16.Ser and Estar: Part II

Ser and Estar: Part II

In the previous lesson you learned the fundamental difference between ser and estar - essence or condition. The examples used the verbs in conjunction with adjectives to clearly illustrate this point. In practice, ser and estar are not always used with adjectives, nor is it always easy for the non-native speaker to choose between the two verbs. Therefore, it is extremely useful to learn some concrete rules for deciding when to use ser or estar. This lesson examines some common uses for the verb ser.

---

Ser is used to express the hour, day, and date.

• ¿Qué hora es?
  What time is it?
  
  Son las dos.
  It's two o'clock.
  
  ¿Qué día es hoy?
  What day is today?
  
  Hoy es lunes.
  Today's Monday.
  
  ¿Qué fecha es hoy?
  What's the date today?
  
  Es el cinco de mayo.
  It's May fifth.

---

Ser is used to express place of origin.

• ¿De dónde eres tú?
  Where are you from?
  
  Soy de Colombia.
  I'm from Colombia.

---

Ser is used to express occupation.

• ¿Cuál es tu trabajo?
  What do you do?
  
  Soy carpintero
  I'm a carpenter.

---

Ser is used to express nationality.

• ¿Es ella puertorriqueña?
  Is she Puerto Rican?
  
  No, es guatemalteca.
  No, she's Guatemalan.

---

Ser is used to express religious or political affiliation.

• ¿Son los García bautistas?
  Are the Garcias Baptists?
  
  No, son católicos.
  No, they're Catholics.
  
  ¿Es el gobierno socialista?
  Is the government socialist?
  
  No, es comunista.
  No, it's communist.

---

Ser is used to express the material something is made of.

• ¿De qué material es la mesa?
  What's the table made of?
  
  Es de madera.
  It's made of wood.

---

Ser is used to express possession.

• ¿De quién es la pluma?
  Whose pen is it?
  
  Es de Emilio.
  It's Emilio's.

---

Ser is used to express the relationship of one person to another.

• ¿Quién es Rogelio?
  Who is Roger?
  
  Es el esposo de Marta.
  He's Martha's husband.

---

Ser is used with certain impersonal expressions.

• Es importante practicar cada día.
  It's important to practice every day.
  
  Es necesario hablar mucho.
  It's necessary to speak a lot.

---

Ser is used to tell where an event is taking place.

• La película es en el cine.
  The movie is at the theatre.
  
  La fiesta es en el club Fantástico.
  The party is in the Fantastic Club.

---

Ser is used with adjectives to express inherent, or essential qualities.

• Miguel es un hombre sincero.
  Mike is a sincere man.
  
  También es guapo.
  He's also handsome.

---

Let's review. Ser is used to express:

1. the hour, day, and date
2. place of origin
3. occupation
4. nationality
5. religious or political affiliation
6. the material something is made of
7. possession
8. relationship of one person to another
9. certain impersonal expressions
10. where an event is taking place
11. essential qualities

---

Let's add another flashcard:

Verb Flashcards

8. Uses of ser
   
   the hour, day, and date
   place of origin
   occupation
   nationality
   religious or political affiliation
   the material something is made of; possession
   relationship of one person to another
   certain impersonal expressions
   where an event is taking place
   essential qualities

15.Ser and Estar: Part I

Rejoice everybody we are moving to unit two, congratulations you have taken the first big step to learning Spanish. Let's continue.
Unit Two

Ser and Estar: Part I

Whole books have been written about the two important Spanish verbs: ser and estar. This will be the subject of our discussion for the next few lessons. Soon, you will have a very good understanding of how these two verbs are used.

---

Ser and estar can both be translated as "to be." Here is the English verb, fully conjugated:

• to be
  
  I am
  you are
  he/she is
  we are
  you-all are
  they are

---

Notice that these two sentences can have different meanings in English.

• The apple is green.
  (Meaning the apple is not ripe.)
  
  The apple is green.
  (Meaning the color of the apple is green.)

---

In the first case, our example speaks of the condition of the apple. The apple is green because it has not yet ripened. When the condition of the apple changes, that is, when it has ripened, it will no longer be green.

---

In the second case, our example speaks of the essential characteristics of the apple. The apple is green in color. This particular apple remains green even after it has ripened.

---

In English, the verb "to be" can be used to tell how something is (the condition) and what something is (the essence).

• How is the apple?
  It is unripe.
  
  What color is the apple?
  It is green.
  

---

In Spanish, a different verb is used to express "to be" depending on whether the speaker intends to address a condition or an essential quality.

• La manzana está verde.
  The apple is green. (condition)
  
  La manzana es verde.
  The apple is green. (essence)

---

Note how the adjective "verde" actually changes meaning, depending upon whether it is used with ser or estar.

• La manzana está verde.
  (condition: unripe)
  
  La manzana es verde.
  (essential characteristic: color green)

---

To address condition, use estar. Estar is an irregular verb. It does not follow the standard rules of conjugation for regular -ar verbs. Therefore, you must memorize it.

• estar
  
  estoy
  estás
  está
  estamos
  estáis
  están

---

To address an essential quality, use ser. Ser is also irregular and must be memorized.

• ser
  
  soy
  eres
  es
  somos
  sois
  son

---

If you are talking about what something is, use ser; if you are talking about how something is, use estar.

• What is she like?
  She is quiet.
  Use ser:
  Ella es callada.
  
  How is she acting?
  She is being quiet.
  Use estar:
  Ella está callada.
  

---

Let's add the two important verbs ser and estar to our set of verb flashcards:

Verb Flashcards

6. ser (to be)
   
   soy
   eres
   es
   somos
   sois
   son
   
   
7. estar (to be)
   
   estoy
   estás
   está
   estamos
   estáis
   están

14.Cardinal Numbers: 11-30

Cardinal Numbers: 11-30

Here are the numbers 11-20:

• 11. once
  12. doce
  13. trece
  14. catorce
  15. quince
  16. dieciséis
  17. diecisiete
  18. dieciocho
  19. diecinueve
  20. veinte

---

Here are the numbers 21-30:

• 21. veintiuno
  22. veintidós
  23. veintitrés
  24. veinticuatro
  25. veinticinco
  26. veintiséis
  27. veintisiete
  28. veintiocho
  29. veintinueve
  30. treinta

---

Notice how the numbers 16-19 and 21-29 are actually contractions. That is, sixteen is a contraction of the words "ten and six," twenty one is a contraction of the words "twenty and one," etc.

• dieciséis
  diez y séis
  
  diecisiete
  diez y siete
  
  dieciocho
  diez y ocho
  
  diecinueve
  diez y nueve
  
  veintiuno
  veinte y uno
  
  veintidós
  veinte y dos
  
  veintitrés
  veinte y tres
  
  veinticuatro
  veinte y cuatro, etc.

13.Days of the Week

Sorry about the late update, i was a bit busy looking for a job, well then today there's an easy lesson, be sure to remember everything.

Days of the Week

In Spanish-speaking countries, the week begins on Monday.

• lunes
  Monday
  
  martes
  Tuesday
  
  miércoles
  Wednesday
  
  jueves
  Thursday
  
  viernes
  Friday
  
  sábado
  Saturday
  
  domingo
  Sunday

---

Notice that the days of the week are not capitalized.

• lunes
  martes
  miércoles
  jueves
  viernes
  sábado
  domingo

---

The days of the week are all masculine.

• el lunes
  el martes
  el miércoles
  el jueves
  el viernes
  el sábado
  el domingo

---

When used with the days of the week, the definite article has the special meaning "on."

• No trabajo el lunes.
  I don't work on Monday.
  
  No trabajo los martes.
  I don't work on Tuesdays.
  
  Hay una fiesta el miércoles.
  There is a party on Wednesday.
  
  Hay muchas fiestas los viernes.
  There are many parties on Fridays.

---

Days of the week ending in -s do not change form in the plural. Only the article changes.

• el lunes
  los lunes
  
  el martes
  los martes
  
  el miércoles
  los miércoles
  
  el jueves
  los jueves
  
  el viernes
  los viernes
  
  el sábado
  los sábados
  
  el domingo
  los domingos

---

Use the verb ser to express the day. You will soon learn more about this verb. For now, simply realize that the word "es" is a conjugation of that verb, and is the correct verb in this use.

• ¿Qué día es hoy?
  What day is today?
  
  Hoy es lunes.
  Today is Monday.
  
  Mañana es martes.
  Tomorrow is Tuesday.

---

Notice that the following actions do not occur in the present, but rather in the near future.

• Salimos el lunes.
  We leave on Monday.
  
  Mañana es domingo.
  Tomorrow is Sunday.

---

In Spanish, the present tense of the indicative is sometimes used to express the near future. English does this too.

• Salimos el lunes.
  We (will) leave on Monday.
  
  Mañana es domingo.
  Tomorrow (will be) is Sunday.

12.Adjectives: Part II

Hello again, seems like there aren't many visitors, even though i'm working hard to promote the blog, i'm a bit sad, if it keeps up like this i'l have to abandon it. Anyway let's start today's lesson.
Adjectives: Part II

Many adjectives of nationality end in -o. These adjectives follow the same rules as other adjectives ending in -o. That is, they have four forms.

• el muchacho mexicano
  la muchacha mexicana
  
  los muchachos mexicanos
  las muchachas mexicanas

---

Many other adjectives of nationality end in a consonant. These adjectives do not follow the same rules as other adjectives ending in a consonant, rather, they have a distinct feminine form ending in -a.

• el muchacho español
  la muchacha española
  
  los muchachos españoles
  las muchachas españolas

---

There is another group of adjectives that does not follow the normal rules. Adjectives ending in -or, -án, -ón, or -ín also have a feminine form.

• el chico hablador
  la chica habladora
  
  los chicos habladores
  las chicas habladoras
  
  
  el hombre trabajador
  la mujer trabajadora
  
  los hombres trabajadores
  las mujeres trabajadoras

Note: Adjectives ending in "-erior" do not have a feminine form.

---

Adjectives that are descriptive usually follow the noun they describe.

• el chico alto
  la chica alta
  los libros pequeños
  las plumas rojas

---

Adjectives of quantity almost always come before the noun. Such adjectives tell how much or how many.

• pocos libros
  mucha energía
  mucho trabajo
  pocas casas

---

Sometimes, a descriptive adjective can precede the noun. If the adjective is descriptive, but speaks of a quality that is inherent and usually taken for granted, the adjective comes first.

• la blanca nieve
  the white snow (snow is inherently white)
  
  los altos picos
  the tall peaks (peaks are inherently tall)

---

Let's review the last two lessons.

• Adjectives that end in -o have four forms
  
  
  • alto
    alta
    altos
    altas

  
  
  

• Adjectives of nationality ending in -o are no different from other such adjectives
  
  
  • guatemalteco
    guatemalteca
    guatemaltecos
    guatemaltecas
    

  
  
  

• Adjectives that end in -e have two forms
  
  
  • inteligente
    inteligentes

  
  
  

• Most adjectives ending with a consonant have two forms
  
  
  • popular
    populares

  
  
  

• Adjectives of nationality ending in a consonant have four forms
  
  
  • español
    española
    españoles
    españolas

  
  
  

• Adjectives ending in -or, -án, -ón, or -ín have four forms
  
  
  • hablador
    habladora
    habladores
    habladoras

  
  
  

• Adjectives that are descriptive usually follow the noun they describe
  
  
  • casa blanca
    chica alta

  
  
  

• When an adjective speaks of a quality that is inherent and usually taken for granted, the adjective precedes the noun
  
  
  • la blanca nieve
    los altos picos

  
  
  

• Adjectives of quantity usually come before the noun
  
  
  • pocos libros
    muchos libros

11.Adjectives: Part I

Well another day another lesson, not much to say today, hoping to see more people commenting on the blog. Here we go.

Adjectives: Part I

Adjectives are frequently descriptive. That is, most often adjectives are used to describe a noun, or distinguish the noun from a group of similar objects. For example, an adjective might describe the color of an object.

• the red pen
  the blue pen

---

In Spanish, most adjectives change form, depending upon whether the word they modify is masculine or feminine. Notice the difference between "the tall boy" and "the tall girl."

• el chico alto
  la chica alta

---

Adjectives also change form depending upon whether the word they modify is singular or plural. Notice the difference between "the tall boy" and "the tall boys" ; "the tall girl" and "the tall girls."

• el chico alto
  los chicos altos
  
  la chica alta
  las chicas altas

---

Many common adjectives end in -o. These adjectives have four forms. The following words all mean "tall":

• alto
  alta
  altos
  altas

---

The correct form of the adjective depends upon the noun it modifies. Is the noun masculine or feminine? Singular or plural?

• libro rojo
  red book
  
  pluma roja
  red pen
  
  libros rojos
  red books
  
  plumas rojas
  red pens

---

Notice how the endings of the nouns and these adjectives are similar.

• libro rojo
  pluma roja
  libros rojos
  plumas rojas

---

Adjectives that end in -e also change form for singular or plural. To form the plural, simply add -s.

• la chica inteligente
  las chicas inteligentes

---

Adjectives that end in -e do not, however, change form for masculine or feminine.

• la chica inteligente
  el chico inteligente
  
  las chicas inteligentes
  los chicos inteligentes

---

Similarly, most adjectives that end in a consonant do change form for singular or plural, but do not change for masculine or feminine. To form the plural, add -es.

• la chica popular
  el chico popular
  
  las chicas populares
  los chicos populares

---

Let's review.

• Adjectives that end in -o have four forms: alto, alta, altos, altas
  
  
• Adjectives that end in -e have two forms: inteligente, inteligentes
  
  
• Most adjectives that end in a consonant have two forms: popular, populares (form plural by adding -es)

10.Regular Verbs: Part III

Ain't that a surprise, we actually reached lesson 10, good thing some people actually follow this blog, or i would have had to close it, too bad nobody's donating anything, well we still have some time, so enjoy the free lessons. Let's start.

Regular Verbs: Part III

Here's the complete list of Spanish subject pronouns.

Singular

• yo
  tú
  usted
  él
  ella

Plural

• nosotros/as
  vosotros/as
  ustedes
  ellos
  ellas

---

To conjugate -ar verbs, drop the ending and add:

• -o
  -as
  -a
  -amos
  -áis
  -an

---

To conjugate -er verbs, drop the ending and add:

• -o
  -es
  -e
  -emos
  -éis
  -en

---

To conjugate -ir verbs, drop the ending and add:

• -o
  -es
  -e
  -imos
  -ís
  -en

---

You will benefit greatly by quickly memorizing the three model verbs.

• hablar
  comer
  vivir
  
  
  yo hablo
  tú hablas
  él, ella, Ud. habla
  nosotros/as hablamos
  vosotros/as habláis
  ellos, ellas, Uds. hablan
  
  
  yo como
  tú comes
  él, ella, Ud. come
  nosotros/as comemos
  vosotros/as coméis
  ellos, ellas, Uds. comen
  
  
  yo vivo
  tú vives
  él, ella, Ud. vive
  nosotros/as vivimos
  vosotros/as vivís
  ellos, ellas, Uds. viven

Note: The verb forms are the same for él, ella and Ud. as are the verb forms for ellos, ellas and Uds.

---

In Spanish the subject pronouns are not always required. This is because the verb endings can indicate who is performing the action.

• Hablo español. (Yo is not necessary.)
  I speak Spanish.

• Comemos carne. (Nosotros is not necessary.)
  We eat meat.

• Vives en México. (Tú is not necessary.)
  You live in Mexico.

---

Subject pronouns are often used for clarification. For example, the verb form habla is ambiguous.

• Ud. habla
  él habla
  ella habla

Therefore, to distinguish between you speak, he speaks, and she speaks, it may be necessary to use the subject pronoun. Often, the conversation implies the subject of the verb. In such cases the subject pronoun may be omitted.

---

Subject pronouns are often used for emphasis.

• Ella habla español y yo hablo inglés.

Here there is no ambiguity with respect to hablo. The subject pronoun is merely adding emphasis:

• She speaks Spanish and I speak English.

---

Another example of using subject pronouns for emphasis.

• Yo como pan y tú comes arroz.

Once again there is no ambiguity. The pronouns emphasize the contrast.

• I eat bread and you eat rice.

---

It is possible to use two verbs in a row. Just like in English, the first verb is conjugated, while the second verb remains in the infinitive form.

• Necesito hablar con Alfredo.
  I need to speak with Alfredo.
  (necesitar, hablar)
  
  Necesito + hablar + con Alfredo.
  I need + to speak + with Alfredo.

---

Another example of two verbs used together:

• Deseas vivir en España.
  You wish to live in Spain.
  (desear, vivir)
  
  Deseas + vivir + en España.
  You wish + to live + in Spain.

---

Hopefully, you have taken our advice and have been creating a special collection of verb flashcards. If not, it's not too late to start. Here is the entire list of cards to this point:

Verb Flashcards

1. hay
   
   there is, there are
   
   
2. Present Indicative
   
   I speak
   I do speak
   I am speaking
   
   
3. hablar (to speak)
   
   hablo
   hablas
   habla
   
   hablamos
   habláis
   
   hablan
   
   
4. comer (to eat)
   
   como
   comes
   come
   
   comemos
   coméis
   
   comen
   
   
5. vivir (to live)
   
   vivo
   vives
   vive
   
   vivimos
   vivís
   
   viven

---

Here's a list of some common regular -ar, -er, and -ir verbs:

-ar verbs

alquilar to rent	entrar (en) to enter (into)	necesitar to need
amar to love	enviar to send	olvidar to forget
andar to walk	escuchar to listen to	pagar to pay for
ayudar to help	esperar to hope, to wait for	practicar to practice
bailar to dance	estudiar to study	preguntar to ask
buscar to look for	firmar to sign	preparar to prepare
caminar to walk	ganar to win, earn	regresar to return
cantar to sing	gastar to spend money	saludar to greet
cocinar to cook	hablar to speak, to talk	tocar to touch, to play an instrument
comprar to buy	lavar to wash	tomar to take, to drink
contestar to answer	llegar to arrive	trabajar to work
dejar to allow, to leave	llevar to wear, to carry	viajar to travel
desear to desire	mandar to order	visitar to visit
enseñar to teach	mirar to watch, to look at

-er verbs

aprender to learn	creer to believe	poseer to possess, to own
beber to drink	deber to have to, to owe	prometer to promise
comer to eat	esconder to hide	romper to break
comprender to understand	leer to read	temer to fear
correr to run	meter en to put into	vender to sell

-ir verbs

abrir to open	descubrir to discover	permitir to permit
admitir to admit	discutir to discuss	recibir to receive
asistir a to attend	escribir to write	subir to climb, to go up
cubrir to cover	existir to exist	sufrir to suffer
decidir to decide	omitir to omit	unir to unite
describir to describe	partir to divide	vivir to live

9.Regular Verbs: Part II

Hello everybody, today we will continue with regular verbs, also i've been bashed a bit by a few people, now i want you all to understand that i am doing this for free so do PLEASE keep you're rude comments to yourself , criticism is accepted tho.Let's get on with it.

Regular Verbs: Part II

Remember, all Spanish verbs are either "regular" or "irregular." In this lesson we continue by looking at our three model verbs, which are completely regular:

• hablar
  to speak
  
  comer
  to eat
  
  vivir
  to live

---

Also remember, there are three categories of verbs:

• -ar verbs (like hablar)
  -er verbs (like comer)
  -ir verbs (like vivir)

---

Remember that when you conjugate a verb, you mold the infinitive to match the subject of the sentence.

• to speak
  
  I speak
  you speak
  he speaks
  she speaks
  we speak
  you-all speak
  they speak

---

In this lesson, you will learn to conjugate regular verbs for the following forms: you (familiar), he, she, you-all (familiar) and they.

Hablar

• tú hablas
  you (familiar) speak
  
  él habla
  he speaks
  
  ella habla
  she speaks
  
  vosotros/as habláis
  you-all (familiar) speak
  
  ellos/ellas hablan
  they speak

Comer

• tú comes
  you (familiar) eat
  
  él come
  he eats
  
  ella come
  she eats
  
  vosotros/as coméis
  you-all (familiar) eat
  
  ellos/ellas comen
  they eat

Vivir

• tú vives
  you (familiar) live
  
  él vive
  he lives
  
  ella vive
  she lives
  
  vosotros/as vivís
  you-all (familiar) live
  
  ellos/ellas viven
  they live

---

Look for a pattern in the tú form.

• tú hablas
  tú comes
  tú vives

---

If the subject is you (familiar), conjugate by dropping the ending and add -as or -es. If the verb is an -ar verb, add -as. If it is an -er or -ir verb, add es.

• tú hablas (hablar - ar + as = hablas)
  tú comes (comer - er + es = comes)
  tú vives (vivir - ir + es = vives)

---

Look for a pattern in the él form.

• él habla
  él come
  él vive

---

If the subject is he (él) drop the ending and add either -a or -e. If the verb is an -ar verb, add -a. If it is an -er or -ir verb, add -e.

• él habla (hablar - ar + a = habla)
  él come (comer - er + e = come)
  él vive (vivir - ir + e = vive)

---

Look for a pattern in the ella form.

• ella habla
  ella come
  ella vive

---

If the subject is she (ella), conjugate in exactly the same manner as you did for he (él). That is, by dropping the ending and add -a or -e, depending on whether the verb is an -ar, -er or -ir verb.

• ella habla (hablar - ar + a = habla)
  ella come (comer - er + e = come)
  ella vive (vivir - ir + e = vive)

Note: at this point, you may notice that the conjugations for él/ella are the same as for usted (usted habla, usted come, usted vive).

---

Look for a pattern in the vosotros/as form.

• vosotros/as habláis
  vosotros/as coméis
  vosotros/as vivís

---

If the subject is you-all familiar (vosotros/as), conjugate by dropping the ending and adding -áis, -éis or -ís. Again, decide which ending to use by the class of infinitive (-ar, -er, -ir).

• vosotros/as habláis (hablar - ar + áis = habláis)
  vosotros/as coméis (comer - er + éis = coméis)
  vosotros/as vivís (vivir - ir + ís = vivís)

Note: Remember, vosotros and vosotras forms are only used in Spain. Throughout Latin America, ustedes is used for both formal and informal situations.

---

Look for a pattern in the ellos form.

• ellos hablan
  ellos comen
  ellos viven

---

If the subject is they masculine (ellos) drop the ending and add either -an or -en. If the verb is an -ar verb, add -an. If it is an -er or -ir verb, add -en.

• ellos hablan (hablar - ar + an = hablan)
  ellos comen (comer - er + en = comen)
  ellos viven (vivir - ir + en = viven)

---

Look for a pattern in the ellas form.

• ellas hablan
  ellas comen
  ellas viven

---

If the subject is they feminine (ellas), conjugate in exactly the same manner as you did for they masculine (ellos). That is, by dropping the ending and add -an or -en, depending on whether the verb is an -ar, -er or -ir verb.

• ellas hablan (hablar - ar + an = hablan)
  ellas comen (comer - er + en = comen)
  ellas viven (vivir - ir + en = viven)

Note: At this point, you may notice that the conjugations for ellos/ellas are the same as for ustedes (ustedes hablan, ustedes comen, ustedes viven).

---

Remember that the present tense (indicative) in Spanish means three things.

• tú hablas inglés
  
  you speak English.
  you do speak English.
  you are speaking English.
  
  
  tú comes pan
  
  you eat bread.
  you do eat bread.
  you are eating bread.
  
  
  tú vives en Buenos Aires
  
  you live in Buenos Aires.
  you do live in Buenos Aires.
  you are living in Buenos Aires.

---

If you are going to succeed in Spanish, you must learn the verbs. The best way to do that is by creating a special collection of flashcards. Practicing with these flashcards is your key to success in mastering the Spanish verbs. Continue by replacing the three cards you created in the previous lesson with these updated versions.

Verb Flashcards

3. hablar (to speak)
   
   hablo
   hablas
   habla
   
   hablamos
   habláis
   
   hablan
   
   
4. comer (to eat)
   
   como
   comes
   come
   
   comemos
   coméis
   
   comen
   
   
5. vivir (to live)
   
   vivo
   vives
   vive
   
   vivimos
   vivís
   
   viven

8.Regular Verbs: Part I

Hell surfers, here i come again to teach everybody Spanish, still haven't seen any donations, that makes me a bit sad, but let's move on, first if anybody likes using Amazon to buy things, the do PLEASE use the link bellow the EyeEarn banner , the one that says Amazon, it will help me A LOT as they give me 15% every time somebody buys something. Also please tell you're friends, family, penpals, etc about this blog,spread the word.
So that's my short message, let's start today's lesson.

Regular Verbs: Part I

All Spanish verbs are either "regular" or "irregular." In this lesson we will look at three completely regular verbs:

• hablar (to speak)
  comer (to eat)
  vivir (to live)

---

Notice the last two letters of each verb.

• hablar (to speak)
  comer (to eat)
  vivir (to live)

---

There are three categories of verbs:

• -ar verbs (like hablar)
  -er verbs (like comer)
  -ir verbs (like vivir)

---

All three categories are infinitives. You will recall from a previous lesson that infinitives are the base form of the verb, equivalent in English to: to speak, to eat, to live, etc. In Spanish, all infinitives end in -ar, -er, or -ir.

• -ar verb
  hablar (to speak)
  
  -er verb
  comer (to eat)
  
  -ir verb
  vivir (to live)

---

Remember what it means to conjugate a verb:

• to speak
  
  I speak
  you speak
  he speaks
  she speaks
  we speak
  you-all speak
  they speak

---

In this lesson, you will learn to conjugate our model verbs for I, you (formal), we, and you-all (formal).

• yo hablo
  I speak
  
  usted habla
  you speak
  
  nosotros/as hablamos
  we speak
  
  ustedes hablan
  you-all speak
  
  
  
  yo como
  I eat
  
  usted come
  you eat
  
  nosotros/as comemos
  we eat
  
  ustedes comen
  you-all eat
  
  
  
  yo vivo
  I live
  
  usted vive
  you live
  
  nosotros/as vivimos
  we live
  
  ustedes viven
  you-all live

---

Look for a pattern in the yo form.

• yo hablo
  yo como
  yo vivo

---

If the subject is I (yo), conjugate by dropping the ending and add -o.

• yo hablo (hablar - ar + o = hablo)
  yo como (comer - er + o = como)
  yo vivo (vivir - ir + o = vivo)

---

Look for a pattern in the usted form.

• usted habla
  usted come
  usted vive

---

If the subject is you formal (usted) drop the ending and add either -a or -e. If the verb is an -ar verb, add -a. If it is an -er or -ir verb, add -e.

• usted habla (hablar - ar + a = habla)
  usted come (comer - er + e = come)
  usted vive (vivir - ir + e = vive)

---

Look for a pattern in the nosotros/as form.

• nosotros/as hablamos
  nosotros/as comemos
  nosotros/as vivimos

---

If the subject is we (nosotros/as), conjugate by dropping the ending and add -amos, -emos, or -imos. Notice that the ending of the infinitive determines which is used: -ar verbs add -amos, -er verbs add -emos, -ir verbs add -imos.

• nosotros/as hablamos
  (hablar - ar + amos = hablamos)
  
  nosotros/as comemos
  (comer - er + emos = comemos)
  
  nosotros/as vivimos
  (vivir - ir + imos = vivimos)

---

Look for a pattern in the ustedes form.

• ustedes hablan
  ustedes comen
  ustedes viven

---

If the subject is you-all (ustedes), conjugate by dropping the ending and add -an or -en. If the verb is an -ar verb, add -an. If it is an -er or an -ir verb, add -en.

• ustedes hablan
  (hablar - ar + an = hablan)
  
  ustedes comen
  (comer - er + en = comen)
  
  ustedes viven
  (vivir - ir + en = viven)

---

Present tense (indicative) in Spanish means three things.

• Yo hablo inglés:
  
  I speak English.
  I do speak English.
  I am speaking English.
  
  
  Yo como pan:
  
  I eat bread.
  I do eat bread.
  I am eating bread.
  
  
  Yo vivo en Buenos Aires:
  
  I live in Buenos Aires.
  I do live in Buenos Aires.
  I am living in Buenos Aires.

---

It is vital that you continue with your collection of verb flashcards. This will be your key to success in mastering the Spanish verbs. Continue by creating 4 additional cards, writing the words in bold on one side and the conjugations on the other side:

Verb Flashcards

2. Present Indicative
   
   I speak
   I do speak
   I am speaking
   
   
3. hablar (to speak)
   
   hablo
   
   habla
   
   hablamos
   
   hablan
   
   
4. comer (to eat)
   
   como
   
   come
   
   comemos
   
   comen
   
   
5. vivir (to live)
   
   vivo
   
   vive
   
   vivimos
   
   viven

7.Subject Pronouns

Well, hello again people. I am a bit sad seeing that nobody has donated anything yet, but it's okay, we've just started anyway, so let's move on.
Today i will teach you about
Subject Pronouns

A verb is an action word.

• run
  sit
  eat
  sink
  swim
  study
  

---

The main form of a verb is called the infinitive. In English, infinitives include the word "to."

• to run
  to sit
  to eat
  to sink
  to swim
  to study
  

---

The infinitive is the pure form of a verb. The infinitive is like a lump of clay that can be molded to match the subject of the sentence it is used in:

• I speak
  you speak
  he/she speaks
  
  we speak
  you-all* speak
  
  they speak

Note: The above forms are called conjugations of the infinitive to speak.

---

Regarding the form "you-all": this usage is not considered to be standard English. In standard English, the same word is used for both the singular you and the plural you. That is, each of the following is correct:

• You have a tail light out, ma’am.
  You (kids) have soccer practice at four.

In the first sentence, "you" refers to the singular ma’am. In the second sentence, "you" refers to the plural kids. To avoid confusion between you (singular) and you (plural), we will employ the non-standard English usage "you-all" to indicate you (plural). This will be very beneficial to y'all, particularly at the beginning of your studies.

---

The words I, you, he, she, we, you-all, and they are called subject pronouns. Spanish has corresponding subject pronouns. Here’s a list of the English subject pronouns and their Spanish equivalents:

• yo
  I
  
  usted
  you
  
  él
  he
  
  ella
  she
  
  nosotros
  we
  
  ustedes
  you-all
  
  ellos
  they

---

Spanish subject pronouns are both similar to and different from their English counterparts. Let’s examine some of the differences. Look more closely at the English word you. You have just seen that this can be translated into Spanish as usted. But there is also a second way it can be translated. There are two ways the English word you can be expressed in Spanish:

• usted
  you
  
  tú
  you

---

Spanish has a formal and an informal form of the word you. Usted is more formal and is generally used to express respect. Tú is more familiar and is used among friends, coworkers, relatives, or when addressing a child.

• Speaking to your boss: usted
  Speaking to your daughter: tú
  Speaking to your teacher: usted
  Speaking to your friend: tú
  
  
  usted
  you formal
  
  tú
  you informal (familiar)

---

This same distinction with regard to degree of formality occurs in the plural form as well. When referring to "you-all," there are two choices in Spanish:

• ustedes
  you-all formal
  
  vosotros
  you-all familiar

---

Once again, the difference lies in the degree of formality conveyed by the speaker. However, the vosotros form is only used in Spain. Throughout Latin America, "ustedes" is used in both formal and informal situations to refer to "you-all."

• Speaking to a group of children
  (in Spain): vosotros
  
  Speaking to a group of children
  (in Latin America): ustedes
  
  Speaking to a group of strangers
  (in Spain): ustedes
  
  Speaking to a group of strangers
  (in Latin America): ustedes

Note: usted can be abbreviated Ud. or Vd. ; ustedes can be abbreviated Uds. or Vds.

---

In many ways, Spanish is more gender-specific than English. We find evidence of this in the subject pronouns. First, look at the word "nosotros." This means "we" in the sense of a group containing at least one male. If the group contains only females, the word "nosotras" is used. So, in Spanish, there are two ways to say "we":

• nosotros
  we (masculine or mixed group)
  
  nosotras
  we (feminine)

---

This same idea applies to the English word "they":

• ellos
  they (masculine or mixed group)
  
  ellas
  they (feminine)

---

This same idea also applies to the "vosotros" form:

• vosotros
  you-all familiar (masculine or mixed group)
  
  vosotras
  you-all familiar (feminine)

Note: These forms are only used in Spain.

---

Finally, don't get confused over the difference between talking to a group or talking about a group. Consider the following statement, which could have been made by your Spanish teacher, while standing before the class:

• "You-all need to study your Spanish. Those students in the other class don't need to study Spanish. They are studying French. You-all can practice Spanish in Spain. They can practice French in France."

---

The teacher is talking to the Spanish students and about the French students.

• Talking to a group, use "you-all":
  
  ustedes
  vosotros
  vosotras
  
  
  Talking about a group, use "they":
  
  ellos
  ellas
  

---

Here's the complete list of Spanish subject pronouns:

Singular

• yo - I
  
  tú - you (familiar)
  
  él - he
  
  ella - she
  
  usted - you (formal)

Plural

• nosotros
  we (masculine or mixed gender)
  
  nosotras
  we (feminine)
  
  vosotros
  you-all (familiar, Spain, masculine or mixed gender)
  
  vosotras
  you-all (familiar, Spain, feminine)
  
  ellos
  they (masculine or mixed gender)
  
  ellas
  they (feminine)
  
  ustedes
  you-all (formal in Spain, formal and familiar in Latin America)