos amigos y ibamos juntos al parque.
Show the full solution

The accents are missing on the first vowel of éramos and íbamos. Nosotros éramos amigos e íbamos juntos al parque. (Y becomes e before a word that begins with i.)
Explain why ser and ir look alike in the preterite but different in the imperfect.
Show the full solution

The preterite uses one shared stem, fu-, for both (fue). The imperfect gives each its own forms, era and iba. Preterite: fue for both. Imperfect: era against iba.
Write four sentences about a friend you had as a child, using ser, ir and ver.
Show the full solution

One correct answer: Mi amigo era muy alto. Íbamos juntos a la escuela. Veíamos dibujos animados después de clase. Éramos muy buenos amigos. All four verbs are the irregular imperfects, with accents. Mi amigo era muy alto. Íbamos juntos a la escuela. Veíamos dibujos animados después de clase. Éramos muy buenos amigos.

Lesson 3.4 · Unit 3 · Communication: presentational

What used to happen, and what things were like

The imperfect has a job: it sets the scene. It describes people and places, tells what used to happen again and again, gives ages and times, and reports what someone thought or wanted. It never tells a story's events by itself. In this lesson you will practice recognizing the jobs of the imperfect so that, in unit 4, the choice between the two pasts is a choice, not a guess.

The method

Habit: something repeated. Todos los veranos íbamos a la playa. The imperfect says "used to" or "would" and does not say when it ended.
Description of a person or place. Mi abuela era baja y tenía el pelo blanco. La casa era grande.
Age. Tenía ocho años. Age in the past is always the imperfect.
Time of day in the past. Eran las cinco. Era la una. The past of es la is era la.
Weather as a background. Hacía frío. Llovía. Había mucho sol.
Feelings, thoughts and wants. Estaba cansado. Pensaba que era tarde. Quería salir. These states do not have a stated start or end.
Words that go with it. siempre, a menudo, a veces, normalmente, generalmente, de niño, todos los días, cada semana, mientras.
Two actions at once. Mientras yo cocinaba, mi hermano estudiaba. Both verbs are imperfect.

Where students lose marks: Using the preterite for a habit (Fui a la playa todos los veranos), using the preterite for age (Tuve diez años), and forgetting that the imperfect never tells the end of the event. If the sentence tells what used to happen or what things were like, use the imperfect.

Worked example

The problem. Write a paragraph in the imperfect about a family summer, with at least six verbs: when you were ten, your family went to the lake every July; the water was cold; your father fished and your mother read; you and your sister swam all day; it was always sunny; you were very happy.

Step one: the setting. Age in the past: Cuando tenía diez años, mi familia iba al lago todos los julios. Iba is the habit.

Step two: the place. Description: El agua estaba fría. Estar for the condition of the water.

Step three: the father. Habit: Mi padre pescaba. The imperfect of pescar has no spelling change.

Step four: the mother. Mi madre leía. The í carries the accent.

Step five: the children. Habit with nosotros, with the accent: Mi hermana y yo nadábamos todo el día.

Step six: the weather. Siempre hacía sol. The weather is background.

Step seven: the feeling. Yo era muy feliz. Describing a state, with ser for a general quality.

Step eight: check. Eight verbs, all imperfect: tenía, iba, estaba, pescaba, leía, nadábamos, hacía, era. No verb tells an event with a start and a finish.

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Complete with the imperfect: Cuando yo ___ (tener) diez años, ___ (vivir) en un pueblo.
Show the full solution

Age and a background state. tenía; vivía
Say "It was one o'clock."
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Era for time, with la because una is singular. Era la una.
Say "It was cold and it was raining."
Show the full solution

Weather as background. Hacía frío y llovía.
Say "My grandmother was short and had white hair."
Show the full solution

Descriptions use the imperfect. Mi abuela era baja y tenía el pelo blanco.
Say "We always went to the park on Sundays."
Show the full solution

A habit. Siempre íbamos al parque los domingos.
Say "While my father cooked, I set the table."
Show the full solution

Two simultaneous actions, both imperfect. Mientras mi padre cocinaba, yo ponía la mesa.
Say "I was tired and I wanted to sleep, but it was only five o'clock."
Show the full solution

A state, a want, and the time, all background. Estaba cansado y quería dormir, pero eran solo las cinco.
Find and fix the errors: Cuando tuve ocho años, fui a la escuela todos los días.
Show the full solution

Age in the past and a habit both need the imperfect. Cuando tenía ocho años, iba a la escuela todos los días.
Explain why Era las cinco is an error.
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The time in the plural must agree: Eran las cinco. Only la una is singular. Eran las cinco.
Write a five-sentence description of your elementary school in the imperfect.
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One correct answer: La escuela era pequeña. Tenía un patio grande. Mis maestros eran amables. Todos los días jugábamos al recreo. Siempre había mucha gente. Each verb describes a state or a habit. La escuela era pequeña. Tenía un patio grande. Mis maestros eran amables. Todos los días jugábamos al recreo. Siempre había mucha gente.

Lesson 3.5 · Unit 3 · Cultures

Talking about when you were little

People tell the story of who they are by describing their childhoods, and Spanish has a family of phrases for it. This lesson gives you the vocabulary of games, school, family and neighborhood, and the phrases that begin a memory. It also shows how the cultures of the Spanish-speaking world celebrate the same kind of childhood, with a different set of games, foods and family gatherings.

The method

Begin a memory. De niño, De niña, De pequeño, Cuando era niño, Cuando tenía diez años, En aquella época. Use niño for a boy and niña for a girl.
Games and toys. jugar a las canicas, a la rayuela, al escondite, al fútbol; la muñeca, el peluche, los juguetes, el columpio. Jugar a names a game.
Family and neighborhood. mis abuelos, mis primos, el vecindario, la plaza, la calle, el barrio. A family gathering was often la reunión del domingo.
School. la escuela, la maestra, el maestro, los compañeros, el recreo, la tarea.
Soler plus an infinitive. Solía jugar means "I used to play". Soler has the same endings as the imperfect: solía, solías, solía, solíamos, solían.
Contrast with now. Antes ... ahora; ya no; todavía. Antes jugaba a las canicas; ahora juego videojuegos.
The imperfect for all of it. Every verb that describes a repeated activity or a feeling is imperfect.
Add detail with cuando plus the imperfect. Cuando llovía, jugábamos dentro. Cuando era niña, me gustaba cantar.

Where students lose marks: Forgetting a after jugar for a game (jugaba canicas), using the preterite for a repeated activity (jugué todos los días), and writing niño for a girl. Check each verb: is it a habit, a description or a feeling? Then use the imperfect.

Worked example

The problem. Write six sentences: (1) When I was a child, I used to play marbles. (2) My cousins and I played hide-and-seek at my grandparents' house. (3) On Sundays we all ate together. (4) My grandmother always told stories. (5) I was happy then. (6) Now I do not play marbles any more.

Step one: sentence 1. Jugar a names the game, the yo form is jugaba: De niño, jugaba a las canicas.

Step two: sentence 2. Nosotros with jugar, with the accent: Mis primos y yo jugábamos al escondite en la casa de mis abuelos.

Step three: sentence 3. A habit with nosotros: Los domingos comíamos todos juntos.

Step four: sentence 4. Contar with mi abuela, and siempre for the habit: Mi abuela siempre contaba cuentos. Contar is a boot verb in the present, but regular in the imperfect.

Step five: sentence 5. A feeling in the past: Yo era feliz entonces.

Step six: sentence 6. Ya no plus the present: Ahora ya no juego a las canicas.

Step seven: contrast. Sentences 1 through 5 are imperfect, and sentence 6 is present: antes and ahora set up the contrast.

Step eight: check. Every habit and feeling is imperfect, jugar a is used for games, and the last sentence is in the present with ya no.

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Complete with a: Jugábamos ___ las canicas y ___ el escondite.
Show the full solution

Jugar a names a game. a; a
Write the imperfect of soler for yo and ellos.
Show the full solution

solía, solían
Complete: Cuando ___ (ser) niña, me ___ (gustar) cantar.
Show the full solution

era; gustaba
Say "I used to play with my dolls."
Show the full solution

Jugaba con mis muñecas.
Say "We used to eat at my grandmother's house on Sundays."
Show the full solution

Soler is optional; the imperfect is enough. Los domingos comíamos en casa de mi abuela. (Or: Solíamos comer en casa de mi abuela los domingos.)
Say "When it rained, we played inside the house."
Show the full solution

Cuando plus the imperfect, twice. Cuando llovía, jugábamos dentro de la casa.
Say "I used to be afraid of the dark, but now I like the night."
Show the full solution

Tener miedo de in the imperfect, then the present with ahora. Antes tenía miedo de la oscuridad, pero ahora me gusta la noche.
Find and fix the errors: De niño, yo jugué canicas todos los días y era feliz.
Show the full solution

A repeated action takes the imperfect, and a game needs a. De niño, yo jugaba a las canicas todos los días y era feliz.
Explain the difference between Jugaba al fútbol and Jugué al fútbol.
Show the full solution

The imperfect says I used to play (a habit, no end shown); the preterite says I played (a finished occasion). Imperfect: used to play. Preterite: played once.
Write a five-sentence paragraph about a toy, a game, a person and a place from your childhood, using the imperfect.
Show the full solution

One correct answer: De niña, tenía un peluche azul. Jugaba al escondite con mis primos. Mi abuela vivía cerca y siempre me contaba cuentos. Su casa era pequeña pero muy cómoda. Era muy feliz. Every verb is imperfect. De niña, tenía un peluche azul. Jugaba al escondite con mis primos. Mi abuela vivía cerca y siempre me contaba cuentos. Su casa era pequeña pero muy cómoda. Era muy feliz.

Lesson 3.6 · Unit 3 · Structures

What was going on at a moment in the past

The progressive has an imperfect form too: estaba plus the -ando or -iendo form of the verb. It tells what was in progress at a moment in the past, and it is the natural partner of mientras ("while"). In unit 4 it becomes the first half of the interruption pattern. Here you build it and learn when the simple imperfect says the same thing.

The method

Form: imperfect of estar plus the present participle. Estaba leyendo. Estabas comiendo. Estaba durmiendo. Estábamos hablando. Estaban jugando.
The participle: -ar → -ando, -er and -ir → -iendo. hablar → hablando; comer → comiendo; vivir → viviendo.
Stem-changing -ir verbs change in the participle. dormir → durmiendo; pedir → pidiendo; decir → diciendo; seguir → siguiendo.
Spelling: i becomes y between vowels. leer → leyendo; creer → creyendo; oír → oyendo; traer → trayendo; ir → yendo.
Pronouns go before estar or attach to the participle with an accent. Me estaba duchando. Estaba duchándome. Lo estaba leyendo. Estaba leyéndolo.
Mientras plus two progressives. Mientras yo estudiaba, mi hermano estaba jugando. Two ongoing actions at the same time.
The simple imperfect works too. Leía and estaba leyendo both describe what was in progress. The progressive stresses that it was happening at that moment.
Never ser with a participle. Estaba leyendo, not era leyendo.

Where students lose marks: Era leyendo for estaba leyendo, dormiendo for durmiendo (the stem change is missing), leiendo for leyendo, and estaba duchandome with no accent. Build the participle first, and then place the pronoun.

Worked example

The problem. Write five sentences: (1) At eight, I was studying. (2) My mother was cooking while my father was reading. (3) We were watching TV. (4) My sister was sleeping. (5) They were listening to music.

Step one: sentence 1. Estar in the imperfect with yo plus the participle: A las ocho, yo estaba estudiando.

Step two: sentence 2. Two actions at once with mientras: Mi madre estaba cocinando mientras mi padre estaba leyendo. Leer gives leyendo, with y.

Step three: sentence 3. Nosotros estábamos, with the accent, plus mirando la tele: Estábamos mirando la tele.

Step four: sentence 4. Dormir gives durmiendo: Mi hermana estaba durmiendo.

Step five: sentence 5. Escuchar gives escuchando: Estaban escuchando música.

Step six: placement. If you add a pronoun, it goes before estaba or attaches to the participle with an accent: Lo estaba leyendo or Estaba leyéndolo.

Step seven: contrast. Sentences 3 and 4 could also be written with the simple imperfect: Mirábamos la tele. Mi hermana dormía. The progressive stresses the moment.

Step eight: check. Every verb is estar in the imperfect plus a participle with the right ending, and the stems change where they should.

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Write the participle of hablar, comer and vivir.
Show the full solution

hablando, comiendo, viviendo
Write the participle of dormir, pedir and leer.
Show the full solution

Dormir and pedir have the stem change; leer has y. durmiendo, pidiendo, leyendo
Complete: Yo ___ ___ (estudiar) cuando mi amigo llamó.
Show the full solution

estaba estudiando
Complete: Ellos ___ ___ (jugar) en el parque.
Show the full solution

estaban jugando
Complete: Nosotros ___ ___ (comer) a las siete.
Show the full solution

Estábamos has the accent. estábamos comiendo
Say "She was listening to music while I was reading."
Show the full solution

Mientras joins two progressives, and leer gives leyendo. Ella estaba escuchando música mientras yo estaba leyendo.
Say "I was taking a shower" in two ways.
Show the full solution

Ducharse is reflexive: place the pronoun before estar or attach it to the participle with an accent. Me estaba duchando. / Estaba duchándome.
Find and fix the errors: Yo era leyendo mientras mi hermano estaba duchandose.
Show the full solution

Estar, not ser, goes with the participle. The attached pronoun needs a written accent: duchándose. Yo estaba leyendo mientras mi hermano estaba duchándose.
Explain when to use estaba leyendo instead of leía.
Show the full solution

Use estaba leyendo to stress that the reading was in progress at that moment; use leía for a habit or for general background. Progressive: in progress at the moment. Simple imperfect: habit or background.
Write four sentences about what your family was doing last night at nine o'clock, using the imperfect progressive.
Show the full solution

One correct answer: Mi madre estaba leyendo. Mi padre estaba mirando las noticias. Mi hermano estaba durmiendo. Yo estaba haciendo la tarea. Each verb is estaba or estábamos with a participle. Mi madre estaba leyendo. Mi padre estaba mirando las noticias. Mi hermano estaba durmiendo. Yo estaba haciendo la tarea.

Lesson 3.7 · Unit 3 · Comparisons

How things changed

A story about change needs both the past and the present: Antes vivía en un pueblo; ahora vivo en una ciudad. Spanish has a short list of words that mark the contrast, and the structure is the same one you have already learned: imperfect for the earlier state, present for the current one. The skill is the contrast words, because they tell the reader that a change took place.

The method

Antes and ahora. Antes vivíamos en Texas. Ahora vivimos en California. Antes takes the imperfect and ahora takes the present.
Ya no means "no longer". Ya no juego a las canicas. The verb is in the present.
Todavía means "still". Todavía me gusta la pizza. Aún is a close synonym.
Before, in those days. En aquella época, en esos días, hace años. The verb is imperfect.
Changing words. cambiar, crecer, mejorar, empeorar, aprender, olvidar, mudarse. Me mudé is a finished event (preterite); vivía is the earlier state.
Comparisons with más and menos that look back. Soy más alto que antes. Soy menos tímido que antes.
The sentence pattern. Antes [imperfect], pero ahora [present]. Cuando era pequeño, [imperfect], pero ahora [present].
Add why. porque, por eso, ya que. Ya no juego porque tengo mucha tarea.

Where students lose marks: Using the present for antes (Antes vivo), the imperfect for ahora (Ahora vivía), writing no más where the standard "no longer" is ya no, and using the preterite where the description was a state. The contrast words are the signal: antes means imperfect, ahora and ya no mean present.

Worked example

The problem. Write six sentences about how you have changed: (1) I used to be shy, but now I am talkative. (2) We used to live in a small apartment. (3) I no longer play with dolls. (4) I still like to read. (5) I am taller than before. (6) I do not have as much free time because I have more homework.

Step one: sentence 1. Antes and the imperfect for the earlier state, ahora and the present: Antes era tímido, pero ahora soy hablador.

Step two: sentence 2. A habit or state in the past: Antes vivíamos en un apartamento pequeño.

Step three: sentence 3. Ya no and the present: Ya no juego con muñecas.

Step four: sentence 4. Todavía and the present: Todavía me gusta leer.

Step five: sentence 5. A comparison that looks back: Soy más alto que antes.

Step six: sentence 6. A reason with porque: No tengo tanto tiempo libre porque tengo más tarea.

Step seven: contrast. The contrast words antes, ahora, ya no, todavía appear in four of the six sentences.

Step eight: check. Imperfect for antes, present for ahora, ya no, todavía, and no preterite where the earlier state was a description.

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Complete: Antes yo ___ (vivir) en Madrid, pero ahora ___ (vivir) en Sevilla.
Show the full solution

vivía; vivo
Complete with ya no or todavía: Me gustaba el chocolate y ___ me gusta. (still)
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todavía
Complete with ya no or todavía: Jugaba al fútbol, pero ___ juego. (no longer)
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ya no
Say "I used to be shy."
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A past state, so the imperfect. Antes era tímido. (Or tímida.)
Say "We no longer live in the city."
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Ya no vivimos en la ciudad.
Say "My brother is taller than before, but he is still shy."
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A comparison with antes, and todavía with the present. Mi hermano es más alto que antes, pero todavía es tímido.
Say "I used to eat meat, but now I eat vegetables because I feel better."
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Antes with the imperfect, ahora with the present, and porque for the reason. Antes comía carne, pero ahora como verduras porque me siento mejor.
Find and fix the errors: Antes juego al tenis, pero ahora jugaba al golf.
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The tenses are reversed: antes takes the imperfect and ahora takes the present. Antes jugaba al tenis, pero ahora juego al golf.
Explain the difference between Vivía en Madrid and Me mudé a Madrid.
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Vivía describes a state (the earlier situation), and me mudé is a finished event (the move). Vivía: a state. Me mudé: an event.
Write a five-sentence paragraph about how you have changed since you were ten, using antes, ahora, ya no and todavía.
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One correct answer: Antes era muy tímida. Ahora hablo más con mis amigos. Ya no juego con muñecas. Todavía me gusta leer cuentos. Soy más alta que antes. The earlier states are imperfect and the current ones are present. Antes era muy tímida. Ahora hablo más con mis amigos. Ya no juego con muñecas. Todavía me gusta leer cuentos. Soy más alta que antes.

Unit 3 review · 10 problems · all lessons

Unit 3 review: The Imperfect

These are mixed across all seven lessons and do not say which idea they want. Check that every imperfect form has the right ending and accent, and that the three irregular verbs are not forced into the regular pattern.

Write the imperfect yo form of cantar, comer and vivir.
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-aba for -ar, and -ía for -er and -ir. cantaba, comía, vivía
Write the imperfect nosotros form of jugar and salir.
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Both take the accent. jugábamos, salíamos
Write the imperfect tú form of ser, ir and ver.
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The three irregular verbs. eras, ibas, veías
Complete: Cuando yo ___ (ser) niño, ___ (vivir) en un pueblo pequeño.
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A description and a background state. era; vivía
Say "We used to visit our grandparents every Sunday."
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A habit, with the pronoun los before the verb. Los visitábamos todos los domingos.
Say "While my mother was cooking, I was doing my homework."
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Two actions at once, both imperfect. Mientras mi madre cocinaba, yo hacía la tarea.
Say "It was one o'clock, and it was raining."
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Time and weather are both imperfect. Era la una y llovía.
Find and fix the errors: Cuando tuve diez años, iba a la escuela en autobús y eramos felices.
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Age takes the imperfect, and éramos needs its accent. Cuando tenía diez años, iba a la escuela en autobús y éramos felices.
Say "I used to be shy, but now I am talkative, and I no longer play with dolls."
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Antes with the imperfect, ahora with the present, and ya no. Antes era tímido, pero ahora soy hablador, y ya no juego con muñecas.
Write a five-sentence description of your elementary school in the imperfect, using ser, haber and a habit.
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One correct answer: La escuela era pequeña. Había un patio grande. Mis maestros eran amables. Todos los días jugábamos al recreo. Siempre veíamos a los mismos amigos. Every verb is imperfect, and the accents are present. La escuela era pequeña. Había un patio grande. Mis maestros eran amables. Todos los días jugábamos al recreo. Siempre veíamos a los mismos amigos.

Lesson 4.1 · Unit 4 · Structures

The central decision of second-year Spanish

English has one simple past, so the choice between the preterite and the imperfect feels strange at first. In Spanish it is a decision about the frame of the event, not about the length of the time or the English translation. If the speaker presents the event as a finished whole, the verb is preterite. If the speaker presents it as background, habit or description with no stated end, the verb is imperfect. This lesson gives you the decision; the next lessons give you the tools.

The method

Preterite: the event is finished as a whole. Ayer comí pizza. Viví en Madrid dos años. La película duró tres horas. The event has a boundary: it is over, even if it took years.
Imperfect: the event is a background or a pattern. Comía pizza los viernes. Vivía en Madrid. Era tarde. The speaker is looking inside the event and does not show its end.
Length of time does not decide. Viví en Madrid diez años (preterite) is a long event presented as one finished whole. Ayer llovía (imperfect) describes the weather as background.
English does not decide. "I was" can be era, estaba or fui; "I ate" can be comí or comía. Choose by the frame, not by the English.
The test question. Ask: is this a single event I could place on a timeline as a point or a block (preterite), or is it a state, a habit or a scene (imperfect)?
Beginnings and endings. If the sentence says the event started or ended, it is preterite: Empezó a llover. Terminó la clase.
Series of events versus setting. A chain of actions is preterite: Entré, saludé y me senté. The setting is imperfect: Hacía frío y había mucha gente.
Both can appear in one sentence. Cuando llegué, mis amigos ya estaban allí. Llegué is the event; estaban is the state in progress.

Where students lose marks: Choosing by English (Yo comí pizza todos los viernes, which should be imperfect), choosing by length of time (Vivía en Madrid diez años should be preterite because it is complete), and using the preterite for description (Fue cansado). Ask: is it a finished event or a scene?

Worked example

The problem. Decide the tense in each, then write the sentences: (1) Last night I ate pasta. (2) On Fridays we used to eat pasta. (3) It was cold, and it was snowing. (4) She lived in Mexico for three years. (5) She was happy there.

Step one: sentence 1. "Last night" and a single event: finished, so preterite: Anoche comí pasta.

Step two: sentence 2. "On Fridays" and "used to" mean a habit, so imperfect: Los viernes comíamos pasta.

Step three: sentence 3. The weather as a background scene is imperfect: Hacía frío y nevaba.

Step four: sentence 4. A period with a boundary ("three years") is a finished block, so preterite: Ella vivió en México tres años.

Step five: sentence 5. A feeling during that time has no stated boundary, so imperfect: Ella era feliz allí.

Step six: the test. Ask for each: could I place it on a timeline as a finished event (preterite) or is it a state, habit or scene (imperfect)?

Step seven: both together. The sentences go together in a story: Ella vivió en México tres años y era feliz allí.

Step eight: check. Preterite: comí, vivió. Imperfect: comíamos, hacía, nevaba, era. Each was chosen by the frame.

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Choose the tense: Ayer (llovió / llovía) por dos horas.
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A finished block of time, two hours. llovió
Choose the tense: Cuando era niño, (fui / iba) a la playa todos los veranos.
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A habit. iba
Choose the tense: Ella (fue / era) alta y tenía el pelo negro.
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A description. era
Choose the tense: Anoche (cené / cenaba) a las ocho.
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A single event with anoche. cené
Choose the tense: Cuando yo (vivía / viví) en Lima, tenía muchos amigos.
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A background state in the past, with no boundary stated. vivía
Say "We lived in Chicago for five years."
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A period with a boundary, so preterite. Vivimos en Chicago cinco años.
Say "It was raining, and the streets were empty."
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Two background descriptions. Llovía y las calles estaban vacías.
Find and fix the errors: Cuando tuve ocho años, fui a la escuela todos los días.
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Age and a habit are both imperfect. Cuando tenía ocho años, iba a la escuela todos los días.
Explain why Viví en Madrid diez años is preterite even though ten years is a long time.
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The period has a boundary and is presented as a finished whole; length does not decide. Preterite: a finished block of time.
Write three sentences about your last vacation: one finished event, one habit, and one description.
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One correct answer: Fui a la playa por una semana. Todos los días nadaba por la mañana. Hacía mucho sol y el agua estaba tibia. The first is a finished event, the second a habit, the third a description. Fui a la playa por una semana. Todos los días nadaba por la mañana. Hacía mucho sol y el agua estaba tibia.

Lesson 4.2 · Unit 4 · Structures

The small words that point to one past tense or the other

Some words almost always go with one past or the other, and recognizing them speeds up the decision and checks it afterward. They are not a substitute for the test of the frame, and a sentence without any of them is still decided by the frame. This lesson gives the two lists and the exceptions, because the signal words give a reliable first guess about two-thirds of the time.

The method

Preterite signals for a point or a block. ayer, anoche, anteayer, la semana pasada, el año pasado, hace dos días, el lunes, una vez, de repente, en ese momento, por fin.
Preterite with a number of times. dos veces, tres veces, muchas veces (when the count is stated: Fui tres veces).
Preterite with a length of time with an end. durante dos horas, por tres años, toda la mañana. Estudié durante dos horas.
Imperfect signals for habit. siempre, todos los días, cada día, a menudo, a veces, normalmente, generalmente, de niño, los sábados, con frecuencia, nunca.
Imperfect with mientras and cuando plus a state. Mientras yo leía... Cuando era niño... The state continues.
A signal is a clue, not a rule. Nunca can go with either: Nunca iba ("I never used to go", a habit) against Nunca fui ("I never went", looking at the whole period).
A word like ayer can sit with an imperfect description. Ayer hacía frío. The frame is a background in a story.
No signal: use the test. Entonces can go with either; ask whether the event is a finished action or a scene.

Where students lose marks: Using siempre with the preterite (Siempre comí), and ayer with the imperfect for an event (Ayer comía pasta, which suggests an ongoing action). The signal words are a strong clue, but check them against the frame.

Worked example

The problem. Write five sentences and name the signal word in each: (1) We used to play every day. (2) Yesterday we played for an hour. (3) I went to Peru three times. (4) Suddenly the lights went out. (5) Normally she walked to school.

Step one: sentence 1. Every day means habit, so imperfect: Jugábamos todos los días.

Step two: sentence 2. Yesterday and for an hour mean a finished block: Ayer jugamos durante una hora.

Step three: sentence 3. A counted number of times is preterite: Fui a Perú tres veces.

Step four: sentence 4. Suddenly marks an event: De repente se fue la luz. Irse la luz is the Spanish for "the lights go out".

Step five: sentence 5. Normally means habit, so imperfect: Normalmente ella caminaba a la escuela.

Step six: signals. The signals are todos los días, ayer, tres veces, de repente, normalmente.

Step seven: exception. Ayer hacía frío could also use the imperfect, because the weather is background.

Step eight: check. Imperfect for the two habits (1 and 5), preterite for the three events (2, 3 and 4).

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Choose the tense: Ayer yo (estudiaba / estudié) tres horas.
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Ayer and a block of time. estudié
Choose the tense: Normalmente (comía / comí) en casa.
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Normalmente is a habit. comía
Choose the tense: De repente (sonaba / sonó) el teléfono.
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De repente marks an event. sonó
Choose the tense: De niña, siempre (iba / fui) a la playa.
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De niña and siempre signal habit. iba
Choose the tense: La semana pasada (jugábamos / jugamos) al tenis.
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La semana pasada is a point. jugamos
Say "I went to the museum twice last year."
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A counted number of times is preterite, with el año pasado. El año pasado fui al museo dos veces.
Say "Every summer we visited our grandparents, but last summer we stayed home."
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The habit is imperfect, and el verano pasado signals a finished event. Todos los veranos visitábamos a nuestros abuelos, pero el verano pasado nos quedamos en casa.
Find and fix the errors: Siempre fui a la playa, y ayer iba a la montaña.
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Siempre signals the imperfect, and ayer signals the preterite. Siempre iba a la playa, y ayer fui a la montaña.
Explain why Ayer hacía frío is correct even though ayer usually signals the preterite.
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The weather is a background description, so the imperfect is correct. The signal word is a clue, not a rule: background takes the imperfect.
Write five sentences about a trip, using one signal word from each list: ayer, la semana pasada, siempre, a menudo, de repente.
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One correct answer: La semana pasada fuimos a San Diego. Siempre íbamos al mismo restaurante. Ayer comimos allí. A menudo veíamos delfines. De repente llegó la lluvia. The signals guide the choice. La semana pasada fuimos a San Diego. Siempre íbamos al mismo restaurante. Ayer comimos allí. A menudo veíamos delfines. De repente llegó la lluvia.

Lesson 4.3 · Unit 4 · Structures

One thing was going on when another thing happened

The most common story pattern in the language is the interruption: something was in progress, and then something happened. The ongoing action is imperfect, and the event that breaks into it is preterite. The same pattern also covers a state that was true when an event occurred. This is the first lesson in which both tenses appear in one sentence, and it is the best practice for the decision.

The method

The pattern. Dormía cuando sonó el teléfono. The first verb is imperfect (in progress); the second is preterite (the event).
The progressive works for the first verb. Estaba durmiendo cuando sonó el teléfono.
Cuando introduces the event. Cuando sonó el teléfono, yo dormía. The order of the clauses can change; the tenses do not.
Mientras introduces the ongoing action. Mientras caminaba, vi a un amigo. Mientras usually goes with the imperfect.
Both clauses can be imperfect. Mientras ella cocinaba, yo lavaba los platos. Two actions in progress at once.
Both clauses can be preterite. Cuando llegó, me llamó. A chain of events in order.
A state plus an event. Estaba cansado cuando llegué. The state was true when the event happened.
Words that mark the event. de repente, en ese momento, entonces, un día.

Where students lose marks: Using the preterite for the action in progress (Dormí cuando sonó el teléfono), using the imperfect for the interrupting event (Dormía cuando sonaba el teléfono), and mixing the tenses in a chain of events. The one in progress is imperfect, and the interruption is preterite.

Worked example

The problem. Write four sentences with the interruption pattern: (1) I was reading when the phone rang. (2) She was walking when she saw a dog. (3) We were eating when the lights went out. (4) While I was studying, my brother arrived.

Step one: sentence 1. Leer in progress is imperfect, and sonar is the event: Yo leía cuando sonó el teléfono.

Step two: sentence 2. Caminar in progress is imperfect, and ver is the event, with vio for ella: Ella caminaba cuando vio un perro.

Step three: sentence 3. The progressive is possible too: Estábamos comiendo cuando se fue la luz.

Step four: sentence 4. Mientras with the imperfect and the event as preterite: Mientras yo estudiaba, llegó mi hermano.

Step five: order. The same sentences can start with the event: Cuando sonó el teléfono, yo leía. The tenses do not change.

Step six: test. In each pair, ask which one was in progress (imperfect) and which one broke in (preterite).

Step seven: both preterite. If one event follows another, both are preterite: Cuando llegué, saludé a todos.

Step eight: check. Four sentences, four pairs, each with one imperfect and one preterite.

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Complete: Yo ___ (dormir) cuando ___ (sonar) el teléfono.
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The action in progress is imperfect and the event is preterite. dormía; sonó
Complete: Mientras nosotros ___ (comer), ___ (llegar) mis tíos.
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comíamos; llegaron
Complete: Ella ___ (cruzar) la calle cuando ___ (ver) un coche.
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cruzaba; vio
Complete: Cuando ___ (llegar) yo, mis amigos ya ___ (estar) allí.
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Llegué is the event; estaban is the state. llegué; estaban
Complete: Mientras mi madre ___ (cocinar), yo ___ (hacer) la tarea.
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Two actions at the same time, both imperfect. cocinaba; hacía
Say "I was walking in the park when it started to rain."
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Caminar in progress, empezar as the event with the third-person form. Caminaba por el parque cuando empezó a llover.
Say "When she opened the door, her brother was sleeping."
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Abrir is the event, dormir is the state in progress. Cuando ella abrió la puerta, su hermano dormía.
Find and fix the errors: Yo cociné cuando llamaba mi madre.
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The action in progress is imperfect, and the interruption is preterite. Yo cocinaba cuando llamó mi madre.
Explain why Cuando llegué, saludé a todos has two preterites.
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Both verbs are events in a sequence, so neither one is in progress. Two events in order are both preterite.
Write three sentences with the interruption pattern about something that happened to you or a friend.
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One correct answer: Estaba estudiando cuando llegó mi amigo. Caminaba a la escuela cuando empezó a llover. Mi hermana dormía cuando sonó la alarma. In each, the first verb is imperfect and the second is preterite. Estaba estudiando cuando llegó mi amigo. Caminaba a la escuela cuando empezó a llover. Mi hermana dormía cuando sonó la alarma.

Lesson 4.4 · Unit 4 · Communication: presentational

The two jobs in every story

A good story has a setting and a plot. The setting, which is the place, the weather, the people and the feelings, is imperfect. The plot, which is what happened, is preterite. This lesson lays out the two jobs side by side, and it shows how a paragraph alternates between them. Once you can see the two jobs, the choice of tense stops being a puzzle.

The method

Setting is imperfect. Era una noche fría. Había poca gente. Yo estaba nervioso. Time, place, weather, people and feelings.
Plot is preterite. Salí de casa. Caminé hasta la esquina. Vi un coche. Each event moves the story forward.
Alternate when the scene changes. A new place or a new moment sets a new scene, so return to the imperfect.
Thoughts are imperfect. Pensaba que era tarde. Quería volver. They are states, not events.
A thought that becomes a reaction is preterite. Pensé: tengo que irme. A sudden decision is an event. Compare Pensaba en ti (a state).
Reactions are preterite. Me asusté. Grité. Corrí. A feeling that begins at a moment is an event.
Open and close with the preterite. Un día salí... Por fin llegué.
Test each verb. Ask: does this verb move the story forward (preterite), or does it describe what was there (imperfect)?

Where students lose marks: Using the preterite for the setting (Fue una noche fría), using the imperfect for the sudden reaction (Me asustaba), and writing every sentence in one tense. Alternate between the two jobs: describe, then act, describe, then act.

Worked example

The problem. Write a six-sentence story opening: it was a dark night; there was almost no one in the street; you were nervous; you heard a noise; you stopped; you saw a cat.

Step one: setting 1. Time and description: Era una noche oscura.

Step two: setting 2. Hay becomes había: Casi no había nadie en la calle.

Step three: setting 3. A feeling is a state: Yo estaba nervioso. (Nerviosa for a girl.)

Step four: event 1. A noise heard at a moment is an event: De repente oí un ruido. Oír with yo is oí, with the accent.

Step five: event 2. Detenerse is a reflexive verb with a u-stem in the preterite, like tener: Me detuve.

Step six: event 3. Ver with yo is vi, no accent: Vi un gato.

Step seven: the two jobs. The first three sentences are setting (imperfect), and the last three are plot (preterite).

Step eight: check. Three imperfects (era, había, estaba) and three preterites (oí, detuve, vi), each doing its job.

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Is each verb setting or plot? Era tarde. Salí. Llovía. Corrí.
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Era and llovía describe (setting); salí and corrí move the story forward (plot). setting: era, llovía; plot: salí, corrí
Complete: Era una mañana fría y yo ___ (estar) cansado. De repente ___ (sonar) la alarma.
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estaba; sonó
Complete: Yo ___ (pensar) que era tarde, y entonces ___ (correr).
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A thought is a state; running is an event. pensaba; corrí
Complete: Ella ___ (estar) feliz porque ___ (sacar) una buena nota.
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A state, and the event that caused it. estaba; sacó
Complete: De repente yo ___ (tener) miedo y ___ (gritar).
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A feeling that begins at a moment is an event. tuve; grité
Say "It was raining, and there was a lot of traffic. I arrived late."
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Two setting sentences and one event. Llovía y había mucho tráfico. Llegué tarde.
Say "I was nervous, but I opened the door and went in."
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A state, then two events. Estaba nervioso, pero abrí la puerta y entré.
Find and fix the errors: Fue una noche oscura y yo estuve nervioso. De repente oía un ruido.
Show the full solution

The setting is imperfect and the sudden event is preterite. Era una noche oscura y yo estaba nervioso. De repente oí un ruido.
Explain the difference between Pensaba que era tarde and Pensé: es tarde.
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Pensaba is a state of mind in progress; pensé is a sudden thought that happened at a moment. Imperfect: ongoing thought. Preterite: a sudden thought.
Write a six-sentence opening to a story using three setting sentences and three plot sentences.
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One correct answer: Era un día de verano y hacía mucho calor. Mi hermano y yo estábamos en el parque. Nos aburríamos. De repente vimos un perro perdido. Lo llamé y vino hacia nosotros. Lo llevamos a casa. The first three sentences describe and the last three move the story. Era un día de verano y hacía mucho calor. Mi hermano y yo estábamos en el parque. Nos aburríamos. De repente vimos un perro perdido. Lo llamé y vino hacia nosotros. Lo llevamos a casa.

Lesson 4.5 · Unit 4 · Structures

Four verbs that mean different things in each past

Four verbs change meaning, not just aspect, between the preterite and the imperfect: saber, conocer, querer and poder. The imperfect gives their ordinary meaning, a state. The preterite makes them an event: a moment of learning, meeting, trying or managing. They are examined often because the English translation changes.

The method

Saber. Imperfect: Sabía la respuesta ("I knew the answer"). Preterite: Supe la respuesta ("I found out, I learned the answer").
Conocer. Imperfect: Conocía a Marta ("I knew Marta"). Preterite: Conocí a Marta ("I met Marta", for the first time).
Querer. Imperfect: Quería salir ("I wanted to go out"). Preterite: Quise salir ("I tried to go out").
Querer, negative. Preterite: No quise salir ("I refused to go out"). The preterite negative is a refusal.
Poder. Imperfect: Podía correr ("I was able to run", an ability). Preterite: Pude correr ("I managed to run, I succeeded").
Poder, negative. Preterite: No pude correr ("I tried and could not"). The imperfect only reports the ability.
Tener que works the same way. Tenía que estudiar is "I had to study". Tuve que estudiar is "I had to and did".
The preterite is the moment. In each pair, the preterite is a point on the timeline and the imperfect is a state.

Where students lose marks: Translating conocí as "I knew" (it is "I met"), supe as "I knew" (it is "I found out"), and using no pude to say only that someone was unable in general. Match the English: found out, met, tried, refused, managed, those are preterite.

Worked example

The problem. Write the Spanish for: (1) I knew Marta, but I did not know her sister. (2) I met her sister at the party. (3) I found out the news yesterday. (4) He tried to open the door but could not. (5) She refused to help.

Step one: sentence 1. A state of knowing a person is imperfect: Conocía a Marta, pero no conocía a su hermana.

Step two: sentence 2. Meeting for the first time is a moment: Conocí a su hermana en la fiesta.

Step three: sentence 3. Finding out is a moment: Ayer supe la noticia.

Step four: sentence 4. Trying is a preterite of querer, and failing is a preterite of poder: Quiso abrir la puerta, pero no pudo.

Step five: sentence 5. A refusal is the preterite negative of querer: Ella no quiso ayudar.

Step six: pairs. The pairs are conocía / conocí, supe / sabía, quiso / quería, no quiso / no quería.

Step seven: english. The English changes with the tense: knew against met, knew against found out, wanted against tried.

Step eight: check. Imperfect for the ordinary state (conocía) and preterite for the moment (conocí, supe, quiso, pudo, quiso).

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Say "I met Ana at school."
Show the full solution

A first meeting is the preterite of conocer. Conocí a Ana en la escuela.
Say "I knew Ana already."
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A state is the imperfect. Ya conocía a Ana.
Say "I found out the answer."
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The preterite of saber means "found out". Supe la respuesta.
Say "I knew the answer."
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The imperfect of saber. Sabía la respuesta.
Say "He refused to come."
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The preterite negative of querer. No quiso venir.
Say "We tried to call you, but we could not."
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Querer in the preterite is "tried", and no poder in the preterite is "could not". Quisimos llamarte, pero no pudimos.
Say "I wanted to go, but I had to work."
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Two states, both imperfect. Quería ir, pero tenía que trabajar.
Find and fix the errors: Conocía a mi mejor amigo el primer día de clase. Intenté abrir la puerta, pero no podía.
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A first meeting is a moment, so conocí. A failed attempt is a moment too, so no podía becomes no pude. Conocí a mi mejor amigo el primer día de clase. Intenté abrir la puerta, pero no pude.
Explain the difference between No quería ir and No quise ir.
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No quería ir says the speaker did not want to go (a state). No quise ir says the speaker refused to go (an event). Imperfect: did not want. Preterite: refused.
Write four sentences that use saber, conocer, querer and poder in the preterite, with the correct meaning.
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One correct answer: Supe la noticia ayer. Conocí a mi vecino en la fiesta. No quise comer verduras. Por fin pude abrir la puerta. Each verb means found out, met, refused and managed. Supe la noticia ayer. Conocí a mi vecino en la fiesta. No quise comer verduras. Por fin pude abrir la puerta.

Lesson 4.6 · Unit 4 · Cultures

A story with a beginning, a middle and an end

Stories in Spanish begin with a set of fixed phrases and close with another, and they use both past tenses in a steady rhythm. This lesson shows the shape of a story, with an original fable in Spanish, and gives you the openings and closings of the tradition. The characters in a fable are animals, which means you can concentrate on the verbs.

The method

Open the story. Había una vez... Érase una vez... Hace mucho tiempo... All of them use the imperfect (or a similar set-up) to start the scene.
Introduce the characters in the imperfect. Había una vez un conejo que vivía en el bosque. Era muy rápido y siempre se burlaba de la tortuga.
Turn to the plot with a marker. Un día, De repente, Entonces, Pero. Then move to the preterite.
Describe events in the preterite. Un día el conejo vio a la tortuga y le dijo...
Direct speech. Dijo: "Voy a ganar". Preguntó: "¿Quién quiere correr?" Use quotation marks and the preterite of decir or preguntar.
Close with the result. Al final, Por fin, Desde ese día. The last events are preterite; the lesson is often in the present.
The moral is in the present. La moral: más vale despacio que rápido. A general truth is present tense.
Keep the pronouns. Se burló de ella. Le dijo. Se lo contó. The pronouns you have learned appear in nearly every line.

Where students lose marks: Opening with the preterite (Hubo una vez), writing the scene in the preterite, and closing the moral in the past. The scene is imperfect, the plot is preterite, and the moral is present.

Worked example

The problem. Read this fable and then answer a question about it: Había una vez un ratón que vivía en un granero. Era pequeño pero muy valiente. Un día un gato entró en el granero y lo vio. El ratón corrió hacia un agujero, pero el gato lo siguió. De repente, el ratón se detuvo y le dijo: "No tengo miedo de ti". El gato se rió tanto que se cayó, y el ratón escapó. La moral: la inteligencia vale más que la fuerza. Write four sentences about the fable using the preterite and imperfect.

Step one: the setting. The first sentences describe: vivía, era are imperfect. Había una vez opens the scene.

Step two: the first event. Un día un gato entró en el granero y lo vio. Entró and vio are preterite.

Step three: the chase. El ratón corrió hacia un agujero, pero el gato lo siguió. Seguir is siguió, a boot verb in the third person.

Step four: the speech. Le dijo: "No tengo miedo de ti." Dijo is a j-stem verb. The quoted words are in the present.

Step five: the result. El gato se rió tanto que se cayó, y el ratón escapó. The three events are preterite.

Step six: the moral. La inteligencia vale más que la fuerza. The moral is in the present.

Step seven: my sentences. El ratón era pequeño pero valiente. Un día un gato entró en el granero. El ratón corrió, pero el gato lo siguió. Al final, el ratón escapó. The setting is imperfect and the events are preterite.

Step eight: check. Every setting verb is imperfect, every event is preterite, and the moral is present.

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Complete the opening: ___ una vez un rey que ___ (ser) muy rico.
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Había is the imperfect of hay, and the description is imperfect. Había; era
Complete: Un día el rey ___ (ver) a un niño y le ___ (decir): "¿Quién eres?"
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Two events, both preterite, and decir is irregular. vio; dijo
Complete: El niño ___ (tener) miedo, pero ___ (hablar) con valor.
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A state, then an event. tenía; habló
Complete: La moral de la historia ___ (ser) que la paciencia ___ (valer) más que la prisa.
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The moral is in the present. es; vale
Complete: Al final, el rey ___ (sonreír) y ___ (dar) una moneda al niño.
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sonrió; dio
Say "Once upon a time there was a fox who lived in the forest."
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Había una vez un zorro que vivía en el bosque.
Say "One day the fox saw a rabbit and asked him: 'Where are you going?'"
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Two events, then the speech. A before the rabbit is the personal a. Un día el zorro vio a un conejo y le preguntó: "¿Adónde vas?"
Find and fix the errors: Hubo una vez un perro que fue muy viejo. Un día encontraba un hueso.
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The opening and description are imperfect, and the event is preterite. Había una vez un perro que era muy viejo. Un día encontró un hueso.
Explain why the moral of a fable is written in the present.
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A moral states something that is always true, so it is a general truth in the present. A moral is a general truth, so it is in the present.
Write a six-sentence fable of your own: introduce an animal in the imperfect, give it a problem in the preterite, and end with a moral in the present.
Show the full solution

One correct answer: Había una vez una tortuga que vivía cerca de un río. Era lenta pero muy paciente. Un día un pájaro le dijo: "Eres muy lenta". La tortuga no contestó y siguió caminando. Al final llegó antes que el pájaro, que se perdió en el camino. La moral: la paciencia vale más que la prisa. The introduction is imperfect, the events are preterite, and the moral is present. Había una vez una tortuga que vivía cerca de un río. Era lenta pero muy paciente. Un día un pájaro le dijo: "Eres muy lenta". La tortuga no contestó y siguió caminando. Al final llegó antes que el pájaro, que se perdió en el camino. La moral: la paciencia vale más que la prisa.

Lesson 4.7 · Unit 4 · Communication: presentational

A complete story in your own words

The unit ends with the skill all of it serves: writing a connected narrative in the past. A narrative uses the imperfect for the scene, the preterite for the plot, the interruption pattern for tension, sequence words for order and pronouns to avoid repetition. This lesson gives you a checklist and a worked model, then asks you to write one yourself.

The method

Plan in four parts. The setting (imperfect), the problem and the events (preterite), the result (preterite) and a reaction or reflection (imperfect or present).
Start with a time and a place. Era un sábado por la tarde y estaba en casa de mi abuela. One or two imperfect sentences.
Use the interruption pattern at least once. Leía cuando oí un ruido.
Order with sequence words. primero, luego, después, entonces, finalmente. At least three.
Use at least two pronouns. Lo vi. Me dijo. Se lo di. Avoid repeating a noun.
Include a thought or a feeling. Estaba nervioso. Pensaba que... These are imperfect.
End with a result. Por fin, Al final. Then a reflection: Ahora sé que...
Check the errors. The past tense (the frame), the form and place of pronouns, irregular stems and accents, and agreement. Check every preterite yo and él form for its accent.

Where students lose marks: Writing everything in one tense, forgetting accents on -é and -ó forms, and ending without a result. Reread with a highlighter: imperfect for scenes, preterite for events.

Worked example

The problem. Read this model and then write your own: Era un sábado por la tarde y yo estaba en casa de mi abuela. Hacía mucho calor y ella cocinaba. Yo leía en el patio cuando oí un ruido. Me levanté y vi a un perro pequeño debajo del árbol. Estaba muy flaco. Primero le di agua y luego le di comida. Mi abuela salió, lo miró y dijo: "Se queda con nosotros". Ahora el perro vive en su casa y es muy feliz.

Step one: the setting. Era un sábado... yo estaba... hacía calor... cocinaba. Four imperfects set the scene.

Step two: the interruption. Yo leía en el patio cuando oí un ruido. The pattern: imperfect, then preterite.

Step three: the events. Me levanté, vi, le di agua, le di comida. Events in order with primero and luego.

Step four: the description. Estaba muy flaco. A state seen at the moment.

Step five: the dialogue. Mi abuela... dijo: "Se queda con nosotros". The words are in the present.

Step six: the ending. Ahora el perro vive en su casa y es muy feliz. The result is in the present.

Step seven: the tools. The model uses sequence words (primero, luego), pronouns (le, lo) and the interruption.

Step eight: check. A narrative with a setting, an interruption, ordered events, a feeling and a result.

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Which verb in the model is the interruption, the ongoing action or the event? Yo leía cuando oí un ruido.
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Leía is in progress; oí is the event. leía: ongoing; oí: event
Write the opening sentence for a story set on a rainy afternoon.
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Set the scene in the imperfect. One correct answer: Era una tarde lluviosa y yo estaba en casa.
Add an interruption: Yo ___ (mirar) la tele cuando ___ (llegar) mi hermano.
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miraba; llegó
Add a sequence word and an event: ___, ___ (abrir) la puerta. (first)
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Primero, abrí
Add a pronoun: Vi a mi amigo y ___ saludé.
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A direct object pronoun for a person. lo
Write two sentences that give a feeling and the reason for it in the past.
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One correct answer: Estaba nervioso porque tenía un examen. Pensaba que no sabía nada. Both verbs describe states. Estaba nervioso porque tenía un examen. Pensaba que no sabía nada.
Write the ending of a story in two sentences: the result and a reflection.
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One correct answer: Por fin llegamos a casa. Ahora sé que debo salir más temprano. The result is preterite and the reflection is present. Por fin llegamos a casa. Ahora sé que debo salir más temprano.
Find and fix the errors: Fue un día frío y yo estudié cuando sonaba el teléfono.
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The scene is imperfect, the action in progress is imperfect, and the interruption is preterite. Era un día frío y yo estudiaba cuando sonó el teléfono.
Explain how to check a narrative for the two pasts.
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Highlight each verb: description, habit and feeling should be imperfect; events and reactions should be preterite. Imperfect for the scene, preterite for the events.
Write a narrative of at least eight sentences about a day when something unexpected happened. Include a setting, one interruption, three sequence words, two pronouns, a feeling and a result.
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One correct answer: Era un lunes por la mañana y hacía frío. Yo estaba nervioso porque tenía un examen. Caminaba a la escuela cuando vi un billete en la calle. Lo recogí y miré a mi alrededor. Primero busqué al dueño. Luego entré en una tienda y le pregunté a la empleada. Ella me dijo que no sabía nada. Al final, llevé el billete a la oficina de la escuela. Ahora me siento orgulloso. The scene is imperfect, the events are preterite, there is an interruption (caminaba cuando vi), three sequence words (primero, luego, al final), pronouns (lo, le, me) and a result. Era un lunes por la mañana y hacía frío. Yo estaba nervioso porque tenía un examen. Caminaba a la escuela cuando vi un billete en la calle. Lo recogí y miré a mi alrededor. Primero busqué al dueño. Luego entré en una tienda y le pregunté a la empleada. Ella me dijo que no sabía nada. Al final, llevé el billete a la oficina de la escuela. Ahora me siento orgulloso.

Unit 4 review · 10 problems · all lessons

Unit 4 review: Preterite or Imperfect

These are mixed across all seven lessons and do not say which idea they want. For every past verb, decide the frame first: a finished event is preterite, and a scene, habit or feeling is imperfect.

Choose the tense: Ayer (llovía / llovió) toda la tarde.
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A finished block of time. llovió
Choose the tense: De niño, siempre (iba / fui) a la playa.
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De niño and siempre signal a habit. iba
Complete: Yo ___ (leer) cuando ___ (sonar) el teléfono.
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The action in progress is imperfect, and the interruption is preterite. leía; sonó
Say "She found out the news yesterday."
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The preterite of saber means "found out". Ella supo la noticia ayer.
Say "I met Ana last year, and I already knew her brother."
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A first meeting is the preterite of conocer, and a state is the imperfect. Conocí a Ana el año pasado y ya conocía a su hermano.
Say "He tried to open the door, but he could not."
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The preterite of querer is "tried", and no poder in the preterite is "could not". Quiso abrir la puerta, pero no pudo.
Say "It was a cold night. I heard a noise and stopped."
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A scene, then two events. Detenerse is reflexive with a u-stem. Era una noche fría. Oí un ruido y me detuve.
Find and fix the errors: Fue una noche oscura y yo estuve nervioso cuando oía un ruido.
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The scene and the state are imperfect, and the sudden event is preterite. Era una noche oscura y yo estaba nervioso cuando oí un ruido.
Explain why Viví en Madrid diez años uses the preterite.
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The period has a boundary and is presented as a finished whole, so the length of time does not decide. Preterite: a finished block of time.
Write a six-sentence story opening: three sentences of setting in the imperfect and three of plot in the preterite.
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One correct answer: Era un día de invierno y hacía mucho frío. Yo estaba solo en casa. Tenía hambre. De repente oí un golpe en la puerta. Abrí y vi a mi hermano. Entró y nos preparamos un chocolate caliente. The first three describe, and the last three move the story. Era un día de invierno y hacía mucho frío. Yo estaba solo en casa. Tenía hambre. De repente oí un golpe en la puerta. Abrí y vi a mi hermano. Entró y nos preparamos un chocolate caliente.

Lesson 5.1 · Unit 5 · Communication: interpersonal

Saying what hurts and how you feel

Being able to say what is wrong is one of the most practical things a language can give you, and Spanish does it with a handful of structures: doler (which works like gustar), tener plus a noun, and estar or sentirse for conditions. This lesson also introduces the body parts and the common illnesses you will need in the doctor's office in the next lesson.

The method

Body parts. la cabeza, los ojos, las orejas, la nariz, la boca, los dientes, la garganta, el cuello, el brazo, la mano, el estómago, la espalda, la pierna, el pie, la rodilla.
Doler works like gustar. Me duele la cabeza. Me duelen los pies. The verb agrees with the body part, and the pronoun says whose it is. Duele and duelen are the two forms.
A boot verb. Doler is o to ue, so it is duele and duelen, never dole. In the past, me dolía (it hurt) and me dolió (it started to hurt).
Tener plus a noun. Tengo dolor de cabeza. Tengo tos. Tengo fiebre. Tengo gripe. Tengo un resfriado. Dolor de names the place: dolor de estómago, de garganta, de espalda.
Estar plus a condition. Estoy enfermo, resfriado, cansado, mareado. An illness that lasts is estar, not ser.
Sentirse plus an adjective or adverb. Me siento mal. Me siento bien. Me siento cansado. Sentirse is e to ie: me siento, but nos sentimos.
Body parts take the article. Me lavo las manos. Me duele la cabeza. Never mi cabeza with doler or a reflexive verb.
Ask and answer. ¿Qué te pasa? ¿Qué le pasa? ¿Cómo te sientes? ¿Dónde te duele? Me duele la garganta. Me siento mal.

Where students lose marks: Yo duelo la cabeza (the English structure carried over), Me duele los pies (wrong number), Tengo dolor en cabeza (it is de cabeza), and Soy enfermo (a temporary condition takes estar). The body part is the subject of doler, so the verb agrees with it.

Worked example

The problem. Write five sentences: (1) My head hurts. (2) My feet hurt. (3) I have a sore throat. (4) She has a fever and a cough. (5) We feel bad.

Step one: sentence 1. The head is singular, so duele, with me: Me duele la cabeza.

Step two: sentence 2. Los pies is plural, so duelen: Me duelen los pies.

Step three: sentence 3. Tener with dolor de names the place: Tengo dolor de garganta.

Step four: sentence 4. Tener for fiebre and tos, with ella: Ella tiene fiebre y tos.

Step five: sentence 5. Sentirse with nosotros has no boot: Nos sentimos mal.

Step six: the article. Every body part takes la, los or el, never mi.

Step seven: the boot. Duele and duelen change o to ue, but nos sentimos stays the same.

Step eight: check. Doler agrees with the body part, tener gives symptoms, and sentirse gives the feeling.

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Complete with duele or duelen: Me ___ los ojos y me ___ la espalda.
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Los ojos is plural and la espalda is singular. duelen; duele
Complete with the pronoun: A mi hermana ___ duele el estómago.
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One person, so le. le
Complete: Tengo ___ de cabeza.
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dolor
Say "I have a cold."
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Tener with un resfriado, or estoy resfriado. Tengo un resfriado.
Say "How do you (informal) feel?"
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Sentirse with tú is a boot verb. ¿Cómo te sientes?
Say "My throat hurts, and I have a cough, but I do not have a fever."
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Three structures in one sentence. Me duele la garganta y tengo tos, pero no tengo fiebre.
Say "Her legs hurt because she ran a lot."
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Doler with le, plural, and the preterite of correr for ella. Le duelen las piernas porque corrió mucho.
Find and fix the errors: Yo duelo la cabeza y me duele mis pies. Soy enfermo.
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Doler works like gustar, the body part takes the article, and a temporary condition takes estar. Me duele la cabeza y me duelen los pies. Estoy enfermo.
Explain why Me duele los pies is wrong.
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Los pies is plural, so the verb must be duelen. Me duelen los pies.
Write four sentences about someone who is sick, using doler, tener, estar and sentirse.
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One correct answer: Le duele el estómago. Tiene fiebre. Está enfermo. Se siente muy mal. Each structure is correct: doler with le, tener with a noun, estar with a condition, sentirse with se. Le duele el estómago. Tiene fiebre. Está enfermo. Se siente muy mal.

Lesson 5.2 · Unit 5 · Communication: interpersonal

A conversation with a doctor

A visit to the doctor is a short, predictable conversation: the doctor asks, the patient answers, the doctor gives advice. The doctor addresses an adult patient as usted, so this lesson adds formal questions to the informal ones from lesson 5.1. It also gives you the vocabulary of the pharmacy and the ways to say that something is necessary or advisable.

The method

The doctor's questions use usted. ¿Qué le pasa? ¿Dónde le duele? ¿Desde cuándo tiene fiebre? ¿Es alérgico a algún medicamento?
How long. Hace dos días que me duele la garganta. Hace with que and the present, as in unit 2.
The past tells how it started. Ayer me dolía la cabeza. Anoche tuve fiebre. Imperfect for a symptom in progress, preterite for something that started.
Places and people. el consultorio, el hospital, la farmacia, el médico, la médica, el enfermero, el paciente.
Things. la receta, la medicina, la pastilla, el jarabe, las gotas, la inyección, el termómetro, la radiografía.
Verbs of treatment. examinar, recetar, tomar, guardar cama, descansar, beber líquidos, tomarse la temperatura. Recetar takes an indirect object: El médico me recetó un jarabe.
Say what is necessary. Debe descansar. Tiene que tomar la medicina. Es importante beber agua. Hay que guardar cama. All four take an infinitive.
Politeness. Por favor, Gracias, Con permiso, Lo siento. Use usted with the doctor and tú with a friend.

Where students lose marks: Using tú forms with a doctor (¿Dónde te duele? is informal; the doctor says ¿Dónde le duele?), Tengo hace dos días dolor, and forgetting that recetar takes an indirect object. Pick tú or usted first, and keep it throughout.

Worked example

The problem. Write a short conversation between a doctor and a patient (usted): the doctor asks what is wrong; the patient says her stomach hurts and she has a fever since yesterday; the doctor says she must rest and drink water.

Step one: the question. The doctor uses usted: ¿Qué le pasa?

Step two: the answer. Me duele el estómago y tengo fiebre. The patient names two symptoms.

Step three: since when. ¿Desde cuándo tiene fiebre? Desde ayer.

Step four: the follow-up. ¿Dónde le duele? Me duele aquí, en el lado derecho.

Step five: the advice. Debe descansar y beber mucha agua. Deber takes an infinitive.

Step six: the prescription. Le voy a recetar una medicina. Tiene que tomar una pastilla cada ocho horas.

Step seven: the close. Gracias, doctor. De nada. Que se mejore.

Step eight: check. Every doctor line uses usted, symptoms use doler and tener, and advice uses deber, tener que or hay que with an infinitive.

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Say what a doctor says to ask what is wrong, using usted.
Show the full solution

¿Qué le pasa?
Say "Where does it hurt?" to a doctor, using usted.
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¿Dónde le duele?
Complete: El médico me ___ (recetar) un jarabe.
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A finished event: recetó. The pronoun me is already given. recetó
Complete: Usted ___ descansar y beber agua. (must)
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debe
Say "I have had a fever for two days."
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Hace with que and the present. Hace dos días que tengo fiebre.
Say "The doctor says that I have to stay in bed and take the medicine."
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Tener que with an infinitive, and guardar cama. El médico dice que tengo que guardar cama y tomar la medicina.
Say "Last night my head hurt a lot, and this morning I had a fever."
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A symptom in progress is imperfect, and something that started is preterite. Anoche me dolía mucho la cabeza y esta mañana tuve fiebre.
Find and fix the errors: El doctor dice: ¿Dónde te duele? Tengo hace dos días fiebre.
Show the full solution

The doctor uses usted, so le. The structure with hace needs que and goes first. ¿Dónde le duele? Hace dos días que tengo fiebre.
Explain the difference between Tiene que descansar and Hay que descansar.
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Tiene que addresses one person; hay que is impersonal and general. Tiene que: one person. Hay que: everyone in general.
Write a short conversation of at least six lines between a patient and a pharmacist about a cough.
Show the full solution

One correct answer: Farmacéutico: Buenos días. ¿En qué puedo ayudarle? Paciente: Tengo tos y me duele la garganta. Farmacéutico: ¿Desde cuándo? Paciente: Desde hace tres días. Farmacéutico: Le recomiendo este jarabe. Tiene que tomarlo dos veces al día. Paciente: ¿Necesito una receta? Farmacéutico: No, no es necesaria. Paciente: Gracias. Farmacéutico: De nada. Que se mejore. The pharmacist uses usted, the symptoms use tener and doler, and the advice uses tener que with an infinitive. Use usted throughout, name the symptoms with tener and doler, and give advice with an infinitive.

Lesson 5.3 · Unit 5 · Structures

Telling a friend what to do

A command is the verb form you use to tell someone to do something, and Spanish has different forms for tú, for usted and for ustedes, and for the affirmative and the negative. This lesson takes the first: the affirmative tú command. It is the simplest of the commands, because for most verbs it is a form you already know.

The method

Regular verbs: use the él / ella form of the present. Hablar → habla. Comer → come. Escribir → escribe. ¡Habla más despacio! ¡Come las verduras! ¡Escribe tu nombre!
The boot stays. Cerrar → cierra. Dormir → duerme. Pedir → pide. Volver → vuelve. Empezar → empieza. The command follows the third-person present form exactly.
Eight irregular commands. decir → di; hacer → haz; ir → ve; poner → pon; salir → sal; ser → sé; tener → ten; venir → ven. A memory aid: Di, haz, ve, pon, sal, sé, ten, ven.
Written accents. Sé (be) has an accent to separate it from se; ve has none. Di, haz, pon, sal, ten, ven have none.
Never add a subject. ¡Come! is enough. A subject tú adds emphasis: ¡Tú come!, which is rare.
Pronouns attach to the command. Lávate. Levántate. Dime. Hazlo. A written accent is often needed, which lesson 5.6 explains.
Say it politely. Por favor softens a command: Por favor, ayúdame.
Used with friends, family and children. With a stranger or an adult you do not know, use usted (lesson 5.5).

Where students lose marks: Using the infinitive (¡Hablar más despacio! is only for signs), using the tú form of the present with -s (¡Hablas!), and using regular forms for the eight irregulars (¡Haces la tarea! instead of Haz la tarea). Ask: is the verb on the list of eight? If not, use the third-person present.

Worked example

The problem. Write six commands to a younger cousin: (1) Eat your vegetables. (2) Do your homework. (3) Go to bed. (4) Tell me the truth. (5) Be good. (6) Come here.

Step one: command 1. Regular comer, the él form: Come tus verduras.

Step two: command 2. Hacer is irregular: Haz tu tarea.

Step three: command 3. Acostarse is reflexive and a boot verb: the él form is se acuesta, and the command attaches the pronoun: Acuéstate.

Step four: command 4. Decir is irregular: Dime la verdad. The pronoun me attaches, and di loses nothing.

Step five: command 5. Ser is irregular and has an accent: Sé bueno.

Step six: command 6. Venir is irregular: Ven aquí.

Step seven: the list. Haz, di, sé, ven are all among the eight; come and acuéstate are regular.

Step eight: check. Every command is a third-person present form or one of the eight, with no -s.

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Write the tú command of hablar, comer and escribir.
Show the full solution

The third-person present. habla, come, escribe
Write the tú command of cerrar, dormir and pedir.
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The boot stays in the command. cierra, duerme, pide
Write the eight irregular tú commands of decir, hacer, ir, poner, salir, ser, tener, venir.
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di, haz, ve, pon, sal, sé, ten, ven
Say "Open the door."
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Abrir is regular. Abre la puerta.
Say "Go to school."
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Ir is irregular: ve. Ve a la escuela.
Say "Put the book on the table and sit down."
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Poner is irregular: pon. Sentarse is a boot verb with the pronoun attached: siéntate. Pon el libro en la mesa y siéntate.
Say "Be patient and listen."
Show the full solution

Ser is sé, and escuchar is regular. Sé paciente y escucha.
Find and fix the errors: ¡Haces la tarea! ¡Hablas más despacio! ¡Vienes aquí!
Show the full solution

A command is not the tú present. Haz, habla, ven. ¡Haz la tarea! ¡Habla más despacio! ¡Ven aquí!
Explain why sé has an accent and ve does not.
Show the full solution

Sé needs it to separate the command from the pronoun se; ve has no twin to separate. The accent distinguishes sé from se.
Write five commands to a friend about getting ready for school, including at least two of the eight irregulars.
Show the full solution

One correct answer: Levántate temprano. Haz tu cama. Ponte la ropa. Sal de casa a las siete. Ten cuidado en la calle. Haz, sal, ten and ponte use the irregular forms; levántate is regular. Levántate temprano. Haz tu cama. Ponte la ropa. Sal de casa a las siete. Ten cuidado en la calle.

Lesson 5.4 · Unit 5 · Structures

Telling a friend what not to do

The negative tú command does not use the form of the affirmative. It uses the yo form of the present, drops the -o and adds the opposite vowel: -es for -ar verbs and -as for -er and -ir verbs. The pattern is regular, but it brings new forms with spelling changes and a few irregular verbs. Pay attention to the vowels.

The method

The formula. Take the yo form of the present, drop the -o, and add -es (-ar verbs) or -as (-er/-ir verbs). Hablar: hablo → no hables. Comer: como → no comas. Escribir: escribo → no escribas.
Irregular yo forms carry over. hacer → hago → no hagas. decir → digo → no digas. poner → pongo → no pongas. salir → salgo → no salgas. tener → tengo → no tengas. venir → vengo → no vengas.
Boot verbs keep their boot. cerrar → cierro → no cierres. dormir → duermo → no duermas. pedir → pido → no pidas. volver → vuelvo → no vuelvas.
Spelling changes: -car, -gar, -zar. buscar → no busques. llegar → no llegues. empezar → no empieces. jugar → no juegues. The change keeps the sound.
Five fully irregular. ir → no vayas. ser → no seas. dar → no des. estar → no estés. saber → no sepas.
No before the command, and pronouns go between. No lo hagas. No te levantes. No me lo digas. The pronouns go before the verb in the negative.
Never mix the affirmative and the negative form. ¡Habla! but ¡No hables! ¡Ven! but ¡No vengas!
The accent marks the stress. No estés has the accent; no des has none.

Where students lose marks: Using the affirmative form after no (No habla, No haz, No ven), forgetting the opposite vowel (No hablas, No comes), and forgetting the spelling change (No busques, not No busces). Check: take the yo form, drop -o, add the opposite vowel.

Worked example

The problem. Write six negative commands to a friend: (1) Don't speak so loudly. (2) Don't eat so much candy. (3) Don't do that. (4) Don't be late. (5) Don't go alone. (6) Don't start now.

Step one: command 1. Hablar → hablo → no hables. No hables tan fuerte.

Step two: command 2. Comer → como → no comas. No comas tantos dulces.

Step three: command 3. Hacer → hago → no hagas. No hagas eso.

Step four: command 4. Llegar → llego → no llegues: the g becomes gu to keep the sound. No llegues tarde.

Step five: command 5. Ir is irregular: vayas. No vayas solo.

Step six: command 6. Empezar → empiezo → no empieces: the boot stays and z changes to c. No empieces ahora.

Step seven: vowels. -ar verbs take -es (hables, empieces); -er and -ir verbs take -as (comas, hagas).

Step eight: check. Each command starts from the yo form, the irregular is right (vayas), and the spelling changes appear in llegues and empieces.

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Write the negative tú command of hablar, comer and vivir.
Show the full solution

Opposite vowels. no hables, no comas, no vivas
Write the negative tú command of hacer, decir and poner.
Show the full solution

From the yo forms hago, digo, pongo. no hagas, no digas, no pongas
Write the negative tú command of buscar, llegar and empezar.
Show the full solution

The spelling changes keep the sound. no busques, no llegues, no empieces
Write the negative tú command of ir, ser and dar.
Show the full solution

no vayas, no seas, no des
Say "Don't close the window."
Show the full solution

Cerrar is a boot verb: no cierres. No cierres la ventana.
Say "Don't tell me the secret" (replace the secret with a pronoun).
Show the full solution

Both pronouns before the verb, indirect first: No me lo digas. No me lo digas.
Say "Don't go out without a coat and don't be late."
Show the full solution

Salir from salgo (no salgas), and llegar with the spelling change. No salgas sin abrigo y no llegues tarde.
Find and fix the errors: No habla tan fuerte. No haz eso. No ves solo.
Show the full solution

The negative command is formed from the yo form with the opposite vowel, and ir is vayas. No hables tan fuerte. No hagas eso. No vayas solo.
Explain why No busces is wrong and what the correct form is.
Show the full solution

The c would change its sound before e, so it becomes qu: no busques. No busques.
Write five negative commands warning a friend before a long trip.
Show the full solution

One correct answer: No olvides el pasaporte. No llegues tarde. No pierdas el boleto. No salgas sin dinero. No te duermas en el aeropuerto. Each is formed from the yo form with the opposite vowel, and olvides, llegues, salgas show the pattern. No olvides el pasaporte. No llegues tarde. No pierdas el boleto. No salgas sin dinero. No te duermas en el aeropuerto.

Lesson 5.5 · Unit 5 · Structures

Telling someone you address formally what to do

With a doctor, a teacher, a stranger or a group, you use usted and ustedes commands. They use the same formula as the negative tú command, starting from the yo form and using the opposite vowel, and the same forms serve for both the affirmative and the negative. For ustedes, add -n. That is the whole system, and it is the one used in directions, recipes and public signs.

The method

The formula. Yo form, drop -o, add the opposite vowel: -e for -ar verbs, -a for -er/-ir verbs. Hable. Coma. Escriba.
For ustedes, add -n. Hablen. Coman. Escriban. The same form works for the negative: No hablen.
The irregular yo forms carry over. Haga, diga, ponga, salga, tenga, venga. Haga la tarea. Diga la verdad.
Five fully irregular. ir → vaya, vayan. ser → sea, sean. dar → dé, den. estar → esté, estén. saber → sepa, sepan. Dé, esté and estén carry written accents, and dé is how you tell the command from the preposition de.
The spelling changes appear again. Busque, llegue, empiece, juegue.
The same form is affirmative and negative. Hable and no hable; coman and no coman. Only no changes.
Pronouns attach to the affirmative and go before the negative. Siéntese. Dígame. No se siente. No me diga.
Add por favor and usted for politeness. Por favor, siéntese. Pase usted.

Where students lose marks: Using the tú affirmative for a stranger (Habla instead of Hable), forgetting -n for ustedes (Hable to a group), and the accent on dé and esté. Always decide tú, usted or ustedes before choosing a form.

Worked example

The problem. Write five commands: (1) To a doctor: tell me what to do (usted). (2) To two patients: sit down. (3) To a stranger: excuse me, tell me where the bank is. (4) To your teacher: please repeat. (5) To the class: don't speak.

Step one: command 1. Decir is irregular in the yo: digo → diga. Dígame qué hago. The pronoun attaches and the accent is needed.

Step two: command 2. Sentarse is a boot verb and the group is ustedes: siéntense. Siéntense, por favor.

Step three: command 3. Decir with usted: Perdone, dígame dónde está el banco. Perdonar is -ar so perdone.

Step four: command 4. Repetir is e to i in the yo form (repito): repita. Repita, por favor.

Step five: command 5. The negative command to a group: hablar → hablen. No hablen.

Step six: forms. Diga, perdone, repita, hablen, siéntense: all based on the yo form.

Step seven: accents. Dígame and siéntense need accents because of the attached pronoun or the stress.

Step eight: check. Each command matches the person (usted or ustedes), and each is formed from the yo form with the opposite vowel.

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Write the usted command of hablar, comer and escribir.
Show the full solution

Opposite vowel. hable, coma, escriba
Write the ustedes command of hablar, comer and escribir.
Show the full solution

Add -n. hablen, coman, escriban
Write the usted command of hacer, decir and salir.
Show the full solution

From hago, digo, salgo. haga, diga, salga
Write the usted command of ir, ser and dar.
Show the full solution

vaya, sea, dé
Write the ustedes command of estar and saber.
Show the full solution

estén, sepan
Say to a doctor: "Please tell me what I must do."
Show the full solution

Decir with usted and me attached, with the accent. Por favor, dígame qué debo hacer.
Say to two guests: "Come in and sit down, please."
Show the full solution

Entrar is entren; sentarse is siéntense. Entren y siéntense, por favor.
Find and fix the errors: Habla, señor López. Señores, hable más despacio.
Show the full solution

Usted needs hable, and ustedes needs hablen. Hable, señor López. Señores, hablen más despacio.
Explain why dé has an accent.
Show the full solution

To distinguish it from the preposition de. The accent separates dé (give) from de (of).
Write five formal commands for a visitor to your school, using usted or ustedes.
Show the full solution

One correct answer: Pase por esta puerta. Firme aquí, por favor. Siga el pasillo. Tome el ascensor. No fume en el edificio. Each is formed from the yo form with the opposite vowel and uses usted. Pase por esta puerta. Firme aquí, por favor. Siga el pasillo. Tome el ascensor. No fume en el edificio.

Lesson 5.6 · Unit 5 · Structures

Where the small words go

Commands follow a firm rule for pronouns, and the rule is the same for every command in the course: attached to the end of an affirmative command, and before the verb in a negative command. The rule is easy to state, but it changes the spelling of the word, because the stress would otherwise fall on the wrong syllable. This lesson sets the rule and the accent that goes with it.

The method

Affirmative: attach every pronoun to the end. Siéntate. Dímelo. Cómpralo. Levántense. Write the command and the pronouns as one word.
Negative: pronouns go before the verb. No te sientes. No me lo digas. No lo compres. The pronouns stay in the order reflexive, indirect, direct.
Order with two pronouns. Indirect before direct: dámelo, dáselo. Le and les become se: Díselo, no se lo digas.
Written accent. Add an accent to keep the original stress when you attach pronouns, as in dá-me-lo, cóm-pra-lo, le-ván-ta-te.
No accent when the stress already falls on the next-to-last syllable. Dime, hazlo, ponte, dile. A word ending in a vowel is stressed there naturally.
Reflexive commands. Lávate las manos. Vístete. Siéntese. The reflexive pronoun always attaches to an affirmative command and goes before a negative one.
Check the tú and usted forms. Dímelo (tú) and Dígamelo (usted). The pronouns attach to either.
Plural and -n. Siéntense adds -n for ustedes, and the accent falls on the same syllable as in siéntese.

Where students lose marks: Placing the pronouns before an affirmative command (Te siéntate), leaving the accent off (Dimelo), and keeping le lo instead of se lo (Dile lo). In an affirmative command, attach; in a negative, separate.

Worked example

The problem. Rewrite each command with pronouns: (1) Give me the book. (2) Tell her the truth. (3) Don't give it to him. (4) Wash your hands. (5) Buy it (the coat) for her.

Step one: command 1. Dar is da in the tú command, with me and lo attached: Dámelo. The accent keeps the stress on da.

Step two: command 2. Decir is di. Le plus la (la verdad is feminine) becomes se la, and the accent keeps the stress: Dísela.

Step three: command 3. The negative, so pronouns before the verb, in the order indirect-direct, and le lo becomes se lo: No se lo des.

Step four: command 4. The reflexive pronoun attaches: Lávate las manos. The accent is needed on lá.

Step five: command 5. Comprar is compra, with se and lo: Cómpraselo. The accent keeps the stress on com.

Step six: accents. Dámelo, dísela, lávate, cómpraselo all need an accent; dime does not.

Step seven: attached. Every affirmative command is one word.

Step eight: check. Affirmative: attached with the accent where needed. Negative: before the verb, in the order indirect then direct.

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Attach the pronoun: sienta + te.
Show the full solution

Sentarse is a boot verb, and the command is siéntate. Siéntate.
Attach the pronoun: Haz + lo.
Show the full solution

No accent needed. Hazlo.
Attach the pronouns: Di + me + lo.
Show the full solution

With the accent to keep the stress. Dímelo.
Make it negative: Dímelo.
Show the full solution

Separate the pronouns, and the verb takes the negative form. No me lo digas.
Make it negative: Siéntate.
Show the full solution

No te sientes.
Say "Give it to me" (the book).
Show the full solution

Dámelo.
Say "Tell it to him" (the story) and "Don't tell it to him."
Show the full solution

Le lo becomes se lo in both. Díselo. / No se lo digas.
Find and fix the errors: Te siéntate. Dimelo. Dile lo a ella.
Show the full solution

Pronouns attach to an affirmative command: siéntate. The accent is needed in dímelo. Le lo becomes se lo: díselo. Siéntate. Dímelo. Díselo a ella.
Explain why dime has no accent but dímelo does.
Show the full solution

Dime is stressed on the next-to-last syllable, so no accent is needed. Adding lo moves the stress to the third syllable from the end, so the accent is needed. The accent keeps the stress on the same syllable.
Write five commands to a classmate with pronouns, such as asking for, giving and telling.
Show the full solution

One correct answer: Préstame tu lápiz. Dame el libro. Dímelo ahora. No me lo digas mañana. Siéntate aquí. Pronouns are attached in the affirmative (préstame, dame, dímelo, siéntate) and before the verb in the negative (no me lo digas). Préstame tu lápiz. Dame el libro. Dímelo ahora. No me lo digas mañana. Siéntate aquí.

Lesson 5.7 · Unit 5 · Communication: presentational

A poster of advice

The skills in this unit come together when you give advice: a command to a friend, a command to a stranger, and a general statement for anyone. This lesson shows the options and asks you to write a poster on a healthy habit. The commands are the strong form; deber, tener que and hay que are gentler; and es importante works for anyone.

The method

Commands are direct. Duerme ocho horas. Bebe agua. No comas tantos dulces. Use them with friends and in posters.
Deber is gentler. Debes dormir ocho horas. Deber plus an infinitive.
Tener que is firmer. Tienes que hacer ejercicio. Tener que plus an infinitive.
Hay que is general. Hay que beber mucha agua. The same form for everyone, with an infinitive.
Es importante plus an infinitive. Es importante descansar. The opinion comes first, and the verb follows as an infinitive.
Healthy-habit vocabulary. dormir, descansar, hacer ejercicio, caminar, beber agua, comer frutas y verduras, evitar los dulces, lavarse las manos, relajarse, respirar.
Reasons with porque and para. Bebe agua porque es bueno para la salud. Camina para tener energía. Para plus an infinitive gives a purpose.
Choose the audience. A friend gets tú commands; the class gets ustedes commands; the public gets hay que or usted commands.

Where students lose marks: Mixing tú and usted in one poster (Come bien y no fume), forgetting the infinitive after deber and hay que (Debes duermes), and forgetting the accent on attached pronouns. Choose the audience first and keep it throughout.

Worked example

The problem. Write a six-line poster for students about sleep: use two tú commands, one negative command, one deber, one hay que, and one es importante.

Step one: command 1. Regular, tú: Duerme ocho horas cada noche. The boot stays.

Step two: command 2. Apagar has the spelling change in the negative, so for the affirmative it is regular: Apaga el teléfono antes de dormir.

Step three: negative. Tomar → tomo → no tomes: No tomes café por la noche.

Step four: deber. Debes acostarte a la misma hora todos los días. Deber plus an infinitive with acostarte.

Step five: hay que. Hay que descansar para tener energía. Para gives the purpose.

Step six: es importante. Es importante respirar profundo antes de dormir.

Step seven: title. ¡Duerme bien, vive mejor! The command has an exclamation mark at the start and the end.

Step eight: check. Two affirmative tú commands, one negative, deber, hay que, es importante, and each infinitive stays an infinitive.

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Complete with debes or hay que: ___ beber agua. (general)
Show the full solution

General advice for everyone. Hay que
Complete with an infinitive: Es importante ___ (hacer) ejercicio.
Show the full solution

hacer
Write a tú command and a negative tú command about sugar.
Show the full solution

One correct answer: Come menos azúcar. No tomes refrescos todos los días.
Say "You have to wash your hands before eating."
Show the full solution

Tener que with an infinitive, and antes de with an infinitive. Tienes que lavarte las manos antes de comer.
Say "Don't forget to drink water."
Show the full solution

Olvidar takes an infinitive directly, and the negative tú command is no olvides (olvido, drop -o, add -es). No olvides beber agua.
Say "To be healthy, you (formal) should walk every day and not eat too many sweets."
Show the full solution

Para plus an infinitive for purpose, usted forms. Para estar sano, camine todos los días y no coma demasiados dulces.
Say "Students, sleep eight hours, and do not use your phones at night."
Show the full solution

Ustedes commands, with usar: no usen. Estudiantes, duerman ocho horas y no usen sus teléfonos por la noche.
Find and fix the errors: Debes duermes ocho horas. Hay que bebes agua. No comes dulces.
Show the full solution

Deber and hay que take an infinitive, and a negative command to tú uses the opposite vowel. Debes dormir ocho horas. Hay que beber agua. No comas dulces.
Explain how to choose between a command, deber and hay que.
Show the full solution

A command is direct and addresses a person; deber is a gentle suggestion; hay que is general advice for everyone. Command: direct. Deber: gentle. Hay que: general.
Write a poster of at least six lines about healthy eating, using two commands, a negative command, deber, hay que and es importante.
Show the full solution

One correct answer: ¡Come bien, vive bien! Come frutas y verduras todos los días. Bebe mucha agua. No comas dulces en exceso. Debes desayunar bien. Hay que leer las etiquetas. Es importante comer despacio. The commands use the tú form, the negative uses the opposite vowel, and the others use an infinitive. ¡Come bien, vive bien! Come frutas y verduras todos los días. Bebe mucha agua. No comas dulces en exceso. Debes desayunar bien. Hay que leer las etiquetas. Es importante comer despacio.

Unit 5 review · 10 problems · all lessons

Unit 5 review: Health and Commands

These are mixed across all seven lessons and do not say which idea they want. Decide who you are speaking to (tú, usted or ustedes) and whether the command is affirmative or negative before you choose a form.

Say "My head hurts, and my feet hurt."
Show the full solution

Doler agrees with the body part. Me duele la cabeza y me duelen los pies.
Say to a doctor: "Where does it hurt?"
Show the full solution

A doctor is addressed with usted. ¿Dónde le duele?
Write the affirmative tú commands of hacer, decir and ir.
Show the full solution

Three of the eight irregulars. haz, di, ve
Write the negative tú commands of hablar, buscar and ir.
Show the full solution

The opposite vowel, the spelling change, and an irregular form. no hables, no busques, no vayas
Say to two guests: "Come in and sit down."
Show the full solution

Ustedes commands, with the pronoun attached. Pasen y siéntense.
Say to a friend: "Give it to me" (the book).
Show the full solution

Da with me and lo, and an accent. Dámelo.
Say "Don't tell it to him" (the secret).
Show the full solution

A negative command: pronouns before the verb, and se lo. No se lo digas.
Find and fix the errors: Haces la tarea y no comes dulces.
Show the full solution

Commands are not the present, and the negative takes the opposite vowel. Haz la tarea y no comas dulces.
Say "To be healthy, you have to sleep eight hours, and you should drink water."
Show the full solution

Para plus an infinitive, tener que and deber with infinitives. Para estar sano, tienes que dormir ocho horas y debes beber agua.
Write a four-line poster for students about healthy habits, using a tú command, a negative command, hay que and es importante.
Show the full solution

One correct answer: ¡Cuida tu salud! Bebe agua todos los días. No comas demasiados dulces. Hay que dormir ocho horas. Es importante hacer ejercicio. The commands use tú, and the rest take infinitives. ¡Cuida tu salud! Bebe agua todos los días. No comas demasiados dulces. Hay que dormir ocho horas. Es importante hacer ejercicio.

Lesson 6.1 · Unit 6 · Communication: interpersonal

Getting from one place to another and finding a bed

A traveler needs about a hundred words and a handful of structures, and most of them cluster in three places: the airport, the train station and the hotel. This lesson gives you the vocabulary, the polite requests that get you what you need, and the past tense for telling someone what went wrong. Latin American usage is the default, with the usage of Spain noted where it differs.

The method

At the airport. el aeropuerto, el vuelo, el boleto (Spain: el billete), el pasaporte, la maleta, el equipaje, la puerta de embarque, la aduana, facturar el equipaje, abordar, despegar, aterrizar, retrasado.
At the station. la estación, el tren, el andén, la vía, el horario, ida, ida y vuelta, el asiento. Un boleto de ida y vuelta is a round trip.
At the hotel. la reservación (Spain: la reserva), la habitación sencilla, doble, la llave, la recepción, el ascensor, el huésped, el desayuno incluido.
Polite requests. Quisiera reservar una habitación. ¿Me puede dar la llave? ¿Hay una habitación libre? Quisiera is softer than quiero.
Questions with a qué hora. ¿A qué hora sale el tren? ¿A qué hora llega el vuelo? Salir de a place, llegar a a place.
Prices and nights. ¿Cuánto cuesta la habitación por noche? Por noche uses por for "per".
Telling what happened (preterite). Perdí mi maleta. El vuelo salió tarde. Reservé una habitación pero no la encontraron.
Telling the scene (imperfect). El aeropuerto estaba lleno. Había mucha gente. El tren iba despacio.

Where students lose marks: Using a wrongly (salir a la estación, which should be salir de), using quiero where politeness calls for quisiera, and using the preterite for the scene (El aeropuerto estuvo lleno). Leave from a place with de, arrive at a place with a, and describe the scene in the imperfect.

Worked example

The problem. Write six sentences: (1) I would like a single room for two nights. (2) What time does the flight leave? (3) The plane left late. (4) I lost my suitcase at the airport. (5) The airport was full. (6) May I have the key?

Step one: sentence 1. Quisiera for politeness, and sencilla agrees with habitación: Quisiera una habitación sencilla para dos noches.

Step two: sentence 2. Salir in the present with el vuelo: ¿A qué hora sale el vuelo?

Step three: sentence 3. A finished event is preterite: El avión salió tarde.

Step four: sentence 4. Perder is a boot verb in the present but regular in the preterite: Perdí mi maleta en el aeropuerto.

Step five: sentence 5. A scene is imperfect: El aeropuerto estaba lleno.

Step six: sentence 6. A polite request with poder: ¿Me puede dar la llave? The pronoun me is before the verb.

Step seven: prepositions. Salir de a place, llegar a a place: Salimos del hotel y llegamos al aeropuerto.

Step eight: check. Polite forms (quisiera, puede), the right tense for the event (salió, perdí) and the scene (estaba).

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Complete with de or a: Salimos ___ hotel y llegamos ___ aeropuerto.
Show the full solution

Salir de and llegar a, with de + el = del and a + el = al. del; al
Say "a round-trip ticket."
Show the full solution

un boleto de ida y vuelta
Say "I would like to reserve a double room."
Show the full solution

Quisiera with reservar. Quisiera reservar una habitación doble.
Say "What time does the train arrive?"
Show the full solution

Llegar with el tren. ¿A qué hora llega el tren?
Say "How much does the room cost per night?"
Show the full solution

Por for "per". ¿Cuánto cuesta la habitación por noche?
Say "The flight was late, and there were a lot of people in the airport."
Show the full solution

A description of the scene is imperfect, había for "there were". El vuelo estaba retrasado y había mucha gente en el aeropuerto.
Say "I arrived at the hotel, but they did not have my reservation."
Show the full solution

Two events, both preterite. Tener in the preterite is tuvieron. Llegué al hotel, pero no tuvieron mi reservación.
Find and fix the errors: Salimos a la estación y llegamos de la ciudad. El aeropuerto estuvo lleno.
Show the full solution

Salir de and llegar a, and the scene is imperfect. Salimos de la estación y llegamos a la ciudad. El aeropuerto estaba lleno.
Explain why quisiera is used instead of quiero in a hotel.
Show the full solution

Quisiera is a softer, more polite request. Quisiera: a polite request.
Write a five-line dialogue at a hotel reception: you ask for a room, the clerk asks for how many nights, you answer, you ask the price, and you ask for the key.
Show the full solution

One correct answer: Cliente: Buenas tardes. Quisiera una habitación sencilla. Recepcionista: ¿Para cuántas noches? Cliente: Para tres noches. ¿Cuánto cuesta por noche? Recepcionista: Cuesta ochenta euros. Cliente: Perfecto. ¿Me puede dar la llave? Polite forms and the right prepositions. Cliente: Buenas tardes. Quisiera una habitación sencilla. Recepcionista: ¿Para cuántas noches? Cliente: Para tres noches. ¿Cuánto cuesta por noche? Recepcionista: Cuesta ochenta euros. Cliente: Perfecto. ¿Me puede dar la llave?

Lesson 6.2 · Unit 6 · Communication: interpersonal

Finding your way in a city

Directions are the place where commands, prepositions and the vocabulary of the city come together. To ask, you use questions with dónde and cómo. To answer a stranger, you use usted commands. To answer a friend, you use tú commands. This lesson gives you both sides of the conversation, and it links the commands you learned in unit 5 to a real task.

The method

Ask the way. ¿Dónde está el banco? ¿Cómo llego al museo? ¿Hay un supermercado cerca de aquí? Estar gives a location.
Words of place. cerca de, lejos de, al lado de, enfrente de, detrás de, entre, a la derecha, a la izquierda, derecho (straight).
City words. la calle, la avenida, la esquina, la cuadra (Spain: la manzana), el semáforo, el cruce, la plaza, el puente.
Usted commands for strangers. Siga derecho. Doble a la izquierda. Cruce la calle. Tome la primera calle a la derecha.
Tú commands for friends. Sigue derecho. Dobla a la derecha. Cruza la calle. The tú form is the third-person present.
Order the steps. primero, luego, después, al final. Está a tres cuadras de aquí.
Distance. Está a cinco minutos a pie. Está a dos cuadras. A pie is "on foot".
Thank and answer. Muchas gracias. De nada. Con permiso. Perdone. Perdone is itself an usted command.

Where students lose marks: Using the infinitive for a command (Seguir derecho, only for signs), using tú with a stranger (Dobla), using ser for location (Es en la esquina), and a la derecho (a la derecha). Decide whether the person is tú or usted, and use estar for where a place is.

Worked example

The problem. Give directions to a stranger (usted) from the school to the library: go straight for two blocks, turn left at the traffic light, cross the street, and it is on the right, next to the bank.

Step one: the question. The stranger asks: Perdone, ¿cómo llego a la biblioteca?

Step two: first step. Seguir is e to i in the yo form (sigo), so the command is siga: Siga derecho por dos cuadras.

Step three: second step. Doblar is regular: Doble a la izquierda en el semáforo.

Step four: third step. Cruzar has the spelling change z → c: Cruce la calle.

Step five: location. Estar for location: La biblioteca está a la derecha, al lado del banco. A + el = al and de + el = del.

Step six: thanks. Muchas gracias. De nada.

Step seven: tú version. To a friend, the commands are sigue, dobla, cruza.

Step eight: check. Usted commands for the stranger (siga, doble, cruce), estar for location, and al lado del with the contraction.

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Say "Where is the bank?"
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Estar for location. ¿Dónde está el banco?
Say "How do I get to the museum?"
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¿Cómo llego al museo?
Say to a stranger: "Turn right."
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Doblar with usted. Doble a la derecha.
Say to a friend: "Cross the street."
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The tú command is the third-person present. Cruza la calle.
Say "It is next to the park."
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Estar and al lado de, with the contraction del. Está al lado del parque.
Say to a stranger: "Continue straight for three blocks and then turn left."
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Seguir and doblar with usted. Siga derecho por tres cuadras y luego doble a la izquierda.
Say to two friends: "Don't cross here, go to the corner."
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A negative ustedes command with no cruzar (no crucen), and ir is vayan. No crucen aquí, vayan a la esquina.
Find and fix the errors: Siguiendo derecho y dobla a la derecho. El banco es a la esquina.
Show the full solution

Use a command for the stranger, a la derecha, and estar for location. Siga derecho y doble a la derecha. El banco está en la esquina.
Explain why cruce and not cruze.
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The z changes to c before e in the command. cruzar → cruce.
Write directions of at least five steps from your home to a nearby store, using usted commands and estar for the location.
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One correct answer: Salga de la casa y siga derecho por la calle principal. Cruce la plaza. Doble a la izquierda en el semáforo. Siga una cuadra más. La tienda está a la derecha, al lado de la panadería. Each command is an usted command, and the location uses estar. Salga de la casa y siga derecho por la calle principal. Cruce la plaza. Doble a la izquierda en el semáforo. Siga una cuadra más. La tienda está a la derecha, al lado de la panadería.

Lesson 6.3 · Unit 6 · Structures

Para points forward

Spanish has two words that English usually translates as "for": por and para. They are not interchangeable, and choosing between them is one of the five errors that costs the most marks in second-year Spanish. The easiest approach is to learn them one at a time. Para points forward, to a goal, a recipient, a deadline or a destination. This lesson covers para, and the next covers por and the contrast.

The method

Purpose with an infinitive: "in order to". Estudio para aprender. Fui a la tienda para comprar pan. Para plus an infinitive.
The recipient. Este regalo es para ti. Compré flores para mi madre. The person who receives.
A deadline. La tarea es para el lunes. Necesito el informe para mañana. A point in time.
A destination. Salimos para Madrid. Voy para la escuela. The place you are heading to.
An opinion or a comparison with others. Para mí, el español es fácil. Para un niño, es muy alto.
Employment. Trabajo para una empresa. Mi hermana trabaja para el hospital.
Intended use. Una taza para café. Una mesa para estudiar. Un cuarto para dormir.
After para, pronouns are mí, ti, but conmigo, contigo. Es para mí. Para never takes yo or tú.

Where students lose marks: Using por for a purpose (Estudio por aprender), using para for a cause (Gracias para la ayuda, which should be por), and para yo. Ask what para points toward: a goal, a person, a date or a place.

Worked example

The problem. Write six sentences: (1) I study in order to learn. (2) This present is for you (informal). (3) The homework is for Monday. (4) We are leaving for Lima. (5) For me, Spanish is easy. (6) She works for a hospital.

Step one: sentence 1. Purpose with an infinitive: Estudio para aprender.

Step two: sentence 2. The recipient takes para, and after it ti replaces tú: Este regalo es para ti.

Step three: sentence 3. A deadline: La tarea es para el lunes.

Step four: sentence 4. A destination with salir para: Salimos para Lima.

Step five: sentence 5. An opinion: Para mí, el español es fácil.

Step six: sentence 6. Employment: Ella trabaja para un hospital.

Step seven: the idea. In each sentence, para points to a goal (1), a person (2), a date (3), a place (4), an opinion (5) or an employer (6).

Step eight: check. No sentence uses por, and after para the pronouns are ti and mí, not tú and yo.

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Complete with para: Compré un libro ___ mi hermana.
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The recipient. para
Complete with para: Necesito el informe ___ el viernes.
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A deadline. para
Complete: Voy a la biblioteca ___ estudiar.
Show the full solution

Purpose with an infinitive. para
Complete: Este regalo es ___ (you, informal).
Show the full solution

After para, ti. para ti
Say "We are leaving for Mexico tomorrow."
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Salir para a destination. Salimos para México mañana.
Say "For a young child, he speaks very well."
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Para for a comparison with others. Para un niño, habla muy bien.
Say "I work for a company, and I save money in order to travel."
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Employment and purpose, both with para. Trabajo para una empresa y ahorro dinero para viajar.
Find and fix the errors: Estudio por aprender. El regalo es para yo. Salimos por Lima.
Show the full solution

A purpose and a destination take para, and after para we use mí. Estudio para aprender. El regalo es para mí. Salimos para Lima.
Explain why Es para mí uses mí and not yo.
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After a preposition, the pronouns are mí and ti, except with con, which uses conmigo and contigo. After a preposition: mí, ti.
Write five sentences using para for five different uses: purpose, recipient, deadline, destination and opinion.
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One correct answer: Estudio para sacar buenas notas. Compré un regalo para mi abuela. La tarea es para el martes. Mañana salgo para San Diego. Para mí, la música es importante. Each use of para is different. Estudio para sacar buenas notas. Compré un regalo para mi abuela. La tarea es para el martes. Mañana salgo para San Diego. Para mí, la música es importante.

Lesson 6.4 · Unit 6 · Structures

Por looks back and around

Where para points forward, por looks back at a cause, around a place or through a stretch of time. Por has more uses than para, and several fixed expressions. This lesson lists them, and then it does the real work: choosing between the two. The test is the idea in the sentence, not the English word "for".

The method

Cause or reason. No salí por la lluvia. Gracias por tu ayuda. Por tells why.
Duration. Estudié por tres horas. Viví allí por dos años. How long (the same as durante).
Exchange. Pagué veinte euros por el libro. Cambié mi camisa por otra. Giving one thing for another.
Movement through or along a place. Caminamos por el parque. Paso por tu casa.
Means. por teléfono, por correo electrónico, por avión, por internet.
On behalf of, instead of. Lo hizo por mí. Habla por su hermano.
Per, and parts of the day. Cinco euros por persona. Dos por ciento. Por la mañana, por la tarde, por la noche.
Fixed expressions. por favor, por fin, por eso, por supuesto, por ejemplo, por lo menos, por primera vez.

Where students lose marks: Using para for a cause (Gracias para tu ayuda), using por for a goal (Estudio por aprender), and translating "for" word for word. Name the idea: cause, duration, exchange, route or means takes por; goal, recipient, deadline or destination takes para.

Worked example

The problem. Choose por or para and write the sentences: (1) I bought a gift for my mother for twenty euros. (2) We walked through the park for an hour. (3) Thank you for the help. (4) She studies in order to be a doctor. (5) The report is for Friday. (6) He called me by phone because of the rain.

Step one: sentence 1. The recipient takes para and the price takes por: Compré un regalo para mi madre por veinte euros.

Step two: sentence 2. A route takes por and a duration takes por: Caminamos por el parque por una hora.

Step three: sentence 3. A cause takes por: Gracias por la ayuda.

Step four: sentence 4. A purpose with an infinitive takes para: Ella estudia para ser médica.

Step five: sentence 5. A deadline takes para: El informe es para el viernes.

Step six: sentence 6. Means takes por and a cause takes por: Me llamó por teléfono por la lluvia.

Step seven: the ideas. Para: recipient, purpose, deadline. Por: price, route, duration, cause, means.

Step eight: check. The two words can appear in one sentence, each doing its own job.

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Complete: Gracias ___ tu ayuda.
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A cause. por
Complete: Estudié ___ dos horas.
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A duration. por
Complete: Pagué diez euros ___ la camiseta.
Show the full solution

An exchange. por
Complete: Caminamos ___ la playa.
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A route. por
Complete: El regalo es ___ mi padre.
Show the full solution

A recipient. para
Say "We traveled by plane for six hours."
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Means and duration, both por. Viajamos por avión por seis horas.
Say "I bought a book for my sister for ten euros, and I need to read it by Tuesday."
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Recipient with para, price with por, deadline with para. Compré un libro para mi hermana por diez euros y necesito leerlo para el martes.
Find and fix the errors: Estudio por ser médico. Gracias para tu regalo. Salimos por Madrid mañana.
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A purpose takes para, a cause takes por, and a destination takes para. Estudio para ser médico. Gracias por tu regalo. Salimos para Madrid mañana.
Explain why Voy a la tienda por pan and Voy a la tienda para comprar pan can both be correct.
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Por pan means "to get bread" (the object of the errand); para comprar gives a purpose with an infinitive. Por plus a noun for an errand; para plus an infinitive for a purpose.
Write six sentences, three with por and three with para, each with a different use.
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One correct answer: Gracias por venir. Estudié por tres horas. Pagué cinco euros por el libro. Este regalo es para ti. Estudio para aprender. La tarea es para mañana. Each sentence names the idea correctly. Gracias por venir. Estudié por tres horas. Pagué cinco euros por el libro. Este regalo es para ti. Estudio para aprender. La tarea es para mañana.

Lesson 6.5 · Unit 6 · Structures

Something, nothing, someone, no one

Spanish has pairs of words for "some" and "none": algo and nada, alguien and nadie, siempre and nunca. They are common, and they behave differently from English because Spanish uses a double negative. A negative word after the verb needs no before it, and the sentence is still correct. This lesson gives the pairs and the double-negative rule.

The method

The pairs. algo / nada; alguien / nadie; siempre / nunca; también / tampoco; algún, alguno / ningún, ninguno; o ... o / ni ... ni.
Double negative after the verb. No veo a nadie. No quiero nada. No voy nunca. No tengo ningún amigo. The no before the verb is required.
A negative before the verb needs no no. Nadie vino. Nunca voy. Nada me gusta. Compare No vino nadie.
The personal a. No veo a nadie. ¿Ves a alguien? Alguien and nadie are people.
Algún and ningún before a masculine singular noun. algún día, ningún libro. Alguna and ninguna keep their form for feminine nouns.
Ningún is almost always singular. No tengo ningún libro. Not ningunos libros.
Tampoco versus también. Yo también. Yo tampoco. Tampoco is "neither" or "not either": No me gusta, y a ti tampoco.
Ni ... ni. No tengo ni lápiz ni papel. The no before the verb is still needed when ni ... ni comes after it.

Where students lose marks: Omitting no after the verb (Veo nadie), using no before a negative that comes first (No nadie vino), using algo in a negative sentence (No quiero algo, which should be nada), and leaving out the personal a before alguien and nadie. Keep it simple: a negative word after the verb needs no.

Worked example

The problem. Write six sentences: (1) I do not see anyone. (2) Nobody called. (3) She never eats meat. (4) I want something to drink. (5) We do not have any books. (6) I do not like it, and he does not either.

Step one: sentence 1. Nadie after the verb needs no, and a person needs the personal a: No veo a nadie.

Step two: sentence 2. Nadie before the verb needs no no: Nadie llamó.

Step three: sentence 3. Nunca before the verb: Ella nunca come carne. Or No come carne nunca.

Step four: sentence 4. Algo in an affirmative sentence: Quiero algo de beber.

Step five: sentence 5. Ningún before a masculine singular noun: No tenemos ningún libro.

Step six: sentence 6. Tampoco after no: No me gusta, y a él tampoco.

Step seven: double negative. Sentence 1 and 5 have a double negative: no ... nadie, no ... ningún. The extra no is correct.

Step eight: check. Each negative word is either before the verb (no no) or after it (needs no), and a appears before nadie.

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Complete: No veo ___ en la calle. (no one)
Show the full solution

a nadie
Complete: ___ me gusta el café. (nothing)
Show the full solution

A negative before the verb needs no no. Nada
Complete: ¿Ves ___ ? No, no veo ___ .
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algo; nada
Complete: Yo no tengo ___ hermano. (any)
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Ningún before a masculine singular noun. ningún
Complete: Me gusta el chocolate y a mi hermana ___. (also)
Show the full solution

también
Say "I never go to the beach."
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Nunca before the verb, or no with nunca after. Nunca voy a la playa. / No voy nunca a la playa.
Say "No one knows anything about it."
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A negative before the verb needs no no. Nadie then nada. Nadie sabe nada de eso.
Find and fix the errors: No tengo nadie amigo. No quiero algo. Veo nadie.
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Ningún amigo, nada, and no with a negative after the verb, plus the personal a. No tengo ningún amigo. No quiero nada. No veo a nadie.
Explain why No vino nadie and Nadie vino are both correct.
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A negative word after the verb needs no; a negative word before the verb does not. Negative after the verb: no ... nadie. Before the verb: nadie alone.
Write five sentences using five different negative words: nada, nadie, nunca, tampoco, ningún.
Show the full solution

One correct answer: No quiero nada. No conozco a nadie aquí. Nunca como carne. No me gusta el pescado y a mi hermano tampoco. No tengo ningún problema. Each negative after the verb has no. No quiero nada. No conozco a nadie aquí. Nunca como carne. No me gusta el pescado y a mi hermano tampoco. No tengo ningún problema.

Lesson 6.6 · Unit 6 · Cultures

Buying, comparing and haggling

Open-air markets are a part of life in many Spanish-speaking countries, and they use a language of their own: quantities, prices, polite requests and the gentle art of bargaining. This lesson teaches the numbers you need beyond one hundred, the units of measure, and the phrases that make a bargain polite. It also uses por and para in their natural setting.

The method

Numbers above 100. cien (100), ciento diez, doscientos, trescientos, cuatrocientos, quinientos, seiscientos, setecientos, ochocientos, novecientos, mil. Cien alone, ciento before another number.
The hundreds agree with the noun. doscientas personas, trescientas camisas (feminine), but quinientos, setecientos, novecientos are irregular in form.
Prices. ¿Cuánto cuesta? ¿Cuánto cuestan? Cuesta cien pesos. Cuestan ciento veinte. Costar is a boot verb.
Quantities. un kilo, medio kilo, un litro, una docena, un poco de, una bolsa de, una caja de. Un kilo de tomates.
Asking politely. Quisiera un kilo de manzanas. ¿Me da medio kilo de queso? Déme dos, por favor. The last is an usted command with an attached pronoun.
Comparing prices. Es más barato que ... Es más caro que ... Es tan barato como ... Use que and como.
Bargaining. ¿Me hace un descuento? ¿Cuál es su mejor precio? Es muy caro. Le doy ochenta. A little back-and-forth is expected.
Por and para in the market. Pagué cien pesos por la bolsa. Compré una bolsa para mi madre.

Where students lose marks: Using ciento alone for 100 (Cuesta ciento pesos should be cien pesos), quinientos spelled cincocientos, and forgetting the agreement of hundreds with feminine nouns (doscientos personas). A price is an exchange, so por goes with the thing bought.

Worked example

The problem. Write a market conversation with a vendor in six lines: ask for half a kilo of tomatoes, ask the price, say it is expensive, ask for a discount, accept the price, and thank the vendor.

Step one: the request. Quisiera medio kilo de tomates, por favor.

Step two: the price. ¿Cuánto cuestan? Cuestan veinte pesos el kilo.

Step three: the complaint. Es muy caro. The subject is the price (el precio), so caro is masculine singular.

Step four: the bargain. ¿Me hace un descuento? Le puedo hacer un precio mejor.

Step five: the offer. Le doy quince pesos por medio kilo. Por for an exchange.

Step six: the agreement. Está bien, tome. Tomar in the usted command is tome.

Step seven: the thanks. Muchas gracias. De nada, que le vaya bien.

Step eight: check. Polite requests, correct prices, por for the exchange, and an usted command from the vendor.

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Write in words: 100, 115, 500, 700, 900.
Show the full solution

Cien alone, ciento before another number, and the three irregular hundreds. cien, ciento quince, quinientos, setecientos, novecientos
Write in words: 250 pesos, 360 pesos.
Show the full solution

doscientos cincuenta pesos, trescientos sesenta pesos
Say "How much do the apples cost?"
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Costar is plural here. ¿Cuánto cuestan las manzanas?
Say "I would like a kilo of oranges and a dozen eggs."
Show the full solution

Quisiera with two quantities. Quisiera un kilo de naranjas y una docena de huevos.
Say "These are cheaper than those."
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A comparison with más ... que. Estos son más baratos que esos.
Say "That is very expensive. Can you give me a discount?"
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Es muy caro. ¿Me puede hacer un descuento?
Say "I paid two hundred fifty pesos for the bag, and it is for my mother."
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A price takes por; a recipient takes para. Pagué doscientos cincuenta pesos por la bolsa y es para mi madre.
Find and fix the errors: La camisa cuesta ciento pesos. Compré doscientos camisas. Pagué cuatrocientos pesos para la bolsa.
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Cien for exactly 100, the hundreds agree with a feminine noun (doscientas camisas), and a price takes por. La camisa cuesta cien pesos. Compré doscientas camisas. Pagué cuatrocientos pesos por la bolsa.
Explain the difference between cien and ciento.
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Cien is exactly 100 and stands before a noun. Ciento is used before another number, as in ciento diez. Cien: 100. Ciento: before another number.
Write a six-line bargaining conversation between a customer and a vendor, with prices over one hundred.
Show the full solution

One correct answer: Cliente: Buenos días. ¿Cuánto cuesta esta bolsa? Vendedor: Cuesta trescientos pesos. Cliente: Es muy cara. ¿Me hace un descuento? Vendedor: Se la dejo en doscientos cincuenta. Cliente: Le doy doscientos pesos por la bolsa. Vendedor: Está bien, llévela. The numbers are correct, the request is polite and llévela is an usted command with a pronoun attached. Cliente: Buenos días. ¿Cuánto cuesta esta bolsa? Vendedor: Cuesta trescientos pesos. Cliente: Es muy cara. ¿Me hace un descuento? Vendedor: Se la dejo en doscientos cincuenta. Cliente: Le doy doscientos pesos por la bolsa. Vendedor: Está bien, llévela.

Lesson 6.7 · Unit 6 · Communication: presentational

A trip, day by day

An itinerary is a plan: where you will go, when, how and for how long. It uses the near future (ir a plus an infinitive), the present for scheduled events, por for duration and route, and para for destination and purpose. This lesson ties the unit together by asking you to write a short itinerary, and it shows how much of the unit's grammar one short document needs.

The method

Near future with ir a. Voy a visitar el museo. Vamos a comer en la plaza. Ir a plus an infinitive.
The present for scheduled events. El vuelo sale a las ocho. El museo abre a las nueve. A fixed schedule uses the present.
Verbs of planning. pensar, querer, planear, tener ganas de, preferir plus an infinitive. Pienso viajar en agosto.
Destination with para, duration with por. Salgo para Lima el lunes. Voy a estar allí por una semana.
Route with por. Vamos a pasar por Cusco.
Order with sequence words. El lunes, el martes, por la mañana, por la tarde, luego, después, al final.
Transport and lodging. Viajamos en tren. Nos quedamos en un hotel. Reservé una habitación.
Add a reason. porque, para plus an infinitive. Voy a Cusco para ver las ruinas.

Where students lose marks: Using the preterite for a plan (Visité el museo el lunes when the plan is for the future), using por for a destination (Salgo por Lima), and writing every line in the same structure. Mix ir a, the present, and the infinitives of planning verbs so the itinerary reads naturally.

Worked example

The problem. Write a four-day itinerary for a trip to Lima: arrive on Monday, visit the historic center on Tuesday, take a bus to the coast on Wednesday, and fly home on Thursday.

Step one: monday. A scheduled arrival uses the present: El lunes llego a Lima por la mañana. Then the near future: Voy a descansar en el hotel.

Step two: tuesday. Ir a plus an infinitive and para for purpose: El martes voy a visitar el centro histórico para ver las plazas y las iglesias.

Step three: wednesday. Means with en, and destination with a: El miércoles vamos a tomar un autobús a la costa. Route with por: Vamos a pasar por tres pueblos.

Step four: thursday. A scheduled flight uses the present, and salir de: El jueves salgo de Lima a las siete de la noche.

Step five: return. Vuelvo a casa por la noche. Volver is a boot verb.

Step six: connectors. Sequence words order the days: primero, luego, por fin.

Step seven: reasons. Voy a Lima para conocer su historia porque me interesa mucho. Interesar works like gustar.

Step eight: check. Present for the fixed schedule, ir a for plans, para for purpose, por for duration and route.

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Complete with the near future: Mañana nosotros ___ ___ (visitar) el museo.
Show the full solution

vamos a visitar
Complete: El tren ___ (salir) a las ocho. (fixed schedule)
Show the full solution

sale
Complete: Voy a estar en Madrid ___ una semana.
Show the full solution

A duration. por
Complete: Salimos ___ Quito el sábado.
Show the full solution

A destination. para
Say "We are going to stay in a small hotel."
Show the full solution

Quedarse is reflexive, with the near future. Vamos a quedarnos en un hotel pequeño. (Or: Nos vamos a quedar...)
Say "On Monday I plan to visit the museum, and on Tuesday I want to walk through the old city."
Show the full solution

Planning verbs plus an infinitive, and por for the route. El lunes pienso visitar el museo y el martes quiero caminar por la ciudad vieja.
Say "The flight leaves at eight, so we have to be at the airport at six."
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Present for the schedule, and tener que for obligation. El vuelo sale a las ocho, así que tenemos que estar en el aeropuerto a las seis.
Find and fix the errors: Salgo por Lima el lunes. Visité el museo mañana. Voy a estar allí para una semana.
Show the full solution

A destination takes para, a future plan takes the near future, and a duration takes por. Salgo para Lima el lunes. Voy a visitar el museo mañana. Voy a estar allí por una semana.
Explain why El museo abre a las nueve uses the present even though it refers to the future.
Show the full solution

A fixed schedule is expressed in the present. The present is used for fixed schedules.
Write a five-day itinerary for a trip to a place you would like to visit, using the near future, the present for schedules, para for purpose and por for duration or route.
Show the full solution

One correct answer: El lunes llego a Barcelona. Voy a pasar por el barrio gótico para ver las calles antiguas. El martes visito la catedral, que abre a las diez. El miércoles vamos a tomar el tren a la costa por una hora. El jueves quiero descansar en la playa. El viernes salgo para casa a las siete de la mañana. Each line uses the right structure. El lunes llego a Barcelona. Voy a pasar por el barrio gótico para ver las calles antiguas. El martes visito la catedral, que abre a las diez. El miércoles vamos a tomar el tren a la costa por una hora. El jueves quiero descansar en la playa. El viernes salgo para casa a las siete de la mañana.

Unit 6 review · 10 problems · all lessons

Unit 6 review: Travel and the City

These are mixed across all seven lessons and do not say which idea they want. For every por and para, name the idea first: cause, duration, exchange and route against goal, recipient, deadline and destination.

Complete: Salimos ___ aeropuerto y llegamos ___ hotel.
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Salir de and llegar a, with the contractions. del; al
Say "I would like a single room for two nights."
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Quisiera is polite, and sencilla agrees with habitación. Quisiera una habitación sencilla para dos noches.
Say to a stranger: "Cross the street and turn left."
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Usted commands, with the spelling change in cruzar. Cruce la calle y doble a la izquierda.
Complete with por or para: Estudié ___ tres horas ___ el examen.
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A duration takes por, and a purpose or deadline takes para. por; para
Say "I do not see anyone, and I do not want anything."
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Negative words after the verb need no, and a person takes the personal a. No veo a nadie y no quiero nada.
Write in words: 100, 115 and 500.
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Cien alone, ciento before another number, and the irregular quinientos. cien, ciento quince, quinientos
Say "I paid two hundred fifty pesos for the bag, and it is for my mother."
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A price takes por and a recipient takes para. Pagué doscientos cincuenta pesos por la bolsa y es para mi madre.
Find and fix the errors: No tengo nadie amigo. Salimos por Lima mañana.
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Ningún amigo with the no, and a destination takes para. No tengo ningún amigo. Salimos para Lima mañana.
Say "We are leaving for Quito on Monday, and we are going to stay there for a week."
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Para for the destination, and por for the duration. Salimos para Quito el lunes y vamos a quedarnos allí por una semana.
Write directions of at least four steps from school to a store, using usted commands and estar for the location.
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One correct answer: Salga de la escuela y siga derecho por dos cuadras. Doble a la derecha en el semáforo. Cruce la plaza. La tienda está a la izquierda, al lado del banco. The commands are usted forms, and location uses estar. Salga de la escuela y siga derecho por dos cuadras. Doble a la derecha en el semáforo. Cruce la plaza. La tienda está a la izquierda, al lado del banco.

Lesson 7.1 · Unit 7 · Communication: interpersonal

Who does what at home

Households run on chores, and talking about them is a good test of everything you know: the vocabulary of rooms and tasks, expressions of obligation, and the small words that say what is done and what is not yet done. This lesson gives you the vocabulary of the home, three ways to say that someone must do something, and the words ya, todavía no and acabar de that tell where a task stands.

The method

Rooms and furniture. la cocina, la sala, el comedor, el dormitorio (la recámara), el baño, el jardín, el garaje, la lavadora, el refrigerador, la estufa, el sofá, la cama.
Chores. lavar los platos, barrer el piso, pasar la aspiradora, sacar la basura, tender la cama, limpiar el baño, cocinar, poner la mesa, quitar la mesa, lavar la ropa, regar las plantas.
Obligation. Tengo que sacar la basura. Debes limpiar tu cuarto. Hay que barrer. Each takes an infinitive.
Ayudar a plus an infinitive. Ayudo a mi madre a cocinar. The a before the infinitive is required.
Ya and todavía no. Ya lavé los platos ("I already washed the dishes"). Todavía no termino la tarea ("I have not finished the homework yet").
Acabar de plus an infinitive. Acabo de limpiar el baño. ("I have just cleaned the bathroom.") Acabar is conjugated; the second verb stays an infinitive.
Pronouns with the chore. Lo lavo. La barro. Voy a sacarla. The direct object pronoun goes before the conjugated verb or on the infinitive.
Distribute the work. A mí me toca lavar los platos. Tocarle a alguien means "it is one's turn", and it works like gustar.

Where students lose marks: Leaving out a after ayudar (Ayudo cocinar), conjugating the second verb after acabar de (Acabo de limpié), and using ya without a past verb. Acabar de needs an infinitive, and ayudar a needs the a.

Worked example

The problem. Write six sentences about chores: (1) I have to take out the trash. (2) My brother helps my mother cook. (3) I already washed the dishes. (4) We have just cleaned the kitchen. (5) It is my turn to set the table. (6) Please sweep the floor (to a friend).

Step one: sentence 1. Tener que plus an infinitive: Tengo que sacar la basura.

Step two: sentence 2. Ayudar a plus an infinitive, with the personal a before mi madre: Mi hermano ayuda a mi madre a cocinar.

Step three: sentence 3. Ya with the preterite: Ya lavé los platos.

Step four: sentence 4. Acabar de with nosotros, followed by an infinitive: Acabamos de limpiar la cocina.

Step five: sentence 5. Tocarle a alguien works like gustar: Me toca poner la mesa.

Step six: sentence 6. The tú command of barrer is barre: Barre el piso, por favor.

Step seven: infinitives. After tener que, a, acabar de and toca, the second verb stays an infinitive.

Step eight: check. Each chore uses the right structure, and each second verb is an infinitive.

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Complete: Tengo que ___ (lavar) los platos.
Show the full solution

lavar
Complete: Mi padre ayuda ___ mi madre ___ cocinar.
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The personal a and the a before the infinitive. a; a
Complete: Acabo de ___ (limpiar) el baño.
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limpiar
Say "I already took out the trash."
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Ya with the preterite. Ya saqué la basura.
Say "I still have not finished the homework."
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Todavía no with the present. Todavía no termino la tarea.
Say "We have just washed the clothes, and now we have to fold them."
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Acabar de with an infinitive, and tener que with a pronoun attached. Acabamos de lavar la ropa y ahora tenemos que doblarla.
Say "It is my turn to wash the dishes, but you have to take out the trash."
Show the full solution

Tocar works like gustar, and tener que for obligation. Me toca lavar los platos, pero tú tienes que sacar la basura.
Find and fix the errors: Ayudo cocinar. Acabo de limpié el cuarto. Ya sacar la basura.
Show the full solution

Ayudar a needs the a, acabar de takes an infinitive, and ya needs a conjugated verb. Ayudo a cocinar. Acabo de limpiar el cuarto. Ya saqué la basura.
Explain the difference between Acabo de comer and Acabé de comer.
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Acabo de comer means "I have just eaten". Acabé de comer means "I finished eating". Acabo de: just did. Acabé de: finished doing.
Write a list of five chores, saying who does each one and when, using a variety of structures.
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One correct answer: Mi padre barre el piso los sábados. A mí me toca sacar la basura. Mi hermana ayuda a mi madre a cocinar. Hoy tengo que lavar los platos. Acabo de poner la mesa. Each structure is used correctly. Mi padre barre el piso los sábados. A mí me toca sacar la basura. Mi hermana ayuda a mi madre a cocinar. Hoy tengo que lavar los platos. Acabo de poner la mesa.

Lesson 7.2 · Unit 7 · Structures

Becoming, feeling and getting

English has a verb for every change ("get angry", "become sad", "turn red"). Spanish uses a small group of reflexive verbs for the same job, and the choice depends on the kind of change. This lesson gives you the verbs for emotions and for changes of state. They use the reflexive pronouns you already know, and they take the preterite for a sudden change and the imperfect for an ongoing state.

The method

Ponerse plus an adjective: a temporary change. Me puse nervioso. Ella se puso roja. The adjective agrees with the subject.
Volverse: a lasting change. Se volvió muy serio. The change is deeper and slower.
Hacerse: a change through effort. Se hizo médica. Used for professions and beliefs.
Convertirse en: a transformation. La oruga se convirtió en mariposa. Followed by a noun.
Verbs of emotion. enojarse, alegrarse, sorprenderse, preocuparse, aburrirse, asustarse, cansarse, enfermarse, emocionarse. Me enojé cuando oí la noticia.
A preposition after some. Me alegro de verte. Me preocupo por mi hermano. Me sorprendí de la noticia. The preposition is de or por.
Quedarse plus an adjective or a state. Me quedé sorprendido. Se quedó dormido. A result of a change.
Preterite for a sudden change, imperfect for the state. Me asusté (I got scared) against Estaba asustado (I was scared).

Where students lose marks: Using ser for a change (Fue triste, which should be Se puso triste), forgetting the pronoun (Enojé cuando oí la noticia), and making the adjective stay masculine (Ella se puso rojo). Choose the verb by the kind of change, and make the adjective agree.

Worked example

The problem. Write six sentences: (1) I got nervous before the test. (2) She turned red. (3) My brother became a doctor. (4) They got angry when they heard the news. (5) I am glad to see you. (6) He fell asleep.

Step one: sentence 1. A temporary change takes ponerse, and the preterite for the moment: Me puse nervioso antes del examen.

Step two: sentence 2. Ponerse with a feminine adjective: Ella se puso roja.

Step three: sentence 3. Hacerse for a profession, with no article: Mi hermano se hizo médico.

Step four: sentence 4. A verb of emotion in the preterite with ellos: Se enojaron cuando oyeron la noticia. Oír gives oyeron.

Step five: sentence 5. Alegrarse de with an infinitive: Me alegro de verte.

Step six: sentence 6. Quedarse dormido is the result: Se quedó dormido.

Step seven: tense. The preterite shows the sudden changes in sentences 1, 2, 4 and 6.

Step eight: check. Each change uses a reflexive verb with its pronoun, and the adjectives agree with the subject.

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Complete: Ella ___ (ponerse) triste cuando oyó la noticia.
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Ponerse in the preterite is se puso. se puso
Complete: Nosotros ___ (alegrarse) de verte.
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nos alegramos
Complete with the right verb: La oruga ___ ___ mariposa. (convertirse)
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Convertirse en with a noun. se convirtió en
Say "I got angry."
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A sudden change is the preterite. Me enojé.
Say "She became a lawyer."
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Hacerse for a profession, no article. Se hizo abogada.
Say "My sisters got scared and ran."
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Asustarse and correr in the preterite, third person plural. Mis hermanas se asustaron y corrieron.
Say "I worry about my brother, and he gets sick very often."
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Preocuparse por, and enfermarse in the present. Me preocupo por mi hermano y él se enferma muy a menudo.
Find and fix the errors: Fue triste cuando oyó la noticia. Ella se puso rojo. Enojé mucho.
Show the full solution

A change takes ponerse, the adjective agrees, and enojarse is reflexive. Se puso triste cuando oyó la noticia. Ella se puso roja. Me enojé mucho.
Explain the difference between ponerse and volverse.
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Ponerse describes a temporary change (se puso nervioso), and volverse a lasting one (se volvió serio). Ponerse: temporary. Volverse: lasting.
Write a five-sentence paragraph about a day when you felt several emotions, using at least four of these verbs in the preterite.
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One correct answer: Me desperté tranquilo. Me puse nervioso antes del examen. Me alegré cuando vi la nota. Mi mamá se emocionó. Por la noche me quedé dormido en el sofá. The verbs are reflexive and in the preterite. Me desperté tranquilo. Me puse nervioso antes del examen. Me alegré cuando vi la nota. Mi mamá se emocionó. Por la noche me quedé dormido en el sofá.

Lesson 7.3 · Unit 7 · Structures

Doing something to each other

When two or more people do the same thing to one another, Spanish uses the reflexive pronouns nos and se with the plural verb. It is called the reciprocal use, and it means "each other". This lesson distinguishes the reciprocal from the reflexive, which also uses se, and shows how to make the meaning clear when it is not.

The method

The reciprocal pronouns: nos and se, plural subjects only. Nos queremos. Se ayudan. Se escriben. A reciprocal verb needs at least two people.
Common reciprocal verbs. quererse, ayudarse, escribirse, llamarse, verse, encontrarse, saludarse, abrazarse, besarse, darse la mano, hablarse, conocerse.
Reflexive against reciprocal. Se miran can mean "they look at themselves" or "they look at each other". Context decides.
Make the meaning clear. Se miran el uno al otro ("each other"), se miran a sí mismos ("themselves"). Mutuamente also means "each other".
The past. Nos conocimos en 2020. Se encontraron en la calle. Se despidieron. The preterite tells a meeting or a parting.
Vernos for plans. Nos vemos mañana. ("See you tomorrow.") The present is often used for a plan.
With the infinitive. Vamos a vernos. Queremos escribirnos. Attach the pronoun.
Never singular. A reciprocal action needs nos or se and a plural verb. Se quiere is not reciprocal.

Where students lose marks: Using a singular verb (Se ayuda), leaving out the pronoun (Ayudamos mucho, which would mean "we help"), and forgetting that se has several meanings (reflexive, reciprocal, replacing le). Ask: who does the action, and who receives it?

Worked example

The problem. Write six sentences: (1) We love each other. (2) They write to each other every week. (3) We met in a café. (4) They shook hands. (5) My friends and I are going to see each other tomorrow. (6) The neighbors greet each other every morning.

Step one: sentence 1. Querer is a boot verb, but nosotros has no boot: Nos queremos.

Step two: sentence 2. Escribirse, with a plural subject: Se escriben todas las semanas.

Step three: sentence 3. Conocerse in the preterite, with nosotros: Nos conocimos en un café.

Step four: sentence 4. Darse la mano in the preterite, third person plural: Se dieron la mano.

Step five: sentence 5. The infinitive with the pronoun attached: Mis amigos y yo vamos a vernos mañana.

Step six: sentence 6. Saludarse in the present: Los vecinos se saludan todas las mañanas.

Step seven: the pronoun. Every sentence has nos or se before the verb, or on the infinitive.

Step eight: check. Every verb has a plural subject, and the pronoun means "each other".

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Complete: Mis amigos y yo ___ (ayudar) mucho.
Show the full solution

nos ayudamos
Complete: Ellos ___ (escribir) cartas.
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se escriben
Complete: Mi hermana y yo ___ (conocer) en 2020.
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A reciprocal verb in the preterite. nos conocimos
Say "We see each other every Friday."
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Nos vemos todos los viernes.
Say "They hugged each other."
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Abrazarse in the preterite, third person plural. Se abrazaron.
Say "The two friends love each other and help each other."
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Se with both verbs. Los dos amigos se quieren y se ayudan.
Say "We are going to call each other tomorrow" in two ways.
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Pronoun before the helper verb or attached to the infinitive. Nos vamos a llamar mañana. / Vamos a llamarnos mañana.
Find and fix the errors: Ellos se ayuda. Nosotros conocimos en la escuela. Mi hermano y yo nos quiero.
Show the full solution

A reciprocal verb must be plural, and the pronoun is needed. Ellos se ayudan. Nosotros nos conocimos en la escuela. Mi hermano y yo nos queremos.
Explain the difference between Se miran and Se miran el uno al otro.
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Se miran can mean "they look at themselves" or "each other". The second version makes it clearly reciprocal. The second version is clearly "each other".
Write five sentences about relationships among your friends or family, using five different reciprocal verbs.
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One correct answer: Mis hermanos se ayudan con la tarea. Mis padres se quieren mucho. Mi amiga y yo nos llamamos todos los días. Mis abuelos se escriben cartas. Los vecinos se saludan en la calle. Each verb is plural with se or nos. Mis hermanos se ayudan con la tarea. Mis padres se quieren mucho. Mi amiga y yo nos llamamos todos los días. Mis abuelos se escriben cartas. Los vecinos se saludan en la calle.

Lesson 7.4 · Unit 7 · Structures

When nobody in particular does the action

Spanish has a very common way of talking about what is done without saying who does it: the word se plus a verb. It covers signs ("Spanish spoken"), customs ("one eats late here") and instructions. The verb agrees with the thing, not with a person. This lesson teaches the two uses, the passive se and the impersonal se, and the rule that keeps them straight.

The method

Passive se: se plus a verb that agrees with the noun. Se habla español. Se hablan dos idiomas. The noun is the subject, so the verb is singular or plural.
Signs and notices. Se vende casa. Se venden coches. Se necesita un cocinero. Se alquilan habitaciones.
Impersonal se: se plus the singular verb, with no noun. Aquí se come bien. Se vive tranquilo. No se puede fumar. The meaning is "one" or "people".
Se plus a person: the singular verb and personal a. Se busca a un ladrón. The personal a signals that the object is a person, so the verb stays singular.
Questions. ¿Cómo se dice "table" en español? ¿Dónde se compran los boletos? ¿Cómo se llega al museo?
Se dice que. Se dice que va a llover. "They say that" or "it is said that".
No se plus an infinitive. No se puede entrar. No se permite fumar. The verb poder or permitir carries the se.
The past. Se vendió la casa. Se hablaban muchos idiomas. The same agreement in the preterite and imperfect.

Where students lose marks: Making the verb agree with the wrong noun (Se venden casa with casa singular), leaving se out of a sign (Vende coches), and confusing impersonal se with reflexive se. Find the noun first and make the verb match it.

Worked example

The problem. Write six sentences: (1) Spanish is spoken here. (2) Houses are for sale. (3) A cook is needed. (4) One lives well in this city. (5) You cannot smoke. (6) How do you say "window" in Spanish?

Step one: sentence 1. A singular noun: Aquí se habla español.

Step two: sentence 2. A plural noun makes the verb plural: Se venden casas.

Step three: sentence 3. A singular noun: Se necesita un cocinero.

Step four: sentence 4. The impersonal use with no noun: En esta ciudad se vive bien.

Step five: sentence 5. Poder with the impersonal se: No se puede fumar.

Step six: sentence 6. A question: ¿Cómo se dice "window" en español?

Step seven: agreement. Sentences 1 to 3 show agreement with the noun: habla (español), venden (casas), necesita (un cocinero).

Step eight: check. Se plus a verb in the third person, in agreement with the noun when there is one.

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Complete with the verb: Se ___ (vender) coches.
Show the full solution

The noun is plural. venden
Complete with the verb: Se ___ (hablar) inglés y español.
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The two languages are a plural subject. hablan
Complete: Aquí se ___ (comer) muy bien.
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The impersonal use takes the singular. come
Say "Rooms for rent."
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Se alquilan habitaciones.
Say "They say that it is going to rain."
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Se dice que va a llover.
Say "You can't park here."
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Estacionar with poder. No se puede estacionar aquí.
Say "In Mexico, a lot of corn is eaten, and one lives well."
Show the full solution

A noun with se, and the impersonal use. En México se come mucho maíz y se vive bien.
Find and fix the errors: Se vende coches. Vende casa. Se hablan español.
Show the full solution

Coches is plural, signs need se, and español is singular. Se venden coches. Se vende casa. Se habla español.
Explain why Se busca a un ladrón uses the singular and Se buscan ladrones uses the plural.
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With the personal a, the object is a person and the verb stays singular. Without it, ladrones is the subject and the verb agrees. The personal a keeps the verb singular.
Write five signs or notices that you might see in a town, using se.
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One correct answer: Se vende bicicleta. Se alquilan apartamentos. Se necesita mesero. No se permite fumar. Se habla inglés. Each verb agrees with its noun. Se vende bicicleta. Se alquilan apartamentos. Se necesita mesero. No se permite fumar. Se habla inglés.

Lesson 7.5 · Unit 7 · Structures

The one that is mine

The short possessives (mi, tu, su) come before the noun. When you want to say "a friend of mine" or "that one is mine", Spanish has a second set that comes after the noun or stands in for it. They are longer, they carry the stress, and they agree with the thing owned, not the owner. They also give you a way to clear up the ambiguity of su.

The method

The stressed forms. mío, mía, míos, mías; tuyo, tuya, tuyos, tuyas; suyo, suya, suyos, suyas; nuestro, nuestra, nuestros, nuestras.
After the noun. Un amigo mío. Una amiga tuya. Los libros suyos. The possessive agrees with the noun.
After ser, with no article. Este libro es mío. Esa chaqueta es tuya. Estos son nuestros.
As a pronoun, with the article. Mi casa es grande; la tuya es pequeña. Prefiero el mío. The article and the possessive both agree with the thing.
Agreement with the thing, not the owner. Esa casa es nuestra. Nuestra is feminine because casa is.
Clarify suyo. Suyo can mean his, hers, yours (formal), theirs. Use de él, de ella, de usted, de ellos to be clear: el libro de ella.
Lo mío, lo tuyo. Lo mío es tuyo. ("What is mine is yours.") Lo gives an abstract meaning.
Mi against mío. Mi libro against el libro mío, which stresses ownership: "my book, not yours".

Where students lose marks: Using the short form after ser (Es mi), making the possessive agree with the owner instead of the thing (Es nuestro casa), leaving out the article for a pronoun (Mi coche es nuevo; tuyo es viejo), and forgetting that suyo is ambiguous. Match the thing, then clear up the owner.

Worked example

The problem. Write five sentences: (1) That book is mine. (2) Her house is bigger than ours. (3) A friend of mine called. (4) Is this pen yours (informal)? (5) My bag is red; hers is blue.

Step one: sentence 1. After ser, no article, agreeing with libro: Ese libro es mío.

Step two: sentence 2. The pronoun takes the article, and nuestra agrees with casa: Su casa es más grande que la nuestra.

Step three: sentence 3. After the noun: Un amigo mío llamó.

Step four: sentence 4. After ser, agreeing with bolígrafo: ¿Es tuyo este bolígrafo?

Step five: sentence 5. A pronoun with an article, clarified with de ella: Mi bolsa es roja; la de ella es azul.

Step six: agreement. Mío matches libro, nuestra matches casa, and tuyo matches bolígrafo.

Step seven: ambiguity. La suya could be anyone's, so the sentence uses la de ella.

Step eight: check. Stressed forms after the noun or ser, articles with pronouns, and agreement with the thing owned.

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Complete: Esa chaqueta es ___ (mine).
Show the full solution

Chaqueta is feminine. mía
Complete: Los libros son ___ (yours, informal).
Show the full solution

tuyos
Complete: Esa casa es ___ (ours).
Show the full solution

nuestra
Complete: Mi bicicleta es nueva; ___ es vieja. (yours, informal)
Show the full solution

The pronoun takes the article and agrees with bicicleta. la tuya
Say "A friend of mine is a doctor."
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Un amigo mío es médico.
Say "These pencils are ours, and those are theirs."
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Plural, with de ellos for clarity. Estos lápices son nuestros y esos son de ellos.
Say "My house is small, but yours is big."
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Mi casa es pequeña, pero la tuya es grande.
Find and fix the errors: Este libro es mi. La casa es nuestro. Mi coche es nuevo; tuyo es viejo.
Show the full solution

After ser the stressed form is needed, it agrees with the thing, and a pronoun takes the article. Este libro es mío. La casa es nuestra. Mi coche es nuevo; el tuyo es viejo.
Explain why el libro suyo may not be clear and how to fix it.
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Suyo can mean his, hers, yours (formal) or theirs. Use de él, de ella, de usted, de ellos to be clear. Use el libro de ella.
Write five sentences about objects that belong to you, your friends or your family, using stressed possessives.
Show the full solution

One correct answer: Esa mochila es mía. Un amigo mío vive en México. La casa de mi abuela es más grande que la nuestra. ¿Es tuyo este teléfono? Los libros son suyos. The forms agree with the things owned. Esa mochila es mía. Un amigo mío vive en México. La casa de mi abuela es más grande que la nuestra. ¿Es tuyo este teléfono? Los libros son suyos.

Lesson 7.6 · Unit 7 · Structures

This one, that one, and this thing

First-year Spanish gave you the demonstrative adjectives (este libro, esa casa, aquellos árboles). When you drop the noun, the same words become pronouns, and they come with three neuter forms for things that have no gender: esto, eso and aquello. This lesson covers both and gives you a tool for talking about ideas as well as objects.

The method

Three distances. este (near me), ese (near you), aquel (far from both). Each has four forms: este, esta, estos, estas; ese, esa, esos, esas; aquel, aquella, aquellos, aquellas.
As a pronoun, drop the noun. Me gusta esta casa, pero prefiero aquella. Aquella stands in for aquella casa.
The accent on the pronoun is no longer required. Older books write éste, ése, aquél. Current usage writes este, ese, aquel. Both are understood.
Neuter forms: esto, eso, aquello. They refer to an unknown thing or an idea, never a specific noun. ¿Qué es esto? Eso es verdad. Aquello fue increíble.
Neuter forms never take an accent or a noun. Esto is not este, and there is no esta or estos version.
El de, la de, los de, las de. Mi casa y la de mi abuela. Los libros de María y los de Pedro. "The one of" is a way to point to something by its owner or description.
El que, la que. Prefiero el que tiene botones. "The one that".
Choose by distance. Esto is here, eso is there, aquello is far or in the past.

Where students lose marks: Using a masculine form for a feminine noun (este casa), using esto with a noun (esto libro), and writing an accent on esto and eso (they never have one). If you know the noun, use the gendered form; if not, use the neuter.

Worked example

The problem. Write five sentences: (1) I like this house, but I prefer that one over there. (2) Which one do you want? That one. (3) What is this? (4) That is true. (5) My car and my grandmother's.

Step one: sentence 1. A pronoun agrees with the noun it replaces: Me gusta esta casa, pero prefiero aquella.

Step two: sentence 2. Ese for something near the listener, as a pronoun: ¿Cuál quieres? Ese. The noun is masculine in context.

Step three: sentence 3. An unknown thing takes the neuter: ¿Qué es esto?

Step four: sentence 4. An idea takes the neuter: Eso es verdad.

Step five: sentence 5. El de with a masculine noun: Mi coche y el de mi abuela.

Step six: gender. Aquella stands for casa (feminine) and el de for coche (masculine).

Step seven: neuter. Esto and eso never have a noun or a gender.

Step eight: check. The pronouns agree in gender and number, and the neuters are used only for the unknown and for ideas.

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Complete with este, esta, estos or estas: ___ libros son interesantes.
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Estos
Complete: Me gusta esta camisa, pero prefiero ___ (that one over there).
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Camisa is feminine, and far away. aquella
Complete: ¿Qué es ___ ? (this)
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Unknown thing, neuter. esto
Complete: ___ es increíble. (That, an idea)
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Eso
Say "Which one do you want? This one."
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Cuál and a pronoun. ¿Cuál quieres? Este. (Esta, if the noun is feminine.)
Say "My sister's house is bigger than my parents'."
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La de to avoid repeating the noun. La casa de mi hermana es más grande que la de mis padres.
Say "I like those shoes, but these are cheaper."
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Esos for near the listener, estos for near the speaker. Me gustan esos zapatos, pero estos son más baratos.
Find and fix the errors: Este casa es grande. ¿Qué es éste? Esta es verdad.
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Casa is feminine, an unknown thing takes the neuter, and an idea takes the neuter. Esta casa es grande. ¿Qué es esto? Eso es verdad.
Explain when to use esto and when to use este.
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Esto refers to an unknown thing or an idea. Este refers to a specific masculine noun. Neuter for the unknown; este for a masculine noun.
Write five sentences comparing objects, using demonstratives, pronouns and the neuter forms.
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One correct answer: Esta mochila es más pequeña que aquella. Prefiero ese libro. ¿Qué es esto? Eso no es verdad. Mi casa y la de mis abuelos son muy diferentes. Each demonstrative agrees, and the neuters are used correctly. Esta mochila es más pequeña que aquella. Prefiero ese libro. ¿Qué es esto? Eso no es verdad. Mi casa y la de mis abuelos son muy diferentes.

Lesson 7.7 · Unit 7 · Comparisons

A place that has changed

A neighborhood is a good subject for this year's grammar: the imperfect describes how it was, the present describes how it is, and the preterite tells what changed. This lesson puts the three together in one description. It also gives you the phrases that mark change and the words for what a neighborhood contains.

The method

Describe the earlier neighborhood with the imperfect. Mi barrio era tranquilo. Había pocos coches. Los vecinos se conocían.
Describe the present with the present. Ahora es más ruidoso. Hay muchas tiendas.
Tell the changes with the preterite. Construyeron un centro comercial. Cerraron la panadería. Abrieron un banco.
Hay, había, hubo. Había una panadería donde ahora hay un banco. Hubo is "there was (an event)": Hubo un incendio.
Ya no, todavía. Ya no hay panadería. Todavía hay un parque.
Vocabulary. el barrio, la cuadra, la plaza, el parque, la panadería, el supermercado, el edificio, el vecino, el tráfico, el ruido, tranquilo, ruidoso, limpio, sucio, seguro.
Comparisons that look back. Hay más coches que antes. Es menos seguro que antes.
Reasons for change. porque, por eso, debido a. Cerraron la panadería porque el dueño se jubiló.

Where students lose marks: Using the preterite for the old description (Fue tranquilo), using the imperfect for a change (Cerraban la panadería for a single closing), and using hubo for a description. Use the imperfect for what was, the preterite for what changed.

Worked example

The problem. Write six sentences: (1) When I was a child, my neighborhood was quiet. (2) There was a bakery on the corner. (3) The neighbors knew each other. (4) They closed the bakery and built a bank. (5) Now there is more traffic. (6) There is still a park.

Step one: sentence 1. The earlier state is imperfect: Cuando era niño, mi barrio era tranquilo.

Step two: sentence 2. Haber in the imperfect is había: Había una panadería en la esquina.

Step three: sentence 3. A reciprocal verb in the imperfect: Los vecinos se conocían.

Step four: sentence 4. The changes are events, so the preterite: Cerraron la panadería y construyeron un banco.

Step five: sentence 5. The present: Ahora hay más tráfico.

Step six: sentence 6. Todavía with the present: Todavía hay un parque.

Step seven: contrast. The imperfect sets the old scene (1 to 3), the preterite tells the change (4), and the present describes now (5 and 6).

Step eight: check. Imperfect for what was, preterite for what changed, present for what is now.

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Complete: Antes mi barrio ___ (ser) tranquilo y ___ (haber) pocos coches.
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era; había
Complete: Cerraron la panadería y ___ (construir) un banco.
Show the full solution

An event in the preterite, with the spelling change for ellos. construyeron
Complete: Ahora ___ (haber) más tráfico que antes.
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hay
Say "There used to be a park, but now there is a store."
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Antes había un parque, pero ahora hay una tienda.
Say "They built a new supermarket last year."
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Construyeron un supermercado nuevo el año pasado.
Say "My neighborhood used to be safe, but now it is noisier."
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Antes with the imperfect, ahora with the present, and a comparison. Antes mi barrio era seguro, pero ahora es más ruidoso.
Say "There was a fire last week, and the neighbors helped each other."
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Hubo for an event, and the reciprocal verb in the preterite. Hubo un incendio la semana pasada y los vecinos se ayudaron.
Find and fix the errors: Mi barrio fue tranquilo. Cerraban la panadería el año pasado. Hubo una panadería en la esquina.
Show the full solution

A description is imperfect, a single event is preterite, and an old description with haber is había. Mi barrio era tranquilo. Cerraron la panadería el año pasado. Había una panadería en la esquina.
Explain the difference between había and hubo.
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Había describes what existed; hubo tells that an event happened. Había: a description. Hubo: an event.
Write a paragraph of at least six sentences describing a place you know, how it was, how it changed and how it is now.
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One correct answer: Cuando era pequeña, mi barrio era muy tranquilo. Había un parque grande donde jugábamos todos los días. Los vecinos se conocían y se ayudaban. Hace cinco años construyeron un centro comercial. Ahora hay más tráfico y más ruido. Todavía me gusta mi barrio, pero ya no es tan seguro como antes. The imperfect, preterite and present each do their job. Cuando era pequeña, mi barrio era muy tranquilo. Había un parque grande donde jugábamos todos los días. Los vecinos se conocían y se ayudaban. Hace cinco años construyeron un centro comercial. Ahora hay más tráfico y más ruido. Todavía me gusta mi barrio, pero ya no es tan seguro como antes.

Unit 7 review · 10 problems · all lessons

Unit 7 review: Home and Daily Life

These are mixed across all seven lessons and do not say which idea they want. Look for the signal: se may mean the passive, the reciprocal, the reflexive or a replaced le, and each takes a different verb form.

Say "I have just washed the dishes, and now I have to take out the trash."
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Acabar de with an infinitive, and tener que with an infinitive. Acabo de lavar los platos y ahora tengo que sacar la basura.
Say "She got angry and turned red."
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A verb of emotion, and ponerse with a feminine adjective, both in the preterite. Se enojó y se puso roja.
Say "We love each other."
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The reciprocal pronoun nos with a plural verb. Nos queremos.
Say "Rooms for rent."
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The passive se with a plural noun. Se alquilan habitaciones.
Complete: Esa casa es ___ (ours).
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A stressed possessive agrees with casa. nuestra
Say "A friend of mine called yesterday."
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The stressed possessive after the noun. Un amigo mío llamó ayer.
Say "I like this house, but I prefer that one over there."
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A demonstrative pronoun agrees with the noun it replaces. Me gusta esta casa, pero prefiero aquella.
Find and fix the errors: Se vende coches. Este libro es mi. ¿Qué es éste?
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A plural noun takes a plural verb, ser needs the stressed form, and an unknown thing takes the neuter. Se venden coches. Este libro es mío. ¿Qué es esto?
Say "There was a bakery here, but they closed it and built a bank."
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The imperfect for what existed, and the preterite for the changes. Había una panadería aquí, pero la cerraron y construyeron un banco.
Write a five-sentence description of a place you know, then and now, using había, hay and a change in the preterite.
Show the full solution

One correct answer: Antes mi calle era muy tranquila. Había un parque pequeño. Hace tres años construyeron un edificio nuevo. Ahora hay más coches y más ruido. Todavía me gusta mi barrio. The earlier state is imperfect, the change is preterite, and the present describes now. Antes mi calle era muy tranquila. Había un parque pequeño. Hace tres años construyeron un edificio nuevo. Ahora hay más coches y más ruido. Todavía me gusta mi barrio.

Lesson 8.1 · Unit 8 · Communication: interpretive

The words of the screen

Technology vocabulary changes fast, and Spanish borrows many words from English, but the structures stay Spanish. This lesson gives you the words you need to talk about computers, phones and the internet, the verbs that go with them, and the way to give instructions with the commands from unit 5. It also compares life with and without devices, which is an excellent use of the imperfect.

The method

Devices. la computadora (Spain: el ordenador), el teléfono celular (Spain: el móvil), la tableta, la pantalla, el teclado, el ratón, los audífonos, el cargador, la batería.
Online life. el internet, la red social, el correo electrónico, el mensaje, la contraseña, la aplicación, el archivo, el enlace, el sitio web, el video. El internet takes el in most usage.
Verbs. descargar, subir, enviar, guardar, borrar, navegar, conectarse, cargar, encender, apagar, hacer clic. Descargué la aplicación. Se conectó a la red.
Instructions with commands. Haz clic en el enlace. Escribe tu contraseña. Guarda el archivo. No borres el mensaje. Affirmative and negative tú commands.
Formal instructions. Haga clic aquí. Introduzca su contraseña. Use usted commands on a website or a form.
Sirve para. El teléfono sirve para llamar y para navegar. Servir para plus an infinitive says what something is for.
Then and now. Cuando era niño, no había celulares. Ahora todos tenemos uno. Imperfect for the earlier situation.
Opinion. Creo que ... Me parece que ... Para mí, el internet es muy útil.

Where students lose marks: Using ser for a condition (La batería es baja, which should be La batería está baja), forgetting the personal pronoun (Conecté a la red), and using the infinitive as a command on an instruction (Hacer clic, only on signs). Use tú commands to a friend and usted commands on a form.

Worked example

The problem. Write six sentences: (1) Download the application. (2) Don't delete the file. (3) My phone is for calling and for navigating. (4) I connected to the network. (5) When I was a child, there were no phones. (6) I think the internet is very useful.

Step one: sentence 1. A tú command of descargar, with the spelling change only in the negative: Descarga la aplicación.

Step two: sentence 2. A negative tú command of borrar: No borres el archivo.

Step three: sentence 3. Servir para plus infinitives: Mi teléfono sirve para llamar y para navegar.

Step four: sentence 4. Conectarse is reflexive and in the preterite: Me conecté a la red.

Step five: sentence 5. Haber in the imperfect for the earlier situation: Cuando era niño, no había teléfonos.

Step six: sentence 6. An opinion with creer que: Creo que el internet es muy útil.

Step seven: tense. The imperfect appears in sentence 5, and the preterite in sentence 4.

Step eight: check. Commands match the person, servir para takes an infinitive, and había is used for the earlier scene.

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Say "Click on the link" to a friend.
Show the full solution

Hacer is irregular: haz. Haz clic en el enlace.
Say to a customer on a website: "Enter your password."
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An usted command. Introduzca su contraseña.
Say "Don't download that file" to a friend.
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A negative tú command, with the spelling change g → gu in descargues. No descargues ese archivo.
Say "My phone is for making calls."
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Mi teléfono sirve para hacer llamadas.
Say "I sent you the message yesterday."
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Enviar in the preterite with te. Te envié el mensaje ayer.
Say "When I was little, we didn't have a computer, but now we have three."
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Imperfect for the earlier situation, present for now. Cuando era pequeño, no teníamos computadora, pero ahora tenemos tres.
Say "I think social networks are useful, but I do not use them every day."
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Creer que with the indicative, and a negative. Creo que las redes sociales son útiles, pero no las uso todos los días.
Find and fix the errors: Hacer clic aquí. La batería es baja. Conecté a la red.
Show the full solution

A command is not an infinitive, a condition takes estar, and conectarse is reflexive. Haz clic aquí. La batería está baja. Me conecté a la red.
Explain the difference between Haz clic and Haga clic.
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Haz is the tú command and haga is the usted command. Haz: tú. Haga: usted.
Write five instructions for setting up a new phone, using tú commands.
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One correct answer: Enciende el teléfono. Conéctate a la red. Escribe tu contraseña. Descarga las aplicaciones. No olvides cargar la batería. Each is a tú command (the last negative). Enciende el teléfono. Conéctate a la red. Escribe tu contraseña. Descarga las aplicaciones. No olvides cargar la batería.

Lesson 8.2 · Unit 8 · Structures

Sending it to you

Messages are a daily use of the double-pronoun pattern: someone sends something to someone else, and both objects become pronouns. This lesson puts the pattern from unit 2 to work in messages, emails and requests, and adds the language of informal messages. The forms are the same, with se lo, with attached pronouns and with the accent. What changes is the setting.

The method

Verbs of sending. enviar, mandar, pasar, compartir, reenviar, mostrar, prestar. Te lo envío. Me lo mandó.
Order: indirect, then direct. Me lo mandas. Never lo me.
Le/les becomes se. Se lo mandé a ella. Se la envié a mis padres.
Questions that ask for something. ¿Me lo mandas? ¿Me la pasas? ¿Me lo puedes enviar? The present of the verb or poder with an infinitive.
Answers. Sí, te lo mando ahora. No, no te lo puedo mandar. Ya te lo envié.
Commands with pronouns. Mándamelo. Pásasela. Envíamelo. The pronouns attach and the accent keeps the stress.
Messages. Te escribo para decirte que ... Gracias por tu mensaje. Te llamo luego. Nos vemos pronto. Para with an infinitive gives the purpose.
Short forms. q for que, xq for porque, tb for también are common in texting, but formal writing uses the full words.

Where students lose marks: Using le lo (Le lo mandé a ella, which should be se lo), putting the direct pronoun first (Lo me mandó), and omitting the accent on attached commands (Mandamelo). Check three things: the order, the se, and the accent.

Worked example

The problem. Replace the nouns with pronouns: (1) Mandé el mensaje a mi amiga. (2) Mi madre me envió las fotos. (3) ¿Me puedes pasar el enlace? (two ways) (4) Manda el archivo a tu profesor. (command)

Step one: sentence 1. Indirect: a mi amiga → le. Direct: el mensaje → lo. Le lo becomes se lo: Se lo mandé.

Step two: sentence 2. Indirect: me. Direct: las fotos → las. Order: me las: Mi madre me las envió.

Step three: sentence 3. Indirect me, direct el enlace → lo: ¿Me lo puedes pasar? or ¿Puedes pasármelo?

Step four: accent. Attached to the infinitive, pasar + me + lo needs an accent: pasármelo.

Step five: sentence 4. The affirmative command attaches both pronouns: manda + se + lo: Mándaselo.

Step six: accent again. The accent on Mándaselo keeps the stress on man.

Step seven: order. Indirect before direct in every sentence: se lo, me las, me lo, se lo.

Step eight: check. Se for le/les, indirect before direct, and an accent on every attached form.

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Replace the nouns: Envío el correo a mi tío.
Show the full solution

Le lo becomes se lo. Se lo envío.
Replace the nouns: Te mando la foto.
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Te la mando.
Complete: Mi amigo me ___ (mandar) el video. Me ___ mandó ayer.
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A direct pronoun for el video, with the indirect first. me lo
Say "I already sent it to you" (the message).
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Ya with the preterite and two pronouns. Ya te lo envié.
Say "Can you send it to me?" in two ways (the file).
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Pronouns before poder or attached to the infinitive with an accent. ¿Me lo puedes enviar? / ¿Puedes enviármelo?
Say "Send it to her now" (the photo) as a command.
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Enviar → envía, with se and la, and an accent. Envíasela ahora.
Say "I did not show them to my parents, but I showed them to my friends" (the photos).
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Two sentences with las and se las. No se las mostré a mis padres, pero se las mostré a mis amigos.
Find and fix the errors: Le lo mandé a ella. Lo me envió. Mandamelo.
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Le lo becomes se lo, the indirect pronoun goes first, and the accent keeps the stress. Se lo mandé a ella. Me lo envió. Mándamelo.
Explain why Mándaselo has an accent but Dime does not.
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In mándaselo the stress falls on the fourth syllable from the end, so it needs a written accent. In dime the stress falls on the next-to-last syllable, so it needs none. The accent keeps the stress on the same syllable.
Write a short message to a friend, using at least three double-pronoun sentences about sending things.
Show the full solution

One correct answer: Hola, Ana. Te escribo para decirte que ya te mandé las fotos. Te las envié por correo electrónico ayer. Si quieres el video, te lo puedo mandar esta noche. ¿Me mandas la tarea? Nos vemos mañana. The double pronouns are te las, te lo, me la, in the right order. Hola, Ana. Te escribo para decirte que ya te mandé las fotos. Te las envié por correo electrónico ayer. Si quieres el video, te lo puedo mandar esta noche. ¿Me mandas la tarea? Nos vemos mañana.

Lesson 8.3 · Unit 8 · Communication: interpretive

What people do for a living

Talking about work needs a vocabulary of professions, the verbs for what people do, and one small rule that surprises English speakers: with ser, a profession takes no article. This lesson gives you fifteen professions with their feminine forms, the structures for asking about and describing work, and the vocabulary of schedules and pay.

The method

Professions. el médico, la médica; el enfermero; el abogado; el maestro; el ingeniero; el programador; el mecánico; el cocinero; el mesero; el vendedor; el periodista; el científico; el arquitecto; el bombero; el veterinario.
Feminine forms. -o → -a (médico, médica); -or → -ora (programador, programadora); -ista and -ante do not change (el / la artista, el / la estudiante); -e often does not change (el / la agente).
No article after ser. Mi madre es ingeniera. Es una ingeniera excelente takes the article because an adjective follows.
Asking. ¿A qué te dedicas? ¿En qué trabajas? ¿Qué quieres ser? Me dedico a la enseñanza. Trabajo en un hospital. Trabajo de mesero.
Trabajar en, de, para, como. Trabajo en una tienda. Trabajo de cocinera. Trabajo para una empresa. Trabaja como programador.
Vocabulary of work. el sueldo, el horario, el jefe, la jefa, el empleado, la empresa, la oficina, el tiempo completo, el tiempo parcial.
Describing a job. Es difícil pero interesante. Gana bien. Trabaja muchas horas. Ganar is the verb for earning.
Future plans. Quiero ser veterinaria. Voy a estudiar para ser médico. Ser plus a profession, with no article.

Where students lose marks: Adding an article after ser when nothing follows the noun (Es una ingeniera), using the masculine form for a woman (Mi madre es ingeniero), and mixing de, en and como. A profession is a noun after ser, with no article.

Worked example

The problem. Write six sentences: (1) My mother is an engineer. (2) She works for a large company. (3) My father is a cook, and he works in a restaurant. (4) My sister wants to be a veterinarian. (5) What do you do (informal)? (6) He is an excellent mechanic.

Step one: sentence 1. Ser with a profession, no article, in the feminine: Mi madre es ingeniera.

Step two: sentence 2. Trabajar para with an employer: Ella trabaja para una empresa grande.

Step three: sentence 3. Trabajar en with a place: Mi padre es cocinero y trabaja en un restaurante.

Step four: sentence 4. Querer ser, no article, feminine: Mi hermana quiere ser veterinaria.

Step five: sentence 5. The question: ¿A qué te dedicas?

Step six: sentence 6. An adjective follows, so the article returns: Es un mecánico excelente.

Step seven: article. The article appears in sentence 6 only, because the profession has an adjective.

Step eight: check. Feminine forms, no article without an adjective, and en, para for the workplace and employer.

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Write the feminine: el médico, el programador, el artista.
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-o → -a, -or → -ora, and -ista does not change. la médica, la programadora, la artista
Complete with the article if needed: Mi tío es ___ abogado.
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No article after ser with no adjective. (no article)
Complete: Ella es ___ maestra muy buena.
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An adjective follows, so the article is needed. una
Say "My brother works in a hospital."
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Mi hermano trabaja en un hospital.
Say "I want to be a pilot."
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Querer ser, no article. Quiero ser piloto.
Say "My aunt is a doctor, and she works as the head of a clinic."
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Ser with a profession and no article, and trabajar como for a position. Mi tía es médica y trabaja como jefa de una clínica.
Say "What do you do for a living?" to a stranger, using usted.
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Dedicarse a with usted. ¿A qué se dedica usted?
Find and fix the errors: Mi madre es un ingeniero. Mi padre trabaja de el hospital. Quiero ser un doctora.
Show the full solution

A profession takes no article after ser, a feminine speaker or subject uses the feminine, and a workplace takes en. Mi madre es ingeniera. Mi padre trabaja en el hospital. Quiero ser doctora.
Explain when the article is used with a profession after ser.
Show the full solution

The article returns when an adjective or phrase follows the noun: Es una médica excelente. With an adjective.
Write six sentences about the jobs of people in your family or your community, with at least two feminine forms and one trabajar structure.
Show the full solution

One correct answer: Mi madre es enfermera. Mi padre es mecánico y trabaja en un taller. Mi tía es abogada. Mi vecino es un cocinero excelente. Mi hermana quiere ser periodista. Mi abuela trabajó para una escuela por treinta años. The professions have no article after ser except with an adjective. Mi madre es enfermera. Mi padre es mecánico y trabaja en un taller. Mi tía es abogada. Mi vecino es un cocinero excelente. Mi hermana quiere ser periodista. Mi abuela trabajó para una escuela por treinta años.

Lesson 8.4 · Unit 8 · Communication: interpersonal

A formal conversation about work

A job interview is a formal conversation, so it uses usted, polite forms and the vocabulary of experience and skills. It is also a place where the two past tenses do separate jobs: the preterite tells what you did, and the imperfect tells what you used to be responsible for. This lesson gives you the questions an interviewer asks, the answers you can give, and the structures that make them sound natural.

The method

The interviewer uses usted. ¿Tiene experiencia? ¿Por qué quiere este trabajo? ¿Qué sabe hacer? ¿Puede trabajar los fines de semana?
Greeting. Mucho gusto. Encantado. Gracias por recibirme. A man says encantado, a woman encantada.
Skills. Sé usar la computadora. Hablo dos idiomas. Soy responsable y puntual. Me gusta trabajar en equipo.
Experience in the preterite. Trabajé en una tienda por dos años. Estudié administración. Aprendí a usar un programa.
Responsibilities in the imperfect. Atendía a los clientes. Organizaba los archivos. Todos los días abría la tienda.
Wants and availability. Quisiera trabajar medio tiempo. Puedo empezar el lunes. Estoy buscando trabajo. Quisiera is polite.
Questions for the employer. ¿Cuál es el horario? ¿Cuánto es el sueldo? ¿Cuándo van a decidir?
Closing. Gracias por su tiempo. Espero su respuesta. Que tenga un buen día.

Where students lose marks: Using tú with an interviewer (¿Tienes experiencia?), using the preterite for the responsibilities (Atendí a los clientes todos los días), and using the imperfect for a job that was done once. The interviewer asks with usted, and the answer separates what happened (preterite) from what used to be (imperfect).

Worked example

The problem. Write a six-line interview: the interviewer asks if you have experience; you say you worked at a store for two years; you say you helped customers every day; the interviewer asks if you can work on weekends; you say yes; you thank the interviewer.

Step one: the question. ¿Tiene experiencia en este tipo de trabajo? The interviewer uses usted.

Step two: experience. Sí, trabajé en una tienda por dos años. A finished period, so preterite with por.

Step three: responsibilities. Todos los días atendía a los clientes y organizaba los productos. Habit, so imperfect.

Step four: availability. ¿Puede trabajar los fines de semana? Sí, puedo.

Step five: the polite wish. Quisiera empezar lo antes posible.

Step six: the thanks. Gracias por su tiempo.

Step seven: the reply. De nada. Le vamos a llamar.

Step eight: check. Usted from the interviewer, preterite for experience, imperfect for responsibilities, and polite forms throughout.

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Say what an interviewer says to ask about your experience (usted).
Show the full solution

¿Tiene experiencia?
Say "I worked in a restaurant for three years."
Show the full solution

A finished period with por. Trabajé en un restaurante por tres años.
Say "Every day I opened the store and helped the customers."
Show the full solution

A habit in the imperfect. Todos los días abría la tienda y ayudaba a los clientes.
Say "I know how to use the computer, and I speak two languages."
Show the full solution

Saber with an infinitive, and hablar. Sé usar la computadora y hablo dos idiomas.
Say "I would like to work part-time."
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Quisiera for politeness. Quisiera trabajar medio tiempo.
Say "I studied business for two years, and now I am looking for my first job."
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Preterite for the studies, and estar plus a gerund for what is happening now. Estudié administración por dos años y ahora estoy buscando mi primer trabajo.
Say to the employer: "Thank you for your time. I hope to hear from you."
Show the full solution

Esperar with a noun. Gracias por su tiempo. Espero su respuesta.
Find and fix the errors: ¿Tienes experiencia, señor? Atendí a los clientes todos los días. Trabajaba allí por dos años.
Show the full solution

The interviewer uses usted, a habit is imperfect, and a finished period is preterite. ¿Tiene experiencia, señor? Atendía a los clientes todos los días. Trabajé allí por dos años.
Explain how an answer in an interview uses both past tenses.
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The preterite tells what you did (a finished period or event), and the imperfect tells what used to be your responsibilities. Preterite: what you did. Imperfect: what you used to do.
Write a ten-line interview for a summer job in a store, with questions from the employer and answers from you.
Show the full solution

One correct answer: Empleador: Buenos días. Mucho gusto. ¿Tiene experiencia? Candidato: Encantado. Sí, trabajé en una librería por un año. Empleador: ¿Qué hacía allí? Candidato: Atendía a los clientes y organizaba los libros. Empleador: ¿Puede trabajar los fines de semana? Candidato: Sí, puedo. Quisiera empezar en junio. Empleador: Muy bien. ¿Tiene alguna pregunta? Candidato: ¿Cuál es el horario? Empleador: De nueve a cinco. Candidato: Gracias por su tiempo. The employer uses usted, the candidate uses the preterite and imperfect correctly. Use usted from the employer, the preterite for experience and the imperfect for responsibilities.

Lesson 8.5 · Unit 8 · Structures

Have done, has done

The present perfect is a compound tense: a helper verb, haber, and a past participle. It is used for actions in the recent past that still matter now, like "I have eaten" or "she has finished". It is simpler than it looks, because the helper has only five forms in Latin America and the participle follows a regular pattern. This lesson teaches the forms, and the next teaches the irregular participles and the uses.

The method

The helper: he, has, ha, hemos, han. Haber with a participle. Yo he comido. Tú has comido. Ella ha comido. Nosotros hemos comido. Ellos han comido.
The participle: -ar → -ado; -er and -ir → -ido. hablar → hablado; comer → comido; vivir → vivido.
The participle never changes. Ella ha hablado. Ellas han hablado. It does not agree with the subject.
Never separate the two. Ya he comido. Ya goes before he, not between he and comido.
Pronouns go before haber. Lo he visto. Me lo han dicho. No lo he leído. Never after the participle.
Accents on participles of -er/-ir verbs with a vowel before the ending. leído, creído, oído, traído, caído, reído. The accent keeps the í separate.
Negative and questions. No he comido. ¿Has comido? ¿Ya has terminado? Todavía no he terminado.
Haber is not tener. He comido is the perfect. Tengo comida means "I have food". The two verbs are not interchangeable.

Where students lose marks: Using tener instead of haber (Tengo comido), separating the pieces (He ya comido), making the participle agree (Ella ha comida), and putting the pronoun after (He comido lo). Haber plus the participle form one unit, and the pronouns come first.

Worked example

The problem. Write six sentences: (1) I have eaten. (2) She has finished the homework. (3) We have lived here for three years. (4) They have not called. (5) Have you (informal) read the book? (6) I have not seen him yet.

Step one: sentence 1. Haber with yo, and comer gives comido: He comido.

Step two: sentence 2. Haber with ella, and terminar gives terminado: Ella ha terminado la tarea.

Step three: sentence 3. Nosotros with vivir: Hemos vivido aquí por tres años.

Step four: sentence 4. A negative goes before haber: No han llamado.

Step five: sentence 5. Leer has an accent in the participle: ¿Has leído el libro?

Step six: sentence 6. The pronoun goes before haber, and todavía no leads: Todavía no lo he visto.

Step seven: the participle. Comido, terminado, vivido, llamado, leído, visto: it never changes for the subject. (Visto is irregular, in the next lesson.)

Step eight: check. Haber is conjugated, the participle is fixed, and nothing comes between them.

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Write the present perfect of hablar for yo, tú and ellos.
Show the full solution

He, has, han plus hablado. he hablado, has hablado, han hablado
Write the participle of comer, vivir and trabajar.
Show the full solution

comido, vivido, trabajado
Write the participle of leer, creer and oír.
Show the full solution

The accent on í. leído, creído, oído
Complete: Nosotros ___ ___ (estudiar) mucho.
Show the full solution

hemos estudiado
Complete: Mi hermana todavía no ___ ___ (terminar).
Show the full solution

ha terminado
Say "I have already eaten."
Show the full solution

Ya before he. Ya he comido.
Say "They have not read it" (the book).
Show the full solution

The pronoun goes before haber. No lo han leído.
Find and fix the errors: Tengo comido. Ella ha comida. He ya hablado. He leído lo.
Show the full solution

Haber is the helper, the participle does not agree, nothing separates he and the participle, and the pronoun goes before. He comido. Ella ha comido. Ya he hablado. Lo he leído.
Explain why leído has an accent.
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The í is stressed and next to another vowel, so it carries the accent. The accent keeps the two vowels apart.
Write five sentences about what you and your family have done this week, using the present perfect.
Show the full solution

One correct answer: He estudiado mucho. Mi madre ha trabajado todos los días. Mis hermanos han jugado al fútbol. Hemos comido en un restaurante. Mi padre ha leído un libro. Each uses haber plus the participle. He estudiado mucho. Mi madre ha trabajado todos los días. Mis hermanos han jugado al fútbol. Hemos comido en un restaurante. Mi padre ha leído un libro.

Lesson 8.6 · Unit 8 · Structures

The participles that break the pattern, and what the tense is for

A dozen common verbs have irregular participles, and since the perfect depends on the participle, you need them all. This lesson lists them and shows how they appear in a sentence. It also covers when to use the present perfect and when to use the preterite instead, because the two tenses overlap, and because usage varies from one region to another.

The method

Irregular participles. abrir → abierto; cubrir → cubierto; decir → dicho; escribir → escrito; hacer → hecho; morir → muerto; poner → puesto; resolver → resuelto; romper → roto; ver → visto; volver → vuelto.
Compounds follow the same pattern. descubrir → descubierto; describir → descrito; devolver → devuelto; deshacer → deshecho; componer → compuesto.
Use 1: recent past that still matters. He perdido las llaves. (and I still do not have them.)
Use 2: experience up to now. ¿Has estado en México? Nunca he visto el mar. Alguna vez, nunca, ya, todavía no.
Use 3: a period that is not finished. Esta mañana he estudiado. Este año hemos viajado mucho. Hoy, esta semana, este mes.
Preterite for a finished period. Ayer estudié. El año pasado viajamos. Ayer, la semana pasada, el año pasado.
Regional variation. In Spain the perfect is common for anything today; in much of Latin America the preterite is used for that (Hoy comí). Both are correct.
Compare with acabar de. Acabo de comer is "I just ate". He comido is "I have eaten".

Where students lose marks: Using regular forms for irregular verbs (abrido, hacido, escribido), using the perfect for a finished past (Ayer he comido), and forgetting that irregular participles do not change for gender. Memorize the participles, and check the time word.

Worked example

The problem. Write six sentences: (1) I have opened the window. (2) She has written an email. (3) We have done the homework. (4) Have you (informal) seen the movie? (5) I have never been to Peru. (6) Yesterday I ate at home.

Step one: sentence 1. Abrir is irregular: abierto. He abierto la ventana.

Step two: sentence 2. Escribir is irregular: escrito. Ella ha escrito un correo electrónico.

Step three: sentence 3. Hacer is irregular: hecho. Hemos hecho la tarea.

Step four: sentence 4. Ver is irregular: visto. ¿Has visto la película?

Step five: sentence 5. Nunca before he, and estar has a regular participle: Nunca he estado en Perú.

Step six: sentence 6. A finished period, with ayer: preterite. Ayer comí en casa.

Step seven: the difference. Ayer signals the preterite, while nunca, esta semana, ya go with the perfect.

Step eight: check. Irregular participles are right, and the tense matches the time word.

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Write the participle of abrir, escribir and romper.
Show the full solution

abierto, escrito, roto
Write the participle of hacer, decir and ver.
Show the full solution

hecho, dicho, visto
Write the participle of poner, volver and resolver.
Show the full solution

puesto, vuelto, resuelto
Complete: Yo ya ___ ___ (hacer) la tarea.
Show the full solution

he hecho
Complete: Mis padres ___ ___ (ver) esa película.
Show the full solution

han visto
Say "I have never seen the ocean."
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Nunca before he. Nunca he visto el mar.
Say "Have you ever written a poem? Yes, I wrote one last year."
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Alguna vez with the perfect, and el año pasado with the preterite. ¿Has escrito alguna vez un poema? Sí, escribí uno el año pasado.
Find and fix the errors: He abrido la puerta. Ayer he comido en un restaurante. Ella ha hacido la cena.
Show the full solution

Irregular participles (abierto, hecho), and a finished period (ayer) takes the preterite. He abierto la puerta. Ayer comí en un restaurante. Ella ha hecho la cena.
Explain the difference between Hoy he comido and Ayer comí.
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Hoy belongs to a period that is not finished, so the perfect is used; ayer belongs to a finished period, so the preterite is used. Hoy: the perfect. Ayer: the preterite.
Write five sentences about what you have and have not done in your life, using at least three irregular participles.
Show the full solution

One correct answer: He escrito un cuento. Nunca he roto un hueso. He visto muchas películas en español. Mi familia ha vuelto de un viaje. He dicho la verdad. Each sentence uses haber with the correct participle. He escrito un cuento. Nunca he roto un hueso. He visto muchas películas en español. Mi familia ha vuelto de un viaje. He dicho la verdad.

Lesson 8.7 · Unit 8 · Communication: presentational

A letter that opens a door

A formal letter has a fixed shape in Spanish, and every part has a standard phrase. Learning the shape saves you from inventing the language of formality each time. This lesson gives you the parts of a formal letter and email, the phrases that fill them, and a model application letter, so that you can write your own.

The method

Greeting. Estimado señor López: Estimada señora Pérez: Estimados señores: followed by a colon, not a comma, in formal writing.
Opening. Le escribo para solicitar ... Me dirijo a usted para ... Quisiera pedirle información sobre ...
Middle: say who you are and what you have done. Soy estudiante. He trabajado en ... Tengo experiencia en ... The present perfect for experience.
Request. Quisiera solicitar el puesto de ... Por favor, envíeme más información. The second is an usted command with a pronoun attached.
Attachments. Adjunto mi currículum. Le envío mi solicitud.
Closing. Quedo a su disposición. En espera de su respuesta. Gracias por su atención.
Farewell. Atentamente, Cordialmente, Le saluda atentamente, followed by your name.
Keep usted throughout. Su, le, lo, usted. Never mix with tú in a formal letter.

Where students lose marks: Using tú in a formal letter (Te escribo para solicitar), using a comma after Estimado señor (the colon is standard), and ending with Chao or Besos. Keep the register formal from the greeting to the farewell.

Worked example

The problem. Write a formal letter of at least six sentences applying for a summer job at a library: greet the director, say why you are writing, say who you are, give your experience, mention your attached résumé, and close.

Step one: greeting. Estimada señora Díaz: A woman director takes Estimada, followed by a colon.

Step two: opening. Le escribo para solicitar el puesto de asistente de biblioteca durante el verano.

Step three: who you are. Soy estudiante de segundo año de secundaria y me interesan mucho los libros.

Step four: experience. He trabajado como voluntaria en la biblioteca de mi escuela por dos años. Sé organizar archivos y hablo español e inglés. Haber plus the participle gives experience up to now.

Step five: attachment. Adjunto mi currículum.

Step six: closing. Quedo a su disposición y espero su respuesta.

Step seven: farewell. Atentamente, Lucía Ramos.

Step eight: check. The whole letter uses usted forms, a colon follows the greeting, and the farewell is formal.

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Write a formal greeting to a man named Ruiz.
Show the full solution

Estimado with a colon. Estimado señor Ruiz:
Write a formal greeting to a group of directors.
Show the full solution

Estimados señores:
Write the opening line: "I am writing to apply for the position of cashier."
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Solicitar with an infinitive structure. Le escribo para solicitar el puesto de cajero.
Write: "I have worked as a volunteer for two years."
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The present perfect for experience up to now. He trabajado como voluntario por dos años.
Write: "I attach my résumé."
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Adjunto mi currículum.
Write the closing: "I remain at your disposal, and I hope to hear from you."
Show the full solution

Two standard closing phrases. Quedo a su disposición. Espero su respuesta.
Write a formal request: "Please send me information about the program."
Show the full solution

An usted command with an attached pronoun. Por favor, envíeme información sobre el programa.
Find and fix the errors: Querido señor Ruiz, Te escribo para pedirte información. Chao, Ana.
Show the full solution

A formal greeting uses Estimado and a colon, the verbs use usted, and the farewell is formal. Estimado señor Ruiz: Le escribo para pedirle información. Atentamente, Ana.
Explain why a formal letter uses usted from beginning to end.
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Usted shows respect for a person you do not know well, and mixing it with tú breaks the formal register. Usted shows formality throughout.
Write a formal email of at least eight lines asking a company for information about a summer program.
Show the full solution

One correct answer: Estimados señores: Le escribo para pedir información sobre su programa de verano. Soy estudiante de secundaria y me gustaría participar. He estudiado español por dos años y he viajado a México. Quisiera saber cuáles son las fechas, el costo y los requisitos. Por favor, envíeme el formulario de inscripción. Adjunto mi currículum. Quedo a su disposición y espero su respuesta. Atentamente, Carlos Mora. Usted is used throughout, the perfect describes experience, and the closing is formal. Use the greeting with a colon, usted throughout, the perfect for experience, a request, an attachment and a formal closing.

Unit 8 review · 10 problems · all lessons

Unit 8 review: Technology and Work

These are mixed across all seven lessons and do not say which idea they want. Check the order of two pronouns, the form of every participle, and whether the speaker uses tú or usted.

Say to a friend: "Click on the link."
Show the full solution

Hacer is irregular in the tú command. Haz clic en el enlace.
Say "I sent it to her yesterday" (the message).
Show the full solution

Indirect before direct, and le lo becomes se lo. Se lo envié ayer.
Say "My mother is an engineer, and she works for a large company."
Show the full solution

No article after ser, and trabajar para an employer. Mi madre es ingeniera y trabaja para una empresa grande.
Say in an interview: "I worked in a store for two years, and every day I helped the customers."
Show the full solution

The preterite for the finished period, and the imperfect for the habit. Trabajé en una tienda por dos años y todos los días ayudaba a los clientes.
Complete: Nosotros ___ ___ (hacer) la tarea.
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Haber plus an irregular participle. hemos hecho
Write the participle of abrir, escribir and ver.
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All three are irregular. abierto, escrito, visto
Say "I have never seen the ocean, but yesterday I saw a lake."
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The perfect with nunca, and the preterite with ayer. Nunca he visto el mar, pero ayer vi un lago.
Find and fix the errors: Mi padre es un cocinero. He ya comido. Estimado señor Ruiz, te escribo.
Show the full solution

No article after ser with no adjective, nothing between he and the participle, and a formal letter takes a colon and usted. Mi padre es cocinero. Ya he comido. Estimado señor Ruiz: Le escribo.
Write the greeting and the first sentence of a formal letter applying for a job at a bakery.
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One correct answer: Estimada señora López: Le escribo para solicitar el puesto de ayudante en su panadería. The greeting has a colon, and the verb uses usted. Estimada señora López: Le escribo para solicitar el puesto de ayudante en su panadería.
Write four sentences about what you have done this week, using the present perfect, and at least one irregular participle.
Show the full solution

One correct answer: He estudiado mucho. He hecho la tarea todos los días. Mis padres han trabajado mucho. Hemos visto una película. Each verb is haber plus a participle. He estudiado mucho. He hecho la tarea todos los días. Mis padres han trabajado mucho. Hemos visto una película.

Lesson 9.1 · Unit 9 · Structures

What will happen

You already have one way to talk about the future: ir a plus an infinitive. Spanish also has a true future tense, which is built on the whole infinitive and is the natural choice for predictions, promises and formal writing. It has one set of endings for all three verb groups, and it is one of the most regular tenses in the language. This lesson teaches the regular forms, and the next teaches the irregular stems.

The method

Add the endings to the whole infinitive: -é, -ás, -á, -emos, -án. Hablar: hablaré, hablarás, hablará, hablaremos, hablarán. Do not drop the -ar, -er or -ir.
Same endings for all three groups. Comeré, vivirás, escribirá. There are no separate endings for -er and -ir.
Accents on every form except nosotros. Hablaré, hablarás, hablará, hablarán have the accent; hablaremos does not.
No stem changes. Volveré, dormirás, pensará, pediremos. The boot belongs to the present.
Reflexive verbs keep the pronoun. Me levantaré temprano. Nos veremos mañana. The pronoun goes before the future form.
Uses: predictions, promises, formal plans. Mañana lloverá. Te llamaré esta noche. El presidente hablará el lunes.
Time words. mañana, pronto, el año que viene, el próximo mes, en el futuro, algún día, dentro de dos años.
Future against ir a. Voy a estudiar is a plan, close and personal. Estudiaré is a promise or a prediction, and it sounds firmer or more formal. Both are correct.

Where students lose marks: Dropping the ending of the infinitive (the future of hablar is hablaré, not hablé), forgetting the accent (hablara without the accent is a different word), adding stem changes (duermiré), and using the present for a prediction in writing. Add the endings to the whole infinitive and check the accent.

Worked example

The problem. Write six sentences in the future: (1) Tomorrow it will rain. (2) I will call you tonight. (3) We will travel to Spain next year. (4) You (informal) will learn a lot. (5) They will return in June. (6) She will get up early.

Step one: sentence 1. Llover with the third person: Mañana lloverá. The infinitive is llover, so the stem is llover-.

Step two: sentence 2. Llamar with yo, and the pronoun te before the verb: Te llamaré esta noche.

Step three: sentence 3. Viajar with nosotros, with no accent: Viajaremos a España el año que viene.

Step four: sentence 4. Aprender with tú, with the accent: Aprenderás mucho.

Step five: sentence 5. Volver with ellos, with no boot: Volverán en junio.

Step six: sentence 6. Levantarse with ella, with the pronoun before: Ella se levantará temprano.

Step seven: accents. The accent appears in lloverá, llamaré, aprenderás, volverán, levantará and not in viajaremos.

Step eight: check. The endings are added to the whole infinitive, with an accent on every form except nosotros, and no stem changes.

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Write the future of hablar for yo, tú and nosotros.
Show the full solution

Endings on the whole infinitive. hablaré, hablarás, hablaremos
Write the future of comer for ella and ellos.
Show the full solution

comerá, comerán
Write the future of vivir for yo and nosotros.
Show the full solution

viviré, viviremos
Complete: Mañana yo ___ (estudiar) toda la tarde.
Show the full solution

estudiaré
Complete: El año que viene mis padres ___ (viajar) a México.
Show the full solution

viajarán
Say "I will call you tomorrow."
Show the full solution

Llamar with yo and te. Te llamaré mañana.
Say "We will get up early and we will see each other at the airport."
Show the full solution

Two reflexive or reciprocal verbs in the future. Nos levantaremos temprano y nos veremos en el aeropuerto.
Find and fix the errors: Mañana lluevé. Yo hablare con ella. Ellos volveran en junio.
Show the full solution

Llover takes the endings on the whole infinitive, and the accent is needed on hablaré and volverán. Mañana lloverá. Yo hablaré con ella. Ellos volverán en junio.
Explain why hablaremos has no accent but hablarán does.
Show the full solution

Hablaremos is stressed on the next-to-last syllable, so no accent is needed. Hablarán ends in n and is stressed on the last syllable, so it needs one. Stress and the rules for written accents.
Write five predictions about the next decade, using the future.
Show the full solution

One correct answer: Habrá más energía solar. Los autos serán eléctricos. Muchas personas trabajarán desde casa. Viajaremos más rápido. Yo estudiaré en otro país. Each verb has the future endings (and two are irregular, from the next lesson). Habrá más energía solar. Los autos serán eléctricos. Muchas personas trabajarán desde casa. Viajaremos más rápido. Yo estudiaré en otro país.

Lesson 9.2 · Unit 9 · Structures

Twelve verbs with a shortened stem

Twelve verbs have an irregular stem in the future, but the endings are exactly the same as in the regular verbs. So the learning is only the stem. The twelve fall into three groups: verbs that drop the vowel of the infinitive, verbs that replace it with d, and two verbs that lose more. The same stems will return unchanged in the conditional in lesson 9.5.

The method

Drop the vowel of the infinitive. caber → cabr-; haber → habr-; poder → podr-; querer → querr-; saber → sabr-.
Replace the vowel with d. poner → pondr-; salir → saldr-; tener → tendr-; valer → valdr-; venir → vendr-.
Two special stems. decir → dir-; hacer → har-.
The same endings. -é, -ás, -á, -emos, -án. Tendré, tendrás, tendrá, tendremos, tendrán.
Compounds follow the same stem. mantener → mantendré; contener → contendré; componer → compondré; deshacer → desharé.
Hay becomes habrá. Habrá mucha gente. ("There will be many people.") It does not change for plural.
Examples. Tendré tiempo. Saldremos temprano. Podrán venir. Dirás la verdad. Haré la tarea.
Check against the infinitive. The stem is not a boot or a spelling change. It is a different stem, and it must be learned.

Where students lose marks: Using the regular stem (tenerá, hacerá, ponerá), adding the -d- wrongly (venirá is wrong, vendrá is right), and forgetting the accent. Learn the twelve stems in their three groups.

Worked example

The problem. Write six sentences: (1) I will have time tomorrow. (2) We will leave at seven. (3) She will be able to come. (4) You (informal) will tell the truth. (5) I will do the homework tonight. (6) There will be a lot of people.

Step one: sentence 1. Tener has the stem tendr-: Mañana tendré tiempo.

Step two: sentence 2. Salir has the stem saldr-: Saldremos a las siete.

Step three: sentence 3. Poder has the stem podr-: Ella podrá venir.

Step four: sentence 4. Decir has the stem dir-: Dirás la verdad.

Step five: sentence 5. Hacer has the stem har-: Esta noche haré la tarea.

Step six: sentence 6. Haber has the stem habr-: Habrá mucha gente.

Step seven: groups. The stems are tendr-, saldr- (d-replacement), podr-, habr- (dropped vowel) and dir-, har- (special).

Step eight: check. Each stem is irregular, each ending is regular, and each form has the right accent.

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Write the future yo form of tener, poner and venir.
Show the full solution

tendré, pondré, vendré
Write the future él form of poder, querer and saber.
Show the full solution

podrá, querrá, sabrá
Write the future nosotros form of salir, hacer and decir.
Show the full solution

saldremos, haremos, diremos
Complete: Mañana yo ___ (tener) un examen y ___ (hacer) mucha tarea.
Show the full solution

tendré; haré
Complete: Mis amigos ___ (venir) a mi fiesta y ___ (poder) quedarse.
Show the full solution

vendrán; podrán
Say "There will be a party on Saturday, and I will bring the food."
Show the full solution

Haber is habrá, and traer is regular. Habrá una fiesta el sábado y yo traeré la comida.
Say "We will not be able to leave early because we will have too much work."
Show the full solution

Two irregular futures. No podremos salir temprano porque tendremos demasiado trabajo.
Find and fix the errors: Tenerá mucho tiempo. Yo hacerá la cena. Ellos venirán mañana.
Show the full solution

Tendrá, haré, vendrán: the stems are irregular, and the endings match the subject. Tendrá mucho tiempo. Yo haré la cena. Ellos vendrán mañana.
Explain how poner and salir form their future stems.
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The vowel of the infinitive is replaced with d: pondr-, saldr-. They replace the vowel with d.
Write five sentences about a trip you will take, using at least three irregular futures.
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One correct answer: Saldré de casa a las seis. Tendré que llegar temprano al aeropuerto. Mi familia vendrá conmigo. Haremos una escala en Dallas. Podremos descansar allí. Each form has an irregular stem. Saldré de casa a las seis. Tendré que llegar temprano al aeropuerto. Mi familia vendrá conmigo. Haremos una escala en Dallas. Podremos descansar allí.

Lesson 9.3 · Unit 9 · Structures

Wondering, guessing, and choosing between two futures

The future tense has a second job that surprises English speakers: it expresses probability in the present. Estará en casa does not mean "he will be at home" but "he is probably at home". In a question, ¿Dónde estará? means "I wonder where he is". This lesson teaches the second use, then compares the two ways of talking about the future so that you can choose between them.

The method

Probability in the present. Estará en casa. ("He is probably at home.") Tendrá veinte años. ("She is probably twenty.")
A question of wonder. ¿Dónde estará Ana? ¿Qué hora será? ¿Quién será? The speaker is asking themselves.
Clues for probability. probablemente, seguramente, tal vez, quizá. The future tense says it without them.
Tense stays in the present. The future of probability talks about now, not later. Serán las tres means "it is probably three o'clock".
Future against ir a. Voy a estudiar mañana is a plan; Estudiaré mañana is a promise or a prediction.
Prediction. Lloverá mañana (a forecast) against Va a llover (it is about to rain). The future is more formal and general.
Promise. Te ayudaré. Lo haré. The future is natural for promises.
The present can also stand for the future. Mañana viajo a Lima. A fixed plan is often in the present.

Where students lose marks: Translating estará only as "will be" (it can mean "is probably"), using ir a for a guess about now (Va a estar en casa is a plan, not a guess), and using the future of probability for something you know. Ask: is this a guess about now, a plan, or a prediction?

Worked example

The problem. Write five sentences: (1) Where is Ana, I wonder? (2) She is probably at home. (3) It is probably three o'clock. (4) Tomorrow I am going to study, and I promise I will help you. (5) It will rain this weekend, according to the forecast.

Step one: sentence 1. A question of wonder uses the future: ¿Dónde estará Ana?

Step two: sentence 2. An answer with the future of probability: Estará en casa.

Step three: sentence 3. The time as a guess: Serán las tres.

Step four: sentence 4. A plan with ir a and a promise with the future: Mañana voy a estudiar, y te prometo que te ayudaré.

Step five: sentence 5. A forecast uses the future: Lloverá este fin de semana.

Step six: now or later. Sentences 1 to 3 refer to the present, and 4 and 5 to the future.

Step seven: probability. The future of probability is a guess about now: estará means "is probably".

Step eight: check. The future of probability for guesses about now, ir a for plans, and the future for promises and forecasts.

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Translate "She is probably sick" using the future.
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Estará enferma.
Translate "I wonder who it is."
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¿Quién será?
Translate "It is probably two o'clock."
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Serán las dos.
Complete: ¿Dónde ___ (estar) mi teléfono? (I wonder where it is)
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estará
Say "They are probably tired."
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Estarán cansados.
Say "He is probably thirty years old, and he probably works downtown."
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Tener with tendrá, and trabajar in the future. Tendrá treinta años y trabajará en el centro.
Say "I will help you, I promise."
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A promise in the future. Te ayudaré, te lo prometo.
Rewrite as a guess about now, using the future: Ana probablemente está en casa y probablemente tiene sueño.
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The future of probability replaces probablemente. Ana estará en casa y tendrá sueño.
Explain the two meanings of Ana estará en casa mañana and Ana estará en casa.
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With mañana, it is a prediction about tomorrow. Without a future word, it is a guess about now. With mañana: will be. Without: is probably.
Write five sentences that use the future of probability to guess about people you see in a photograph.
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One correct answer: Será un cumpleaños. Tendrá diez años. Estarán en un parque. Sus padres serán los que están detrás. Se divertirán mucho. Each sentence is a guess about the present. Será un cumpleaños. Tendrá diez años. Estarán en un parque. Sus padres serán los que están detrás. Se divertirán mucho.

Lesson 9.4 · Unit 9 · Communication: interpretive

Talking about the planet

The environment is one of the most common topics in a second-year course, and it gives you a reason to use several things you know: commands for advice, hay que for obligation, the future for predictions, and the present for facts. This lesson gives you the vocabulary of the topic, the verbs for what people do to the planet, and the structures for saying what should be done.

The method

Nature and problems. el medio ambiente, el planeta, el aire, el agua, el bosque, la selva, los océanos, la contaminación, el cambio climático, la basura, el calentamiento global, las especies en peligro.
Verbs of harm and care. contaminar, destruir, desperdiciar, talar (árboles), proteger, cuidar, conservar, ahorrar, reciclar, reutilizar, sembrar.
Solutions. la energía solar, la energía eólica, el transporte público, las bolsas reutilizables, los autos eléctricos.
Obligation. Hay que reciclar. Debemos ahorrar agua. Es necesario proteger los bosques. Each takes an infinitive.
Commands for advice. Recicla el papel. No desperdicies el agua. Apaga las luces. Usa bolsas reutilizables.
Predictions in the future. Habrá más calor. El nivel del mar subirá. Muchas especies desaparecerán.
Cause and effect. porque, por eso, debido a, como resultado. La contaminación causa problemas. Por eso, hay que actuar.
Quantity and comparison. más contaminación que antes, menos árboles, tantos problemas como soluciones.

Where students lose marks: Using an infinitive for a command (Reciclar el papel belongs on a sign), leaving the infinitive out after hay que, and using habrán for habrá (haber never changes for a plural noun). Choose the structure: command, obligation or prediction.

Worked example

The problem. Write six sentences about the environment: (1) We have to recycle. (2) Don't waste water. (3) Pollution is a big problem. (4) There will be more heat in the future. (5) Many species will disappear. (6) Solar energy is better than coal.

Step one: sentence 1. Hay que or tenemos que with an infinitive: Hay que reciclar.

Step two: sentence 2. A negative tú command of desperdiciar: No desperdicies el agua.

Step three: sentence 3. Ser for a description: La contaminación es un problema grande.

Step four: sentence 4. A prediction in the future: En el futuro habrá más calor. Haber has the stem habr-.

Step five: sentence 5. The future of a regular verb: Muchas especies desaparecerán.

Step six: sentence 6. A comparison with mejor que: La energía solar es mejor que el carbón.

Step seven: structures. Obligation (1), command (2), description (3), predictions (4 and 5) and comparison (6).

Step eight: check. Each structure is used correctly: infinitives after hay que, a negative command, and futures with the correct stems.

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Complete: Hay que ___ (reciclar) el plástico.
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reciclar
Say "Turn off the lights" to a friend.
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Apagar with tú. Apaga las luces.
Say "Don't waste water."
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A negative tú command. No desperdicies el agua.
Say "Pollution will increase if we do not act."
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The future for the prediction, and a si clause in the present. La contaminación aumentará si no actuamos.
Say "Many animals are in danger."
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Estar en peligro. Muchos animales están en peligro.
Say "We should use public transportation and reusable bags."
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Deber with an infinitive. Debemos usar el transporte público y bolsas reutilizables.
Say "If we protect the forests, we will have cleaner air."
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A si clause in the present, and a future. Si protegemos los bosques, tendremos aire más limpio.
Find and fix the errors: Hay que reciclando. Reciclar el papel. Habrán muchos problemas.
Show the full solution

Hay que takes an infinitive, a command to a friend is not an infinitive, and habrá does not change for a plural noun. Hay que reciclar. Recicla el papel. Habrá muchos problemas.
Explain the difference between Debemos reciclar and Hay que reciclar.
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Debemos addresses a specific group (we); hay que is impersonal and general. Debemos: we. Hay que: everyone.
Write a paragraph of at least six sentences about a problem in your community, using a command, an obligation and a prediction.
Show the full solution

One correct answer: Hay mucha basura en nuestro parque. Por eso, es necesario limpiarlo. Recicla las botellas y no tires papeles al suelo. Debemos plantar más árboles. Si cuidamos el parque, tendremos un lugar más agradable. En el futuro habrá más espacio verde. The paragraph has a command, an obligation and a prediction. Hay mucha basura en nuestro parque. Por eso, es necesario limpiarlo. Recicla las botellas y no tires papeles al suelo. Debemos plantar más árboles. Si cuidamos el parque, tendremos un lugar más agradable. En el futuro habrá más espacio verde.

Lesson 9.5 · Unit 9 · Structures

What would happen, and the polite way to ask

The conditional is the "would" tense. It is built exactly like the future, on the whole infinitive with the same irregular stems, but with a different set of endings. It has three main jobs: polite requests, wishes and hypothetical statements, and advice. This lesson teaches the endings and the three jobs, and it shows how the conditional can soften a request to make it more polite.

The method

Add the endings to the whole infinitive: -ía, -ías, -ía, -íamos, -ían. Hablar: hablaría, hablarías, hablaría, hablaríamos, hablarían. They are the same as the imperfect endings of -er and -ir verbs.
The same irregular stems as the future. tendría, podría, saldría, vendría, diría, haría, habría, sabría, querría, pondría.
Polite requests. ¿Podría ayudarme? ¿Me podría decir la hora? Me gustaría un café. More polite than ¿Puede ayudarme? Quiero un café.
Wishes. Me gustaría viajar a Chile. Yo viviría en la playa. Gustaría is the conditional of gustar.
Advice. Yo en tu lugar estudiaría más. Deberías descansar. Deber in the conditional is gentle advice.
The accent is always on the í. Hablaría, comerías. The ending always carries it.
Future in the past (reported speech). Dijo que vendría. Prometió que ayudaría. The conditional is the future from the past.
Conditional against imperfect. Comía is "I used to eat". Comería is "I would eat". The infinitive stays whole in the conditional.

Where students lose marks: Dropping part of the infinitive (hablaría is right, hablría is not), using the regular stem for irregular verbs (tenería, hacería), omitting the accent, and confusing the conditional with the imperfect. The conditional is the infinitive plus -ía.

Worked example

The problem. Write six sentences: (1) Could you help me? (2) I would like a coffee. (3) I would live on the beach. (4) In your place, I would study more. (5) She said that she would come. (6) You (informal) should rest.

Step one: sentence 1. Poder has the stem podr-, and the polite request uses the conditional: ¿Podría ayudarme?

Step two: sentence 2. Gustar in the conditional: Me gustaría un café.

Step three: sentence 3. Vivir with yo, the whole infinitive plus -ía: Yo viviría en la playa.

Step four: sentence 4. Advice with en tu lugar: En tu lugar, yo estudiaría más.

Step five: sentence 5. Venir has the stem vendr-, and reported speech uses the conditional: Ella dijo que vendría.

Step six: sentence 6. Deber in the conditional for gentle advice: Deberías descansar.

Step seven: accents. Every conditional form has an accent on the í.

Step eight: check. The whole infinitive or the irregular stem, plus -ía, -ías, -ía, -íamos, -ían.

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Write the conditional of hablar for yo, tú and nosotros.
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hablaría, hablarías, hablaríamos
Write the conditional of comer and vivir for ellos.
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comerían, vivirían
Write the conditional yo form of tener, poder and hacer.
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The same stems as the future. tendría, podría, haría
Complete: Me ___ (gustar) viajar a Chile.
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gustaría
Complete: ¿___ (poder) usted ayudarme?
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Podría
Say "I would buy a house by the sea."
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Comprar in the conditional. Compraría una casa junto al mar.
Say "We would travel more."
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Viajar with nosotros in the conditional. Viajaríamos más.
Find and fix the errors: Yo tenería tiempo. ¿Puedría ayudarme? Nosotros viajariamos más.
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The stems are irregular (tendría, podría), and the accent on the í is always written (viajaríamos). Yo tendría tiempo. ¿Podría ayudarme? Nosotros viajaríamos más.
Explain the difference between comía and comería.
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Comía is the imperfect ("I used to eat" or "I was eating"). Comería is the conditional ("I would eat"). Imperfect: used to. Conditional: would.
Write five sentences with the conditional: a polite request, a wish, advice, a hypothetical, and reported speech.
Show the full solution

One correct answer: ¿Podría decirme dónde está la biblioteca? Me gustaría estudiar en España. Yo en tu lugar hablaría con el maestro. Viviría en una ciudad grande. Mi amigo dijo que vendría a la fiesta. Each uses the conditional correctly. ¿Podría decirme dónde está la biblioteca? Me gustaría estudiar en España. Yo en tu lugar hablaría con el maestro. Viviría en una ciudad grande. Mi amigo dijo que vendría a la fiesta.

Lesson 9.6 · Unit 9 · Structures

If this happens, then that

A si clause says "if", and a real condition is one that is possible and likely: If it rains, I will stay home. The rule is short: after si, use the present tense, and in the main clause, use the future, the present or a command. The one thing never to do is to put a future after si, which English also avoids. This lesson gives the rule, the options, and the mistakes to avoid.

The method

The pattern: si plus the present, then a result. Si llueve, me quedo en casa. The two clauses can come in either order.
The result can be the future. Si estudias, sacarás una buena nota. A promise or a prediction.
The result can be the present. Si tengo tiempo, voy. A habit or a general truth.
The result can be a command. Si tienes sed, bebe agua. Si necesitas ayuda, llámame.
Never the future after si. Si tendré tiempo, iré is wrong; say Si tengo tiempo, iré.
Comma when si comes first. Si llueve, no salgo. No salgo si llueve. With the si clause second, no comma.
Si has no accent; sí means yes. Si vienes ("if you come") against Sí, voy ("yes, I will go").
O si no. Date prisa, o si no llegarás tarde. "Or else".

Where students lose marks: Using the future after si (Si lloverá), omitting the comma when si comes first, and writing sí with an accent for "if". The si clause takes the present, and the result takes the future, the present or a command.

Worked example

The problem. Write five sentences: (1) If it rains, we will stay home. (2) If you study, you will get a good grade. (3) If I have time, I will call you. (4) If you are sick, go to the doctor. (5) If we recycle, we will help the planet.

Step one: sentence 1. Si plus the present, and the future in the result: Si llueve, nos quedaremos en casa.

Step two: sentence 2. Si estudias, sacarás una buena nota.

Step three: sentence 3. Si plus the present, and the future of llamar with te: Si tengo tiempo, te llamaré.

Step four: sentence 4. A command in the result: Si estás enfermo, ve al médico. Ir is ve.

Step five: sentence 5. The result can be the present or the future: Si reciclamos, ayudaremos al planeta.

Step six: order. The si clause can go second: Nos quedaremos en casa si llueve. The comma disappears.

Step seven: pattern. In every sentence, si is followed by the present, never the future.

Step eight: check. Si plus the present, a result in the future or a command, and a comma after the si clause when it comes first.

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Complete: Si ___ (llover), me quedo en casa.
Show the full solution

llueve
Complete: Si tú ___ (estudiar), sacarás una buena nota.
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estudias
Complete: Si ___ (tener) tiempo, iré al cine.
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tengo
Complete: Si tienes hambre, ___ (comer) algo.
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A command in the result. come
Say "If you come, I will make dinner."
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Si with the present, and the future with hacer. Si vienes, haré la cena.
Say "I will go to the beach if it is sunny."
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The si clause second, with no comma. Iré a la playa si hace sol.
Say "If we leave now, we will arrive on time. Otherwise, we will be late."
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Si plus the present, and si no for "otherwise". Si salimos ahora, llegaremos a tiempo. Si no, llegaremos tarde.
Find and fix the errors: Si lloverá, me quedo en casa. Si tengo tiempo iré. Sí vienes, te veo.
Show the full solution

No future after si, a comma after the si clause, and si has no accent. Si llueve, me quedo en casa. Si tengo tiempo, iré. Si vienes, te veo.
Explain why Si tendré is wrong.
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After si in a real condition, Spanish uses the present, not the future. Si tengo.
Write five si sentences about what you will do this weekend, depending on the weather and your homework.
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One correct answer: Si hace sol, iré a la playa. Si llueve, veré una película. Si termino la tarea, saldré con mis amigos. Si estoy cansado, me quedaré en casa. Si necesito ayuda, llamaré a mi hermana. Each si clause is in the present. Si hace sol, iré a la playa. Si llueve, veré una película. Si termino la tarea, saldré con mis amigos. Si estoy cansado, me quedaré en casa. Si necesito ayuda, llamaré a mi hermana.

Lesson 9.7 · Unit 9 · Communication: presentational

Saying what you think, and why

An opinion is more convincing with a reason. This lesson gives you the phrases for stating an opinion, agreeing or disagreeing politely, and organizing a short argument. It also steers you around a structure that belongs to a later course: a negative opinion with no creo que uses a different mood, so for now say creo que no. The skills here are the ones a debate and a persuasive essay need.

The method

Stating an opinion. Creo que ... Pienso que ... Me parece que ... En mi opinión, ... Para mí, ... Each is followed by the ordinary verb forms you have learned.
A negative opinion for now: creo que no. Creo que no es una buena idea. The structure no creo que is taught in the next course.
Agreeing. Estoy de acuerdo. Tienes razón. Es verdad. Así es.
Disagreeing politely. No estoy de acuerdo. Entiendo tu punto, pero ... Es posible, sin embargo ...
Reasons. porque, ya que, puesto que, debido a. Creo que es importante porque ...
Organizing. Primero, Además, Por un lado ... por otro lado, Sin embargo, En conclusión.
Examples. Por ejemplo, Es decir, Como, with a specific case.
Softening. Yo diría que ... Me parece que ... The conditional of decir makes an opinion gentler.

Where students lose marks: Using no creo que with the indicative (No creo que es), skipping the reason, and using pero where sin embargo or por otro lado is needed in writing. Say creo que no and give a reason.

Worked example

The problem. Write an opinion paragraph of at least six sentences: Should students have homework every day? Give your opinion, two reasons, one example, a different point of view and a conclusion.

Step one: opinion. En mi opinión, los estudiantes no deben tener tarea todos los días.

Step two: first reason. Primero, necesitan tiempo para descansar. The first reason with a sequence word.

Step three: second reason. Además, hay otras actividades importantes, como el deporte y la familia.

Step four: example. Por ejemplo, un estudiante que practica fútbol llega tarde a casa.

Step five: other view. Por otro lado, la tarea ayuda a practicar lo que aprendimos.

Step six: reply. Sin embargo, creo que unas pocas horas por semana son suficientes.

Step seven: conclusion. En conclusión, la tarea debe ser corta y útil.

Step eight: check. An opinion, two reasons, an example, a contrasting view and a conclusion, with connectors in each.

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Say "In my opinion, the environment is very important."
Show the full solution

En mi opinión, el medio ambiente es muy importante.
Say "I think that it is a good idea because it will help everyone."
Show the full solution

Creer que with the future. Creo que es una buena idea porque ayudará a todos.
Say "I do not agree."
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No estoy de acuerdo.
Say "I think it is not a good idea" without using no creo que.
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Creo que no es una buena idea.
Say "You are right, but there is another point of view."
Show the full solution

Tienes razón, pero hay otro punto de vista.
Say "On one hand, it is expensive. On the other hand, it is useful."
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Por un lado ... por otro lado. Por un lado, es caro. Por otro lado, es útil.
Say "For example, many students use their phones in class. However, some use them to learn."
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Por ejemplo, muchos estudiantes usan su teléfono en clase. Sin embargo, algunos lo usan para aprender.
Find and fix the errors: No creo que es una buena idea. Estoy en acuerdo. Pero, en conclusión, no.
Show the full solution

Use creo que no for now, estar de acuerdo, and en conclusión does not follow pero. Creo que no es una buena idea. Estoy de acuerdo. En conclusión, no.
Explain how to organize a short opinion paragraph.
Show the full solution

State the opinion, give reasons with primero and además, add an example, mention another view with por otro lado, answer it with sin embargo, and conclude. Opinion, reasons, example, other view, reply, conclusion.
Write an opinion paragraph of at least eight sentences on whether schools should start later in the morning, using at least five connectors from this lesson.
Show the full solution

One correct answer: En mi opinión, las escuelas deben empezar más tarde. Primero, los adolescentes necesitan dormir más. Además, si duermen bien, aprenderán mejor. Por ejemplo, muchos estudiantes llegan cansados a la primera clase. Por otro lado, algunos padres trabajan temprano y no podrían llevar a sus hijos. Sin embargo, el transporte escolar podría resolver el problema. Creo que no sería difícil cambiar el horario. En conclusión, una escuela que empieza más tarde tendrá estudiantes más felices. The paragraph states an opinion, gives reasons and an example, answers an objection, and concludes. State the opinion, give reasons and an example, answer an objection, and conclude with connectors.

Unit 9 review · 10 problems · all lessons

Unit 9 review: The Future

These are mixed across all seven lessons and do not say which idea they want. Check each stem against the list of twelve irregulars, and remember that the future and the conditional share their stems but not their endings.

Write the future yo form of hablar, vivir and tener.
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The endings go on the whole infinitive, and tener has an irregular stem. hablaré, viviré, tendré
Write the future nosotros form of salir and hacer.
Show the full solution

saldremos, haremos
Say "I wonder where Ana is. She is probably at home."
Show the full solution

The future of probability, in the present. ¿Dónde estará Ana? Estará en casa.
Complete: Me ___ (gustar) viajar a Chile, y ¿___ (poder) usted ayudarme?
Show the full solution

The conditional of gustar, and the conditional of poder for a polite request. gustaría; Podría
Say "If it rains, we will stay home."
Show the full solution

Si plus the present, then the future. Si llueve, nos quedaremos en casa.
Say "She said that she would come."
Show the full solution

Reported speech uses the conditional, with the stem vendr-. Ella dijo que vendría.
Say "In my opinion, we have to recycle because the planet needs it."
Show the full solution

An opinion, hay que with an infinitive, and a reason. En mi opinión, hay que reciclar porque el planeta lo necesita.
Find and fix the errors: Si lloverá, me quedaré. Yo hacerá la cena. No creo que es buena idea.
Show the full solution

No future after si, haré has the irregular stem and the yo ending, and a negative opinion for now is creo que no. Si llueve, me quedaré. Yo haré la cena. Creo que no es buena idea.
Say "Could you tell me where the library is?"
Show the full solution

A polite request with the conditional. ¿Podría decirme dónde está la biblioteca?
Write four sentences about the future: two predictions, a promise and a si sentence.
Show the full solution

One correct answer: Habrá más energía solar. Los autos serán eléctricos. Te ayudaré con la tarea. Si hace sol, iremos a la playa. The futures have the right stems, and the si clause uses the present. Habrá más energía solar. Los autos serán eléctricos. Te ayudaré con la tarea. Si hace sol, iremos a la playa.

Lesson 10.1 · Unit 10 · Cultures

How the Spanish-speaking world celebrates

Holidays are a window into a culture, and they give you vocabulary you will use for the rest of your life: food, music, family and the calendar. This lesson describes several celebrations from across the Spanish-speaking world and teaches the language for talking about any holiday: the dates, the activities, and the passive se that says what is done. The descriptions are of customs, not beliefs, and they are drawn from many countries.

The method

Dates. el primero de enero, el seis de enero, el dos de noviembre, el veinticinco de diciembre. Use el and de, and primero for the first.
Celebrations. el Año Nuevo, la Navidad, el Día de los Reyes, Las Posadas, el Carnaval, la Semana Santa, el Día de los Muertos, la quinceañera, el Día de la Independencia.
Activities. celebrar, bailar, cantar, desfilar, preparar una ofrenda, encender velas, dar regalos, reunirse con la familia, ver los fuegos artificiales.
Things. la fiesta, el desfile, el disfraz, la ofrenda, la vela, la flor, el regalo, la comida típica, la tradición.
The passive se describes customs. Se celebra el Día de los Muertos en México. Se come pan especial. Se baila y se canta.
Habit in the present. Mi familia siempre se reúne. Todos preparamos la comida. The present tense for customs that continue.
Compare cultures. En México se celebra ..., pero en mi casa se celebra ... Es parecido a ... Es diferente de ...
Wishes. ¡Feliz Navidad! ¡Feliz cumpleaños! ¡Felices fiestas! ¡Próspero Año Nuevo! The exclamation takes the two marks.

Where students lose marks: Writing Mexico celebra without se when the subject is the custom (Se celebra en México), using el with primero wrongly (el uno de enero is common but el primero de enero is standard), and forgetting the inverted exclamation mark. Use the passive se when you describe what is done, not who does it.

Worked example

The problem. Write six sentences about holidays: (1) The Day of the Dead is celebrated on November 2. (2) Families prepare an offering with flowers. (3) In Spain, gifts are given on January 6. (4) We always get together with the family. (5) Carnival is a time for parades and costumes. (6) Happy New Year!

Step one: sentence 1. The passive se with a singular noun and the date: El Día de los Muertos se celebra el dos de noviembre.

Step two: sentence 2. Preparar with las familias, and con for the flowers: Las familias preparan una ofrenda con flores.

Step three: sentence 3. Dar regalos in the passive se, with a plural noun: En España se dan regalos el seis de enero.

Step four: sentence 4. A habit in the present, with the reflexive reunirse: Siempre nos reunimos con la familia.

Step five: sentence 5. Ser for a description: El Carnaval es una época de desfiles y disfraces.

Step six: sentence 6. An exclamation with the inverted mark: ¡Próspero Año Nuevo!

Step seven: se. Se celebra and se dan show the passive se agreeing with the noun.

Step eight: check. The date has el and de, se agrees with its noun, and the exclamation has both marks.

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Write the date: "January 1."
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Primero for the first. el primero de enero
Write the date: "December 25."
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el veinticinco de diciembre
Complete: En México ___ (celebrar) el Día de los Muertos.
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The passive se with a singular noun. se celebra
Complete: En muchos países ___ (dar) regalos en diciembre.
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The passive se with a plural noun. se dan
Say "Merry Christmas!"
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With both marks. ¡Feliz Navidad!
Say "On New Year's Eve, we eat twelve grapes and we dance."
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The impersonal or the first person plural. En Nochevieja comemos doce uvas y bailamos.
Say "In my family, we get together on holidays and cook traditional food."
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Reunirse is reflexive. En mi familia nos reunimos en los días festivos y cocinamos comida tradicional.
Find and fix the errors: México celebra el Día de los Muertos. Feliz Navidad! Es el uno de enero.
Show the full solution

The custom takes se, the exclamation needs both marks, and the first of the month is primero. Se celebra el Día de los Muertos en México. ¡Feliz Navidad! Es el primero de enero.
Explain why Se celebran las fiestas uses the plural.
Show the full solution

With the passive se, the verb agrees with the noun, and fiestas is plural. The verb agrees with the noun.
Write six sentences about a holiday you celebrate: the date, the activities, the food, the people, a custom with se, and a wish.
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One correct answer: Celebro el Año Nuevo el primero de enero. Mi familia se reúne en casa. Se prepara una cena especial. Mis abuelos y mis primos vienen. Se cantan canciones y se baila. ¡Feliz Año Nuevo! Each structure is correct. Celebro el Año Nuevo el primero de enero. Mi familia se reúne en casa. Se prepara una cena especial. Mis abuelos y mis primos vienen. Se cantan canciones y se baila. ¡Feliz Año Nuevo!

Lesson 10.2 · Unit 10 · Communication: presentational

Telling what a party was like and what happened

A story about a celebration needs everything from the first half of the year: the imperfect for the scene and the habits, the preterite for the events, the interruption pattern for the surprise, and sequence words to order it. This lesson uses a quinceañera, a family birthday and a festival as the models, and it gives the phrases that tell whether you had a good time.

The method

Set the scene in the imperfect. Era un sábado de verano. Había mucha gente. La música sonaba y todos bailaban.
Tell the events in the preterite. Llegamos a las ocho. Los invitados saludaron a la quinceañera. Cortaron la torta.
The interruption. Bailábamos cuando se apagó la luz. The imperfect for the activity, and the preterite for the event.
Sequence. Primero, Luego, Después, Más tarde, Al final. Each marks an event.
How it went. Lo pasamos muy bien. Lo pasé fatal. Fue una fiesta inolvidable. Pasarlo bien is "to have a good time".
Descriptions of the people. Mi prima llevaba un vestido rosa. Los invitados estaban contentos. Llevar in the imperfect means "was wearing".
Reasons. porque, por eso, ya que. Estaba cansado porque bailé toda la noche.
Reactions in the preterite. Me emocioné. Todos aplaudieron. Mi abuela lloró de alegría.

Where students lose marks: Using the preterite for the scene (Hubo mucha gente for a description), using the imperfect for a sudden event (Se apagaba la luz), and writing Lo pasé bien as Pasé bien. Scene in the imperfect, events in the preterite.

Worked example

The problem. Write a six-sentence account of a quinceañera: it was a Saturday in June; the hall was full of people; music was playing; you arrived at eight; everyone was dancing when the cake arrived; you had a great time.

Step one: scene 1. Era un sábado de junio. Time in the imperfect.

Step two: scene 2. El salón estaba lleno de gente. Estar for a condition.

Step three: scene 3. La música sonaba. Sonar is a boot verb, but the imperfect has no boot.

Step four: event 1. Llegamos a las ocho. Llegar with nosotros has no spelling change.

Step five: interruption. Todos bailaban cuando llegó la torta. The activity is imperfect and the arrival is preterite.

Step six: how it went. Lo pasamos muy bien. Pasarlo bien with nosotros, the preterite.

Step seven: the two jobs. The first three sentences describe (imperfect), and the next three tell events (preterite).

Step eight: check. The scene is imperfect, the events are preterite, and the interruption has one of each.

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Complete: Era una noche cálida y ___ (haber) muchos invitados.
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A description in the imperfect. había
Complete: Todos ___ (bailar) cuando ___ (llegar) la torta.
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bailaban; llegó
Complete: Mi prima ___ (llevar) un vestido azul.
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A description of what she was wearing. llevaba
Say "We had a great time."
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Pasarlo bien in the preterite. Lo pasamos muy bien.
Say "First we ate, and then we danced."
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Two events, in order. Primero comimos y luego bailamos.
Say "The music was playing when my uncle gave a speech."
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An activity in progress and an event. La música sonaba cuando mi tío dio un discurso.
Say "My grandmother cried with joy when she saw the cake."
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Two events, both preterite. Mi abuela lloró de alegría cuando vio la torta.
Find and fix the errors: Fue una noche cálida y hubo muchos invitados. Todos bailaron cuando llegaba la torta.
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The scene is imperfect, and the arrival is the preterite event. Era una noche cálida y había muchos invitados. Todos bailaban cuando llegó la torta.
Explain why Había mucha gente is imperfect.
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It describes what was there, not an event, so it is imperfect. It describes the scene.
Write a paragraph of at least eight sentences about a celebration you attended, using the imperfect for the scene, the preterite for the events, one interruption and one phrase from this lesson.
Show the full solution

One correct answer: Era el cumpleaños de mi abuela y había mucha gente en la casa. Mis primos jugaban en el jardín y los adultos hablaban. Yo ayudaba en la cocina cuando llegó el pastel. Primero cantamos y luego mi abuela sopló las velas. Todos aplaudieron. Después comimos y bailamos. Mi abuela lloró de alegría. Lo pasamos muy bien. The scene is imperfect and the events are preterite. Era el cumpleaños de mi abuela y había mucha gente en la casa. Mis primos jugaban en el jardín y los adultos hablaban. Yo ayudaba en la cocina cuando llegó el pastel. Primero cantamos y luego mi abuela sopló las velas. Todos aplaudieron. Después comimos y bailamos. Mi abuela lloró de alegría. Lo pasamos muy bien.

Lesson 10.3 · Unit 10 · Cultures

How to make a dish

A recipe is a short text with its own grammar: a list of ingredients with quantities, and a series of instructions. Spanish recipes use several forms to give the instructions: the infinitive in printed recipes, usted or tú commands in friendly ones, and the passive se in descriptions. This lesson gives you the vocabulary of the kitchen and a model recipe, and it asks you to write your own.

The method

Ingredients. la harina, el azúcar, la sal, el aceite, la leche, los huevos, el ajo, la cebolla, el tomate, el aguacate, el arroz, el queso.
Quantities. una taza de, una cucharada de, una cucharadita de, una pizca de, un diente de ajo, un kilo de, medio litro de.
Verbs of cooking. pelar, cortar, picar, mezclar, agregar, revolver, hervir, freír, hornear, servir, probar.
The infinitive in a printed recipe. Pelar las papas. Cortar la cebolla. Mezclar todo. The infinitive stands for an instruction.
Commands in a friendly recipe. Pela las papas. Corta la cebolla. Tú commands for a friend, usted commands for a stranger (Pele, corte).
The passive se. Se pelan las papas y se cortan en trozos. The verb agrees with the noun.
Sequence. Primero, Luego, Después, Mientras tanto, Finalmente. Mientras tanto means "meanwhile".
Describing the result. Queda delicioso. Debe estar caliente. Se sirve con arroz. Quedar means "to turn out".

Where students lose marks: Mixing forms in one recipe (Pela las papas y cortar), forgetting the agreement of the se verb (Se corta las papas), and using tener for a quantity (Tengo una taza when the recipe says una taza de). Choose one form, and keep it throughout.

Worked example

The problem. Write a recipe for guacamole in six steps, using tú commands: peel the avocados, mash them, chop an onion and a tomato, add them, add salt and lemon, and serve.

Step one: ingredients. Necesitas tres aguacates, una cebolla, un tomate, sal y un limón. Necesitar in the present.

Step two: step one. Pelar with tú: Pela los aguacates.

Step three: step two. Aplastar with tú: Aplástalos en un plato. The pronoun attaches and the accent is needed.

Step four: step three. Picar is regular in the affirmative tú command (its negative would be no piques): Pica la cebolla y el tomate.

Step five: step four. Agregar and a pronoun: Agrégalos al aguacate. The accent is needed.

Step six: step five. Añadir with tú: Añade sal y el jugo de un limón.

Step seven: step six. Servir is a boot verb, and the tú command is the él form: Sirve con totopos.

Step eight: check. Every step is a tú command, the pronouns are attached with accents, and the ingredients have quantities.

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Complete: Necesito una ___ de azúcar. (cup)
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taza
Write the infinitive instruction: "Peel the potatoes."
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Pelar las papas.
Write the tú command: "Mix the eggs and the flour."
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Mezcla los huevos y la harina.
Write the usted command: "Add the salt."
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Agregue la sal.
Write with se: "The onions are cut into small pieces."
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Se cortan las cebollas en trozos pequeños.
Say "Cut the tomato. Meanwhile, the rice is boiling."
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Mientras tanto means "meanwhile", and hervir is a boot verb. Corta el tomate. Mientras tanto, el arroz hierve.
Say "Mix everything and serve it hot."
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Two tú commands, with the pronoun attached to the second and an accent to keep the stress. Mezcla todo y sírvelo caliente.
Find and fix the errors: Pela las papas y cortar. Se corta las cebollas. Tengo una taza azúcar.
Show the full solution

One form throughout, the se verb agrees with a plural noun, and a quantity takes de. Pela las papas y corta. Se cortan las cebollas. Tengo una taza de azúcar.
Explain why Aplástalos has an accent.
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Attaching a pronoun to the command moves the stress to the third syllable from the end. The accent keeps the stress where it was.
Write a recipe of at least six steps for a dish you know, including a list of ingredients with quantities, using one command form throughout.
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One correct answer: Ensalada de frutas. Necesitas dos manzanas, una taza de fresas, un plátano y el jugo de una naranja. Primero lava las frutas. Luego corta las manzanas y el plátano. Pica las fresas. Mezcla todo en un tazón. Añade el jugo de naranja. Sírvela fría. Each step is a tú command. Ensalada de frutas. Necesitas dos manzanas, una taza de fresas, un plátano y el jugo de una naranja. Primero lava las frutas. Luego corta las manzanas y el plátano. Pica las fresas. Mezcla todo en un tazón. Añade el jugo de naranja. Sírvela fría.

Lesson 10.4 · Unit 10 · Cultures

Talking about music, painting and stories

Art is a subject where opinions matter, and opinions need a vocabulary. This lesson gives you the words for painting, music, dance, theater and writing, the verbs for making and enjoying art, and the structures for saying what you think and why. The examples are drawn from many places, including the murals that decorate walls in cities across California and Latin America.

The method

Visual arts. la pintura, el cuadro, el dibujo, la escultura, el mural, la fotografía, el museo, la galería, el artista, la artista.
Music and dance. la música, la canción, el ritmo, la guitarra, el tambor, el piano, el baile, la danza, el concierto, el cantante, la cantante.
Theater, film and literature. el teatro, la obra, la película, el cine, el actor, la actriz, la novela, el cuento, el poema, el autor, la autora.
Verbs. pintar, dibujar, esculpir, fotografiar, componer, cantar, tocar, bailar, actuar, escribir, leer. Tocar is for instruments, jugar for games.
Opinions. Me gusta porque ... Me parece interesante. Creo que es bonito. Prefiero ... Parecer works like gustar.
Descriptions. colorido, brillante, tranquilo, dramático, emocionante, aburrido, original. The adjectives agree.
Ser against estar. El cuadro es de un artista mexicano (origin). Está en el museo (location). Es de madera (material).
Past events. Un artista pintó este mural. Fui a un concierto. Vi una obra de teatro. The preterite for a finished event.

Where students lose marks: Using jugar for an instrument (jugar la guitarra), using ser for the location of a painting (Es en el museo), and letting the adjective stay masculine (una canción bonito). Match the verb to the art, and the adjective to the noun.

Worked example

The problem. Write six sentences about the arts: (1) I play the guitar. (2) This mural is colorful and very original. (3) The painting is in the museum. (4) A local artist painted it last year. (5) I think the movie was exciting. (6) My sister writes poems.

Step one: sentence 1. Tocar for an instrument: Toco la guitarra.

Step two: sentence 2. Ser for a description. Mural is masculine, so the adjectives are too: Este mural es colorido y muy original.

Step three: sentence 3. Estar for location: El cuadro está en el museo.

Step four: sentence 4. The preterite for a finished event: Un artista local lo pintó el año pasado. The pronoun lo replaces el mural.

Step five: sentence 5. Creer que with an opinion, and the preterite for a finished event: Creo que la película fue emocionante.

Step six: sentence 6. Escribir in the present: Mi hermana escribe poemas.

Step seven: agreement. Colorido, original agree with mural, and emocionante is the same for both genders.

Step eight: check. The verbs match the arts, the adjectives agree, estar gives location, and the preterite tells finished events.

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Complete: Yo ___ (tocar) el piano y mi hermano ___ (jugar) al fútbol.
Show the full solution

Tocar for instruments, and jugar a for sports. toco; juega
Complete: La canción es muy ___ (bonito).
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Feminine agreement. bonita
Complete: El museo ___ en el centro. (ser or estar)
Show the full solution

Location. está
Say "I like this painting because it is colorful."
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Me gusta esta pintura porque es colorida.
Say "The concert was fantastic. I want to go again."
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A finished event, and a wish. El concierto fue fantástico. Quiero ir otra vez.
Say "I think that this novel is more interesting than the other one."
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Creer que, with a comparison. Creo que esta novela es más interesante que la otra.
Say "The artist painted a mural on the wall of the school, and everyone liked it."
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The preterite, and gustar in the preterite with les and a pronoun. El artista pintó un mural en la pared de la escuela y a todos les gustó.
Find and fix the errors: Juego la guitarra. La canción es bonito. El museo es en el centro.
Show the full solution

An instrument takes tocar, the adjective agrees, and location takes estar. Toco la guitarra. La canción es bonita. El museo está en el centro.
Explain the difference between tocar and jugar.
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Tocar is used for instruments and jugar for games and sports. Tocar: instruments. Jugar: games and sports.
Write a paragraph of at least six sentences about an art form you like, including an opinion, a description and a past event.
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One correct answer: Me gusta mucho la música. Toco la guitarra desde hace tres años. Para mí, la música es emocionante porque expresa muchos sentimientos. El mes pasado fui a un concierto de música folclórica. Fue una experiencia inolvidable. Creo que la música es el arte más universal. The paragraph uses the present, the preterite and a superlative. Me gusta mucho la música. Toco la guitarra desde hace tres años. Para mí, la música es emocionante porque expresa muchos sentimientos. El mes pasado fui a un concierto de música folclórica. Fue una experiencia inolvidable. Creo que la música es el arte más universal.

Lesson 10.5 · Unit 10 · Communication: interpretive

Reading a text you do not fully understand

A reader of a second language never knows every word, and success depends on strategies: recognizing cognates, using context, guessing from word parts, and reading for the main idea first. This lesson gives you five strategies and a warning about the words that look like English but are not. It then applies them to a short original text.

The method

Read for the main idea first. Read the title and the first and last sentences. Ask what the text is about before you ask what each word means.
Cognates. Words that look alike in both languages: importante, familia, música, problema, hospital, ciudad (city). Most words ending in -ción are -tion words, -dad is -ty, and -oso is -ous.
False cognates. embarazada is "pregnant", not "embarrassed" (that is avergonzado). Librería is a bookstore, not a library (biblioteca). Éxito is "success", not "exit" (salida). Actualmente is "currently", not "actually". Carpeta is a folder, not a carpet. Constipado is "stuffed up with a cold".
Context. Read the sentence around the word. A verb's ending tells its tense, a noun's article tells its gender, and the surrounding words suggest the meaning.
Word parts. -mente is -ly, des- is un-, re- is again. Rápidamente, desconocido, rehacer.
Word families. If you know trabajar, you can guess trabajo, trabajador, trabajadora. If you know vivir, you can guess vivienda, viviente.
Do not translate word by word. Read in phrases. Spanish word order differs, and adjectives usually follow the noun.
Go back with questions. After one reading, ask who, what, where, when and why, and read again for the answers.

Where students lose marks: Trusting a false cognate (Fui a la librería a estudiar does not mean the library), translating every word, and stopping at the first unknown word. Read for the main idea, then use context and word parts to fill in details.

Worked example

The problem. Read this text and answer the questions: Cada sábado, la señora Torres abre su librería a las nueve de la mañana. Es una tienda pequeña, pero tiene muchos libros viejos y raros. Hoy, un joven entró y pidió un libro sobre la historia del barrio. La señora Torres sonrió porque ese libro estaba escondido en un estante alto. Lo buscó con una escalera, lo encontró y se lo dio. El joven le dijo: "Muchas gracias. Es exactamente lo que necesitaba". (1) What is the text about? (2) What is the librería? (3) What did the young man ask for? (4) Where was the book? (5) How did the owner feel?

Step one: the main idea. The title is missing, but the first sentence says a woman opens her librería every Saturday, so the text is about a bookstore.

Step two: false cognate. Librería looks like "library", but a person who opens it and sells things is running a bookstore. The library is biblioteca.

Step three: what he asked for. Pidió un libro sobre la historia del barrio: a book about the history of the neighborhood.

Step four: where it was. Estaba escondido en un estante alto: it was hidden on a high shelf. Escondido and estante can be guessed from context: a book that is hard to find sits on a high shelf.

Step five: the feeling. La señora Torres sonrió: she smiled, so she was pleased.

Step six: the sequence. She looked for the book with a ladder, found it and gave it to him: Lo buscó, lo encontró y se lo dio.

Step seven: the ending. The young man thanked her, and said it was exactly what he needed.

Step eight: check. Each answer comes from the text, with the false cognate corrected by context.

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Which of these is a false cognate: importante, éxito, familia?
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Éxito means "success", not "exit". éxito
What does librería mean?
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A bookstore. The library is biblioteca. bookstore
What is the English for rápidamente?
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-mente is -ly. quickly
Guess the meaning of desconocido using the word parts: des- plus conocido.
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Des- is "un-", and conocido is "known". unknown
What does the ending -ción usually correspond to in English?
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-tion (as in nación, acción)
Read: Mi tía está embarazada y va a tener un bebé en mayo. What does embarazada mean here?
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The context (a baby in May) shows that it means "pregnant", not "embarrassed". pregnant
Read: El éxito de la obra fue enorme, y la gente salió contenta del teatro. What does éxito mean?
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The audience left happy, so the play was a success. success
Find and fix the error in the strategy: Cuando no conozco una palabra, dejo de leer.
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Do not stop at an unknown word; read on, use the context, and return to it. Cuando no conozco una palabra, sigo leyendo y uso el contexto.
Explain how to use word parts to guess rehacer.
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Re- means "again", and hacer means "to do" or "to make", so rehacer is "to redo". Re- = again, hacer = to do.
Read this short text and write two sentences in Spanish about it: Cada mañana, el panadero se levanta a las cuatro. Prepara el pan y lo pone en el horno. A las siete, la tienda abre y la gente llega. Todos compran pan caliente.
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One correct answer: El panadero se levanta muy temprano. Prepara el pan antes de abrir la tienda. The answers use the same verbs, and the text is read for the main idea. El panadero se levanta muy temprano. Prepara el pan antes de abrir la tienda.

Lesson 10.6 · Unit 10 · Structures

How something is done

An adverb tells how, when or how much something is done. Many Spanish adverbs end in -mente, the equivalent of "-ly", and they are formed from adjectives by a rule with two parts. This lesson teaches the rule, the cases where the adverb does not follow it, and the common adverbs that are not formed this way at all. It also shows how adverbs compare, since the superlative and the comparative work with them.

The method

Take the feminine singular of the adjective and add -mente. rápida → rápidamente; lenta → lentamente; clara → claramente; tranquila → tranquilamente.
Adjectives with one form for both genders just add -mente. fácil → fácilmente; frecuente → frecuentemente; feliz → felizmente.
An accent on the adjective stays. fácil → fácilmente; rápida → rápidamente. The adverb has two stresses, one on the adjective and one on -mente.
Two adverbs in a series: only the last takes -mente. Habla lenta y claramente. Lenta keeps the feminine form.
Irregular adverbs. bien (not buenamente), mal (not malamente). Mejor and peor are both an adjective and an adverb.
Other adverbs that do not end in -mente. a menudo, de vez en cuando, casi, apenas, ya, todavía, siempre, nunca, mucho, poco, pronto, tarde, temprano.
Position. Usually right after the verb: Habla claramente. Short adverbs like ya, siempre, nunca often come before it: Ya comí.
Comparisons. Habla más claramente que yo. Corre lo más rápido posible. Cada vez habla mejor.

Where students lose marks: Using the masculine form (rápidomente), adding -mente to each adverb in a series (lentamente y claramente), using buenamente for bien, and dropping the accent (facilmente). Use the feminine form of the adjective, add -mente once, and keep the accent.

Worked example

The problem. Write six sentences with adverbs: (1) He speaks slowly and clearly. (2) She runs quickly. (3) We easily finished the work. (4) You (informal) speak very well. (5) I can hardly hear you. (6) He eats less and less.

Step one: sentence 1. A series of two adverbs: lenta keeps the feminine form, and only the last takes -mente: Habla lenta y claramente.

Step two: sentence 2. Rápida plus -mente: Ella corre rápidamente.

Step three: sentence 3. Fácil plus -mente, keeping the accent: Terminamos el trabajo fácilmente.

Step four: sentence 4. Bien is irregular: Hablas muy bien.

Step five: sentence 5. Apenas is an adverb with no ending: Apenas te oigo.

Step six: sentence 6. A comparison of an adverb: Él come cada vez menos.

Step seven: the rule. The adverbs lentamente, claramente, rápidamente, fácilmente come from lenta, clara, rápida, fácil plus -mente.

Step eight: check. The feminine form, one -mente in a series, the irregular bien, and the accent kept in fácilmente.

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Form the adverb from rápida, clara, tranquila.
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rápidamente, claramente, tranquilamente
Form the adverb from fácil, frecuente, feliz.
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These adjectives have one form. fácilmente, frecuentemente, felizmente
Complete: Ella habla ___ (lento) y ___ (claro).
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Only the last takes -mente. lenta; claramente
Complete: Mi hermano canta muy ___ (bueno).
Show the full solution

The adverb of bueno is bien. bien
Say "I always study carefully."
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Cuidadosa → cuidadosamente, and siempre before the verb. Siempre estudio cuidadosamente.
Say "She answered the question quickly and correctly."
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A series of two adverbs. Contestó la pregunta rápida y correctamente.
Say "I hardly ever go to the movies, but I often watch movies at home."
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Casi nunca and a menudo. Casi nunca voy al cine, pero a menudo veo películas en casa.
Find and fix the errors: Habla lentamente y claramente. Corre rápidomente. Canta buenamente.
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Only the last adverb in a series takes -mente, the adverb uses the feminine form, and bien is irregular. Habla lenta y claramente. Corre rápidamente. Canta bien.
Explain why fácilmente keeps its accent.
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The adverb keeps the accent of the adjective, and the added -mente carries a second stress. The accent is kept from the adjective.
Write six sentences about how you do things, using at least four adverbs ending in -mente and two without.
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One correct answer: Normalmente me levanto temprano. Hablo tranquilamente con mi familia. Estudio cuidadosamente para los exámenes. Nunca llego tarde. Cocino bien. Mi hermano canta fuerte y claramente. The -mente adverbs are correctly formed. Normalmente me levanto temprano. Hablo tranquilamente con mi familia. Estudio cuidadosamente para los exámenes. Nunca llego tarde. Cocino bien. Mi hermano canta fuerte y claramente.

Lesson 10.7 · Unit 10 · Communication: presentational

Joining sentences into paragraphs

A paragraph is more than sentences placed next to each other: it has a main idea, supporting details and links between them. The links are connectors, the small words and phrases that tell the reader how one sentence relates to the last. This lesson gives you the connectors that matter most, including the difference between pero and sino, and the shape of a paragraph so that your writing reads as one connected piece.

The method

Adding. y, además, también, asimismo. Estudio mucho. Además, practico todos los días.
Contrasting. pero, sin embargo, en cambio, aunque. Quiero ir, pero no puedo. Es caro. Sin embargo, es bueno.
Pero against sino. Sino corrects a negative: No es rojo, sino azul. Pero adds a contrast: Es rojo, pero bonito.
Aunque plus the indicative. Aunque llueve, salgo. ("Although it is raining, I am going out.") A known fact takes the indicative.
Cause and result. porque, ya que, por eso, así que, por lo tanto, entonces. Estudié mucho, por eso saqué una buena nota.
Time and order. primero, luego, después, mientras, cuando, antes de, después de, finalmente.
Examples and conclusion. por ejemplo, es decir, en resumen, en conclusión.
The paragraph. A topic sentence states the idea, two or three supporting sentences develop it, and a concluding sentence closes it. Use at least one connector between sentences.

Where students lose marks: Using pero after a negative to correct (No es rojo pero azul, which needs sino), and repeating y before every item in a series (Estudié, y fui, y comí). Choose the connector by the relationship: add, contrast, cause or order.

Worked example

The problem. Write a paragraph of six sentences about why you study Spanish, with a topic sentence, three supporting sentences with connectors, a contrast and a conclusion.

Step one: topic. Estudio español porque me parece muy útil. Porque gives the cause.

Step two: support one. Primero, hay muchos hispanohablantes en mi comunidad. Primero orders the support.

Step three: support two. Además, quiero viajar a otros países y hablar con las personas. Además adds.

Step four: support three. Por eso, practico todos los días con mis amigos. Por eso gives a result.

Step five: the contrast. No es fácil, pero me gusta aprender. Pero adds a contrast.

Step six: the conclusion. En conclusión, el español me ayudará en mi futuro. En conclusión closes.

Step seven: connectors. The connectors are porque, primero, además, por eso, pero, en conclusión.

Step eight: check. A topic sentence, three supports, a contrast and a conclusion, each linked by a connector.

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Complete with pero or sino: No es azul, ___ verde.
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Sino corrects a negative. sino
Complete with pero or sino: Quiero ir, ___ no puedo.
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pero
Complete with a connector: Estudié mucho; ___, saqué una buena nota. (as a result)
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por eso
Complete with a connector: Me gusta la música. ___, toco la guitarra. (in addition)
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Además
Say "Although it is cold, I am going to the beach."
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Aunque with the indicative. Aunque hace frío, voy a la playa.
Say "It is not easy, but it is interesting."
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A contrast with pero. No es fácil, pero es interesante.
Say "I do not want tea, but coffee."
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A correction with sino. No quiero té, sino café.
Find and fix the errors: No es rojo pero azul. Estudié, y fui, y comí, y dormí. Aunque llueve, salgo.
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A correction takes sino, a series should use commas and one y, and the third sentence is correct. No es rojo, sino azul. Estudié, fui, comí y dormí. Aunque llueve, salgo.
Explain the difference between pero and sino.
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Pero adds a contrast; sino corrects a negative statement with the right alternative. Pero: contrast. Sino: correction after a negative.
Write a paragraph of at least eight sentences about a topic you care about, with a topic sentence, three supports, a contrast with pero or sino, a cause with por eso or porque, and a conclusion.
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One correct answer: Creo que los animales son muy importantes en nuestra vida. Primero, nos dan compañía. Además, ayudan a muchas personas, como los perros guía. Aunque algunos son caros, vale la pena tenerlos. No son solo mascotas, sino parte de la familia. Por eso, hay que cuidarlos bien. Mi perro me espera todos los días, y siempre me alegra el día. En conclusión, los animales hacen nuestra vida mejor. The paragraph has a topic sentence, supports, a contrast, a cause and a conclusion. Creo que los animales son muy importantes en nuestra vida. Primero, nos dan compañía. Además, ayudan a muchas personas, como los perros guía. Aunque algunos son caros, vale la pena tenerlos. No son solo mascotas, sino parte de la familia. Por eso, hay que cuidarlos bien. Mi perro me espera todos los días, y siempre me alegra el día. En conclusión, los animales hacen nuestra vida mejor.

Unit 10 review · 10 problems · all lessons

Unit 10 review: Celebrations, Arts and Connected Writing

These are mixed across all seven lessons and do not say which idea they want. Choose the tense by the frame, the adverb ending by the rule, and the connector by the relationship between the two ideas.

Say "The Day of the Dead is celebrated on November 2."
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The passive se with a singular noun, and a date with el and de. El Día de los Muertos se celebra el dos de noviembre.
Say "Merry Christmas!"
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Both exclamation marks are required. ¡Feliz Navidad!
Say "Everyone was dancing when the cake arrived."
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The interruption pattern. Todos bailaban cuando llegó la torta.
Write a tú command for a recipe: "Cut the onion and add the salt."
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Cortar and agregar in the tú command. Corta la cebolla y agrega la sal.
Say "I play the guitar, and my brother plays soccer."
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Tocar for an instrument, jugar a for a sport. Toco la guitarra y mi hermano juega al fútbol.
What does librería mean, and what is the Spanish for "library"?
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Librería is a false cognate. bookstore; biblioteca
Form the adverbs from rápida and fácil.
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Feminine form plus -mente, keeping the accent. rápidamente, fácilmente
Complete with pero or sino: No es azul, ___ verde. Quiero ir, ___ no puedo.
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Sino corrects a negative, and pero adds a contrast. sino; pero
Say "Although it is cold, I am going out."
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Aunque with the indicative. Aunque hace frío, salgo.
Write a six-sentence paragraph about a holiday you like, with a topic sentence, two supports with connectors, a contrast and a conclusion.
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One correct answer: Me gusta mucho el Día de los Muertos. Primero, la familia se reúne para recordar a las personas queridas. Además, se prepara comida especial y se hacen ofrendas con flores. Aunque hay tristeza, también hay mucha alegría. No es solo una fiesta, sino una forma de amar a la familia. En conclusión, es una tradición muy hermosa. The paragraph has a topic sentence, supports, a contrast and a conclusion. Me gusta mucho el Día de los Muertos. Primero, la familia se reúne para recordar a las personas queridas. Además, se prepara comida especial y se hacen ofrendas con flores. Aunque hay tristeza, también hay mucha alegría. No es solo una fiesta, sino una forma de amar a la familia. En conclusión, es una tradición muy hermosa.

Lesson 11.1 · Unit 11 · Communication: interpersonal

Asking, answering and keeping it going

A real conversation about the past is not a list of sentences. One person asks, the other answers in the right tense, and both show interest with small phrases that keep the exchange moving. This lesson gives you the questions that start a conversation about what happened, the answers that use both past tenses correctly, and the phrases that make you sound like a listener as well as a speaker.

The method

Questions about events (preterite). ¿Qué hiciste el fin de semana? ¿Adónde fuiste? ¿Con quién saliste? ¿Qué pasó? ¿Cuándo llegaste?
Questions about scenes (imperfect). ¿Cómo era el lugar? ¿Cuántas personas había? ¿Qué tiempo hacía? ¿Cómo te sentías?
Questions about opinions. ¿Te gustó? ¿Qué te pareció? ¿Lo pasaste bien? Gustar in the preterite is gustó or gustaron.
Questions about experience. ¿Has estado en ...? ¿Alguna vez has probado ...? The present perfect for experience up to now.
Answers in the right tense. Fui a la playa con mis primos. Hacía sol y había mucha gente. Lo pasamos muy bien.
Reactions that show interest. ¿De verdad? ¡Qué bueno! ¡Qué lástima! ¡Qué divertido! ¿Y luego qué pasó? ¿Y tú?
Keep the conversation balanced. After you answer, ask a question back: ¿Y tú? ¿Qué hiciste tú?
Tú or usted. With a friend, tú: ¿Qué hiciste? With an adult you do not know, usted: ¿Qué hizo usted? Keep the same form throughout.

Where students lose marks: Answering the question in the wrong tense (¿Qué hiciste? Voy al cine), forgetting to return the question, and using tú then usted in the same conversation. Listen for the tense in the question, and answer in the same tense.

Worked example

The problem. Write a ten-line conversation between two friends about last weekend: one asks what the other did, the second answers with an event and a description, the first reacts and asks another question, the second answers, and they end by making a plan.

Step one: opening question. ¿Qué hiciste el fin de semana? A question about events, preterite, tú.

Step two: answer. Fui a San Diego con mi familia. Hacía mucho sol y había muchas personas en la playa. An event, then the scene.

Step three: reaction. ¡Qué bueno! ¿Lo pasaste bien? A reaction and a question about opinion.

Step four: opinion. Sí, lo pasé muy bien. Nadamos, comimos y caminamos por la orilla. Three preterite events.

Step five: follow-up. ¿Y qué comieron? A question using the preterite with ustedes.

Step six: another answer. Comimos pescado y tacos. Mi hermano se quemó la nariz porque no se puso protector solar. ¿Y tú? ¿Qué hiciste? The question at the end keeps the exchange balanced.

Step seven: closing plan. Yo me quedé en casa. Vamos a ir al cine el sábado, ¿quieres venir? The plan uses the near future.

Step eight: check. The questions and answers share their tense, reactions show interest, and the exchange is balanced.

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Say "What did you do last night?" to a friend.
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¿Qué hiciste anoche?
Say "What was the weather like?"
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A scene, so the imperfect. ¿Qué tiempo hacía?
Say "Did you like the movie?"
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Gustar in the preterite. ¿Te gustó la película?
Say "Have you ever been to Mexico?"
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The present perfect for experience. ¿Has estado alguna vez en México?
Say "That's great! And then what happened?"
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¡Qué bueno! ¿Y luego qué pasó?
Answer: ¿Adónde fuiste el sábado? Say that you went to the park with your cousins, that it was sunny, and that you had a great time.
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An event, a scene and an opinion. Fui al parque con mis primos. Hacía sol y lo pasamos muy bien.
Say to an adult you do not know: "What did you do last weekend, and how was it?"
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Usted in both. ¿Qué hizo usted el fin de semana pasado y cómo fue?
Find and fix the errors: ¿Qué hiciste? Voy al cine. ¿Cómo era? Fue muy bonito y había mucha gente.
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Answer in the preterite, and describe the scene in the imperfect. Fui al cine. Era muy bonito y había mucha gente.
Explain why a conversation needs a question returned.
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Without one, it becomes a monologue. ¿Y tú? shows interest and keeps the exchange balanced. It keeps the conversation balanced.
Write a twelve-line conversation about a trip you took, with questions about events, scenes and opinions, reactions, and a plan to meet again.
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One correct answer: A: ¿Adónde fuiste de vacaciones? B: Fui a Colorado con mi familia. A: ¡Qué bueno! ¿Cómo era el lugar? B: Era muy bonito. Había montañas y hacía frío. A: ¿Qué hicieron? B: Esquiamos y comimos mucho chocolate caliente. A: ¿Lo pasaste bien? B: Sí, lo pasé fenomenal. ¿Y tú? A: Yo me quedé en casa, pero vi muchas películas. B: Vamos a ver una juntos el sábado. A: ¡Perfecto! The questions and answers share their tense. Use preterite for events, imperfect for scenes, reactions, and a question returned.

Lesson 11.2 · Unit 11 · Communication: presentational

Drafting, checking and revising

Writing a good narrative has two stages: drafting, where you tell the story, and revising, where you check it against the errors that cost the most marks. This lesson takes a draft with errors in it, shows how to find each type, and gives you a checklist for revising your own writing. The five errors the course has named are on the list, with the first-year errors that still matter.

The method

Read the draft aloud. Your ear catches missing endings and awkward word order that your eye misses.
Check the frame of every verb. Underline each past verb: events and reactions should be preterite; scenes, habits, feelings and ages should be imperfect.
Check the pronouns. Does every object pronoun have the right form (le/se, lo/la), the right place (before a conjugated verb, attached to an infinitive), and the order (indirect before direct)?
Check the stems and accents. Every irregular preterite stem (tuve, hice, dijo), every spelling change (busqué, llegué), and every accent (habló, hablo).
Check por and para. Cause, duration, exchange and route take por; goal, recipient, deadline and destination take para.
Check agreement and ser against estar. Adjectives agree with their nouns; ser names what it is, estar how or where.
Check connectors and sequence. Does each sentence link to the last? Is there a first, a middle and an end?
Rewrite, then reread. Make the corrections, read the text again, and fix any new errors.

Where students lose marks: Revising only for spelling, correcting the tense but not the agreement, and not reading the text aloud. Revise in passes, one error type at a time.

Worked example

The problem. Revise this draft: Ayer yo fui a la playa con mis amigos. Hizo mucho sol y había mucha gente. Yo no tuvé protector solar, y mi amigo me dio lo. Nosotros jugabamos al voleibol cuando llegó la lluvia. Fuimos a casa para el autobús, y yo estuve muy cansado.

Step one: frame. Hizo mucho sol describes the scene: Hacía mucho sol. Había mucha gente is correct.

Step two: stem. Tuvé is wrong: No tuve protector solar. The u-stem has no accent.

Step three: pronoun. Me dio lo is wrong: Me lo dio. The pronoun goes before the verb, and lo refers to protector solar.

Step four: accent. Jugabamos needs the accent: jugábamos.

Step five: por and para. Para el autobús is wrong: Volvimos a casa en el autobús. The means of transport takes en, so there is no por or para at all.

Step six: tense. Estuve muy cansado describes a state, so the imperfect: Estaba muy cansado.

Step seven: whole text. Ayer fui a la playa con mis amigos. Hacía mucho sol y había mucha gente. Yo no tuve protector solar, y mi amigo me lo dio. Nosotros jugábamos al voleibol cuando llegó la lluvia. Volvimos a casa en el autobús y yo estaba muy cansado.

Step eight: check. Six errors found by six kinds of checking, and the revised text reads correctly.

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Which is correct: Hizo calor or Hacía calor as the background of a story?
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A background description is imperfect. Hacía calor.
Fix the stem: Yo hací la cena y ella dijó que estaba buena.
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Hice and dijo, with no accent. Yo hice la cena y ella dijo que estaba buena.
Fix the pronoun: Dio me el libro y yo lo di a ella.
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Me goes before the verb, and le lo becomes se lo. Me dio el libro y yo se lo di a ella.
Fix por or para: Estudié para tres horas y compré un regalo por mi madre.
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A duration takes por, a recipient takes para. Estudié por tres horas y compré un regalo para mi madre.
Fix the agreement: La casa es grande y los ventanas son azul.
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Las ventanas is feminine plural, and azules is plural. La casa es grande y las ventanas son azules.
Fix ser or estar: Mi hermana es en la escuela y está muy inteligente.
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Location takes estar and a quality takes ser. Mi hermana está en la escuela y es muy inteligente.
Fix the pronouns: Yo le lo dije a ella ayer.
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Le lo becomes se lo. Yo se lo dije a ella ayer.
Find and fix the errors in the connectors: Estudié mucho. Saqué una buena nota. Estaba feliz.
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Add connectors to link the sentences. Estudié mucho, por eso saqué una buena nota y estaba feliz.
Explain why you should revise in separate passes.
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Each pass looks for one error type, so you are less likely to miss any. One error type per pass.
Write a short narrative of at least eight sentences, then list three errors you looked for when you revised it.
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One correct answer: Era una mañana fría y yo caminaba a la escuela. De repente vi un gato en la calle. Estaba solo y tenía hambre. Le di mi desayuno y él lo comió rápidamente. Después llamé a mi madre y se lo conté todo. Ella me dijo que podíamos adoptarlo. Fuimos al veterinario y lo examinaron. Ahora el gato vive con nosotros. Errors checked: the past tense of each verb, the pronouns (le, lo, se lo), and the accents. Check the tense, the pronouns and the accents.

Lesson 11.3 · Unit 11 · Comparisons

How one place differs from another

Comparison is a standard task in a language course, and it uses nearly everything you have learned: comparatives, ser and estar, hay, the passive se, the present for facts and the past for change. This lesson gives you the vocabulary for a community, the structures for comparing two of them, and the connectors that organize the comparison. The example compares a small town with a large city.

The method

Vocabulary of community. la población, el pueblo, la ciudad, el barrio, el clima, la costumbre, el transporte, el tráfico, la vida, el ritmo, la comunidad.
Comparatives. más ... que, menos ... que, tan ... como, tanto ... como. La ciudad es más grande que el pueblo.
The superlative. La ciudad más grande del país. El pueblo más tranquilo de la región.
Contrast connectors. mientras que, en cambio, a diferencia de, sin embargo, por otro lado. En la ciudad hay mucho ruido; en cambio, en el pueblo hay silencio.
Similarity connectors. igual que, como, del mismo modo, también. Como en mi barrio, aquí se celebra el Día de los Muertos.
Hay and se. En mi ciudad hay dos museos. Se habla español en muchas tiendas.
Then and now. Antes ... pero ahora ... The imperfect and the present for change.
Organize the comparison. An introduction, one paragraph of similarities, one of differences, and a conclusion with your opinion.

Where students lose marks: Using más bueno (mejor), using que before a number (más que diez, which needs de), and repeating pero in every sentence. Choose the comparison structure first, then the connector.

Worked example

The problem. Write a comparison paragraph of six sentences between a small town and a big city: size, noise, transportation, one similarity, and your opinion.

Step one: size. La ciudad es mucho más grande que el pueblo.

Step two: noise. En la ciudad hay más ruido; en cambio, en el pueblo hay más tranquilidad.

Step three: transportation. La ciudad tiene transporte público, mientras que en el pueblo la gente usa el coche.

Step four: similarity. Como en la ciudad, en el pueblo hay una plaza donde la gente se reúne. Reunirse is reflexive.

Step five: preference. Para mí, el pueblo es mejor que la ciudad. Mejor is the comparative of bueno.

Step six: reason. Prefiero el pueblo porque es más seguro y la gente se conoce. Preferir is a boot verb.

Step seven: connectors. The connectors are en cambio, mientras que, como, and the comparatives are más ... que and mejor que.

Step eight: check. The comparatives, the contrast and the similarity are each marked by the right structure.

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Complete: Mi ciudad es ___ grande ___ la tuya. (more than)
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más; que
Complete: Mi pueblo tiene ___ habitantes ___ tu ciudad. (as many as)
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Habitantes is masculine plural. tantos; como
Say "My city is the largest in the state."
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The superlative takes the article and de. Mi ciudad es la más grande del estado.
Say "In the city there is a lot of traffic; in contrast, in the town there is not."
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En cambio for contrast. En la ciudad hay mucho tráfico; en cambio, en el pueblo no hay.
Say "Like in my town, here people greet each other in the street."
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Como for similarity, and the reciprocal se saludan. Como en mi pueblo, aquí la gente se saluda en la calle.
Say "More than ten thousand people live in my neighborhood."
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A number takes de. Más de diez mil personas viven en mi barrio.
Say "Before, the town was smaller, but now it is bigger than the neighboring town."
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Antes with the imperfect, ahora with the present, and a comparative. Antes el pueblo era más pequeño, pero ahora es más grande que el pueblo vecino.
Find and fix the errors: La ciudad es más bueno que el pueblo. Hay más que cien tiendas.
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Mejor, and a number takes de. La ciudad es mejor que el pueblo. Hay más de cien tiendas.
Explain the difference between mientras que and mientras.
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Mientras que contrasts two things ("whereas"); mientras means "while" for two actions at the same time. Mientras que: whereas. Mientras: while.
Write a comparison of at least eight sentences between your community and one in a Spanish-speaking country, using at least three comparatives and three connectors.
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One correct answer: Mi ciudad es más grande que Oaxaca, pero Oaxaca tiene más tradiciones. En mi ciudad hay muchos coches; en cambio, en Oaxaca mucha gente camina. Como en mi ciudad, en Oaxaca hay mercados. Sin embargo, los mercados de Oaxaca son más coloridos. La comida es tan importante en Oaxaca como en mi casa. Para mí, las dos son interesantes. Prefiero Oaxaca porque me gusta la comida. En conclusión, cada lugar tiene su encanto. Comparatives, contrast, similarity and an opinion. Use comparatives, contrast and similarity connectors, and an opinion.

Lesson 11.4 · Unit 11 · Cultures

A language that is already here

Spanish is not only the language of other countries. It is spoken in millions of homes in the United States, and in California it is part of the names on the map, the food in the kitchen and the music on the radio. This lesson looks at the Spanish around you: place names and what they mean, words English borrowed, and the ways people use two languages every day. It gives you reading and writing practice on a subject you can observe yourself.

The method

Place names. Los Ángeles (the angels), San Francisco (Saint Francis), Sacramento (the sacrament), Santa Cruz (holy cross), San José (Saint Joseph), Sierra Nevada (snowy mountain range), Palo Alto (tall stick), Fresno (ash tree), Merced (mercy).
Words in English from Spanish. patio, plaza, canyon (cañón), mesa, adobe, rodeo, burrito, tortilla, salsa, tornado, mosquito.
Reading a place name. San, Santa are "Saint". Sierra is a mountain range, río a river, valle a valley, playa a beach, monte a mountain.
Spanish at home and at work. Se habla español en muchas casas, escuelas y negocios. The passive se describes it.
Using two languages. Many people switch between English and Spanish in one conversation. Linguists call it code-switching, and it is a normal skill of bilingual speakers.
Formal and informal. Tú with friends and family, usted with elders and in business. The choice shows respect.
Traditions you can see. Los murales, la música, los mercados, los festivales de comida, el Día de los Muertos. Celebrations are public and shared by neighbors of many backgrounds.
Questions to ask. ¿Qué idiomas hablas en casa? ¿Cómo se dice en español ...? ¿Qué significa este nombre?

Where students lose marks: Treating place names as only English (Los Angeles has a meaning), writing Santa Cruz as one word, and using usted with a friend or tú with an elder out of respect. Look at the language around you, and notice what the words mean.

Worked example

The problem. Write six sentences about the Spanish around you: (1) Los Ángeles means "the angels". (2) Many families speak Spanish at home. (3) The word patio comes from Spanish. (4) There are murals in my neighborhood. (5) I use tú with my friends and usted with my grandmother's neighbors. (6) I would like to learn about the names of my city.

Step one: sentence 1. Significar with the translation: Los Ángeles significa "the angels".

Step two: sentence 2. The passive or the plural subject: Muchas familias hablan español en casa.

Step three: sentence 3. Venir de for origin: La palabra patio viene del español.

Step four: sentence 4. Haber for existence: Hay murales en mi barrio.

Step five: sentence 5. Tú and usted: Uso tú con mis amigos y usted con los vecinos de mi abuela.

Step six: sentence 6. The conditional for a wish: Me gustaría aprender sobre los nombres de mi ciudad.

Step seven: tenses. Present for the facts, and the conditional for the wish.

Step eight: check. Significar, venir de, haber, tú and usted, and the conditional are each used correctly.

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Translate the meaning of Sierra Nevada.
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Sierra is a mountain range and nevada is snowy. snowy mountain range
What does Palo Alto mean?
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Palo is a stick or pole, and alto is tall. tall stick
What does San mean in a place name?
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Saint
Say "Many people speak Spanish at home."
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Muchas personas hablan español en casa.
Say "Spanish is spoken in many stores."
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The passive se with a plural noun, or with the language as the subject. Se habla español en muchas tiendas.
Say "The word tortilla comes from Spanish, and it means a thin flat bread in Mexico."
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Venir de and significar. La palabra tortilla viene del español y en México significa un pan plano y delgado.
Say "I use tú with my cousins and usted with my teachers."
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Uso tú con mis primos y usted con mis maestros.
Find and fix the errors: Los Ángeles no tiene significado. Usted con mis amigos. La palabra patio es del inglés.
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Los Ángeles means "the angels", tú goes with friends, and patio comes from Spanish. Los Ángeles significa "the angels". Tú con mis amigos. La palabra patio viene del español.
Explain why code-switching is a skill.
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A speaker who switches between two languages must know both well, and must know when each fits. It requires knowing both languages and when to use each.
Write a paragraph of at least eight sentences about the Spanish you see or hear around you, including the meaning of two place names and one tradition.
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One correct answer: En mi ciudad hay mucho español. Los nombres de las calles y de los parques tienen significado. San José significa "Saint Joseph" y Sacramento viene de una palabra que significa "sacramento". Muchas familias hablan español en casa y se habla español en las tiendas. A mí me gustan los murales de mi barrio porque son muy coloridos. En noviembre se celebra el Día de los Muertos con música y comida. Creo que es una parte muy importante de nuestra comunidad. The paragraph uses significar, the passive se and an opinion. Use significar, the passive se, hay, and an opinion about the community.

Lesson 11.5 · Unit 11 · Communication: presentational

Gathering the year into one talk

The year ends with a short presentation in Spanish about your own learning. It is a chance to use every major idea of the course in one place: the preterite for what you did, the imperfect for what things were like, the present perfect for what you have achieved, the future for what is next, and the connectors that make a talk sound like one piece. This lesson gives you a plan and a model, and it asks you to prepare your own.

The method

Plan five parts. An introduction, a memory of the start of the year, a highlight, what you have learned, and your plans.
The introduction. Hola, me llamo ... y voy a hablar de mi año con el español. Voy a hablar de plus a topic.
The memory (imperfect and preterite). Al principio del año no sabía mucho. Tenía miedo de hablar. Un día me atreví y hablé con mi maestra.
The highlight (preterite). Lo mejor del año fue ... Me gustó mucho ... Aprendí a ...
What you have learned (present perfect). He aprendido a contar historias. He escrito un cuento. He hablado con personas nuevas.
Plans (future). El año que viene seguiré estudiando. Viajaré a un país hispanohablante. Hablaré con más confianza.
Close with thanks and an invitation. Gracias por escucharme. ¿Tienen preguntas?
Delivery. Speak slowly, look at your audience, and use notes, not a script. Practice each part aloud until it flows.

Where students lose marks: Reading from a page, mixing tú and usted with the audience, and forgetting to link the parts with connectors. Plan the five parts, mark each tense, and rehearse aloud.

Worked example

The problem. Write a presentation of at least ten sentences that includes the five parts: an introduction, a memory of the start of the year, a highlight, what you have learned, and your plans.

Step one: introduction. Buenos días a todos. Me llamo Marta y voy a hablar de mi año con el español.

Step two: the memory. Al principio, no sabía mucho. Tenía miedo de hablar y siempre usaba el inglés. The imperfect for the state and the habit.

Step three: the turning point. Un día me atreví a hablar con mi maestra y ella me ayudó. The preterite for the event.

Step four: the highlight. Lo mejor del año fue la unidad sobre el pasado. Aprendí a contar historias.

Step five: what I have learned. He aprendido a usar el pretérito y el imperfecto. He escrito varios cuentos. The present perfect.

Step six: the plans. El año que viene seguiré estudiando y viajaré a México. The future.

Step seven: the close. Gracias por escucharme. ¿Tienen preguntas?

Step eight: check. Every part uses the right tense: imperfect for the beginning, preterite for the events, perfect for what I have learned, and future for plans.

Practice · 10 problems

Problems 1 to 5 are routine. Problems 6 to 10 are multi-step or ask for reasoning.

Say "I am going to talk about my year with Spanish."
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Voy a hablar de mi año con el español.
Say "At the beginning of the year, I did not know much."
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A state in the past, so the imperfect. Al principio del año no sabía mucho.
Say "One day I dared to speak with my teacher."
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An event, so the preterite, with atreverse. Un día me atreví a hablar con mi maestro.
Say "I have learned to tell stories."
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The present perfect. He aprendido a contar historias.
Say "Next year I will keep studying."
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The future. El año que viene seguiré estudiando.
Say "The best part of the year was the unit about travel, because I learned to give directions."
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The preterite for the highlight. Lo mejor del año fue la unidad sobre los viajes porque aprendí a dar direcciones.
Say "Thank you for listening. Do you have any questions?" to a group.
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Ustedes in the question. Gracias por escucharme. ¿Tienen preguntas?
Find and fix the errors: Al principio yo fui muy tímido. He aprendido ayer a usar el imperfecto. El año que viene estudio más.
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A state is imperfect, ayer takes the preterite, and the future is more natural for a plan. Al principio yo era muy tímido. Ayer aprendí a usar el imperfecto. El año que viene estudiaré más.
Explain how a presentation uses all of the tenses you learned.
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The imperfect sets the scene, the preterite tells events, the perfect shows what you have learned, and the future gives plans. Imperfect: scene. Preterite: events. Perfect: achievements. Future: plans.
Write the full text of a presentation of at least twelve sentences about your year of Spanish, with all five parts, at least one example of each tense, two connectors and a closing question.
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One correct answer: Buenos días. Me llamo Daniel y voy a hablar de mi año con el español. Al principio del año no sabía mucho y tenía miedo de equivocarme. Un día me atreví a hablar con mi maestra y ella me dijo que los errores son parte del aprendizaje. Lo mejor del año fue la unidad sobre las historias, porque aprendí a usar el pretérito y el imperfecto. Además, escribí un cuento sobre un perro perdido. He aprendido a usar los mandatos y la palabra se. Por eso, ahora puedo dar instrucciones y hablar de costumbres. El año que viene seguiré estudiando y viajaré a un país hispanohablante. Hablaré con más confianza. Gracias por escucharme. ¿Tienen preguntas? The tenses match the parts, and the connectors link them. A five-part talk with the imperfect, preterite, perfect and future, connectors, and a closing question.

Unit 11 review · 10 problems · all lessons

Unit 11 review: Putting the Year Together

These are mixed across all five lessons and do not say which idea they want. The problems ask for conversation, revision, comparison, the Spanish around you and a presentation.

Say "What did you do last night? Did you like the movie?"
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A question about an event, and gustar in the preterite. ¿Qué hiciste anoche? ¿Te gustó la película?
Fix the errors: Hizo calor y había mucha gente. Dio me el libro.
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A background description is imperfect, and the pronoun goes before the verb. Hacía calor y había mucha gente. Me dio el libro.
Say "My city is larger than yours, but yours has more museums."
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A comparison, and a possessive pronoun with its article. Mi ciudad es más grande que la tuya, pero la tuya tiene más museos.
Say "Los Ángeles means 'the angels'."
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Significar gives the meaning. Los Ángeles significa "the angels".
Say "Spanish is spoken in many stores in my city."
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The passive se. Se habla español en muchas tiendas de mi ciudad.
Say "At the beginning of the year I did not know much; now I have learned a lot."
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The imperfect for the earlier state, and the present perfect for what you have achieved. Al principio del año no sabía mucho; ahora he aprendido mucho.
Say "Next year I will study more, and I will travel to Chile."
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Two futures. El año que viene estudiaré más y viajaré a Chile.
Find and fix the errors: Al principio yo fui tímido. He aprendido ayer el imperfecto. Gracias para escuchar.
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A state is imperfect, ayer takes the preterite, and a cause takes por. Al principio yo era tímido. Ayer aprendí el imperfecto. Gracias por escucharme.
Explain how you would revise a narrative you have written.
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Read it aloud, then check in separate passes: the frame of each verb, the pronouns, the stems and accents, por and para, and agreement. One error type per pass.
Write the closing of a presentation about your year of Spanish: one sentence that looks forward, one of thanks and one question to the audience.
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One correct answer: El año que viene seguiré estudiando y hablaré con más confianza. Gracias por escucharme. ¿Tienen preguntas? The future looks forward, and tienen uses ustedes. El año que viene seguiré estudiando y hablaré con más confianza. Gracias por escucharme. ¿Tienen preguntas?

Cumulative review 1 · 10 problems · units 1 to 6

Everything from review through travel and the city

A unit review tells you which unit a problem came from. This one does not, which is the point: naming the kind of problem before you write any Spanish is half the work. Decide the frame, the person and the pronouns first, then check every ending, accent and inverted mark.

Say "Yesterday I looked for my keys, and I found them in the kitchen."
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The yo form of buscar has the spelling change, and the pronoun las replaces mis llaves. Ayer busqué mis llaves y las encontré en la cocina.
Complete: Cuando yo ___ (ser) pequeña, ___ (jugar) con mis primos todos los veranos.
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A description and a habit, both imperfect. era; jugaba
Say "I was walking to school when I saw a friend."
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The action in progress is imperfect, the interruption is preterite, and a person takes the personal a. Caminaba a la escuela cuando vi a un amigo.
Replace the nouns with pronouns: Mi madre me compró los zapatos.
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Los zapatos becomes los, after the indirect me. Mi madre me los compró.
Say to a friend: "Don't do that; do your homework."
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A negative command from the yo form, and an irregular affirmative command. No hagas eso; haz tu tarea.
Say "My feet hurt and I have a fever, so I have to go to the doctor."
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Doler agrees with pies, tener names the fever, and tener que takes an infinitive. Me duelen los pies y tengo fiebre, así que tengo que ir al médico.
Complete with por or para: Gracias ___ tu ayuda; este regalo es ___ ti.
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A cause takes por, and a recipient takes para. por; para
Say "I do not see anyone, and nobody called me."
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A negative after the verb needs no, and the personal a goes before nadie. No veo a nadie y nadie me llamó.
Find and fix the errors: Ayer yo hací la tarea y mi hermana dijó la verdad. Cuando eramos niños, jugabamos mucho.
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Hice and dijo have irregular stems with no accent, and éramos and jugábamos need their accents. Ayer yo hice la tarea y mi hermana dijo la verdad. Cuando éramos niños, jugábamos mucho.
Write five sentences about a day when something unexpected happened: the scene in the imperfect, the events in the preterite, and one sentence with two pronouns.
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One correct answer: Era un lunes y llovía. Yo caminaba a la escuela cuando vi un paraguas en la calle. Lo recogí. Luego se lo di a una señora que lo buscaba. Ella me dio las gracias. The scene is imperfect, the events are preterite, and se lo is the double pronoun. Era un lunes y llovía. Yo caminaba a la escuela cuando vi un paraguas en la calle. Lo recogí. Luego se lo di a una señora que lo buscaba. Ella me dio las gracias.

Cumulative review 2 · 10 problems · units 1 to 11

Everything from review through the final presentation

This is the last mixed set of the year. It draws on all eleven units and does not say which idea each problem wants. For each one, name the frame and the person, then choose the form and check the five errors the course has named.

Say "When I was a child, my neighborhood was quiet; now it is noisier, and they built a mall last year."
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The imperfect for the earlier state, the present for now, and the preterite for the change. Cuando era niño, mi barrio era tranquilo; ahora es más ruidoso y el año pasado construyeron un centro comercial.
Say "I have not finished the homework yet, but I will do it tonight."
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Todavía no with the perfect, then the irregular future with a pronoun. Todavía no he terminado la tarea, pero la haré esta noche.
Say to a stranger: "Please sit down and tell me what hurts."
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Usted commands, with pronouns attached and accents. Siéntese, por favor, y dígame qué le duele.
Say "If I have time, I will send it to you tomorrow" (the file).
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Si plus the present, then the future with two pronouns, indirect first. Si tengo tiempo, te lo enviaré mañana.
Say "She said that she would work for a company, and she wants to be an engineer."
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Reported speech takes the conditional, an employer takes para, and a profession takes no article. Dijo que trabajaría para una empresa y quiere ser ingeniera.
Say "Where is Marcos? He is probably sick because he did not come yesterday."
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The future of probability for a guess about now, and the preterite for a finished event. ¿Dónde estará Marcos? Estará enfermo porque no vino ayer.
Say "In this town, Spanish is spoken and many traditions are celebrated."
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The passive se agrees with its noun. En este pueblo se habla español y se celebran muchas tradiciones.
Find and fix the errors: Si tendré tiempo, iré. Estudié para tres horas. Los dos hermanos se ayuda.
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No future after si, a duration takes por, and a reciprocal verb is plural. Si tengo tiempo, iré. Estudié por tres horas. Los dos hermanos se ayudan.
Say "This is more important than that, and it is the most interesting book of the year."
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The neuter forms refer to ideas, and the superlative takes the article and de. Esto es más importante que eso y es el libro más interesante del año.
Write a paragraph of eight sentences about what you did in Spanish this year, using at least one preterite, one imperfect, one present perfect, one future, one command and two connectors.
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One correct answer: Al principio del año no sabía mucho español. Un día hablé con mi maestra y me ayudó mucho. He aprendido a contar historias y a dar instrucciones. Por eso, ahora escribo con más confianza. Mi consejo es este: practica todos los días y no tengas miedo de equivocarte. Además, lee y escucha mucho. El año que viene seguiré estudiando. En conclusión, este año fue difícil, pero me gustó mucho. It has the imperfect, preterite, perfect, future, a command and connectors. Al principio del año no sabía mucho español. Un día hablé con mi maestra y me ayudó mucho. He aprendido a contar historias y a dar instrucciones. Por eso, ahora escribo con más confianza. Mi consejo es este: practica todos los días y no tengas miedo de equivocarte. Además, lee y escucha mucho. El año que viene seguiré estudiando. En conclusión, este año fue difícil, pero me gustó mucho.

Reference · always available

Every pattern this course lets you quote

This sheet lists the patterns the course establishes, with the lesson that develops each one. It is meant to be looked up, not memorized in one sitting. Where a pattern has a short explanation, the lesson gives it, and understanding where a form comes from is faster than recalling one you half remember. Spanish varies from country to country, so where a form differs by region the sheet gives the one this course uses and notes the other.

The checking routine: frame, then form. After writing any sentence, check six things in order: (1) the frame of every verb (finished event, scene or habit, command, future, perfect), (2) the person and the ending, (3) irregular stems, spelling changes and accents, (4) the form and place of every pronoun, (5) por against para, and (6) agreement, ser against estar, and the inverted marks.

The five errors this course names

Pattern	Where it comes from
The wrong past tense	A finished event is preterite; a scene, habit, feeling or age is imperfect. Not decided by English or by length of time. Lessons 4.1 to 4.4
The wrong pronoun form or place	Se lo for le lo; indirect before direct; before a conjugated verb or attached to an infinitive, a participle or an affirmative command. Lessons 1.5, 2.5, 2.6, 5.6
An irregular stem, spelling change or accent	Tuve, hice, dijo, busqué, pidió, habló / hablo. Lessons 2.1 to 2.3
The wrong command form	Affirmative tú from the él form with eight irregulars; negative tú and usted from the yo form with the opposite vowel. Lessons 5.3 to 5.6
Por against para	Para points forward (goal, recipient, deadline, destination); por looks back and around (cause, duration, exchange, route, means). Lessons 6.3, 6.4

The present tense and the first-year verbs (unit 1)

Pattern	Where it comes from
Regular endings: -ar -o, -as, -a, -amos, -an; -er -o, -es, -e, -emos, -en; -ir -o, -es, -e, -imos, -en	Lesson 1.1
Ser soy, eres, es, somos, son; estar estoy, estás, está, estamos, están; tener tengo, tienes, tiene, tenemos, tienen; ir voy, vas, va, vamos, van	Lesson 1.1
Boot verbs: e → ie, o → ue, u → ue (jugar), e → i; nosotros stays outside the boot	Lesson 1.2
Go verbs: hago, pongo, salgo, traigo, vengo, tengo, digo; odd yo: veo, doy, sé, conozco	Lesson 1.2
Gustar and its family (encantar, interesar, molestar, importar, faltar, doler): the thing liked is the subject; the pronoun is never optional	Lesson 1.3
Reflexives: me, te, se, nos, se; body parts and clothing take the article	Lesson 1.4
Direct object pronouns me, te, lo, la, nos, los, las; personal a for a specific person	Lesson 1.5
Comparisons: más / menos ... que, tan ... como, tanto ... como, mejor, peor, mayor, menor; superlative: article + más + adjective + de; a number takes de	Lesson 1.7

The preterite (units 1 and 2)

Pattern	Where it comes from
Regular: -ar -é, -aste, -ó, -amos, -aron; -er / -ir -í, -iste, -ió, -imos, -ieron	Lesson 1.6
Ir and ser: fui, fuiste, fue, fuimos, fueron; dar: di, diste, dio; ver: vi, viste, vio	Lesson 1.6
Spelling in yo: -car → -qué, -gar → -gué, -zar → -cé; leyó, leyeron, oyó, construyó	Lesson 2.1
Irregular stems with -e, -iste, -o, -imos, -ieron (no accents): u (estuv-, tuv-, pud-, pus-, sup-, hub-), i (hic-/hizo, quis-, vin-), j (dij-, traj-, conduj-, with -eron)	Lesson 2.2
-ir boot verbs change in él and ellos only: pidió, durmió, prefirió, sirvió, -ar and -er verbs have no boot	Lesson 2.3
Sequence words: primero, luego, después, entonces, más tarde, finalmente, por fin, al final, de repente	Lesson 2.4
Indirect object pronouns me, te, le, nos, les; the "to whom, for whom" test; pedir against preguntar	Lesson 2.5
Two pronouns: indirect before direct; le / les + lo / la / los / las → se lo ...	Lesson 2.6
Hace + time with the preterite is "ago"; hace ... que with the present is "for"; durante for a finished duration	Lesson 2.7

The imperfect and the choice between the two pasts (units 3 and 4)

Pattern	Where it comes from
-ar -aba, -abas, -aba, -ábamos, -aban; -er / -ir -ía, -ías, -ía, -íamos, -ían; no stem or spelling changes	Lessons 3.1, 3.2
Three irregular: ser era, eras, era, éramos, eran; ir iba, ibas, iba, íbamos, iban; ver veía, veías, veía, veíamos, veían; hay → había	Lesson 3.3
Imperfect uses: habit, description, age, time, weather, feelings and thoughts, an action in progress, two actions at once with mientras	Lessons 3.4, 3.6
Imperfect progressive: estaba / estabas / estaba / estábamos / estaban + -ando / -iendo; stem changes and y in the participle (durmiendo, leyendo)	Lesson 3.6
Antes with the imperfect, ahora with the present; ya no, todavía	Lesson 3.7
Preterite: finished event, beginning or end, a chain of events, a counted number of times, a sudden reaction	Lessons 4.1, 4.2
The interruption: imperfect for what was in progress, preterite for what broke in	Lesson 4.3
Verbs that change meaning: saber (knew / found out), conocer (knew / met), querer (wanted / tried; no quiso refused), poder (was able / managed; no pudo failed)	Lesson 4.5
A fable: opens with Había una vez (imperfect), events in the preterite, the moral in the present	Lesson 4.6

Commands (units 5 and 8)

Pattern	Where it comes from
Affirmative tú: the él form (habla, come, cierra); eight irregulars di, haz, ve, pon, sal, sé, ten, ven	Lesson 5.3
Negative tú: yo form, drop -o, opposite vowel: no hables, no comas; no hagas, no digas; no busques, no llegues, no empieces	Lesson 5.4
Fully irregular negatives and usted forms: ir vaya, ser sea, dar dé, estar esté, saber sepa	Lessons 5.4, 5.5
Usted commands: -e for -ar, -a for -er / -ir; ustedes adds -n; the same forms are affirmative and negative	Lesson 5.5
Pronouns attach to an affirmative command (with an accent: dímelo, siéntate, dáselo) and go before a negative one (no me lo digas)	Lesson 5.6
Advice: debes, tienes que, hay que, es importante + infinitive	Lesson 5.7

Por, para, negatives, numbers and se (units 6 and 7)

Pattern	Where it comes from
Para: purpose with an infinitive, recipient, deadline, destination, opinion, employer, use; after it mí, ti, él; conmigo, contigo	Lesson 6.3
Por: cause, duration, exchange, route, means, on behalf of, per, parts of the day, fixed expressions (por favor, por fin, por eso)	Lesson 6.4
Algo / nada, alguien / nadie, siempre / nunca, también / tampoco, algún / ningún; a negative after the verb needs no; a before alguien and nadie	Lesson 6.5
Numbers: cien (100), ciento before another number, quinientos, setecientos, novecientos; the hundreds agree with feminine nouns	Lesson 6.6
Verbs of change: ponerse (temporary), volverse (lasting), hacerse (through effort), convertirse en; emotions are reflexive	Lesson 7.2
Reciprocal nos and se with a plural verb	Lesson 7.3
Passive se agrees with the noun (se venden casas); impersonal se uses the singular (se vive bien); se busca a un ladrón	Lesson 7.4
Stressed possessives mío, tuyo, suyo, nuestro agree with the thing owned; el mío, la tuya; de él, de ella clears up suyo	Lesson 7.5
Demonstrative pronouns agree with the noun; neuter esto, eso, aquello for the unknown and for ideas; el de, la de	Lesson 7.6

The perfect, the future and the conditional (units 8 and 9)

Pattern	Where it comes from
Present perfect: he, has, ha, hemos, han + participle (-ado, -ido); the participle never agrees; nothing comes between the two; pronouns come first	Lesson 8.5
Irregular participles: abierto, cubierto, dicho, escrito, hecho, muerto, puesto, resuelto, roto, visto, vuelto; accents on leído, creído, oído	Lessons 8.5, 8.6
The perfect for a recent past that matters, an experience up to now, an unfinished period; the preterite for a finished period	Lesson 8.6
A profession after ser takes no article unless an adjective follows; trabajar en, para, de, como	Lesson 8.3
Future: infinitive + -é, -ás, -á, -emos, -án; twelve irregular stems cabr-, habr-, podr-, querr-, sabr-, pondr-, saldr-, tendr-, valdr-, vendr-, dir-, har-	Lessons 9.1, 9.2
The future of probability (Estará en casa) is a guess about now; ir a for a plan, the future for a promise or a forecast	Lesson 9.3
Conditional: infinitive (or the irregular stem) + -ía, -ías, -ía, -íamos, -ían; polite requests, wishes, advice, reported speech	Lesson 9.5
Si + present, then future, present or command; never the future after si; si has no accent	Lesson 9.6
Opinions: creo que, pienso que, me parece que + indicative; creo que no for a negative opinion	Lesson 9.7

Adverbs, connectors and writing (units 10 and 11)

Pattern	Where it comes from
Adverbs: feminine adjective + -mente; only the last adverb in a series takes it; bien and mal are irregular	Lesson 10.6
Pero adds a contrast; sino corrects a negative; aunque with the indicative; por eso, así que, sin embargo, además, en cambio	Lesson 10.7
A paragraph: topic sentence, supports, a contrast or example, a conclusion, linked by connectors	Lesson 10.7
Reading strategies: main idea first, cognates, false cognates (librería, éxito, embarazada, actualmente), context, word parts	Lesson 10.5
Holidays and customs use the passive se and the present; dates use el + day + de + month, and primero for the first	Lesson 10.1
Recipes: infinitive, tú or usted commands, or the passive se, kept consistent	Lesson 10.3
Formal letters: Estimado señor López: with a colon, usted throughout, Atentamente	Lesson 8.7
Revising: read aloud, then one error type per pass	Lesson 11.2

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