CD 1 Track 4 Flashcards
The key sounds for the present tense are: ‘a’ on the -ar track and ‘e’ on the -er/-ir track. If you switch tracks (from ‘a’ to ‘e’ and ‘e’ to ‘a’), you are in the command tense (the imperative).
explanation
You are not buying the house. / He is not buying the house.
No compra la casa.
Buy the house!
¡Compre la casa!
Don’t buy it!
¡No lo compre!
Don’t buy it! (Roberto)
¡No lo compres!
Don’t buy it! (to a couple)
¡No lo compren!
In the positive command, the pronoun (the ‘lo’ etc.) is hooked on to the verb.
explanation
Buy it!
¡Cómprelo!
Buy it! (to several people)
¡Cómprenlo!
Don’t buy them! (to several people)
¡No los compren!
on’t buy them! (to Roberto)
¡No los compres!
In the positive command to Roberto, you don’t switch tracks; you just drop the ‘s’.
explanation
Buy it! (Roberto)
¡Cómpralo!
to call
llamar
I am calling you.
Le llamo.
