Spanish Grammar Flashcards
If a word ends in a vowel or the consonant n or s, and does not have a written accent, then the word is stressed on the penultimate (next to last) syllable.
CAma (bed) pasaPORte (passport)
esCRIben (they write) LUnes (monday)
What are subject pronouns?
Subject pronouns is the term used to refer to the following set of words:
I, you, he, she, it we they
The THREE uses of definite articles
- To designate a noun in a general or collective sense
- To designate a noun in a specific sense
- Used in Spanish with titles of much respect such as SR.
Definite Articles used to designate a noun in a general or collective sense
El jamón es una carne popular
Las tartas son dulces
Definite Articles used to designate a noun in a specific sense
Los bocadillos del bar La Chula son deliciosos
La tortilla de patata es mi merienda favorita
Definite Articles used in Spanish with titles of much respect such as Sr.
El Sr. Herrera toma un cafe
La professor Martinez habla español
What are the three uses of the verb SER
- With an adjective to describe something or someone
- With an adjective of nationality
- With the preposition de to indicate place of origin
The verb SER used with an adjective to describe something or someone
El pollo es rico
Las tartas son deliciosas
The verb SER used with an adjective of nationality
Me llamo Antonio, vivo en Texas, per soy Mexicano
Soy Valeria Herrera del Castillo y soy venezolana
With the preposition de to indicate a place of origen
Mi nombre es Alejandra, y soy de Colombia
When to use Estar
When talking about food and drink in English we use the words ‘to be’to describe taste and appearance. In Spanish, the verb estar is used to express these ideas.
Uses of Estar
El pollo está rico
The chicken tastes delicious
La tortilla de patata está salada
The potato omelette tastes salty
Los churros están frescos
The pastries taste/ look fresh
El café está caliente
The coffee feels warm
Hay is often used with nouns that are preceded by an indefinite article or number
Hay una cama en mi cuarto
There is a bed in my room
Hay tres camas en mi cuarto
There are three beds in my room
When these nouns are referred to in a general or generic way, or in the negative, the indefinite article is often ommitted.
Hay libros en la biblioteca
There are books in the library
No hay estereo en mi cuarto
There is no stereo in my room
To ask to whom something belongs?
De + quién(es) + ser + noun?
eg De quién es el libro?
Whose book is it?
How to use gustar when you are using it in the second and third person singular
When we use le gusta or les gusta, it may be less clear as to who the action is pleasing. Therefore, when we initiate a discussion about someone’s likes or dislikes, you should either include a proper name or pronoun. The person’s name or pronoun must be preceeded by the proposition “A”. You cannot say: Juan le gusta estudiar pintura. You must say: A Juan le gusta estudiar pintura.
Gustar
Use gusta if what is pleasing is singular and gustan if it is plural
Tener que + infinitivo
To inquire about or say what you or someone else HAS TO DO
Tener ganas de + infinitivo
To inquire about or say that you or someone else FEELS LIKE DOING.
Tengo que comer
I have to eat
Tengo ganas de viajar este verano
I feel like travelling this summer
Saber
To know a fact, to have knowledge of, to know how to do something
Conocer
To know a person (having met or heard about him or her), to be familiar with a place or thing.
Saber conjugation
Yo Sé Tu sabes El sabe Nosotros sabemos Ellos saben
Conocer conjugation
Yo conozco Tu conoces El conoce Nosotros conocemos Ellos conocen
Examples using Saber
Sé muy poco de Roberto
I know very little about Robert
Como es?
What is he like
Examples using Saber
Sabe dónde está la estación de policía
Do you know where the police station is?
Examples using Saber
Sé contar hasta diez en español
I know how to count to ten in Spanish
Examples using Conocer
Conozco bien a mi hermana
I know my sister well
Conocemos Mexico. Visitamos Mexico en julio
We visited Mexico in July
Enrique no conoce la música de Juanes
Enrique is not familiar with Juanes’ music
The direct object pronoun and its use with the verb conocer
Only when the direct object of a verb is a specific human being or an animal that is personalised, is it preceded by the preposition a. There is no equivalent in english.
Escuchas a tu madre? - Do you listen to your mother?
The direct object pronoun and its use with the verb conocer
Note that when the definite article in the masculine singular form follows the personal a, the contraction al is used.
Admiras al presidente? - Do you admire the president?
When pensar is followed directly by an infinitive
In this case the meaning changes to “to plan to do something” or “intend to do something”
Eg: Pienso trabajar este verano
I plan to work this summer
When pensar is followed by en….pensar en
In this case it means “to think about”
En que piensas? - What are you thinking about?
Pienso en mi familia - I am thinking about my family
The meaning of Empezar + infinitive
To begin to do something
e.g.: Empiezo a trabajar el lunes
I begin to work on Monday
The meaning of sonar con
To dream about doing something
Sueño con tener luna casa grande
I dream of having a big house
The meaning of Volver + infinitive
Volver a + infinitive means to do something again
e.g.: Por fin vuelvo a estudiar español
At last I am studying Spanish again
To express the immediate future in Spanish
IR + a + infinitive
Qué vas a hacer esta tarde?
What are you going to do this afternoon
Voy a estar en case
I am going to be home
Que van a hacer este fin de semana?
What are you going to do this weekend?
Vamos a viajar
We are going to travel
Reflexive Verbs
In most cases reflexive verbs are used when ‘the doer’ of the action and ‘the receiver’ of the action are the same. In other words, reflexive verbs express actions that the subject does to himself, herself, or itself or that the subjects do to themselves. Yo can easily identify the reflexive verbs in the infinitive form by looking for the pronoun se (levantarse, peinarse).
Reflexive Verbs
When the verb is conjugated, the reflexive pronoun precedes it; with an infinitive, the pronoun is attached to the end of it.
Me levanto a las seis y media todas las mañanas
Mañana quiero levantarme a las seis y media
El presente progresivo: Para expresar acciones que tienen lugar (take place) en este momento.
In Spanish, when you want to show an action is in progress at the moment you are speaking, you use the present progressive. We use the verb estar plus another verb ending in -ndo. This -ndo form of the verb is known as the present participle (in Spanish, el gerundio).
Examples using el gerundio
Que estás haciendo ahora mismo?
What are you doing right now?
Estoy estudiando
I am stuydying
Que están haciendo tus amigos en este momento?
What are your friends doing at this moment?
Están mirando un programa de la tele
They are watching a TV programme
To compare objects (singular)
Tanto/a + singular noun + como
Esta mañana hay tanta niebla como ayer por la mañana.
It’s AS foggy this morning AS it was yesterday morning
Hace TANTO calor en Puerto Rico COMO en la Republica Dominicana
It is AS hot in Puerto Rico AS in the Dominican Republic
To compare objects (plural)
Tantos/as + plural + como
Hoy hay TANTAS nubes en San Juan COMO en Santo Domingo
There are AS many clouds in San Juan today AS in Santo Domingo
Hoy no están cayendo TANTOS rayos COMO ayer
There is not AS much lightning today AS yesterday
To compare qualities or manner
Tan + adjetive/ adverb + como
Ir a la playa es TAN divertido COMO acampar en las montañas
Going to the beach is AS fun AS camping in the mountains
Puerto Rico es TAN caluroso COMO Cuba
Puerto Rico is AS hot AS Cuba
En verano llueve TAN intensamente en Cuba COMO en la Republica Dominicana
In the summer it rains AS intensely in Cuba AS in the Dominican Republic
To compare actions
verb + tanto como
Me gusta la primavera TANTO COMO el verano
I like spring AS MUCH AS fall
En agosto llueve TANTO COMO en septiembre
In August it rains AS MUCH AS in September
To compare objects, qualities, or actions
más/ menos + noun/ adjective/ adverb + que
Esta semana hay MÁS / MENOS nubes QUE la semana pasada
This week is MORE/ LESS cloudy than last week
Hoy hace MÁS/ MENOS frío que ayer
Today it’s colder/ LESS cold THAN yesterday
Esta tarde está nevando MÁS/ MENOS intensamente QUE esta mañana.
This afternoon it’s snowing MORE/ LESS intensely THAN this morning
The use of Superlatives
To convey in Spanish, the idea expressed in English by -est, the most, or the least, use the following construction:
Definite Article + Noun + Más/ Menos + Adjective
Examples using Superlatives
la semana mas seca
the dryest week
el invierno menos frío
the least cold winter
el verano más caluroso
the hottest summer
el mes menos lluvioso
the least rainy month
Expressions to use with sports
Hacer + name of sport
Jugar + name of sport
Practicar + name of sport
There is no specific rule to guide you in selecting an appropriate expression. You must learn which verb is used with which sport. That said PRACTICAR may be used with virtually any sport.
Expressions to use with sports
Hacer is used in the following cases……hacer…..pesas, patina, surf
Jugar a is used in the following cases…..jugar al…..básquestbol, béisbol, fútbol, fútbol americano, golf, hockey sobre hilo, vólibol
Practicar may be used with nearly any of the terms. It generally refers to sports that you play on a regular basis: practicar al…….básquetbol, béisbol, esquí, fútbol, fútbol americano, golf, hockey sobre hielo, surf, tenis, vólibol.
To speak about an action that has happened in the immediate past
Acabar de + infinitive
A select group of AR verbs undergo spelling changes when conjugated in the preterite. This spelling change affects only the first person singular: the YO form. The remaining forms are regular. In the preterite c becomes qu
Buscar - Busqué
Explicar - Expliqué
Pescar - Pesqué
Practicar - Practiqué
Sacar - Saqué
Tocar - Toqué
Spelling change in the preterite g becomes gu
Llegar - Llegué
Jugar - Jugué
Pagar - Pagué
Spelling change in the preterite z becomes c
Empezar - Empecé
Abrazar - Abracé
Comenzar - Comencé
Utilizar - Utilicé
IR verbs in the preterite change from e to i in the third person singular and plural forms.
Sentir - Sintío, sintieron
Divertir - divirtió, divirtieron
Preferir - prefirió, prefirieron
Sugerir - sugirió, sugirieron
Direct Object
A DIRECT OBJECT is a person or thing that receives the action of a verb or shows the result of the action and answers the question “what” or “whom”. An action verb with a direct object is called a transitive verb.
When the direct object of a verb is a specific human being or an animal that is personified, it is preceded by the personal a. There is no equivalent in English
Conocemos a los Smith
We know the Smith’s
Escuchas a tu madre?
Do you listen to your mother
Admiras al presidente?
Do you admire the president
In Spanish, as in English, whenever possible, speakers replace nouns with pronouns in order to avoid repetition. When the direct object is referred to again in conversation, speakers can use the direct object pronouns to take the place of direct object nouns. The pronouns agree with the direct object they refer to in number (singular and plural) and, in the third person, also in gender (masculine and feminine).
The direct object pronouns in Spanish:
me - me te - you (informal singular) lo - (formal singular), him, it (m) la - you (formal singular), her, it (f) nos - us os - you (informal pl) los - you (formal pl), them (m + m, f) las - you (formal pl), them (f)
The direct object pronouns are used to refer to both people and things:
Compró Marta una casa
Did Marta buy a house
Si, la compró ayer
Yes, she bought it yesterday
Conocen a Juan?
Do you know Juan
Si, lo conocemos
Yes, we know him
With Conjugated Verbs
When the main verb of the sentence is a conjugated verb, the direct object pronoun is placed immediately in front of the conjugated verb.
Pronombre de complemento directo + verbo conjugado
Did you hear Juan’s message
Escuchaste al mensaje de Juan?
Yes I heard it yesterday
Si lo escuché ayer
With Infinitives
The direct object pronoun is attached to the end of the infinitive
Infinitivo + pronombre de complemento directo
Gracias por invitarme a tu casa
Thank you for inviting me to your house
With both a conjugated verb and an infinitive or present participle
When a conjugated verb and an infinitive or present participle are used together in a sentence, the direct object pronoun can be placed in EITHER of the following positions
in front of the conjugated verb + infinitive or present participle
pronombre de complemento directo + verbo conjugado + infinitivo/ gerundio
Are you going to pay the bill?
Vas a pagar la cuenta
Yes, I am going to pay it
Si, la voy a pagar
I am paying it now
La estoy pagando ahora
With both a conjugated verb and an infinitive or present participle
When a conjugated verb and an infinitive or present participle are used together in a sentence, the direct object pronoun can be placed in EITHER of the following positions
attached to the end of the infinitive or present participle
Vas a pagar la cuenta?
Are you going to pay the bill?
Si, voy a pagarla
Yes I am going to pay it
Estoy pagandola ahora
I am paying it now
Conjugate ESTAR in the preterite
Estuve Estuviste Estuvo Estuvimos Estuvieron
Conjugate ANDAR in the preterite
Anduve Anduviste Anduvo Anduvimos Anduvieron
Conjugate PODER in the preterite
Pude Pudiste Pudo Pudimos Pudieron
Conjugate PONER in the preterite
Puse Pusiste Puso Pusimos Pusieron
Conjugate SABER in the preterite
Supe Supiste Supo Supimos Supieron
Conjugate TENER in the preterite
Tuve Tuviste Tuvo Tuvimos Tuvieron
Conjugate HABER in the preterite
Hube Hubiste Hubo Hubimos Hubieron
Conjugate QUERER in the preterite
Quise Quisiste Quiso Quisimos Quisieron
Conjugate VENIR in the preterite
Vine Viniste Vino Vinimos Vinieron
Conjugate CONDUCIRin the preterite
Conduje Condujiste Condujo Condujimos Condujeron
Conjugate DECIR in the preterite
Dije Dijiste Dijo Dijimos Dijeron
Conjugate TRAER in the preterite
Traje Trajiste Trajo Trajimos Trajeron
Conjugate LEERin the preterite
Leí Leíste Leyó Leímos Leyeron
Conjugate OIR in the preterite
Oí Oíste Oyó Oímos Oyeron
Conjugate CREER in the preterite
Creí Creíste Creyó Creímos Creyeron
The present perfect tense is used to talk about an action that has happened already, either in the general past or quite recently in relation to the moment of speaking. The equivalent in English IS TO HAVE DONE SOMETHING.
Han viajado últimamente
Have you travelled lately
Hemos ido a Honduras
We’ve gone to Honduras
The present perfect tense is used to talk about an action that has happened already, either in the general past or quite recently in relation to the moment of speaking. The equivalent in English IS TO HAVE DONE SOMETHING.
Sometimes it may be used to suggest that the effects of a past event carry over into the present: “I’ve always done it that way (and still do)”
Siempre he comprado la ropa aquí
I have always bought clothes here (and I still do)
To describe injuries in Spanish, you will use a number of reflexive verbs plus the relevant body part. Consider the verbs on the other card
Cortarse un/el dedo, la cara, etcétera
To cut oneself, one’s finger, face, etc
Hacerse una herida
To wound oneself
Lastimarse un/el pie, una/la rodilla, etcétera
To hurt oneself, one’s foot, knee, etc
Romperse una/la pierna, un/el brazo, etcétera
To break one’s leg, arm, etc
Torcerse(ue) un/el tobillo, etcétera
To sprain one’s ankle etc
To express hurting a body part
the reflexive verb + an article (definite or indefinite) + the body part
Use the definite article when you are referring to a specific body part: la pierna = one leg in particular; la cara = the only face etc
Maria tuvo un accidente y se lastimó el pie
Maria had an accident and hurt her foot
Use the idefinite article when you are describing injuries in general: un brazo = an arm; un dedo = a fingir etc
Juan se cayó y se rompió un brazo
Juan fell and broke an arm
The imperfect tense is used most commonly to express habitual past actions that you and other people used to (would) do
Qué deportes jugaba Jorge de niño?
What sports did Jorge use to play as a boy
Jugaba al fútbol y al basquetbol
He used to play soccer and basketball
Qué hacías los veranos?
What would you do/did you use to do in the summer?
Me reunía con mi familia
I would / I used to get together with my family
Uses of the imperfect tense to describe and express situations in the past
To describe the physical attributes of people and things in the past
Ella era alta y tenía los ojos azules
She was tall and had blue eyes
Los veranos siempre eran muy divertidos
Summers were always lots of fun
Uses of the imperfect tense to describe and express situations in the past
To describe the mental states, feelings, and general health in the past
Ayer estaba muy cansado. Tenía mucho sueño
Yesterday I was very tired. I was very sleepy
No estaba muy contento
I wasn’t very happy
To no me sentía bien
I wasn’t feeling well
Uses of the imperfect tense to describe and express situations in the past
To express someone’s age in the past
Ella tenía 50 años
He was fifty years old
Uses of the imperfect tense to describe and express situations in the past
To tell the time in the past
Eran las 3:30
It was 3:30
Uses of the imperfect tense to describe and express situations in the past
With the verb haber to describe what people and/or things were at a place in the past
En la fiesta había mucha comida
There was a lot of food at the parte
Había 30 alumnos en la clase
There were thirty students in the class
The Past Perfect Tense
The past perfect tense is used to indicate that something had already happened before something else occurred. Similar to English, this tense requires another action in the past as a reference point, whether it is stated or not, in order to make sense.
The Past Perfect Tense (example)
Carlos no miró las noticias en la televisión porque ya había leído el periódico
Carlos didn’t watch the news on TV because he had already read the newspaper
Los meseros ya habían servido la cena cuando llegamos al banquete de bodas
The waiters had already served dinner when we arrived at the wedding reception
In Spanish the pronouns nos, os, and se can be used to express actions that people do to each other. These types of actions, which involve at least two people, are referred to as reciprocal actions.
Nos vemos mañana
We’ll see each other tomorrow
Os encontraréis en el concierto?
Will you meet up with each other at the concert
Teresa y Juan se miran y se saludan
Teresa and Juan look at each other and greet each other
Ellos son amigos y se conocen bien
They are friends and know each other well
Se quieren mucho?
Do you/ they really love each other?
Another common use of se is to express an action with no specific subject (person or persons performing the action). This is called an impersonal action. The equivalent in English is you, people, they, or one.
The se impersonal is formed y placing se before the third person singular form of the verb se come, se habla, se trabaja etc.
Se habla español aquí
You (people, they, one) speak/s Spanish here
Se escucha mucha música latina en los Estados Unidos
You (people, they, one) hear/s a lot of Latin music in the United States
En esta banda se trabaja mucho
People work a lot in this band
In Spanish to discuss future events we can use the verb ir + a + infinitive. In addition to this structure, there are other verb structures that you may use to refer to future plans and events
ir + a + otro verbo en infinitivo
querer + otro verbo en infinitivo
pensar + orto verbo en infinitivo
tener (muchas) ganas de + otro verbo en infinitivo
ir + a + otro verbo en infinitivo
Este fin de semana Cristina y Enrique van a tener mucho tiempo libre
querer + otro verbo en infinitivo
Está claro que Enrique y Cristina quieren pasarlo bien estos días
pensar + orto verbo en infinitivo
El sábado por la tarde piensan ir a un bar
tener (muchas) ganas de + otro verbo en infinitivo
Enrique y Cristina tienen muchas ganas de ver el museo del prado en Madrid
Spanish has a future tense that similar to the future tense in English, expresses what will happen.
In Spanish, however, this tense is more likely to be used in writing than in everyday conversation. When speaking, you are more likely to use and hear the alternatives you already know.
Visitaremos el volcán mañana
Will we visit the volcano tomorrow
Sí, llamaré por teléfono para confirmarlo
Yes, I’ll call to confirm it
Although the two preposition por and para often correspond to the English preposition “for”, they are used to convey very specific meanings in Spanish.
Por is normally conveys the idea or cause
Para normally conveys the idea of a destination or a goal
In Spanish, the most frequently used relative pronoun que. It is like the equivalent of the English words, that, which, who, and whom. It may refer to people, places, or things, which mat be feminine or masculine, singular or plural.
Prefiero los programas de intercambio que duran un año académico
I prefer exchange programmes that last an academic year
El consejero es el hombre que trabaja en esa oficina
The advisor is the man who works in that office
El programa de idiomas que escogí está en Panamá
The language programme that I chose is in Panama
The relative pronouns quien and quienes refer only to people (there is no masculine/ feminine distinction ). They are used after the personal “a” or prepositions and, in those instances, are the equivalent of whom.
El profesor de español a quien vimos el otro dia es de Nicaragua
The Spanish professor (whom/that) we saw the other day is from Nicaragua.
La chica con quien hablé en la Oficina de Relaciones Internacionales es una estudiante de intercambio
The girl with whom I spoke in the Office of International Relations is an exchange student.
When the relative pronouns refer to an abstract idea, lo que is used. Lo que translates into English as what or the thing that.
No comprendí lo que me dijo
I didn’t understand what he told me
What (The thing that) you need is a foreign internship
Lo que necesitas son practicas profesionales en el extranjero
What three pronouns can be used to express reciprocal actions
Nos
Os
Se
En
As a reference to a location itself
De/ Desde
As a reference to a starting point or place of origin
A/ Hasta
As a reference to a final destination
A/ Hacia/ Para
As a reference to a movement toward a place
Entre
As a reference to the distance between the location and another place
The Preterite Describes what three things:
- An action that has been started or completed within a definitive time frame
- The action only occurred once
- The action was repeated a specific number of times
The Imperfect Describes what three things:
- Habitual actions that are often repeated an unspecified number of times in the past
- To justify why someone did or did not do something
- To express simultaneous actions
When do we use the Subjunctive
W E I R D O
Wishes and Desires
Expressions or Emotions
Impersonal Expressions
Recommendations and Requests
Doubt or Denial
Ojalá
