Chapter 8 - More Irregular Preterite Verbs; -IR Preterite Stem Changes; Indirect Object Pronouns; Comparatives and Superlatives

Question 1

Conjugate “andar” into the preterite indicative tense:

Answer 1

andar:

anduve
anduviste
anduvo

anduvimos
anduvisteis
anduvieron

Question 2

Conjugate “tener” into the preterite indicative tense:

Answer 2

tener:

tuve
tuviste
tuvo

tuvimos
tuvisteis
tuvieron

Question 3

Conjugate “poder” into the preterite indicative tense:

Answer 3

poder:

pude
pudiste
pudo

pudimos
pudisteis
pudieron

Question 4

Conjugate “poner” into the preterite indicative tense:

Answer 4

puse
pusiste
puso

pusimos
pusisteis
pusieron

Question 5

Conjugate “saber” into the preterite indicative tense:

Answer 5

supe
supiste
supo

supimos
supisteis
supieron

Question 6

Conjugate “hay” into the preterite indicative tense:

Answer 6

hubo (invariable)

Question 7

Conjugate “querer” into the preterite indicative tense:

Answer 7

quise
quisiste
quiso

quisimos
quisisteis
quisieron

Question 8

Conjugate “venir” into the preterite indicative tense:

Answer 8

vine
viniste
vino

vinimos
vinisteis
vinieron

Question 9

Conjugate “traer” into the preterite indicative tense:

Answer 9

traje
trajiste
trajo

trajimos
trajisteis
trajeron

Question 10

What is the difference in meaning in “conocer” between its present and preterite forms?

Answer 10

present: to know someone or something personally
preterite: to have met

Question 11

What is the difference in meaning in “saber” between its present and preterite forms?

Answer 11

present: to know a fact or concept
preterite: to have found something out

Question 12

What is the difference in meaning in “poder” between its present and preterite forms?

Answer 12

present: to be able to do something
preterite: to have accomplished something

Question 13

What is the difference in meaning in “no poder” between its present and preterite forms?

Answer 13

present: to not be able to do something
preterite: to have tried and failed

Question 14

What is the difference in meaning in “querer” between its present and preterite forms?

Answer 14

present: to want; to love
preterite: to have tried to do something

Question 15

What is the difference in meaning in “no querer” between its present and preterite forms?

Answer 15

present: to not want; to not love
preterite: to have refused doing something

Question 16

Do stem changing verbs carry their stem changes over to the preterite, as well?

Answer 16

Only stem changing verbs ending in -IR do, and even then they only reflect this in the third person (singular and plural).

dormir:
dormí
dormiste
*durmió

dormimos
dormisteis
*durmieron

preferir:
preferí
preferiste
prefirió

preferimos
preferisteis
prefirieron

Question 17

What is an indirect object?

Answer 17

An indirect object is a noun that indicates for or to whom an action is done:

I bought a gift for Beatriz.
We asked the teachers a question.

Question 18

What is an indirect object pronoun?

Answer 18

Indirect object pronouns are used to replace indirect object nouns:

I bought a gift for her.
We asked them a question.

Question 19

How can you easily identify the indirect object pronoun in a sentence?

Answer 19

By asking “to or for whom”?

We bought a gift for whom?
We asked a question to whom?

Question 20

What are the indirect object pronouns?

Answer 20

me
te
le (or “se,” when “lo/la” is used)

nos
os
les (or “se,” when “lo/la” is used)

Question 21

Where does an indirect object pronoun come in a sentence where the conjugated verb is used alone?

Answer 21

It always come before the conjugated verb.

Te traje el periódico.
I brought you the newspaper.

Nos dieron un regalo bonito.
They gave us a nice gift.

Question 22

Where does an indirect object pronoun come in a sentence where infinitive of present progressive verbs are used?

Answer 22

It comes before the conjugated verb, or it may be attached to the infinitive or the present participle.

Te voy a dar el libro.
Voy a darte el libro.
I am going to give you the book.

Te estoy comprando los zapatos.
Estoy comprándote los zapatos.
I am giving you the shoes.

Question 23

Where does an indirect object pronoun come in a sentence where command forms are used?

Answer 23

It attaches to the end of an affirmative command, but comes before the verb of a negative command.

Cómprame el libro ahora, por favor.
Buy me the book now, please.

No me compre el libro ahora, por favor.
Do not buy me the book now, please.

Question 24

What are comparatives and superlatives?

Answer 24

Comparatives compare two or more objects. Superlatives indicate that one object exceeds or stands above all others.

Question 25

How are comparatives formed in Spanish?

Answer 25

Using “mas” or “menos” and, most of the time, “que” as the contrasting “than.”

Nouns:
Hay mas libros en esta tienda que en aquella.
There are more books in this store than in that one.

Adjectives:
Este libro es menos interesante que ese.
This book is less interesting than that one.

Verbs:
Yo leo menos que él.
I read less than him.

Adverbs:
Él lee más lentamente que yo.
He reads more slowly than me.

Question 26

How do you structure sentences of comparison when the comparison is equal?

Answer 26

Equal comparisons use the “tan/tanto” + “como” construction:

Noun:
tanto + noun + como
Tengo tanto dinero como tú.
I have as much money as you.

Verb:
verb + tanto como
Compro tanto como tú.
I buy as much as you.

Adjective:
tan + adjective + como
Este reloj es tan caro como ese.
This watch is as expensive as that one.

Adverb:
tan + adverb + como
Pago mis cuentas tan rapidamente como tú.
I pay my bills as quickly as you.

Question 27

How do you structure sentences of comparison when the comparison is unequal?

Answer 27

Unequal comparisons use the mas/menos +que construction:

Noun: 
mas/menos + noun + que
Tengo mas dinero que tú. 
I have more money than you. 
Tengo menos tarjetas de credito que tú. 
I have less credit cards than you. 

Verb:
mas/menos + que
Ella compra menos que yo, pero él compra mas que yo.
She buys less than me, but he buys more than me.

Adjective:
mas/menos + adjective + que
Este reloj es más caro que ese.
This was is more expensive than that one.

Adverb:
mas/menos + adverb + que
Ella paga sus cuentas mas rapidamente que yo.
She pays her bills more quickly than me.

Question 28

Irregular comparatives: bueno to…

Answer 28

bueno > mejor

good > better

Question 29

Irregular comparatives: malo to…

Answer 29

malo > peor

bad > worse

Question 30

Irregular comparatives: joven to…

Answer 30

joven > menor

young > younger

Question 31

Irregular comparatives: viejo to…

Answer 31

viejo > mayor

old > older

Question 32

Irregular comparatives: bien to…

Answer 32

bien > mejor

well > better

Question 33

Irregular comparatives: mal to…

Answer 33

mal > peor

badly > worse

Question 34

How do you form a superlative in Spanish?

Answer 34

To say something is “very” or “extremely” something, add -ísimo to the end of an adjective. (If the adjective ends in a vowel, remove the vowel first).

facil > facilísimo
contento > contentísimo

To say that something is the “most” or “least” something, use the following formula:
article + noun + mas/menos + adjective + de
Roberto es el estudiante mas popular de la universidad.
Ellas son las dependientes mas trabajadoras del almacen.

** DO NOT use both of these; only one at a time is appropriate. **