Grammar Book

Emma Waldron

Table of ContentsEl PresenteSer y EstarVerbs like GustarNouns and Articles AdjectivesPreterite vs. ImperfectThe Preterite (Regular and Irregular)Subjunctive MoodPresent SubjunctiveImpersonal ExpressionsMandatosObject PronounsDouble Object Pronouns

El Presente

• Regular –ar –er –ir verbs are formed by dropping the infinitive ending and add these endings.

• Also used to express habitual actions or actions that will take place in the near future.

AR Endings

o amos

as áis

a an

ER/IR Endings

o emos/imos

es éis/ís

e En

El Presente• Stem Changing Verbs change all forms of the

verb EXCEPT FOR nosotros or vosotros• e:i pedir– Jugar changes its stem vowel from u to ue.– Add a y before personal endings for construir, destruir,

incluir, and influir.– Jugar: juego, juegas, juegam jugamos, juegan

El Presente

• Irregular yo Forms– Verbs ending in –cer or –cir change to –zco in the

yo form– Verbs ending in –ger or –gir change to –jo.– Example: caer- yo caigo & conducir- yo conduzco– Ending in jo: escoger yo escojo saber yo sé- Verbs with prefixes FOLLOW THE SAME PATTERNS!

Irregular Verbs

• Some verbs are irregular in the present tense or combine a stem-change with an irregular to form another spelling change.

Ser and Estar• Both mean to be, but they are not interchangeable. • Ser is used to express the idea of permanence, such as

inherent or unchanging qualities and characteristics• Ser and Estar with adjectives

– Ser is used with adjectives to describe inherent, expected qualities.

– Estar is used to describe temporary qualities.– Ser and estar can both be used with most descriptive

adjectives, but have different meanings.*Estar, not ser is used with muerto/a.

Ser vs. Estar

Ser – Nationality and place of origin– Profession or occupation– Characteristics of people,

animals, and things– Generalizations– Possession– Material of composition– Time, date or season– Where or when an event

takes place

Estar• Location or spatial relationships• Health• Physical states and conditions• Emotional states• Certain weather expressions• Ongoing actions(progressive

tenses) • Results of actions (past

participles)

Verbos como gustar

• Though gustar is translated as to like in English, its literal meaning is to please.

• Because the things or person that pleases is the subject, gustar agrees in person and number with it. Most commonly the subject is third person singular or plural.

• When gustar is followed by one or more verbs in the infinitive, the singular form of gustar is always used. Les gusta cantar y bailar.

• It is often used in the conditional

Verbs como gustar

• Verbs like gustar: aburrir, caer bien/mal, disgustar, doler, encantar, faltar, fascinar, hacer falta, importarm interesar, molestar, preocupar, quedar, sorprender, and apetecer

• The construction a + [prepositional pronoun] or a + [noun] can be used to emphasize who is pleased, bothered, etc.

• Examples: A Felipe le molesta ir de compras.• Faltar expresses what someone or something lacks and

quedar expresses what someone or something has left. Quedar is also used to talk about how clothing looks or fits on someone.

Nouns and Articles• In Spanish, there are feminine nouns and masculine

nouns. In general, nouns that end in –a are feminine, and nouns that end in –o are masculine. However, there are some exceptions. (El agua)

• The article used before a noun depends on whether it is indefinite or definite and whether the noun is masculine or feminine.

Definite Articles

Feminine Masculine

Singular La El

Plural Las Los

Indefinite Articles

Feminine Masculine

Singular Una Un

Plural Unas Unos

Adjectives

• In Spanish, an adjective must agree in number and gender with the noun it is describing.

• Examples• La chica alta• Las chicas altas • El hombre fuerte• Los hombres fuertes

Pretérito vs. Imperfecto

• A single instantaneous action or event

• An event that is done and over with

• A series of completed events

• Tells specifically when an event took place

• Used to describe actions with definite beginnings or endings

• A description of a scene in the past

• Tells in general when an action took place

• Used to talk about a recurring action in the past

• An ongoing action in the past

• Used to describe a physical or mental condition in the past

El Pretérito• Regular Verbs

AR Verbs

é amos

aste asteis

ó aron

ER/IR Verbs

í imos

iste isteis

ió ieron

Verbs ending in –aer, -eer, -oír, oerThe third person singular form of these verbs uses the “yó” ending.

The third person plural form uses “yeron.” Add an accent on “i” for all other forms.

Example: creer í, ó

Creí Creímos

Creíste Creísteis

Creyó creyeron

Los verbos irregulares en el pretérito• Car, Gar, Zar Verbs

– These verbs have changes in the “yo” form only.– Car- qué– Gar- gué– Zar- cé

• Four IrregularsSer y Ir

Fui Fuimos

Fuiste Fuisteis

Fue Fueron

Dar

Di Dimos

Diste Disteis

Dio Dieron

Hacer

Hice Hicimos

Hiciste Hicisteis

Hizo Hicieron

Los verbos irregulares en el pretéritoSnake Verbs- Only stem changing IR

verbs change in the preterite. They only change in the third person.

- e i o u - Example:

-

PreferirPreferí Preferimos

Preferiste Preferisteis

Prefirió Prefirieron

Stem Changers- These verbs change to the

following stems and have these endings:- Andar- anduv- Estar- estuv- Tener- tuv- Caber- cup- Haber- hub- Poder- pud- Poner- pus- Saber- sup- Hacer - hic- Querer - quis- Venir- vin

Endings

e imos

iste isteis

o ieron

The Subjunctive Mood

• Subjunctive mood: attitudes, uncertain, hypothetical, unspecified, not a fact

• W-wishing/wanting • E- emotions• D- doubt• D- disbelief• I- impersonal expressions• N- Negation• G-God/grief

The Present Subjunctive

• Main clause + connector + subordinate clause• Regular Verbs

• Irregulars:– Dar dé; estar esté; ir vaya; saber sepa

haber haya; ser sea

AR Verbs

e emos

es

e en

ER/IR Verbs

a amos

as

a an

Impersonal Expressions

• Es bueno que…• Es mejor que…• Es malo que…• Es importante que… • Es necesario que…• Es urgente que…* Que is the connector word!

Verbs of Will and Influence

• Asconsejar- to advise• Importar- to be important; to matter• Insistir (en)- to insist (on)• Mandar- to order• Prohibir- to prohibit• Recomendar (eie)- to reccoment• Rogar (oue)- to beg, to plead• Sugerir (eie)- to suggest

Expressions of Emotion

• Alegrarse (de)- to be happy• Esperar- to hope, to wish• Sentir (eie)- to be sorry, to regret• Sorprender- to surprise• Temer- to be afraid; to fear• Es triste- It’s sad• Ojála (que)- I hope (that); I wish (that)

Expressions of Doubt, Disbelief, and Denial

• Dudar- to doubt• Begar (eie)- to deny• Es imposible- it’s impossible• Es improbable- it’s improbable• No es cierto- it’s not true; it’s not certain• No es seguro- it’s not certain• No es verdad- it’s not true

Object Pronouns

• Direct object pronouns directly receive the action of the verb.

• Indirect object pronouns identify TO WHOM or FOR WHOM an action is done.

• Direct and indirect pronouns precede the conjugated verb– Example: Carla siempre me da boletos para el

cine. (Carla always gives me movie tickets.)

Subjunctive in Noun Clauses

• The subjunctive is used mainly in multiple clause sentences which express will, influence, emotion, doubt, or denial.

• Present subjunctive is formed by dripping the –o from the yo form of the present indicative and adding the subjunctive endings.

• Verbs with irregular yo forms show that same irregularity throughout the forms of the subjunctive.

Mandatos

• Tu Affirmative- simply drop the ‘s’ – Los Irregulares: TVDISHES

• Ud/Uds Affirmative- put it in ‘yo’ form and change to opposite vowel– Los Irregulares: TVDISHES

• Tu Negative- put it in ‘yo’ form and change to opposite vowel, add an ‘s’– Los Irregulares: TVDISHES

• Ud/Uds Negative- put it in ‘yo’ form and change to opposite vowel– Los Irregulares: TVDISHES

Commands• Formal commands are used to give orders or advice

to people you address as usted or ustedes. Their forms are identical to present subjunctive forms for usted and ustedes.

• Tomar: Tome, tomen, no tome, no tomen• Familiar tu commands: used with people you address

as tu. Affirmatice tu commands have the same form as the ella, usted form of the present indicative. Negative tu commandshave the same form as the tu form of the present subjunctive.

• Viajar: viaja, no viajes• Empezar: empieza, no empieces

Mandatos

• DOP + IOP + ‘se’ can attach to an affirmative.• DOP + IOP + ‘se’ must go before the negative

command.

Object Pronouns

• When the verb is an infinitive construction, object pronouns may be either attached to the infinitive or placed before the conjugated verb.

• Can attach to infinitive, gerund, or an affirmative command and is placed before a conjugated verb.

• When the verb is in the progressive, object pronouns may be either attached to the present participle or placed before the conjugated verb.

Double Object Pronouns

• The indirect object pronoun precedes the direct object pronoun when they are used together in a sentence.

• Ex: Me mandaron los boletos por correo. Me los mandaran por correo.

• *Le and les change to se when they are used with lo, la, los, las.

• When object pronouns are attached to infinitives, participles, or commands, a written accent is often added on the 3rd to the last syllable. If you add both indirect and direct, it would be the 4th to the last syllable.

Prepositional Pronouns/Possesive Adjectives and Pronouns

• Prepositional pronouns function as the objects of prepositions. Except for mí, ti, and sí, they are identical to their corresponding subject pronouns.

• The pronoun sí (himself, herself, itself, themselves) is the prepositional pronoun used to refer back to the same third-person subject. In this case, the adjective mismo/a(s) is usually added for clarification.

• When mí, ti, and sí are used with con, they become: conmigo with me; contigo with you; consigo with them

• These prepositions are used with tú and yo instead of mí and ti: entre, excepto, incluso, menos, salvo, según.

Subjunctive in Adjective Clauses

• When the subordinate clause of a sentence refers to something (the antecedent) that is known to exist, the indicative is used.

• When the antecedent is uncertain or indefinite, the subjunctive is used.

• When the antecedent of an adjective clause is a negative pronoun, the subjunctive is used in the subordinate clause.

• The personal a is not used with direct objects that represent hypothetical persons.

Demonstrative AdjectivesDemonstrative adjectives point out a specific noun.Singular masculine: este (this), ese (that), aquel (that)Plural masculine: estos (these), esos (those), aquellos (those)Singular feminine: esta (this), esa (that), aquella (that)Plural feminine: estas (these), esas (those), aquellas (those)

Reflexive Verbs

• In reflexive construction, the subject of the verb both performs and receives the action.

• Reflexive verbs always use reflexive pronouns (me, te, se, nos, os, se)

• Lavarse: Me lavo, te lavas, se lava, nos lavamos, se lavan

• Many of the verbs used to describe daily routines and personal care are reflexive.

Por and Para

• Uses of para: destination, deadline or a specific time in the future, purpose or goal ( + infinitive), purpose + noun, recipient, comparison with others or opinion, employment.

• Uses of por: Motion or general location, duration of action, reason or motive for action, object of a search, unit of measure, agent, means by which, exchange or substitution

Por vs Para• Motion or general location• Duration of an action• Agent (passive voice)• To express gratitude or apology• For multiplication and division• Velocity, frequency, and proportion• Meaning “through”, “along”, “by”, or

“in the area of”• When talking about exchange,

including sales• To mean “on behalf of”• Duration of time• To express an undetermined or general

time, meaning “during”• Reason for an errand• To express cause or reason• Object of a search• Unit of measure• Means by which

• Destination• Deadline or a specific time in the

future• Purpose or goal + [infinitive]• Purpose + [noun]• Recipient• Comparison with others or opinion• EmploymentExpressions with Para

No estar para bromas To be in no mood for jokes

No ser para tanto To not be so important

Para colmo To top it all off

Para que sepas Just so you know

Para siempre Forever

To Become

These words can be used to mean “to become” the are all reflexive verbs and should be conjugated in this way.• Hacerse• Ponerse • Volverse • Llegar a ser

Reflexive Verbs

• Most transitive verbs can also be used as reflexive verbs to indicate that the subject performs the action to or for himself or herself.

• A transitive verb takes an object, and an intransitive verb does not take an object.

• Many verbs change meanings when they are used reflexively

• Aburrir- to bore• Aburrirse- to become bored• Acordar- to agree• Acordarse (de)- to remember• Comer- to eat• Comerse- to eat up• Dormir- to sleep• Dormirse- to fall asleep• Ir- to go• Irse (de)- to go away from

• Llevar- to carry• Llevarse- to carry away• Mudar- to change• Mudarse- to move (change residence• Parecer- to seem• Parecerse- to resemble, to look like• Poner- to put• Ponerse- to put on (clothing)• Quitar- to take away• Quitarse- to take off (clothing)

• Some Spanish verbs and expressions are reflexive even though their English equivalents may not be. Many of these are followed by the prepositions a, de, and en

• acercarse (a) to approach• arrepentirse (de)- to regret• Atreverse (a)- to dare to• Convertirse (en)- to become

• Darse cuenta (de)- to realize• Enterarse (de)- to find out (about)

• To get or become is frequently expressed in Spanish by the reflexive verb ponerse + [adjective].

• In the plural, reflexive verbs can express reciprocal actions done to one another.

• The reflexive pronoun precedes the direct object pronoun when they are used together in a sentence.

Future Tense• The future tense is one of many ways to express

actions or conditions that will happen in the future. • The future tense can be used to express conjecture

or probability, even about present events.– Example: Probablemente tendremos un poco de sol. (It will probably be sunny.)

• The future tense uses the same endings for all –ar, -er, and –ir verbs.

• Regular verbs: add endings to the infinitive.Futuro Verb Endings é emosás éisá án

Future Tense• For irregular verbs, the same future endings

are added to the irregular stem.Infinitive Stem

Caber Cabr-

Haber Habr-

Poder Podr-

Querer Querr-

Saber Sabr-

Poner Pondr-

Salir Saldr-

Tener Tendr-

Valer Valdr-

Venir Vendr-

Decir Dir-

Hacer Har-

The Conditional• The conditional tense is used to express what

would occur under certain circumstances and is also used to make polite requests.

• The conditional tense uses the same endings for all –ar, -er, and –ir verbs.

• For regular verbs, the endings are added to the infinitive.

• Verbs with irregular future stems have the same irregular stem in the conditional.

Conditional Endings

ía íamos

ías íais

ía ían

Relative Pronouns • -Que (that, which, who) is the most frequently used

relative pronoun.– can refer to people, things, subjects, objects, and can be

used in clauses with or without commas. • El que/La que: After prepositions, que is used with

the definite article el que, la que, los que, or las que.– The article must agree in gender and number with the

thing or person it refers to (the antecedent).– When referring to things but not people, the article may

be omitted after short prepositions such as en, de, & con.– Also used for clarification in nonrestrictive clauses (with

commas) when it might be unclear to what or whom the clause refers.

Relative Pronouns

• El cual/la cual: generally interchangeable with el que, la que, los que, and las que. They are often used in more formal speech or writing.– When el cual and its forms are used, the definite article is

never omitted.• Quien/Quienes: Quien (singular) and quienes (plural) are

used to refer only to people, not to things. Quien(es) is generally interchangeable with forms of el que and el cual.– Although que and quienes may both refer to people, their use

depends on the structure of the sentence.– In restrictive clauses that refer to people, que is used if no

preposition is present. If a preposition or the personal a is present, quien (or el que/el cual) is used instead.

Relative Adjective Cuyo

• The relative adjective cuyo (cuya, cuyos, cuyas) means whose and agrees in number and gender with the noun it precedes.

• Remember that de quién(es) not cuyo is used in questions to express whose.

Present Perfect Tense• The present perfect is a compound tense, so two verbs

are required- the main verb and the auxiliary verb. • Conjugated auxiliary verb + participle form of verb.• The forms of the auxiliary verb “haber” are:

• To form the participle of regular ar verbs, drop the infinitive ending and add –ado. To form the participle of regular –er or –ir verbs, drop the infinitive ending and add –ido.

• Example: He bailado. (I have danced.)

Auxiliary Verb “Haber”He Hemos Has Habéis Ha Han

Present Perfect Tense• Irregular Verbs in the Present

Perfect• ALL VERBS in the present

perfect tense use the same forms of the auxiliary verbs. However, the participles of some verbs are irregular.

Verb Participle FormAbrir AbiertoEscribir EscritoMorir MuertoVolver VueltoRomper RotoPoner PuestoHacer HechoDecir DichoCreer CreídoTraer TraídoLeer LeídoCaer Caído

Qué vs. Cuál• The interrogative words qué and cuál can both mean

what/which, but they are not interchangeable.• Qué is used to ask for general information, explanations, or

definitions.• Cuál(es) is used to ask for specific information or to choose

from a limited set of possibilties.• When referring to more than one item, the plural Cuáles is

used. • Often, either qué or cuál may be used in the same sentence, but

the meaning is different. • Cuál(es) is not used before nouns. Qué is used instead,

regardless of the type of information requested. • Qué and cuál(es) are sometimes used in declarative sentences.• Qué is also used frequently in exclamations. In this case it

means What…! Or How…!

The neuter lo• The definite articles el, la, los, and las modify masculine or

feminine nouns. The neuter article lo is used to refer to concepts that have no gender.

• In Spanish, the construction lo + [masculine singular adjective] is used to express general characteristics and abstract ideas. The English equivalent of this construction is the + [adjective] + thing.

• To express the idea of the most or the least, más sand menos can be added after lo. Lo mejor and lo peor mean the best/worst (thing).

• The construction lo + [adjective or adverb] + que is used to express the English how + [adjective]. In these cases, the adjective agrees in number and gender with the noun it modifies.

• Lo que is equivalent to the English what, that, which. It is used to refer to an abstract idea, or to a previously mentioned situation or concept.

The Subjunctive in Adverbial Clauses• In Spanish, adverbial clauses are

commonly introduced by conjunctions. Certain conjunctions require the subjunctive, while others can be followed by the subjunctive or the indicative, depending on the context in which they are used

• Conjunctions that require subjunctive: Certain conjunctions are always followed by the subjunctive because they introduce actions or states that are uncertain or have not yet happened. These conjunctions commonly express purpose, condition, or intent.

Conjunctions That Require 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, unless