Book #1, Chapter #7, Grammar, Set #1 Flashcards
Give all of the Spanish reflexive pronouns.
Singular:
1st person –> me –> Yo me lavo.
2nd person –> te –> Tù te lavas.
3rd person –> se –> Usted/èl/ella se lava
Plural:
1st person –> nos –> Nosotros/as nos lavamos.
2nd person –> os –> Vosotros/as os lavàis
3rd person –> se –> Ustedes/ellos/ellas se lavan
Where are Spanish reflexive pronouns usually placed in a sentence?
Reflexive pronouns generally appear before a conjugated verb. With infinitives and present participles, they may be placed before the conjugated verb or attached to the infinitive or present participle.
Ellos se van a vestir. –> Ellos van a vestirse.
Nos estamos lavando las manos. –> Estamos lavàndonos las manos.
What happens with an accent mark when a reflexive pronoun is attached to a present participle?
When a reflexive pronoun is attached to a present participle, an accent mark is added to maintain the original stress
Bañado –> Bañàdose
Durmiendo –> Durmièndose
What is the rule about verbs being reflexive or non-reflexive?
A number of verbs in Spanish can be reflexive or non-reflexive. If the verb acts upon the subject, the reflexive form is used. If the verb acts upon something other than the subject, the non-reflexive form is used. Reflexive verbs can also have different meanings than their non-reflexive counterparts. For example, “lavar” means “to wash”, while “lavarse” means “to wash oneself” or “to wash up”.
What is the rule about parts of the body or items of clothing when used with reflexive verbs?
Parts of the body or clothing are generally not referred to with possessives, but with articles.
A) La niña se quitò un zapato.
B) Necesito cepillarme los dientes.
Name all of the indefinite and negative Spanish words and their English translations.
algo: something; anything
alguien: someone; somebody; anyone
alguno/a(s), algùn: some, any
o…o: either…or
siempre: always
tambièn: also; too
nada: nothing; not anything
nadie: no one; nobody; not anyone
ninguno/a, ningùn: no; none; not any
ni…ni: neither…nor
nunca, jamàs: never; not ever
tampoco: neither; not either
What are the two ways to form negative sentences in Spanish?
You can place the negative word before the verb, or you can place “no” before the verb and the negative word after.
A) Nadie se levanta temprano. –> No se levanta nadie temprano –> “No one gets up early”
B) Ellos nunca gritan. –> Ellos no gritan nunca. –> “They never shout”
What is the rule about the personal “a” with indefinite words that refer to people and that are the direct object of the sentence’s verb?
The personal “a” is often used before alguein and nadie because they refer to people. The personal “a” is also used before alguno/a, algunos/as, ninguano/a when these words refer to people and they are the direct object of the verb.
A) Perdòn, señor ¿busca usted a alguien?
B) Tòmas ¿buscas a alguno de tus hermanos?
C) No, gracias, señorita, no busco a nadie.
D) No, mamà, no busco a ninguno.
What happens to “alguno” and “ninguno” when they are used before a masculine singular noun?
A) ¿Tienen ustedes algùn amigo peruano?
B) No, no tenemos ningùn amigo peruano.
What is the special rule about the number of Spanish negative words in a sentence?
In English, it is incorrect to use more than one negative word in a sentence. In Spanish, however, sentences frequently contain two or more negative words. Compare these Spanish and English sentences:
A) Nunca le escribo a nadie. –> I never write to anyone.
B) No me preocupo nunca por nadie. –> I do not ever worry about anything.
Once an English sentence contains one negative word (e.g., “not” or “never”), no other negative word may be used. Instead, indefinite (or affirmative) words are used. In Spanish, however, once a sentence is negative, no other affirmative (that is, indefinite) word may be used. Instead, all indefinite ideas must be expressed with their corresponding negative word.
What is the rule about using the words “pero” and “sino”?
“Pero” means “but”. The meaning of “sino” is “but rather” or “on the contrary”. Pero is used just as in English, but sino is used when the first part of the sentence is negative and the second part contradicts it.
A) Los estudiantes no se acuestan temprano sino tarde. –> The students don’t go to bed early, but rather late.
B) Esas gafas son caras, pero bonitas. –> Those glasses are expensive, but pretty.
C) Maria no habla francès sino español. –> Maria doesn’t speak French, but rather Spanish.
D) Josè es inteligente, pero no saca buenas notas. –> Josè is intelligent, but doesn’t get good grades.
Conjugate the verbs “ser” (“to be”) and “ir” (“to go”).
[For both verbs]
Yo fui
Tù fuiste
Usted/él/ella fue
Nosotros/as fuimos
Vosotros/as fuisteis
Ustedes/ellos/ellas fueron
Since the two verbs are identical in the preterite, context must be used to indicate which of the two verbs is being used.
How are verbs like “gustar” used?
Verbs like “gustar” require the use of an indirect object pronoun. The indirect object pronoun usually goes in front of the verb.
List the most common verbs that are used like “gustar”.
aburrir: to bore
encantar: to like very much; to love (inanimate objects)
faltar: to lack; to need
fascinar: to fascinate; to like very much
importar: to be important to; to matter
interesar: to be interesting to; to interest
molestar: to bother; to annoy
quedar: to be left over; to fit (clothing)
What is special about the Spanish first person indirect object and how does it differ from the first person singular possessive object?
“Mí” is the indirect object for “to me”, and it has an accent mark to differentiate it from the first person singular possessive adjective “mi”.
