Grammar Flashcards
Oxford comma in Spanish?
No
Y -> e
When followed by a word that starts with i or hi
o -> u
When followed by a word that starts o or ho
Introducing quotations
Use a colon
Los venezolanos o los Venezolanos
Los venezolanos (lower case)
Capitalize days of the week or months of the year?
No!
Capitalize cardinal directions?
Only if referring to the cardinal point itself. I.e. the South, but south
Nine uses of present tense
1) describe action happening now
2) express actions that occur regularly (even if not right this second)
3) describe events in near future (this summer I will travel; este verano, viajo)
4) to ask questions, especially about preferences
5) universal truths
6) historical present - making past event more vivid
7) hypothetical actions, introduced by si
8) refer to consequences of past events with casi or por poco
9) use “hace que” to express actions that began in past and continue to present (also verb + hace + time; verb + desde hace + time)
Caber, first person present
Quepo
Irregular verbs, first person present: -cer and -cir
-zco
First person present, -ger or -gir
Change g to j (first person singular only)
What is the first person present form of -guir?
-guir changes to -g (distinguir -> distingo)
What is the first person present form of -guir verbs?
-guir changes to -g (e.g., distinguir -> distingo)
Present singular: -cer and -cir
Change c to z (convencer -> convenzo)
Stem change present: e -> ie
Pensar, querer, preferir, atravesar, cerrar, comenzar, ascender, defender, descender, advertir, convertir, divertir, etc
Present stem change: o -> ue
Examples: contar -> cuento, poder -> puedo, dormir -> duermo
Conjugate oler
Huelo Olemos
Hueles Oléis
Huele Huelen
Present tense : stem change e->i
Examples: pedir -> pido
Conjugate seguir
Sigo Seguimos
Sigues Seguís
Sigue Siguen
Present tense: verbs ending -uir (not -guir)
Put y after u, except nos/vos
Concluyo
Concluyes
Concluye etc
Conjugate oir in present
Oigo Oímos
Oyes Oís
Oye Oyen
9 Common Masculine noun endings
O, -al, -el, -ía, -ma, -ambre, -aje, -or, -án
When is an -o noun feminine?
When it’s a Mano or an abbreviation (La moto or La foto)
9 common Feminine noun endings
-a, -ción, -sión, -dad, -tad, -ie, -itis, -tud, -umbre
Feminine nouns that start with el?
When the noun begins with stressed a, like agua or águila
Gender of days of the week? Months of the year?
Masculine
Gender of colors?
Masculine
Gender of infinitives (when used as nouns)?
Masculine
When do singular nouns lose an accent when they become plural?
When the singular noun has an accent on the last syllable? El león -> Los leones
Do weights and measures take the definite or indefinite article?
Direct. La docena, La Libra
How to refer to multiple members of a family?
Los LaGrone
Do nouns designating a non specific amount receive an indefinite article?
No. Do you put any tomato in the soup = pones tomate en la sopa
5 Words that are not followed by indefinite article
Cierto, medio, otro, qué, tal
17 reflexive verbs
- Aburrir
- Agradar
- Anguistar
- Apasionar
- Bastar
- Disgustar
- Doler
- Encantar
- Faltar
- Fascinar
- Importar
- Interesar
- Molestar
- Preocupar
- Quedar
- Sobrar
- Tocar
Ser o estar: occupation or profession
Ser
Ser or estar: nationality, moral attributes, religion
Ser
Ser or estar: physical or personality characteristics
Ser
Ser or estar: relationships
Ser
Ser or estar: time
Ser
Ser or estar: place and date of an event
Ser
Ser or estar: origin, possession, and materials objects are made of
Ser (with de)
Ser or estar: quantity and price
Ser
Passive voice construction
Ser + participle + (por)
Los playas son admiradas por los turistas
Ser or estar: location
Estar
Ser or estar: temporary physical conditions
Estar
Ser or estar: moods
Estar
Ser or estar: new temporary condition
Estar, with de
Luisa es engineer pero ahora está de camarera.
Ser aburrido/estar aburrido
To be boring/to be bored
Ser bueno/estar bueno
To be good/to be fine or tasty
Ser listo/estar listo
To be clever/to be ready
Ser malo/estar malo
To be bad/to be ill
Ser orgulloso/estar orgulloso
To be conceited or vain/to
Be proud
Ser rico/estar rico
To be rich/to be tasty
Ser seguro/estar seguro
To be safe/to be sure
Ser vivo/estar vivo
To be sharp/to be alive
It is May 4
Estamos a cuatro de mayo
To be just about to
Estar a punto de + infinitive
Estar para + infinitive
Estar por + infinitive
To be in favor of
Estar conforme con
To agree, to be in agreement with
Estar de vacaciones
To be on vacation
Most confusing use of ser
Where an event takes place
Use of progressive tense
Estar + participle
Expresses immediacy if ongoing action with some urgency
What is the past participle of ‘abrir’?
abierto
What is the past participle of ‘absolver’?
absuelto
What is the past participle of ‘cubrir’?
cubierto
What is the past participle of ‘decir’?
dicho
What is the past participle of ‘escribir’?
escrito
What is the past participle of ‘hacer’?
hecho
What is the past participle of ‘morir’?
muerto
What is the past participle of ‘poner’?
puesto
What is the past participle of ‘romper’?
roto
What is the past participle of ‘ver’?
visto
What is the past participle of ‘volver’?
vuelto
Form past participle/passive participle
-ado or -ido (hablado, comido, vivido)
What’s the adjectival participle of bendecir?
Bendito
What’s the adjectival participle of convertir?
Converso
What’s the adjectival participle of elegir?
Electo
What’s the adjectival participle of expresar?
Expreso
What’s the adjectival participle of freír?
Frito
What’s the adjectival participle of reducir?
Reducto
What’s the adjectival participle of suspender?
Suspenso
Ser or estar: surprise at an unexpected observation
Estar
Estar: pretérito or imperfecto
Imperfect, unless a specific time frame is mentioned
Conocer: preterir
To meet
Saber - pretérito
To find out
Saber + a
To taste like
Saber + infinitive
To know how to do something (comó not used)
Criar vs crecer
Criar: to be raised
Crecer: to grow in stature
Dejar + infinitive
To allow to do something
Dejar de + infinitive
To quit
Dejar caer
To drop (to let fall)
Moverse vs mudarse
Moverse - move an object
Mudar - change clothes, opinion, house (with de)
Difference between esperar que and esperar + infinitive
Esperar que = hope that something happens and uses subjunctive
Esperar + infinitive = hope to do something yourself
Also querer, preferir, necesitar, gustar, etc
Ya sea
Whether, whatever, whenever, whoever, however
Before/after noun: antiguo
Former/ancient
Before/after noun: cierto
Certain / sure
Before/after noun: grande
Great / large
Before/after noun: único
Only / unique
Make a verb an adjective
Use the past participle
-ado or -ido
Make an adjective an adverb (usually)
Add +mente
Comparative degree
Más ____ que
Comparison of equality
Tan(tos) ____ como
Superlative degree
El/la + más + (adjective) + de
Absolute superlative
-isimo
Más de or más que (with numbers)
Usually más de (also menos)
“Do something again”
Volver a + verb
Pretérito stem changes
1) -car: c -> qu
2) -gar: g-> gu
3) -zar: z-> c
Preterite: stem changes
-ar stem change verbs don’t stem change
-ir: change e > i and o > u in third person singular and plural
Irregular Preterite verbs with -uv in the steam
Estar, andar, tener
Irregular pretérito verbs with u in the stem
Caber, haber, poder, poner, saber
Irregular Preterite verbs with i in the stem
Hacer, querer, venir
Irregular Preterite verbs with j in the stem
Atraer, decir, producir, traer, traducir
Present participle with stems ending in vowels
-yendo (leyendo o construyendo)
Present participle stem changes
1) some -ir verbs change o -> u
2) some -ir verbs change e-> i
Present participle: ir
Yendo
Present participle: poder
Pudiendo
Progressive tense with verbs of motion
Example: seguir + progressive or andar + progressive
Emphasize that action is continuing, repeating, or unfinished
Use in any tense
Use of imperfect tense (5 uses)
1) habitual/customary action
2) a situation in progress in the past
3) descriptions of people/things/events in the past
4) time of day, day of week, date, or age in past
5) state of mind or physical sensation in the past
Reflexive pronouns
Me Nos
Te Os
Se Se
Acordarse __
De
Fijarse ___
En
Negarse __
A
When is se used as an indirect object pronoun?
When there’s a direct object pronoun and the indirect object is third person (or usted/uds)
Direct object pronouns
Me Nos
Te Os
Lo/La Los/Las
Indirect object pronouns
Me Nos
Te Os
Le Les
Prepositional pronouns
Mí Nosotros
Tí Vosotros
Él/ella Ellos/ellas
Regular affirmative tú command
Use third person singular indicative present
Regular negative tu commands
No + subjunctive 2nd person present
What is the affirmative tú command for ‘decir’?
di
What is the affirmative tú command for ‘hacer’?
haz
What is the affirmative tú command for ‘ir’?
ve
What is the affirmative tú command for ‘poner’?
pon
What is the affirmative tú command for ‘salir’?
sal
What is the affirmative tú command for ‘ser’?
sé
What is the affirmative tú command for ‘tener’?
ten
What is the affirmative tú command for ‘venir’?
ven
What is the negative tú command for ‘decir’?
no digas
What is the negative tú command for ‘hacer’?
no hagas
What is the negative tú command for ‘ir’?
no vayas
What is the negative tú command for ‘poner’?
no pongas
What is the negative tú command for ‘salir’?
no salgas
What is the negative tú command for ‘ser’?
no seas
What is the negative tú command for ‘tener’?
no tengas
What is the negative tú command for ‘venir’?
no vengas
Regular usted commands (both positive and negative)
Subjunctive third person singular
Formal usted command - saber
Sepa
Formal usted command - ser
Sea
Formal usted command - ir
Vaya
Ustedes commands
Add -n to usted command
Affirmative vosotros commands (non-reflective)
Replace -r with -d in infinitive
Affirmative vosotros commands (reflexive)
Replace -r of infinitive with reflexive vosotros pronoun (-os)
Negative vosotros commands
Replace infinitive with
-éis (-ar verbs)
-áis (-er/-ir verbs)
Three irregular vosotros negative commands
Saber: sepaís
Ser: seaís
Ir: Vayaís
Direct and indirect object pronouns & commands
Affirmative: Attached to end
Negative: proceed verb
Commands with both indirect and direct object
Affirmative: verb + indirect + direct
Negative: no + indirect + direct + verb
Pronoun location: estar + gerund
Either before or after
Juan me lo estaba vendiendo
Juan estaba vendiéndomelo
Pronoun location: single conjugated verb
Before the verb
Pronoun location: verb + infinitive
Either before or after
Juan me lo quiería vender
Juan quería vendérmelo
Pronoun location: affirmative commands
Attached to the command
Alternative command with nosotros
Use the nosotros subjunctive form (“let us…”)
Word order of imperative sentences
Verb + direct object + indirect object
If attaching pronouns: verb + indirect pronoun + direct pronoun
Accents on commands with pronouns
One pronoun: three vowels back
Two pronouns: four vowels back
Can you use indirect pronoun and indirect noun in the same sentence?
Yes, especially for third person
When to use neuter pronouns?
References to speech in present or past (do you hear that? I didn’t understand that.)
Five neuter pronouns
Aquello, ello, esto, eso, lo
Lo + adjective
Abstract, singular person
Limiting adjectives
Adjectives of number and quantity
They proceed the verb
Descriptive adjective before noun?
If it underscores or contains innate quality of noun
Before / after: antiguo
Former / old
Before / after: cierto
Certain / sure
Gran(de): before / after
Great / big
Mismo: before/after
Same / himself
Pobre: before /after
Unlucky / poor
Personal a
Before direct object when it’s a specific person
Exception to personal a
After tener
Express willingness
Querer + infinitive
Queremos ayudar : we will help
Future tense w/ shortened stems
Caber: cabr
Haber: habr
Poder: podr
Querer: querr
Saber: sabr
Future tense stems: replace verb with d
Poner: pondr
Salir: saldr
Tener: tendr
Valer: valdr
Venir: vendr
Most stem changed future tense
Decir: dir-
Hacer: hir-
Second use of future tense
Express wonder or probability
Personal a before alguien o nadie?
Yes!
Prepositions before infinitives to make present participles (9)
Al
Antes de
Con
De
Después de
En lugar de
En vez de
Hasta
Sin
Uses of para
Purpose
Comparison
Deadlines
Destination
Uses of por (10)
Exchange
Moving through
Duration of time
Expresiones of time (por la tarde)
Movement (by train)
Reason
Passive voice - introduce actor
“Per”
“For” with enviar, preguntar, venir, regresar, volver
Estar por = about to do something
Conditional tense irregulars
Same as future tense
How to express future action from perspective of the past
Use the conditional
Word order of question with compound verb
Subject comes after the verbs
Object pronouns and present perfect - before or after?
Before
Use of past perfect tense
To refer to an action that occurred before another action or condition
How to form passive voice?
Ser + past participle + por + agent
Second way to form passive
Reflexive noun with impersonal se
Uses of the subjunctive
Uncertainty
Doubt
Demand
Desire
Emotions
Indefinite/hypothetical person
Impersonal expression with opinion
