Function Words 2 Tener Flashcards
Fork; Holder of stocks
n.
Noun:
tenedor m fork
tenedor m holder (of stocks)
(=considerarse) to have an opinion about oneself
: he thinks himself very clever
(=considerarse) to have an opinion about oneself
se tiene por muy listo: he thinks himself very clever
(=poseer ciertas características) to have, to be
(=pasar por una experiencia) to have (an accident, a birthday)
(=actuar de una manera, comportarse de cierta forma) to behave, to be (more careful, more respectful, etc.)
Pronominal:
(=sostenerse algo con otra cosa) to stand upright, to stand firm
(=poseer ciertas características) to have, to be
(=pasar por una experiencia) to have (an accident, a birthday)
(=actuar de una manera, comportarse de cierta forma) to behave, to be (more careful, more respectful, etc.)
Pronominal:
(=sostenerse algo con otra cosa) to stand upright, to stand firm
+ que + INF (=reprochar algo a alguien) should have done something
! you should have called!
+ que + INF (=reprochar algo a alguien) should have done something
¡tendrías que haber llamado! you should have called!
(=estar obligado a hacer algo) to have to do something+ que + INF (=contar con una probabilidad) must
: you must be very tired after that long trip
(=estar obligado a hacer algo) to have to do something
+ que + INF (=contar con una probabilidad) must
tienes que estar muy cansado luego del largo viaje: you must be very tired after that long trip
(=sostener algo entre las manos, tomar algo) to hold, to take
(=recibir u obtener algo) to receive, to get
(=pensar o considerar algo) to see, to consider something
: to see fit to do something
(=sostener algo entre las manos, tomar algo) to hold, to take
(=recibir u obtener algo) to receive, to get
(=pensar o considerar algo) to see, to consider something
tener a bien hacer algo: to see fit to do something
(=padecer o sufrir algo) to haveI’ve had a lot of accidents in my life
(=padecer o sufrir algo) to have
he tenido muchos accidentes en mi vida: I’ve had a lot of accidents in my life
(=sentir hambre, calor, frió, etc.) to beI’m hungry
(=sentir hambre, calor, frió, etc.) to be
tengo hambre: I’m hungry
(=dar a luz un bebé) to have, to give birth to a baby
(=medir) to be (size)
: it is 5 cm wide
(=dar a luz un bebé) to have, to give birth to a baby
(=medir) to be (size)
tiene 5 cm de ancho: it is 5 cm wide
(=poseer una ocupación, obligación o actividad) to have
: I have karate lessons at eight
(=poseer una ocupación, obligación o actividad) to have
tengo clases de karate a las ocho: I have karate lessons at eight
(=contar con una determinada cantidad de años) to be (age)
? how old are you?
(=contar con una determinada cantidad de años) to be (age)
¿cuántos años tienes? how old are you?
Transitive:(=poseer algo o ser propietario de algo) to have, to have got, to own
: to hold all the winning cards
: to have sex
: to be successful
Transitive:
(=poseer algo o ser propietario de algo) to have, to have got, to own
tener todas las de ganar: to hold all the winning cards
tener relaciones sexuales: to have sex
tener éxito: to be successful
· ¡ ! / ¡ lo !, so, there you are!
· ¿ ?, fam so that’s how it is, that’s the way things are.
· ¡ahí tienes! / ¡ahí lo tienes!, so, there you are!
· ¿con que ésas tenemos?, fam so that’s how it is, that’s the way things are.
Imperativo: — no "yo" ten; ?? no tengas ?? tened; ?? tenga: ?? tengamos: tengan:
Imperativo: — no "yo" ten; ?? no tengas ?? tened; ?? tenga: ?? tengamos: tengan:
Pluscuamperfecto de subjuntivo 2: hubiese tenido: hubieses tenido: hubiese tenido: hubiésemos tenido: hubiesen tenido:
Pluscuamperfecto de subjuntivo 2: hubiese tenido: hubieses tenido: hubiese tenido: hubiésemos tenido: hubiesen tenido:
Pluscuamperfecto de subjuntivo 1: hubiera tenido: hubieras tenido: hubiera tenido: hubiéramos tenido: hubieran tenido:
past perfect synonyms: pretérito pluscuamperfecto definitions: A perfective tense used to express action completed in the past. Pluscuamperfecto de subjuntivo 1: hubiera tenido: hubieras tenido: hubiera tenido: hubiéramos tenido: hubieran tenido:
Perfecto de subjuntivo:
haya tenido: hayas tenido: haya tenido: hayamos tenido: hayan tenido:
Perfecto de subjuntivo: (subjunctive: A mood that represent an act or state (not as a fact but) as contingent or possible.) haya tenido: hayas tenido: haya tenido: hayamos tenido: hayan tenido:
Potencial compuesto: habría tenido: habrías tenido: habría tenido: habríamos tenido: habrían tenido:
Potencial compuesto: habría tenido: habrías tenido: habría tenido: habríamos tenido: habrían tenido:
Futuro perfecto: habré tenido: habrás tenido: habrá tenido: habremos tenido: habrán tenido:
Futuro perfecto: habré tenido: habrás tenido: habrá tenido: habremos tenido: habrán tenido: Futuro Future When To Use
The Future tense in Spanish is used to describe what will happen. In English the basic translation uses the word will:
Iré a la iglesia el domingo.
I will go to church on Sunday.
Estudiará arquitectura cuando sea grande.
She will study architecture when she grows up.
The future tense expresses wonder about something in the present.
¿De quien será esta lapicera? I wonder whose pen it is. ¿Será mi nieta la que llama a la puerta? Is my granddaughter at the door? The future can additionally be used to express probability about something in the present.
Estará comprando la cena He is probably buying dinner. Vendrá en auto. She is probably coming by car. The Future tense is used for: what will happen wonder about something in the present probability about something in the present Conjugation
To form the future of regular verbs in Spanish, add the following endings to the infinitive.
Regular verbs —é —emos —ás —éis —á —án For example:
Viajar
viajaré viajaremos
viajarás viajaréis
viajará viajarán
Rules
Most of the time when a question in English starts with will, it is a polite request. Often, this request is accompanied with please. A polite request using will is not the future tense in either language. To express willingness to do something, use the verb “querer”.
¿Quieres venir?
Will you come?, Will you please come?, Do you want to come?
¿Quieres bailar conmigo?
Will you dance with me?, Will you please dance with me?, Do you want to dance with me?
Another way to translate such a request uses the Conditional tense.
¿Te gustaría venir?
Would you come?, Would you please come?, Would you like to come?
¿Te gustaría bailar conmigo?
Would you dance with me?, Would you please dance with me?, Would you like to dance with me?
Most of the time, a question that starts with will does not signify the Future tense in English, therefore it does not necessitate the Future tense in Spanish.
Remember that in Spanish, the Present tense can be used to describe actions that will take place in the near future. This is unlike English because it is incorrect to translate the following two Spanish sentences literally.
Hoy a la noche salgo con amigas. Tonight I will go out with some friends. Me voy el año que viene. I will go away next year. In English, one might express the future by using to go. Much like this, Spanish can use the verb ir to describe plans or intentions for the future, or actions that will take place in the future. Both languages conjugate to go in the Present tense. In Spanish, add the particle a. For example the conjugation of ir with the particle a:
Using ir in the Present tense to express the future voy a vamos a vas a vais a va a van a Some example sentences follow.
Vamos a jugar al fútbol el domingo.
We are going to play football on Sunday.
Ellos van a viajar a Madrid la próxima semana.
They are going to travel to Madrid next week.
However, the future tense must be used for those actions that will take place further in the future. See these examples:
Me mudaré a fin de año. I will move out by the end of the year. Comenzaré a estudiar el mes que viene. I will start studying next month. Irregular Verbs
There are 12 main verbs in Spanish that are irregular in the future form, but only in the stem of the verb. The endings of these verbs remain the same as explained above. In the full conjugation, here is salir in the Future tense.
saldré saldremos saldrás saldréis saldrá saldrán Infinitive First Person Singular caber cabré decir diré haber habré hacer haré poder podré poner pondré querer querré saber sabré salir saldré tener tendré valer valdré venir vendré The compound verbs relating to these models behave the same way. Rehacer, prevaler, mantener, suponer, etc.
Pretérito anterior:
hube tenido:
hubimos tenido:
hubiste tenido:
hubo tenido:
hubieron tenido:
Pretérito anterior:
hube tenido:
hubimos tenido:
hubiste tenido:
hubo tenido:
hubieron tenido:
Pluscuamperfecto de indicativo: había tenido: habías tenido: había tenido: habíamos tenido: habían tenido:
Pluscuamperfecto de indicativo: había tenido: habías tenido: había tenido: habíamos tenido: habían tenido:
Perfecto de indicativo: he tenido: has tenido: ha tenido: hemos tenido: han tenido:
Perfecto de indicativo: he tenido: has tenido: ha tenido: hemos tenido: han tenido:
Gerundio: teniendo
Participio: tenido
Gerundio: teniendo: having
Participio: tenido: had
Gerundio: teniendo
Participio: tenido
Imperfecto de subjuntivo 2: tuviese: tuvieses: tuviese: tuviésemos: tuviesen:
Imperfecto de subjuntivo 2: tuviese: tuvieses: tuviese: tuviésemos: tuviesen: Subjuntivo Imperfecto Imperfect Subjunctive When To Use
In Spanish, the Imperfect tense of the Subjunctive can be used to express subjectivity or uncertainty in the past.
There are three main uses of the Imperfect Subjunctive:
It can be used in conditional sentences with an if clause (si…) and in sentences with the conjunction “como si” (as if…). Take a look at these examples:
Si fueras griego, sabrías bailar esta música.
If you were Greek, you’d know how to dance to this music.
Me habla como si fuera su abuela.
He talks to me as if I was his grandma.
It can be used to make very polite requests with the verbs “querer”, “deber” and “poder”. See these examples:
Quisiera beber una copa de champaña.
I would like to have a glass of champagne.
¿Pudiera usted acompañarme?
Could you possibly come with me?
The Imperfect Subjunctive can be used in Spanish to express uncertainty or subjectivity in the past. The same verbs and expressions are used as in the Perfect Subjunctive. However, for the Imperfect Subjunctive to occur, it needs a verb in the main clause that is in the Preterite, Imperfect, Conditional, or Pluperfect. Take a look at the examples to understand this more clearly:
Preferiría que ella no viniera.
I’d rather her not to come.
Pasaría un verano allí si tú estuvieras conmigo.
I would spend a summer there if you were with me.
Pensó en llevarme para que yo comprara los boletos.
She thought about taking me so I’d buy the tickets.
In the first sentence, there is a Conditional in the main clause (preferiría).
In the second sentence, there is again a Conditional in the main clause (pasaría).
In the third sentence, there is a Preterite indicative in the main sentence (pensó).
The Imperfect Subjunctive is used for:
conditional sentences with an if clause (si…) and in sentences with the conjunction “como si”
to make very polite requests
to express uncertainty or subjectivity in the past.
Conjugation of verbs in the Imperfect Subjunctive
Regular, Irregular and stem-changing verbs are conjugated in the Imperfect Subjunctive in this way:
First, note that the Imperfect Subjunctive in Spanish present two sets of conjugations: the –ra ending, and the –se ending. The –ra ending is slightly more colloquial, while the –se ending is a bit more formal.
Take the third person plural in Preterite of any verb, drop the ending –ron, and add one of the following endings to the stem:
–ra ending —ra —´ramos —ras —rais —ra —ran –se ending —se —´semos —ses —seis —se —sen Note that the first person plural takes an accent in the last vowel of the stem.
See an example conjugated in the Imperfect Subjunctive:
Me pidieron que fuera (o fuese) el padrino de su hijo.
They asked me to be their son’s Godfather.
Me gustaría que tuvieras (o tuvieses) tiempo para leer mi artículo.
I would like you to have time to read my article.
Remember that the same phrases used in the Present Subjunctive can be used with the Imperfect Subjunctive:
es preferible que it is preferable that es probable que it is likely that es raro que it is rare that es ridículo que it is ridiculous that See the complete list of Subjunctive phrases.
Imperfecto de subjuntivo 1: tuviera: tuvieras: tuviera: tuviéramos: tuvieran:
Imperfecto de subjuntivo 1: tuviera: tuvieras: tuviera: tuviéramos: tuvieran: Subjuntivo Imperfecto Imperfect Subjunctive When To Use
In Spanish, the Imperfect tense of the Subjunctive can be used to express subjectivity or uncertainty in the past.
There are three main uses of the Imperfect Subjunctive:
It can be used in conditional sentences with an if clause (si…) and in sentences with the conjunction “como si” (as if…). Take a look at these examples:
Si fueras griego, sabrías bailar esta música.
If you were Greek, you’d know how to dance to this music.
Me habla como si fuera su abuela.
He talks to me as if I was his grandma.
It can be used to make very polite requests with the verbs “querer”, “deber” and “poder”. See these examples:
Quisiera beber una copa de champaña.
I would like to have a glass of champagne.
¿Pudiera usted acompañarme?
Could you possibly come with me?
The Imperfect Subjunctive can be used in Spanish to express uncertainty or subjectivity in the past. The same verbs and expressions are used as in the Perfect Subjunctive. However, for the Imperfect Subjunctive to occur, it needs a verb in the main clause that is in the Preterite, Imperfect, Conditional, or Pluperfect. Take a look at the examples to understand this more clearly:
Preferiría que ella no viniera.
I’d rather her not to come.
Pasaría un verano allí si tú estuvieras conmigo.
I would spend a summer there if you were with me.
Pensó en llevarme para que yo comprara los boletos.
She thought about taking me so I’d buy the tickets.
In the first sentence, there is a Conditional in the main clause (preferiría).
In the second sentence, there is again a Conditional in the main clause (pasaría).
In the third sentence, there is a Preterite indicative in the main sentence (pensó).
The Imperfect Subjunctive is used for:
conditional sentences with an if clause (si…) and in sentences with the conjunction “como si”
to make very polite requests
to express uncertainty or subjectivity in the past.
Conjugation of verbs in the Imperfect Subjunctive
Regular, Irregular and stem-changing verbs are conjugated in the Imperfect Subjunctive in this way:
First, note that the Imperfect Subjunctive in Spanish present two sets of conjugations: the –ra ending, and the –se ending. The –ra ending is slightly more colloquial, while the –se ending is a bit more formal.
Take the third person plural in Preterite of any verb, drop the ending –ron, and add one of the following endings to the stem:
–ra ending —ra —´ramos —ras —rais —ra —ran –se ending —se —´semos —ses —seis —se —sen Note that the first person plural takes an accent in the last vowel of the stem.
See an example conjugated in the Imperfect Subjunctive:
Me pidieron que fuera (o fuese) el padrino de su hijo.
They asked me to be their son’s Godfather.
Me gustaría que tuvieras (o tuvieses) tiempo para leer mi artículo.
I would like you to have time to read my article.
Remember that the same phrases used in the Present Subjunctive can be used with the Imperfect Subjunctive:
es preferible que it is preferable that es probable que it is likely that es raro que it is rare that es ridículo que it is ridiculous that See the complete list of Subjunctive phrases.
Subjuntivo Imperfecto
Imperfect Subjunctive
When To Use
In Spanish, the Imperfect tense of the Subjunctive can be used to express subjectivity or uncertainty in the past.
There are three main uses of the Imperfect Subjunctive:
It can be used in conditional sentences with an if clause (si…) and in sentences with the conjunction “como si” (as if…). Take a look at these examples:
Si fueras griego, sabrías bailar esta música.
If you were Greek, you’d know how to dance to this music.
Me habla como si fuera su abuela.
He talks to me as if I was his grandma.
It can be used to make very polite requests with the verbs “querer”, “deber” and “poder”. See these examples:
Quisiera beber una copa de champaña.
I would like to have a glass of champagne.
¿Pudiera usted acompañarme?
Could you possibly come with me?
The Imperfect Subjunctive can be used in Spanish to express uncertainty or subjectivity in the past. The same verbs and expressions are used as in the Perfect Subjunctive. However, for the Imperfect Subjunctive to occur, it needs a verb in the main clause that is in the Preterite, Imperfect, Conditional, or Pluperfect. Take a look at the examples to understand this more clearly:
Preferiría que ella no viniera.
I’d rather her not to come.
Pasaría un verano allí si tú estuvieras conmigo.
I would spend a summer there if you were with me.
Pensó en llevarme para que yo comprara los boletos.
She thought about taking me so I’d buy the tickets.
In the first sentence, there is a Conditional in the main clause (preferiría).
In the second sentence, there is again a Conditional in the main clause (pasaría).
In the third sentence, there is a Preterite indicative in the main sentence (pensó).
The Imperfect Subjunctive is used for:
conditional sentences with an if clause (si…) and in sentences with the conjunction “como si”
to make very polite requests
to express uncertainty or subjectivity in the past.
Conjugation of verbs in the Imperfect Subjunctive
Regular, Irregular and stem-changing verbs are conjugated in the Imperfect Subjunctive in this way:
First, note that the Imperfect Subjunctive in Spanish present two sets of conjugations: the –ra ending, and the –se ending. The –ra ending is slightly more colloquial, while the –se ending is a bit more formal.
Take the third person plural in Preterite of any verb, drop the ending –ron, and add one of the following endings to the stem:
–ra ending —ra —´ramos —ras —rais —ra —ran –se ending —se —´semos —ses —seis —se —sen Note that the first person plural takes an accent in the last vowel of the stem.
See an example conjugated in the Imperfect Subjunctive:
Me pidieron que fuera (o fuese) el padrino de su hijo.
They asked me to be their son’s Godfather.
Me gustaría que tuvieras (o tuvieses) tiempo para leer mi artículo.
I would like you to have time to read my article.
Remember that the same phrases used in the Present Subjunctive can be used with the Imperfect Subjunctive:
es preferible que it is preferable that es probable que it is likely that es raro que it is rare that es ridículo que it is ridiculous that See the complete list of Subjunctive phrases.
Presente de subjuntivo: tenga: tengas: tenga: tengamos: tengan:
Presente de subjuntivo: tenga: tengas: tenga: tengamos: tengan: Subjuntivo Subjunctive When To Use
The other summaries have talked about tenses like the Future, Present, or the Preterite. Those tenses referred to real actions and events taking place in a specific time frame. They are in a category called the indicative mood. However, the Subjunctive is quite different from this. It is not considered a tense, but a mood in its own. While tenses refer to real actions and events, the Subjunctive is a mood, and it refers to how the speaker feels about an action or event.
Critican que el tenga un auto de lujo.
They criticize that he has a luxury car.
Si ellos fueran inteligentes, venderían la casa ahora.
If they were intelligent, they would sell the house now.
The difference between the indicative mood and the subjunctive mood will be illustrated here.
This sentence reflects an actual fact that is going to happen in the future.
Él va a estudiar derecho el próximo año.
He is going to Law School next year.
Now this sentence reflects how the speaker feels about a certain action that might take place in the future. In this sentence, the subjunctive vaya is used to express the subjectivity of the speaker.
Dudo que el vaya a estudiar derecho el próximo año.
I doubt that he is going to Law School next year.
It can be inferred that the subjunctive is used to express uncertainty, advice, doubt, subjectivity, hope, wishes, possibility, and more.
The indicative is related to certainty and objectivity, while the subjunctive is related to possibility and subjectivity.
When a sentence expresses certainty and objectivity in the first clause, it will take the indicative mood in the following clause. But when the first clause expresses doubt and subjectivity, the second clause will be in the subjunctive mood. See these examples:
Indicative
Es seguro que voy a ir a Londres en junio.
It is certain that I will go to London in June.
—certainty in the first clause, indicative mood in the second clause
Subjunctive
Es probable que vaya a Londres en junio
It is probable that I will go to London in June
—uncertainty in the first clause, subjunctive in the second clause
In Spanish, there are some phrases that help us recognize that a subjunctive will be used next. This is a complete list of the other smaller lists in this document.
Triggers for the Subjunctive a menos que unless antes (de) que before con tal (de) que provided that conviene que it is advisable that cuando when después (de) que after dudar que to doubt that en caso de que in case en cuanto as soon as es (una) lástima que it's a pity that es aconsejable que it's advisable that es bueno que it's good that es difícil que it's unlikely that es dudoso que it is doubtful that es fantástico que it's fantastic that es fácil que it's likely that es importante que it's important that es imposible que it's impossible that es improbable que it's unlikely that es incierto que it's uncertain that es increíble que it's incredible that es malo que it's bad that es mejor que it's better that es menester que it's necessary that es necesario que it's necessary that es posible que it's possible that es preciso que it's necessary that es preferible que it's preferable that es probable que it's probable that es raro que it's rare that es ridículo que it's ridiculous that es terrible que it's terrible that esperar que to wish that estar contento que to be happy that hasta que until insistir en que to insist that mandar que to order that mientras que while más vale que it's better that negar que to deny that no creer que not to believe that no es cierto que it's not certain that no es verdad que it's not true that no estar convencido de que to not be convinced that no estar seguro de que to not be sure that no imaginarse que to not imagine that no parecer que to not seem that no pensar que to not think that no suponer que to not suppose that ojalá que if only he would para que in order that pedir que to ask that preferir que to prefer that prohibir que to prohibit that puede ser que it may be that querer que to want that recomendar que to recommend that rogar que to plead that sentir que to regret that sin que without sugerir que to suggest that tan pronto como as soon as temer que to fear that tener miedo de que to be afraid that Remember that the subjunctive is used when expressing an opinion, or uncertainty regarding a particular action or event.
The following list of expressions show the subjectivity of the speaker or the subject of the action, because they express a sense of desire. They are used with the subjunctive:
Subjectivity Triggers es aconsejable que it is advisable that es necesario que it is necessary that esperar que to wish that insistir en que to insist that mandar que to order that pedir que to ask that preferir que to prefer that prohibir que to prohibit that querer que to want that recomendar que to recommend that rogar que to plead that sugerir que to suggest that Remember that the above phrases can be conjugated to apply them to each situation. See these examples:
Los miembros quieren prohibir que ella entre al salón.
The members want to prohibit that she enter the room.
Los profesores recomendaron que Lucía tome clases extra.
The teachers recommended that Lucia take some extra classes.
The subjunctive can also be used to express ignorance or doubt. This is a list of phrases and expressions in the subjunctive used to describe this aspect:
Triggers for Ignorance or Doubt dudar que to doubt that es dudoso que it is doubtful that es improbable que it is unlikely that es incierto que it is uncertain that es posible que it is possible that negar que to deny that no creer que not to believe that no es cierto que it is not certain that no es verdad que it is not true that no estar convencido de que to not be convinced that no estar seguro de que to not be sure that no imaginarse que to not imagine that no parecer que to not seem that no pensar que to not think that no suponer que to not suppose that puede ser que it may be that temer que to suspect that It is worth to repeat that the subjunctive is used to express uncertainty and subjectivity. The following list of impersonal expressions and phrases are used in the subjunctive, and they express doubt and personal opinion:
Triggers for Doubt and Personal Opinion conviene que it is advisable that es (una) lástima que it is a shame that es aconsejable que it is advisable that es bueno que it is good that es difícil que it is unlikely that es dudoso que it is doubtful that es fantástico que it is fantastic that es fácil que it is likely that es importante que it is important that es imposible que it is impossible that es improbable que it is unlikely that es incierto que it is uncertain that es increíble que it is incredible that es malo que it is bad that es mejor que it is better that es menester que it is necessary that es necesario que it is necessary that es posible que it is possible that es preciso que it is necessary that es preferible que it is preferable that es probable que it is likely that es raro que it is rare that es ridículo que it is ridiculous that es terrible que it is terrible that más vale que it is better that ojalá que if only he would puede ser que it could be that See some examples of the above phrases in a subjunctive sentence.
Es incierto que ella vaya a graduarse este año.
It is uncertain that she will graduate this year.
Es una lástima que ellos no vengan con nosotros.
It is a shame that they will not come with us.
It is worth mentioning at this point some of the phrases that trigger the use of the indicative mood (present, past, future), because they emphasize the factual or objective aspect of the sentence:
Triggers for the Indicative es evidente que it is certain that es obvio que it is obvious that es verdad que it's true that no es dudoso que it is not doubtful that no hay duda que there is no doubt that The subjunctive is also used with actions that are not yet completed or have not happened yet. These expressions are always used with the subjunctive:
Triggers for the Subjunctive a menos que unless antes (de) que before con tal (de) que provided that en caso de que in case para que so that sin que without Here are some examples with the above expressions.
Con tal de que termines tu tarea, podrás salir a jugar.
Provided that you finish your homework, you can go out to play.
En caso de que llueva llevemos paraguas.
Let’s take an umbrella in case it rains.
The following list of expressions can only be used with the subjunctive if the action that follows is not complete:
Subjunctive if Incomplete Action después de que after en cuanto as soon as hasta que until mientras que while tan pronto como as soon as How to use these expressions with the subjunctive:
Tan pronto como había llegado, sonó el teléfono.
As soon as I had arrived, the telephone rang.
In the above example, the action is in the past, and after the expression, a Past Perfect is used. This type of action is certain and objective, and it takes a verb in the indicative mood.
Tan pronto como él llegue, cenaremos.
As soon as he arrives, we will have dinner.
In the above sentence, the action is uncertain, and it is not yet complete. After the expression, the verb in the subjunctive form is used.
Conjugation
To conjugate most verbs in the subjunctive, one follows these simple rules:
- Take the “yo” form of any verb in the present indicative, for example, for the verb comer, take the form “como”.
- Leave out the –o ending, in this case, “com-“.
- Finally, add the appropriate ending.
Regular –er & –ir verbs —a —amos —as —áis —a —an Yo como – o = com
coma comamos
comas comáis
coma coman
Also, the verb “discutir” will be conjugated in this way in the Subjunctive:
Yo discuto – o = discut
discuta discutamos
discutas discutáis
discuta discutan
Like most other tenses, the regular –ar verbs have different endings than –er and –ir verbs.
Regular –ar verbs —e —emos —es —éis —e —en For example, the verb "llorar" will be conjugated like this:
Yo lloro – o = llor
llore lloremos
llores lloréis
llore lloren
The same rule applies for verbs that have an irregular form for the first person singular yo. Verbs in this list include “salir”, “tener” and “conocer”. See these examples:
Salir
Yo salgo - o = salg
salga salgamos
salgas salgáis
salga salgan
Conocer
Yo conozco - o = conozc
conozca conozcamos
conozcas conozcáis
conozca conozcan
Tener
Yo tengo - o = teng
tenga tengamos
tengas tengáis
tenga tengan
The rule also applies for –ar and –er infinitives with changing stems. However, the stem does not change in the form “nosotros” and “vosotros”. See these examples of perder (stem changing –er verb) and pensar (stem changing –ar verb) to understand this more clearly:
perder present indicative
pierdo perdemos
pierdes perdéis
pierde pierden
perder subjunctive
pierda perdamos
pierdas perdáis
pierda pierdan
pensar present indicative
pienso pensamos
piensas pensáis
piensa piensan
pensar subjunctive
piense pensemos
pienses penséis
piense piensen
For the pronouns “nosotros” and “vosotros”, the stem stays the same as in the infinitive.
This rule applies to stem-changing –ir verbs as well. However, the stem change in the forms for “nosotros” and “vosotros” follow a particular pattern:
o:ue verbs change o to u in the stem (for “nosotros” and “vosotros”)
Example: dormir: yo duermo – o = duerm
duerma durmamos
duermas durmáis
duerma duerman
e:ie verbs change e to i in the stem (for “nosotros” and “vosotros”)
Example: sentir: yo siento – o = sient
sienta sintamos
sientas sintáis
sienta sientan
e:i verbs change e to i in the stem (for “nosotros” and “vosotros”)
Example: pedir: yo pido – o = pid
pida pidamos
pidas pidáis
pida pidan
Orthographic Changes
In Spanish, some verbs need to be altered when they are conjugated in order to maintain the sound that connects and identifies it with the infinitive. Verbs ending in –uir, –gar, –guir, –car, –ger, –gir, and –zar present orthographical changes in the Subjuctive.
In Spanish, verbs ending in –uir take the letter y before the letter a.
Verb: huir
huya huyamos
huyas huyáis
huya huyan
In Spanish, verbs ending in –gar change g to gu when the letter e comes next.
Verb: tragar
trague traguemos
tragues traguéis
trague traguen
Spanish verbs that end in –car change c to qu when the letter e come next.
Verb: tocar
toque toquemos
toques toquéis
toque toquen
Spanish verbs that end in –guir must be altered in this way: gu is replaced by g when the letter a comes next.
Verb: seguir
siga sigamos
sigas sigáis
siga sigan
Spanish verbs that end in –ger and –gir need to replace g with j when the letter a comes next.
Verb: recoger
recoja recojamos
recojas recojáis
recoja recojan
Verb: surgir
surja surjamos
surjas surjáis
surja surjan
Finally, verbs that end in –zar take c instead of z when it comes before the letter e.
Verb: tropezar (stem change e:ie)
tropiece tropecemos
tropieces tropecéis
tropiece tropiecen
Irregular Verbs
In Spanish, there are six verbs that have an irregular form in the present subjunctive. Those verbs are:
dar estar haber ir saber ser dar
dé demos
des deis
dé den
estar
esté estemos
estés estéis
esté estén
haber
haya hayamos
hayas hayáis
haya hayan
ir
vaya vayamos
vayas vayáis
vaya vayan
saber
sepa sepamos
sepas sepáis
sepa sepan
ser
sea seamos
seas seáis
sea sean
Condicional: tendría: tendrías: tendría: tendríamos: tendrían:
Condicional: tendría: tendrías: tendría: tendríamos: tendrían: Condicional Conditional When To Use
In Spanish, as well as in English, the Conditional is used to express probability, possibility, conjectures about something or someone, and wonder. See these examples:
Lo compraría si lo viera. I would buy it if I saw it. —probability, possibility ¿Qué sería lo que quería decirme? What could it have been that he wanted to tell me? —wonder Deberíamos estar en el jardín. We must have been in the garden. —conjecture about the past In these examples it is easy to see the words normally used in the conditionals are "probably", "would (for conditional)", "could", and "must have".
The conditional has a few specific uses depending on the situation.
The conditional is used to talk about something in the future from a perspective of the past. Something that somehow was anticipated. See the examples:
Yo pensaba que vendrías solo.
I thought you would come alone.
Todos creíamos que serías el primero en hablar.
We all thought you would be the first to speak.
In the above sentences, something in the past was thought or expected to happen in the future. See how this sentence works if a time frame is added:
Anoche pensaba que hoy vendrías solo.
Last night I was thinking that you would come alone today.
Antes de llegar, todos creíamos que serías el primero en hablar después de la cena.
Before arriving, we all thought you would be the first to speak after dinner.
The Conditional expresses speculation about something in the past.
Estaría hablando con tu tía cuando me llamaste, porque no te escuché.
I must have been talking to your aunt when you called me, because I didn’t hear you.
El diputado sería la persona más importante en esa sala.
The deputy must have been the most important person in the room.
In the above sentences, it was guessed that something must have happened.
Another use of the Conditional is to talk about what would happen if the situation were different.
Le hablaría pero estoy enojado con ella.
I would talk to her but I am mad at her.
Este televisor serviría si no fuese tan viejo.
This TV would work if it weren’t so old.
Yet another use the Conditional is to talk about hypothetical events or actions, even if they may or may not take place. They may be connected to wishes and hopes.
Sería interesante charlar con el director del film.
It would be interesting to talk to the film director.
Saldría de vacaciones a mitad de año.
I would go on holidays by mid-year.
It is possible to use the Conditional to request advice on a particular situation.
¿Qué debería contestarle?
What should I tell him?
¿Cómo debería vestirme para ir a esa entrevista?
How should I dress to go to that interview?
It can be used to request something politely.
¿Me alcanzarías la sal?
Would you pass me the salt, please?
¿Nos diría donde queda el teatro?
Would you tell us where the theatre is, please?
It can show what would be done on a certain situation.
¿Saldrías con él si te invitara?
Would you go out with him if he asked you out?
Le diría que estoy ocupada.
I would tell him that I’m busy.
Use the Conditional for reported speech, when the main clause is in the past.
Miranda asumió que llegaríamos temprano.
Miranda assumed that we would arrive early.
Pablo prometió que miraría la película.
Paul promised that he would watch the movie.
Notice that, in reported speech, if the main clause is in the present, the Future is used instead of the conditional.
Miranda dice que llegaremos temprano. Miranda says that we will arrive early. Pablo promete que mirará la película. Paul promises he will watch the movie. It can also show an action or event that is unlikely to happen. This is part of the if clauses that will be developed in depth later on this summary.
Si tuvieras ganas, lo harías. If you felt like it, you would do it. Lo limpiaría si consiguiera detergente. I would clean it if I got the detergent. Earlier in this document there was mention of the Conditional making speculations and expressing probability about something in the past. Keep in mind that if the speculation or probability is in the future, the Future needs to be used. Take a look a the following examples to compare both situations.
Speculation or probability about the past:
¿Qué estarías haciendo cuando te llamé desde el jardín?
What must you have been doing when I called you from the garden?
Sería ella la que golpeó la puerta esta mañana.
It was probably her who knocked at the door this morning.
Speculation or probability about the present:
¿Estarás estudiando en silecio? Can you be studying in silence? Probablemente estará llegando. She is probably getting there. The Conditional tense is used for: probability possibility wonder conjecture about the past something in the future from a perspective of the past speculation about something in the past what would happen if the situation were different hypothetical events or actions request advice on a particular situation request something politely what we would do on a certain situation reported speech, when the main clause is in the past an action or event that is unlikely to happen Conjugation
Regular verbs are easy to conjugate in the Conditional. Simply add the following endings to any –ar, –er, –ir infinitives.
Regular verbs —ía —íamos —ías —íais —ía —ían Here are some examples:
Yo comería si tuviera hambre. I would eat if I was hungry. Él iría si lo hubieran invitado. He would go if he had been invited. Ellos pagarían si tuvieran dinero. They would pay if they had money. Notice that the above sentences present an if clause. This is explained later in this summary.
Exceptions
The Future Tense document explains that there are 12 irregular verbs that change the stem but have the same ending that regular verbs have. The same happens with the conjugation of those 12 verbs in the Conditional. They take the same endings as regular verbs.
But their stem changes. See how they alter their stem when conjugated in the Conditional:
Infinitive First Person Singular caber cabría decir diría haber habría hacer haría poder podría poner pondría querer querría saber sabría salir saldría tener tendría valer valdría venir vendría As it was mentioned before, the stem is irregular but the ending follows the same rule as for regular verbs. The full conjugation of poder follows.
podría podríamos
podrías podríais
podría podrían
If Clauses in Spanish
The If clauses in Spanish are conditional sentences that express what would happen if something else happens, or if a condition is met. The If clauses can be divided into the First, Second and Third Conditionals.
The First Conditional in Spanish
The first conditional is used to talk about actions and events that are possible or likely to occur. One can talk about something that is likely or possible to occur in the 1. present (as a general rule or as a customary event), 2. in the future, or 3. as a command.
Here is a look at how each of these types of sentences are built:
The conditional clause is the part of the sentence that has the word “si” (if). Conditional sentences are formed by a conditional clause and a main clause.
- Present conditional clause + present main clause
This type of conditional construction is used for actions and events that occur regularly when a condition is met. Sometimes, the word “si” can be replaced with “cuando”, and the meaning stays the same. See these examples:
Si me levanto temprano me duele la cabeza.
If I get up early I get a headache.
Si pones agua en el frezador se congela.
If you put water into the freezer it freezes.
In the above sentences, a general rule or custom is described in a Conditional sentence. They tell us what happens if something else happens. Notice that the meaning is the same when replacing the word “si” with “cuando”:
Cuando me levanto temprano me duele la cabeza.
When I get up early I get a headache.
2. Present Conditional Clause + Future Clause
This type of conditional construction is used for actions and events that will occur in the future if a certain condition is met. Take a look at the examples:
Si consigo dinero iré a Las Vegas.
If I get the money I will go to Las Vegas.
Si mis padres me llaman les contaré que me ascendieron.
If my parents call me I will tell them that I got a promotion.
In the above sentences, it was described what will happen provided something else happens.
- Present Conditional Clause + Command
This type of conditional construction is used for giving orders to somebody provided a specific condition is met. Take a look at the examples:
Si el jefe llama, dile que salí a comer.
If the boss calls, tell him I went out for lunch.
Si deja de llover, saca la basura.
If the rain stops, take out the garbage.
The Second Conditional in Spanish
The second conditional is used for talking about actions and events that are unlikely or currently impossible. For example when talking about something that is unlikely or impossible to occur in the present, unless circumstances change. Here is a look at how this type of sentence is built:
Conditional clause including the imperfect subjunctive + conditional clause
Si pudiera cantar, sería famosa.
If I could sing, I would be famous.
Iría a visitarlo si supiera donde vive.
I would visit him if I knew where he lives.
The above sentences describe situations that are unreal, because the result is not possible in the present, due to negative circumstances: I am not famous because I can’t sing, and I can’t visit him because I don’t know where he lives. However, these situations can become real if the circumstances change, although it is very unlikely.
The Third Conditional in Spanish
The third conditional is used to talk about actions and events that are completely impossible. It can be said that the situation described with the third conditional would have happened, if some other condition had been met. However, since that condition was not met, the situation has not happened. Some examples will clarify this:
Conditional clause including the Pluperfect Subjunctive + Pluperfect Subjunctive or Conditional Perfect
Si me hubieras avisado, no le hubiera (o habría) dicho nada.
If you had warned me, I wouldn’t have told her anything.
Si hubiéramos votado diferente, no habrían (o hubieran) ganado los mismos.
If we had voted differently, there wouldn’t have been the same winners.
Si ella hubiera visto esta película, se hubiera (o habría) asustado.
If she had seen that movie, she would have been scared.
In the above examples, the clause that expresses the result presents an impossible situation. This is why:
Si me hubieras avisado, no le hubiera (o habría) dicho nada.
(pero no me avisaste, y le dije)
If you had warned me, I wouldn’t have told her anything.
(but you didn’t warn me, and I told her)
Si hubiéramos votado diferente, no habrían (or hubieran) ganado los mismos.
(pero votamos a los mismos, y ganaron los mismos)
If we had voted differently, there wouldn’t have been the same winners.
(but we voted for the same people, and the same people won)
Si ella hubiera visto esta película, se hubiera (o habría) asustado.
(pero no la vio, por eso no se asustó)
If she had seen that movie, she would have been scared.
(but she didn’t see it, so she didn’t get scared)
Futuro: tendré: tendrás: tendrá: tendremos: tendrán:
Futuro: tendré: tendrás: tendrá: tendremos: tendrán:
Pretérito: tuve: tuviste: tuvo: tuvimos: tuvieron:
Pretérito: tuve: tuviste: tuvo: tuvimos: tuvieron: Pretérito Preterite When To Use
In general, the Preterite is used to talk about actions in the past that have a definite beginning and a definite end. These actions are completed, whether their start or end times are stated or not. Examples of this:
María llevó a su bebé al doctor.
María took her baby to the doctor.
Lucas paseó por la plaza con sus amigos.
Lucas went for a stroll in the park with his friends.
In the above sentences, the verb in the Preterite determines that the actions took place in the past (and it is unknown when they started or ended). In the following example, the duration of the action is clearly stated:
Lucas habló por teléfono durante una hora.
Lucas was on the phone for one hour.
The Preterite is used to describe single events in the past.
Se despertó antes de que saliera el sol. She woke up before the sunrise. Despidió a su hija en el aeropuerto. She saw her daughter off at the airport. It is common to leave out the subject of the sentence and use only the conjugation of the verb. Llegué a su casa a las nueve. I arrived at her house at nine. The Preterite explains the time when an event or action started or ended.
La clase de gimnasia comenzó a las dos.
The gym class started at two.
El robo se cometió a la mañana.
The robbery was committed in the morning.
Llegué al dentista a las cinco.
I arrived at the dentist’s office at five.
The Preterite can also be used to describe a series of actions or events that followed each other.
Se levantó, bajó las escaleras y tomó las llaves de su auto.
She woke up, went down the stairs and took her car keys.
Al llegar, cerró su paraguas, se sacudió la ropa y saludó a los invitados.
On arriving, she closed her umbrella, shook off her clothes, and greeted the guests.
Finally, the Preterite can be used to talk about repeated actions or events or things that happened during a specific period of time.
El teléfono sonó cincuenta veces ayer. The telephone rang fifty times yesterday. Le dije mi nombre cuatro veces. I told her my name four times. Llovió todo el fin de semana. It rained throughout the weekend. Trabajé allí por dos años. I worked there for two years. In general terms, the Preterite is used for actions with a definite: beginning end completion Conjugation
To form the Preterite of regular –ar verbs, drop the –ar ending and add these endings to the stem.
Regular –ar verbs —é —amos —aste —asteis —ó —aron Jugar is a regular –ar verb in the Preterite.
jugó
jugué jugamos
jugaste jugasteis
jugaron
In everyday speech, some Spanish speakers will use the second person singular incorrectly, and add a final s. In this case tú jugastes. Avoid using this as a student.
To form the Preterite of regular –er and –ir verbs, drop the ending and add to these suffixes to the stem.
Regular –er & –ir verbs —í —imos —iste —isteis —ió —ieron Comer is a regular –er verb in the Preterite.
comí comimos
comiste comisteis
comió comieron
Vivir is a regular –ir verb in the Preterite.
viví vivimos
viviste vivisteis
vivió vivieron
Rules
There are a number of rules to help with mastering irregulars of the Preterite tense.
- Irregular –ar or –er verbs that change their stem in the Present tense, do not change in the Preterite. They stay regular. To clarify this, take the stem changing -er verb devolver (o:ue).
Present
Yo devuelvo lo que no es mío.
I return what isn’t mine.
Preterite
Yo devolví lo que no era mío.
I returned what wasn’t mine.
Present
devuelvo devolvemos
devuelves devolvéis
devuelve devuelven
Preterite
devolví devolvimos
devolviste devolvisteis
devolvió devolvieron
2. Irregular –ir verbs that change their stem in the Present also change the Preterite.
All (e:i) and (o:u) stem changing verbs also change in the 3rd person.
Pedir
Present
pido pedimos
pides pedís
pide piden
Preterite
pedí pedimos
pediste pedisteis
pidió pidieron
Medir
Present
mido medimos
mides medís
mide miden
Preterite
medí medimos
mediste medisteis
midió midieron
Dormir
Present
duermo dormimos
duermes dormís
duerme duermen
Preterite
dormí dormimos
dormiste dormisteis
durmió durmieron
3. The next set of irregular verbs change the stem in the Preterite independently of the Present tense.
Infinitive Stem andar anduv– caber cup– estar estuv– haber hub– hacer1 hic– poder pud– poner pus– querer quis– saber sup– tener tuv– venir vin– 1Hacer presents an exception in the third person singular, where instead of hico it is hizo, changing c to z. For example, poner.
Present
pongo ponemos
pones ponéis
pone ponen
Preterite
puse pusimos
pusiste pusisteis
puso pusieron
4. The following three verbs have an irregular form in the Preterite: traer, decir, and ver.
Decir
Present
digo decimos
dices decís
dice dicen
Preterite
dije dijimos
dijiste dijisteis
dijo dijeron
Ver
Present
veo vemos
ves veis
ve ven
Preterite
vi vimos
viste visteis
vio vieron
Traer
Present
traigo traemos
traes traéis
trae traen
Preterite
traje trajimos
trajiste trajisteis
trajo trajeron
Verbs derived from traer also have this irregular form.
atraer detraer distraer extraer maltraer retraer sustraer 5. There is a set of infinitive verbs with an –ucir ending that also have an irregular form in the Preterite.
Verbs ending in –ucir:
aducir conducir coproducir deducir inducir introducir producir reducir traducir This is how to conjugate producir:
produje produjimos
produjiste produjisteis
produjo produjeron
Some example sentences will put this verb into perspective.
Ese auto produjo el accidente.
That car produced the accident.
Nosotros no produjimos este cambio.
We did not produce this change.
¿Produjiste una pelea entre tus amigos?
Did you produce a fight between your friends?
6. In Spanish, some verbs need to be changed in the Preterite in order to maintain its sound. These changes apply only to the first person singular. The spelling of the following verbs have to be altered to be phonetically correct.
Spelling changes to maintain sound: –zar change z to c –gar change g to gu –car change c to qu Verbs ending in –zar that change z to c in the first person singular
Infinitive First Person Singular cruzar crucé comenzar comencé cazar cacé autorizar autoricé almorzar almorcé empezar empecé tropezarse tropecé forzar forcé simbolizar simbolicé organizar organicé Cazar
cacé cazamos
cazaste cazasteis
cazó cazaron
Verbs ending in –gar that change g to gu in the first person singular
Infinitive First Person Singular cegar cegué colgar colgué jugar jugué llegar llegué pagar pagué plegar plegué regar regué rogar rogué tragar tragué vagar vagué Verbs ending in –car that change c to qu in the first person singular
Infinitive First Person Singular aparcar aparqué buscar busqué clarificar clarifiqué clasificar clasifiqué destacar destaqué embarcar embarqué empacar empaqué justificar justifiqué practicar practiqué sacar saqué tocar toqué 7. Verbs with an infinitive ending in –aer, –eer, –oír, and –oer change in the following way:
Changes for verbs ending in –aer, –eer, –oír, and –oer:
–í –ímos
–íste –ísteis
–yó –yeron
Notice that all other persons take a written accent over the letter i.
These examples with caer will help show these conjugations.
Caí por las escaleras y me lastimé el brazo.
I rolled down the stairs and hurt my arm.
Él cayó desde el barco pero sabía nadar.
He fell off the boat but he could swim.
Ellos cayeron en la trampa.
They fell for it.
Some verbs that follow this rule are:
caer leer oír poseer proveer roer This –aer rule does not apply to traer patterned verbs. See rule #4 above. 8. Finally, verbs ending in –uir change in the following way in the Preterite:
In general terms, the Preterite is used for actions with a definite: –í –imos –iste –isteis –yó –yeron Taking a look at the verb construir:
Yo construí una casa para mi abuela. I built a house for my grandmother. El construyó su propio barco. He built his own ship. Ellos construyeron un sistema de riego. They built an irrigation system. Only the first person singular (yo form) takes a written accent over the letter i. Verbs that follow this rule:
atribuir construir contribuir destruir fluir incluir influir retribuir Irregular Verbs
There are four verbs that have an irregular form in the Preterite Tense: ser, hacer, ir, and dar.
Dar
di dimos
diste disteis
dio dieron
Hacer
hice hicimos
hiciste hicisteis
hizo hicieron
Ir
fui fuimos
fuiste fuisteis
fue fueron
Ser
fui fuimos
fuiste fuisteis
fue fueron
Note that the verbs ser and ir have identical conjugations here.
Imperfecto: tenía : tenías: tenía: teníamos: tenían:
Imperfecto: tenía : tenías: tenía: teníamos: tenían: Imperfecto Imperfect When To Use
The Imperfect has a few uses in Spanish. It can describe actions that set the stage for a main action. This background information describes what was going on when a certain action took place.
To describe the main action, use the verb in the Preterite.
Los niños se estaban peleando cuando la maestra entró.
The children were fighting when the teacher came in.
Estaba leyendo un libro cuando él llegó.
I was reading a book when he arrived.
The Imperfect is also used to talk about habitual actions. If an action was repeated regularly or it was customary, it is described using the Imperfect.
Dormíamos hasta el mediodía. We would sleep until midday. Ella se sentaba en el porche a tejer. She used to sit at the porch and knit. The Imperfect is used to talk about the time or somebody's age at a certain point in the past:
Yo tenía siete años cuando mis padres se divorciaron.
I was seven years old when my parents got divorced.
Eran las 10 AM y todavía no había llegado.
It was 10 AM and she hadn’t arrived.
As it can be seen in all previous examples, the Imperfect is used to say when, in general, an action took place.
Besides these reasons, characteristics or conditions of people, things, or places in the past, usually with the verbs “ser” and “estar”, but also with “tener”, “presentar”, “lucir”, etc. See these examples:
La mujer era pobre pero honrada.
The woman was poor but honest.
La ciudad estaba rodeada de árboles.
The city was surrounded by trees.
El joven tenía pelo rubio y ojos azules.
The young man had blond hair and blue eyes.
La casa contaba con un jardín trasero.
The house had a backyard.
In Spanish, the Imperfect Tense is used to talk about actions in the past that do not have a definite beginning or a definite end. While in the Preterite, the actions are considered complete, the opposite is implied in the use of the Imperfect.
The Imperfect Tense is used for: actions happening when a main action occurred habitual actions the time somebody's age in the past conditions in the past actions without definite starts or ends Conjugation
To conjugate a regular –ar verb in the Imperfect, drop the –ar ending and add these endings.
Regular –ar verbs —aba —ábamos —abas —abais —aba —aban Here are some examples of the Imperfect using regular -ar verbs.
Cantábamos mientras viajábamos para la costa.
We would sing while traveling to the beach.
El niño jugaba con su mochila.
The boy would play with his backpack.
Las niñas gritaban de miedo durante la película.
The girls were screaming with fear during the movie.
To conjugate regular verbs ending in –er and –ir, leave out the ending then add these suffixes.
Regular –er & –ir verbs —ía —íamos —ías —íais —ía —ían All the endings take a written accent over the letter i. Some examples of the conjugations follow.
La casa servía de escondite.
The house would serve as a place for hiding.
El niño corría detrás de su caballo.
The boy was running after his horse.
Todos veíamos la televisión en el living.
We would all watch tv in the living room.
In speaking, the accent in the –er and –ir conjugations indicate stress on the i.
The i is always pronounced like the vowel sound in the English word tree.
Exceptions
Students can have difficulty determining whether a verb is in the Preterite or the Imperfect. To avoid confusion, try replacing the verb in the sentence with one of these structures.
Was/were + ing verb
La niña leía un cuento.
The girl was reading a story.
—single action that set the stage for something else
Used to
Todos los días tomaba café en el desayuno.
I used to have coffee for breakfast everyday.
—habitual action
Would (meaning used to)
Ella caminaba tres kilómetros por la tarde.
She would take a three kilometer walk in the afternoon.
—habit, custom
The Imperfect is used to talk about mental states, thoughts, and feelings too. This is because in general, the beginning or end of a mental state or feeling cannot be identified. The same applies for physical sensations, like pain. These sentences exemplify these rules:
Le dolía la cabeza.
She had a headache.
—Literally translated: The head was hurting to her.
Todos pensábamos que el monstruo era real.
We all thought that the monster was real.
Nos sentíamos apenados por la situación.
We were upset about the situation.
Other verbs that can be used in this way are:
gustar to like creer to believe tener miedo to be afraid doler to ache pensar to think Irregular Verbs
The Imperfect is extremely regular with only three exceptions throughout the entire language.
The only irregular verbs in the Imperfect:
ser
ir
ver
See how to conjugate these verbs in the Imperfect.
Ser
era éramos
eras erais
era eran
Examples:
El bolso era perfecto para completar su atuendo.
The bag was perfect to complete her attire.
Era la una.
It was one o’clock.
Ir
iba íbamos
ibas ibais
iba iban
Example:
Iba a contarte lo que vi.
I was going to tell you what I saw.
Ver
veía veíamos
veías veíais
veía veían
Example:
Las mujeres veían como jugaban sus hijos.
The women used to watch their children play.
Presente de indicativo:
tengo: I have
tienes: you have
tiene: you have
tenemos: we have
tienen: they have
Presente de indicativo: tengo: I have tienes: you have tiene: you have tenemos: we have tienen: they have In Spanish, the use of the Present Tense is quite similar to its English counterpart. This document explains the uses of the Present in depth and highlights important topics.
Use the Present Tense to talk about habitual actions.
Miro la tele todos los días. I watch TV everyday. Se afeita todas las semanas. He shaves every week. It also describes current actions and situations.
Llueve sobre la ciudad. It's raining over the city. Estamos aburridos. We are bored. The Present Tense expresses general truths.
Los osos duermen durante el invierno.
Bears sleep during winter.
En verano la ciudad es muy calurosa.
During summer, the city is extremely hot.
The Present Tense is used in conditionals, and in if clauses.
Si me lo pides, te ayudaré. If you ask me, I'll help you. Si tengo dinero, te prestaré. If I have money, I will lend you some. Unlike English, the Present Tense can express actions that will occur in the near future.
El avión aterriza en dos horas. The plane will land in two hours. Hoy a la noche voy al cine. Tonight I'm going to the cinema. The Present Tense is used for: habitual actions current actions and situations general truths conditionals if clauses actions that will occur in the near future To emphasize that an action is taking place at the moment of speech, the Present Progressive is needed. Conjugation
· tenerse en mucho / tenerse en poco, to think highly of OS / to underestimate OS.
· tenerse por, to consider OS, think OS:
, he thinks he’s handsome.
· tenerse en mucho / tenerse en poco, to think highly of OS / to underestimate OS.
· tenerse por, to consider OS, think OS:
se tiene por guapo, he thinks he’s handsome.
· , to think:
, I think they’ll manage it.
· / , fam to be plastered.
· , fam to have it in for somebody.
· tener para sí, to think:
tengo para mí que lo lograrán, I think they’ll manage it.
· tener una encima / tener una buena encima, fam to be plastered.
· tenerla tomada con alguien, fam to have it in for somebody.
· , to feel like:
, he doesn’t feel like doing it.
· , to be enthusiastic.
· tener ganas de, to feel like:
no tiene ganas de hacerlo, he doesn’t feel like doing it.
· tener ilusión, to be enthusiastic.
· , to have before one, have in front of one.
· , to be fond of.
· , to take pity (de, on).
· tener ante sí, to have before one, have in front of one.
· tener cariño a, to be fond of.
· tener compasión, to take pity (de, on).
· , to have before one’s eyes.
· , to consider it beneath OS.
· , to keep up to date.
· tener a la vista, to have before one’s eyes.
· tener a menos, to consider it beneath OS.
· tener al día, to keep up to date.
· ,-a, to make somebody happy.
· , to think it better.
· tener a alguien contento,-a, to make somebody happy.
· tener a bien, to think it better.
· , to be tired out:
, I’m tired out.
· ¿ ?, what’s wrong with you?
· no tenerse, to be tired out:
estoy que no me tengo, I’m tired out.
· ¿qué tienes?, what’s wrong with you?
· , to have only (got) to:
, you’ve only (got) to tell me.
· , to have nothing to do with.
· no tener más que, to have only (got) to:
no tienes más que decírmelo, you’ve only (got) to tell me.
· no tener nada que ver con, to have nothing to do with.
· fig. not to realize how lucky one is.
· no saber lo que uno tiene fig not to realize how lucky one is.
17 p ( ) to keep:
, keep calm.
18 p ( ) to control OS.
17 p (estarse) to keep:
tente tranquilo, keep calm.
18 p (dominarse) to control OS.
15 tenerse p ( ) to stand up:
, granddad can’t stand up on his own.
16 p ( ) to stop.
15 tenerse p (sostenerse) to stand up:
el abuelo no puede tenerse solo, granddad can’t stand up on his own.
16 p (detenerse) to stop.
14 tener que aux ( ) to have to, have got to, must:
, I must stay;
, he knows he’s got to do it.
14 tener que aux (obligación) to have to, have got to, must:
tengo que quedarme, I must stay;
sabe que tiene que hacerlo, he knows he’s got to do it.
13 vt ( ) to be in charge of, keep:
, she’s in charge of the museum archive.
13 vt (ocuparse) to be in charge of, keep:
tiene el archivo del museo, she’s in charge of the museum archive.
12 vt ( ) to consider, think:
, they think he’s very smart.
12 vt (considerar) to consider, think:
lo tienen por muy listo, they think he’s very smart.
11 vt ( ) to hold:
, to hold a meeting.
11 vt (celebrar) to hold:
tener una reunión, to hold a meeting.
10 vt (un hijo) to have:
, she had a baby.
10 vt (un hijo) to have:
tuvo un hijo, she had a baby.
8 vt (contener) to hold, contain.
9 vt (edad) to be:
, he is ten.
8 vt (contener) to hold, contain.
9 vt (edad) to be:
tiene diez años, he is ten.
7 vt (medir) to measure:
, the room is four metres square.
7 vt (medir) to measure:
la habitación tiene cuatro metros cuadrados, the room is four metres square.
6 vt (mantener) to keep:
, the rain has kept me up all night.
6 vt (mantener) to keep:
la lluvia me ha tenido despierta toda la noche, the rain has kept me up all night.
5 vt (sensación, sentimiento) to be, feel:
, I’m hungry;
, I’m cold.
5 vt (sensación, sentimiento) to be, feel:
tengo hambre, I’m hungry;
tengo frío, I’m cold.
4 vt (coger) to take:
, take your glass.
4 vt (coger) to take:
ten tu copa, take your glass.
