1. Learn Spanish
Published by Discs Direct
1

2. Contents
Language note 3
Alphabet 4
Pronunciation Guide 5
Stress & Accent Marks 10
Basic Phrases 11
Greetings 15
Numbers 16
Vocabulary 18
Grammar basics 33
False Friends 58
Spanish - English Dictionary 64
English - Spanish Dictionary 80
Food Glossary 96
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Learn Spanish E-book
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All rights reserved. Copyright 2004 Discs Direct.
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3. Español - Language note
Spanish is the third most popular language of the world.
It belongs to the Ibero-Romance family of languages and is most closely related to Catalan,
Galician and Portuguese.
There are around 40 million Spanish speakers within Spain and many more in other
countries (see below).
Spanish is the official language in Spain, including the Balearic and Canary Islands and the
Northern African enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla. There are Spanish-speaking communities
in the UK, France and Germany. It is one of the official languages of the European Union
and of the United Nations.
Spanish uses the Latin alphabet and the acute accent on vowels to indicate stressed
syllables. Ñ and ñ are exclusive to Spanish and represent a single letter and not a
modification of n. It's also the only language to use the opening question and exclamation
marks ¿ ¡
Country - Number of Spanish Speakers:
Mexico - 91 million
Colombia - 41.9 million
Argentina - 35.6 million
Spain - 39.9 million
Venezuela - 23.3 million
USA - 20.7 million
Peru - 20.4 million
Chile - 13.6 million
Ecuador - 11.8 million
Dominican Republic - 8.2 million
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4. The Alphabet
The Spanish alphabet consists of 29 letters:
a, b, c, ch, d, e, f, g, h, i, j, k, l, ll, m, n, ñ, o, p, q, r, s, t, u, v, w, x, y, z
Below you can see the capital letters along with name of each letter and one word starting
with that letter.
A: a azul (adj) - blue
B: be bandera (nf) - flag
C: ce cerdo (nm) - pig, hog
CH: che chico (nm) - boy
D: de dedo (nm) - finger
E: e escarabajo (nm) - beetle
F: efe fruta (nf) - fruit
G: ge gatito (nm) - kitten
H: hache hombre (nm) - man
I: i insecto (nm) - insect
J: jota joya (nf) - jewel
K: ka kilómetro (nm) - kilometre
L: ele lago (nm) -lake
LL: elle llover (v) rain
M: eme mar (nf, nm) sea
N: ene noche (nf) - night
Ñ: eñe ñame (nm) - yam
O: o océano (nm) - ocean
P: pe papá (nm) - dad
Q: cu quizá - maybe
R: ere reina (nf) - queen
S: ese silla (nf) - chair
T: te tiburón (nm) - shark
U: u uva (nf) - grape
V: ve vaca (nf) - cow
W: doble u wok (nm) - wok
X: equis xilófono (nm) - xylophone
Y: i griega y (conj) - and
Z: zeta zorro (nm) - fox
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5. Pronounciation Guide
Vowels
All vowels in Spanish make only one sound each:
a . . . sounds like . . . ah as in "father"
The Spanish "a" is a short sharp sound like "hat" in English
Examples: pato - apio - loca
e
The Spanish "e" is like the ehh in "bet" in English
Examples: elegir - éxito - sed
i . . . sounds like . . . ee as in "bee"
The Spanish "i" is like the "ee" in "seen", but a bit shorter
Examples: sin - miércoles - idiota
o . . sounds like . . . oh as in "go"
The Spanish "o" can have two sounds. When it is at the end of a word it is like the
"o" in note e.g. "pato"
When it is before a consonant it is shorter, like "pot" or "cot" e.g. "boda". This
difference is very subtle
Examples: pato - apio - loca
u . . . sounds like . . . oo as in "to"
The Spanish "u" is like the "oo" in "food"
Note: It is silent after "q" and in "gue" and "gui"
The exceptions are marked with a diaeresis eg: antigüedad. The "ü" is quite rare.
5

6. Examples: luna - puro - mudo
Diphtongs:
ai ay
The Spanish "ai" is like the "i" in "side"
Examples: aislar - paisaje - vaina - haya
au
The Spanish "au" is like the "ou" in "sound"
Examples: causa - pausa - audio - audiencia
ei ey
The Spanish "ei" and "ey" sound like the "ay" in say
Examples: rey - peine - seis
eu
The Spanish "eu" has no English equivalent and is difficult to define.
It is just the sounds of "e" and "u" together. It is not very common.
Examples: deuda - neutral - reumatismo
oi oy
The Spanish "oi" and "oy" are like the "oy" in boy
Examples: soy - doy - boicot - sois - coyote
Semi-consonants:
ie y
The Spanish "y" and "ie" have the "y" sound in "yes" .
Note that the word "y" meaning "and" sounds like the Spanish "i"
Examples: hielo - yerno - yeso - tierno - miedo
u
The Spanish "u + vowel" sounds like the "w" in "win"
Note that when "u" is followed by a vowel it normally has the "w" sound
Examples: fuente - huevo - agua - fui - fuimos - cuota
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7. Consonants
Most consonants are the same as in English,
except: c g h j ll r rr v z
b
The Spanish "b" is almost exactly the same as an English "b"
(Note: Both "b" and "v" have the "b" sound in Spanish)
Examples: bomba - enviar - voy - Córdoba
c (hard c)
The Spanish "c" has the English "k" sound except when it comes before "e" and "i"
Examples: academia - con - Ecuador - cola
c (soft c)
Before "e" and "i" it has a "th" sound as in "thin"
(Note: c is an "s" sound in Latin America, or a "th" sound in Spain)
Examples: sociedad - recibir - receta
ch
The Spanish "ch" is the same as the "ch" in church
Examples: bochorno - champán - champiñón - champú
d
The Spanish "d" is very similar to the English
"d" when it comes at the end of a word it can have a "th" like sound eg. Madrid, verdad
Examples: del - definir - ciudad - domingo
f
The Spanish "f" is the same as the English "f"
Examples: freír - difícil - afeitar - foro
g (hard g)
The Spanish "g" is like the English "g" unless it comes before "i" and "e".
Examples: Galicia - golpe - guante - iglesia
g (soft g)
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8. The Spanish "g" is like the Spanish "j" when it comes before "i" and "e".
It makes the soft "h" sound, like the "ch" in the Scottish "loch"
Some other words which have this sound are: gemelo - geranio - gimnasio - gitano
h
The Spanish "h" is always silent
Examples: honor - Alhambra - rehacer
j
The Spanish "j" is a strong guttural (throaty) sound similar to the "ch" in the Scottish "loch"
Examples: jota - jabón - lenguaje - eje
k
The Spanish "k" is the same as the English "k". It is very uncommon in Spanish
Examples: kilo - kilovatio - kiosco - kiwi
l
The Spanish "l" is the same as the English "l"
Examples: lobo - lámpara - ladrón
ll
The Spanish "ll" makes a drawn-out sound like the "y" in yes
Examples: taller - valle - llamar - llover - lleno- Mallorca
m
The Spanish "m" is the same as the English "m"
Examples: mama - tomar - malo - mixta - mano
n
The Spanish "n" is the same as the English "n"
Examples: nadar - nadie - no - uno - nada
ñ
The Spanish "ñ" is like the "ni" in "onion" in English
Examples: baño - caña - riñón - teñir
p
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9. The Spanish "p" is the same as the "p" in English
Examples: pato - apio - lápiz
q
The Spanish "q" is pronounced like the English "k" in "kick"
Examples: queso - qué - querer - quince
(Please note that the u after q is silent unlike in English, so qu makes a "k" sound not "kw")
r
The Spanish "r" is a similar to the English "r" but it is stronger (is rolled)
Examples: rabo - radio - mar
rr
The Spanish "rr" does not exist in English. It is a very strong "r" with a trill (it's rolled
emphatically).
Many English speakers find this sound very difficult to pronounce.
Examples: puerro - berro - carro - guerra - parra - barrio
s
The Spanish "s" has two sounds.
It is pronounced the same as "s" sound in "sit" except when it comes before b, d, g, l, m, n
Examples: saber - sobre - cosas - asunto
It can have a "zzz" sound when it comes before b, d, g, l, m, n
Examples: mismo - desde - asno
t
The Spanish "t" is very similar to the "t" in English.
In Spanish the tongue is placed closer to the teeth and there is less aspiration.
Examples: trigo - tomar- todo - patata
v
makes the "b" sound
x
The Spanish "x" is similar to the English pronunciation and it has a "ks" sound.
Examples: extra - sexto- exacto - éxito
z
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10. The Spanish "z" has the "th" sound in the English thin.
Examples: zona - cazar - zorro - luz
Please note: Z . . . is an "Z" sound in Latin America, or a "TH" sound in Spain
Stress and Accent Marks
Knowing how letters are pronounced is only one aspect of learning Spanish pronunciation.
Another key aspect is knowing which syllable should be stressed.
Fortunately, in Spanish the rules for stress (also known as accent) are simple.
In fact, there are only three basic rules that cover nearly every word:
1. If a word ends in a vowel, n or s, the stress is on the next to last syllable. For example,
toro, computadora, joven and zapatos all have their accent on the next-to-last syllable. Most
words fit this category.
2. Words than end in other letters have the stress on the last syllable. For example, hotel,
hablar, madador and virtud all have the accent on the final syllable.
3. If a word isn't pronounced according to the above two rules, an accent is placed over the
vowel of the syllable that gets the stress. For example, común, lápiz, médico, inglés, and
ojalá all have the stress on the indicated syllable.
The only exceptions to the above words are some words of foreign origin, generally words
adopted from English, that retain their original spelling and pronunciation. Also personal
names and place names of foreign origin usually are written without accents.
Note that some publications and signs do not use accent marks over capital letters, although
it is normally best to use them when possible.
Capital letters
In Spanish, days, months, languages and nationalities do not use a capital letter. Only names
of people and places do.
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11. Basic Phrases (Spanish – English)
Hola - Hi
Me llamo... - My name is...
Encantado, -a - Nice to meet you
Sí - Yes
No - No
Hablo un poco - I speak a little
en español - in Spanish
en inglés - in English
Adiós - Goodbye
Gracias - Thank you
por favor - please
el hotel - the hotel
¿Tiene...? - Have you got...?
una habitación - a room
doble - double
individual - single
el baño - the bathroom
¿Para cuántos días? - For how many days?
Tengo una reserva - I have a reservation
¿Su nombre? - Your name?
¿Su pasaporte? - Your passport?
¿Qué va a tomar? - What would you like?
un bocadillo - a filled roll
una tortilla española - a Spanish omelette
unas patatas fritas - chips
de primero - as first course
de segundo - as second course
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12. el menú - the menu
¿Para beber? - And to drink?
una cerveza - a beer
un vino tinto - a glass of red wine
un vaso de agua - a glass of water
la cuenta - the bill
¿Hay... por aquí? - Is there... around here?
un supermercado - a supermarket
una farmacia - a chemist's
abierto - open
cerrado - closed
¿Tiene...? - Have you got...?
¿Qué talla? - What size?
grande - big
pequeño - small
¿Cuánto cuesta? - How much does it cost?
¿Algo más? - Anything else?
Perdón - Excuse me
¿Dónde está? - Where is?
todo recto - straight ahead
enfrente - opposite
a la izquierda - on the left
a la derecha - on the right
Está cerca - It's nearby
Está lejos - It's far away
un billete para... - a ticket to...
de ida - one way
de ida y vuelta - return
Soy principiante. - I’m a beginner.
Tengo un nivel...medio/avanzado. - I'm intermediate/advanced.
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13. Common phrases (English –Spanish)
Can you help me? - ¿Me puede ayudar?; ¿Me ayuda por favor?
Do you speak English? - ¿Hablas inglés?
Do you understand English? - ¿Entiende el inglés?
Good afternoon - Buenas tardes
Good-bye. - Adiós.
Good evening - Buenas noches
Good morning - Buenos dias
Good night - Buenas noches
Happy birthday! - Feliz cumpleaños!
Happy New Year! - Feliz Año Nuevo!
Hello - ¡hola!
Help me please. - Ayúdeme por favor.
How? - ¿Cómo?
How are you? - ¿Cómo estás?
How do you say...? - ¿Cómo se dice...?
How much does it cost? - ¿Cuánto es?
How old are you? - ¿Cuántos años tienes?
I am... - Estoy...
I am called...(My name is...) - Me llamo...
I am from... - Soy de...
I am fine. - Estoy bien.
I am happy. - Estoy alegre.
I am hungry. - Tengo hambre.
I am lost. - Estoy perdido.
I am sad. - Estoy triste.
I am sick. - Estoy enfermo.
I don't know. - No lo sé.
I don't like it. - No me gusta.
I don't speak Spanish. - No hablo español.
I don't understand.
No entiendo. - No comprendo.
I have... - Tengo...
I like it. - Me gusta.
I love you. - Te amo.
I need a doctor. - Necesito un médico.
I would like... - Me gustaria...
maybe - quizá
My name is... - Me llamo...
Nice to meet you. - Encantado de conocerle. Mucho gusto.
no - no
please - por favor
Pleased to meet you. - Encantado de conocerle.
Please help me. - Ayúdeme, por favor.
Please repeat that. - ¿Podria repetir, por favor?
See you later. - Hasta luego.
Thank you. - Gracias.
what - qué
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14. What is your name? - ¿Cómo te llamas?
What time is it? - ¿Que hora es? ??
when - cuándo
where - dónde
which - cuál
Where are you from? - ¿De dónde eres?
Where is the bathroom? - ¿Donde esta el baño? ??
who - quién ??
why - por qué
yes - si
You're welcome. - De nada.
Conversation practice
Who's there? - ¿Quién es?
What is your name? - ¿Cómo te llamas?
What is your mother's name? - ¿Cómo se llama tu madre?
What is your father's name? - ¿Cómo se llama tu padre?
How do you spell your name? - ¿Cómo se escribe tu nombre?
How are you? - ¿Cómo está?
Where are you from? - ¿De dónde viene?
Where do you live? - ¿Dónde vives?
Where were you born? - ¿Dónde nació usted?
How old are you? - ¿Cuántos años tienes?
Do you have brothers or sisters? - ¿Tienes tú hermanos o hermanas?
Do you have any pets (animals) at home? - ¿Tiene usted mascotas en casa?
How many people are in your family? - ¿Cuántas personas hay en tu familia?
What is your telephone number? - ¿Cuál es su número de teléfono?
What time is it? - ¿Qué hora es?
What day is it today? - ¿Qué día es hoy?
What day was yesterday? - ¿Qué día fue ayer?
What day is tomorrow? - ¿Qué día es mañana?
What is the date? - ¿Cuál es la fecha de hoy?
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15. When do you eat lunch? - ¿A qué hora comes tú el almuerzo?
What's the weather like? - ¿Qué tiempo hace?
How many are there? - ¿Cuánto hay?
How much is that? - ¿Cuánto cuesta eso? or ¿Cuánto es?
What color is this? - ¿Qué color es?
What is your favorite color? - ¿Cuál es tu color favorito?
What is this? - ¿Qué es esto?
Do you have any questions? - ¿Tiene algunas preguntas?
Do you understand? - ¿Entiende? or ¿Comprende?
Can you repeat that, please? - ¿Me lo repite, por favor?
Do you speak English? - ¿Hablas inglés?
Where is it? - ¿Dónde está?
Where are you going? - ¿Adónde va usted?
Why is that? - Y eso ¿por qué?
Why not? - ¿Por qué no?
Whose is that? - ¿De quién es eso?
What would you like? - ¿Qué desea?
Can you help me please? - ¿Puede usted ayudarme, por favor?
Where is the bathroom? - ¿Dónde esta el baño?
Greetings
Hola - Hello, hi
Hola, aló, jaló, bueno, al, diga - Hello (on the telephone). - varies with location.
Adiós - Goodbye (An informal alternative in some areas is chau from Italian).
¿Cómo estás? ¿Cómo está? - How are you?
Muy bien, gracias - Very well, thank you
Buenos días - Good day, good morning (sometimes a shortened form, buen día, is used.)
Buenas tardes - Good afternoon (also used in the early evening)
Buenas noches - Good night (can be used as a greeting as well as a farewell).
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16. ¿Cómo te va? ¿Cómo le va? ¿Qué tal? ¿Qué hay? - How's it going? What's happening?
¿Qué pasa? - What's happening?
¿Qué hubo? ¿Qué onda? - How is it going? What's happening? (common in Mexico).
¿Cómo te llamas? ¿Cómo se llama usted? - What's your name?
Me llamo … - My name is ...
Mucho gusto. Encantado. - It's a pleasure to meet you.
Bienvenido, bienvenida, bienvenidos, bienvenidas – Welcome
(Note the difference in number and gender. Bienvenido would be used with a man,
bienvenida with a woman, bienvenidas with a group of all females, and bienvenidos with
males or a mixed group).
Numbers
There are two kinds of numbers: cardinal and ordinal.
Cardinal numbers are the numbers used for counting:
0 cero
1 uno/a
2 dos
3 tres
4 cuatro
5 cinco
6 seis
7 siete
8 ocho
9 nueve
10 diez
11 once
12 doce
13 trece
14 catorce
15 quince
16 dieciséis
17 diecisiete
18 dieciocho
19 diecinueve
20 veinte
21 veintiuno/a
22 veintidós
30 treinta
31 treinta y uno/a
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17. 40 cuarenta
50 cincuenta
60 sesenta
70 setenta
80 ochenta
90 noventa
100 cien(to)
101 ciento uno
200 doscientos/as
300 trescientos/as
400 cuatrocientos/as
500 quinientos/as
600 seiscientos/as
700 setecientos/as
800 ochocientos/as
900 novecientos/as
1.000 mil
1.500 mil quinientos
2.000 dos mil
1.000.000 un millón
Uno in compound numbers loses the -o before masculine nouns, whether singular or plural:
treinta y un días (thirty-one days).
Dates (months and years) are cardinal numbers in Spanish, except for the first of the month:
El 9 (nueve) de marzo de 1995 (mil novecientos noventa y cinco) (the ninth of October,
1995); BUT Hoy es el primero de octubre (Today is October first).
Note that Spanish reverses the English usage of commas and periods in numbers: 1.250
kilómetros = 1,250 kilometers; 1,25 litros = 1.25 liters.
Ordinal Numbers
primer(o)/a - first
segundo/a - second
tercer(o)/a - third
cuarto/a - fourth
quinto/a - fifth
sexto/a - sixth
séptimo/a - seventh
octavo/a - eighth
noveno/a - ninth
décimo/a - tenth
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18. After ten, cardinal numbers are generally used to indicate the ordinals: Alfonso Trece
(Alfonso the Thirteenth); el siglo veinte (the twentieth century).
Vocabulary (grouped by topics)
Days of the week
Sunday - domingo
Monday - lunes
Tuesday - martes
Wednesday – miercoles
Thursday - jueves
Friday - viernes
Saturday - sabado
Months of the year
January - enero
February – febrero
March - marzo
April - abril
May - mayo
June - junio
July - julio
August - agosto
September - septiembre
October - octubre
November - noviembre
December - diciembre
Shapes - Las Formas
arch - el arco
block - el cubo
circle - el círculo
cone - el cono
crescent - creciente
cube - el cubo
cylinder - el cilindro
diamond - rombo
ellipse - la elipse
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19. hemisphere - el hemisferio
hexagon - el hexágono
octagon - el octágono
orb - el orbe
oval - el óvalo
pentagon - el pentágono
polygons - polígonos
pyramid - la pirámide .
point - el punto
rectangle - el rectángulo
semicircle - semicirculo
shapes - las formas
sphere - esfera
spiral - el espiral
square - el cuadrado
star - la estrella
trapezoid - trapezoide
triangle - el triángulo
wedge - la cuña
zigzag - el zigzag
Adjectives
afraid - asustado
alike - parecido/parecida
all - todo
angry - enojado
asleep - dormido
beautiful - bella (female), bello (male)
big - grande
black - negro
blue - azul
bright - luminoso
brown - marrón
clean - limpio
closed - cerrado
cute - linda (female), lindo (male)
dirty - sucio
early - temprano
empty - vacío/vacía
every - cada
fast - rápido
fat - gordo/gorda
frightened - asustado
full - lleno/llena
gray - gris
green - verde
happy - contenta/contento
healthy - saludable
hot - caliente
hungry - hambriento
large - grande
last - último/última
late - tarde
19

20. left - izquierda
loud - fuerte
little - pequeñita/pequeñito
lost - perdido
less - menos
mad - enojado
many - muchos more - más
narrow - estrecho, angosto
open - abierto
orange - anaranjado
outdoors - al aire libre
over - sobre
pink - rosa, rosado
purple - morado
quiet - callado/callada
red - rojo
sad - triste
scared - asustado, temeroso
slow - lenta/lento
small - pequeña/pequeño
sick - enferma/enfermo
short - baja/bajo
tall - alta/alto
thin - delgado
ugly - feo
unhappy - infeliz
upside down - a revés
violet - violeta
white - blanco
wide - ancho
yellow - amarillo
young - joven
Verbs
to be afraid - tener miedo
break - romper
burn - quemarse
clap - aplaudir
cry - llorar
dance - bailar
draw - dibujar
drink - beber, tomar
eat - comer
erase - borrar
exercise - ejercicio
to fish - pescar
fly - volar
give - dar
hear - oír
jog - trotar
juggle - hacer juegos malabares
jump - saltar
20

21. kneel - arrodillarse
knit - tejer
laugh - reír
leak - tener goteras
learn - aprender
to love - amar
(to send by) mail - enviar par correo
paint - pintar
play - jugar
pull - tirar
push - empujar
rake - rastrillar
read - leer
receive - recibir
run - correr
scare - susto
scream - gritar
see - ver
sew - coser
sing - cantar
sit - sentarse
sleep - dormir
smile - la sonrisa
speak - hablar
staple - sujetar con grapa
stop - parar
talk - hablar
teach - enseñar
thank - agradecer, dar las gracias
think - pensar
throw - tirar, aventar, echar
tickle - hacer cosquillas
understand - comprender
walk - caminar, andar
wave - saludar a alguien con la mano
weep - llorar
wiggle - contonear, menear
(make a) wish - pedir un deseo
work - trabajar
write - escribir
yell - gritar
Prepositions
above - arriba de, sobre
around - alrededor de
behind - detrás de
between - entre
in - en
in front of - delante de
inside - dentro
21

22. on top of - encima de
over - sobre
under - debajo de
Animals
alligator - el caimán
animals - los animales
ant - la hormiga
antelope - el antílope
antler - el asta
ape - el mono
aquarium - el acuario
barn - el establo
bat - el murciélago
beak - el pico
bear - el oso
beaver - el castor
bee - la abeja
beetle - el escarabajo
bird - el pájaro
blackbird - el mirlo
bluebird - azulejo
buffalo - el búfalo
bug - bicho
bunny - el conejito
butterfly - la mariposa
bull - el toro
cage - la jaula
camel - el camello
canary - el canario
cat - el gato
caterpillar - la oruga
chick - el pollito
chicken - el pollo
chimpanzee - el chimpancé
chipmunk - la ardilla listada
cicada - la cigarra
claw - la zarpa, la garra
cobweb - la telaraña
cocoon - el capullo
coral - coralino
cow - la vaca
coyote - el coyote
crab - el cangrejo
crane - la grulla
crocodile - el cocodrilo
crow - el cuervo
deer - el venado
dinosaur - el dinosaurio
dog - el perro
22

23. doghouse - perrera
dolphin - el delfín
donkey - el burro
dove - la paloma
dragon - el dragón
dragonfly - la libélula
duck - el pato
duckling - el patito
eagle - el águila
earthworm - lombriz de tierra
eel - la anguila
egg - el huevo
elephant - el elefante
elk - alce
farm - la granja/la finca
feather - la pluma
fin - la aleta
fish - el pez, el pescado
fish bowl - la pecera
to fish - pescar
fishing rod - caña de pescar
flamingo - el flamenco
fly - la mosca
fox - el zorro
frog - la rana
gazelle - la gacela
giraffe - la jirafa
goat - la cabra
goose - el ganso
gorilla - el gorila
grasshopper - el saltamontes
hamster - la marmota, la rata del trigo
hedgehog - el erizo
hen - la gallina
hippopotamus - el hipopótamo
hive - la colmena
hog - el cerdo
honeycomb - el panal de miel
horn - el cuerno
hornet - avispón
horse - el caballo
horseshoe - la herradura
hummingbird - el colibrí
hyena - la hiena
hoof - el casco
insect - el insecto
jaguar - el jaguar
jay - el arrendajo
jellyfish - la medusa
kangaroo - el canguro
kitten - el gatito
koala - el koala
ladybug - la mariquita
lamb - el cordero
lion - el león
lizard - la lagartija
23

24. llama - la llama
lobster - la langosta
macaw - el guacamayo
mammal - el mamífero
mammoth - el mamut
marsupial - el marsupial
mermaid - la sirena
monkey - el mono
monster - el monstruo
moose - el alce
mosquito - el mosquito, el zancudo
moth - la polilla/la mariposa nocturna
mouse el ratón
muskrat el ratón almizclero
mutt - el bobo
nandu - ñandú
nest - el nido
net - la red
newt - el tritón
octopus - el pulpo
orangutan - el orangután
ostrich - el avestruz
otter - la nutria
owl - el búho, la lechuza
parrot - el loro, el papagayo
peacock - el pavo real
penguin - el pingüino
pet - el animal doméstico
pig - el cerdo
pigeon la paloma/pichón
pupa - la crisálida
puppy - el cachorro
quail - la codorniz
quetzal - el quetzal
rabbit - el conejo
raccoon - el mapache
rat - la rata
reindeer - el reno
rhinoceros - el rinoceronte
roach - la cucaracha
roadrunner - el correcamino
robin - el petirrojo
rooster - el gallo
scorpion - el alacrán
sea gull - la gaviota
seahorse - caballito de mar
seal - la foca
shark - el tiburón
sheep - la oveja, carnero
shell - concha
shrimp - el camaron
skeleton - el esqueleto
skull - el cráneo
snail - el caracol
snake - la culebra/la serpiente
spider - la araña
24

25. squid - el calamar
sponge - la esponja
squirrel - la ardilla
stable - el establo
stingray - raya
swan - el cisne
tadpole - el renacuajo
tail - la cola
tern - golondrina
tiger - el tigre
toad - el sapo
toucan - el toucan
trunk - la trompa
turtle - la tortuga
unicorn - el unicornio
vulture - el buitre
walrus - el walrus
wasp - la avispa
weasel - comadreja
web - telaraña, tela de araña
whale - la ballena
wolf - el lobo
woodpecker - el pájaro carpintero
worm - el gusano
yak - yac
zebra - la cebra
zoo - el parque zoológico
zoologist - zoólogo
Family - Familia
father - papá
mother - mamá
father - el padre
mother - la madre
fathers or parents - los padres
son - hijo
daughter - hija
sons, sons and daughters, or children - los hijos
brother - hermano
sister - hermana
brothers, or brothers and sisters - los hermanos
godfather - padrino
godmother - madrina
husband - esposo
wife - esposa
25

26. Relationships
Estoy enamorado/estoy enamorada - I am in love
Tengo novio - I have a boyfriend, sweetheart
Tengo novia - I have a girlfriend, sweetheart
Te mando una carta - I send a card to you
Le mando una carta - I send a card to her/him
Querido Juan - Dear John
Querida María - Dear Mary
¿Por qué no me escribes? - Why don't you write to me?
Te echo de menos - I miss you
¿Me echas de menos? - Do you miss me?
¿Estás enfadada? - Are you angry?
Te quiero. Te amo - I love you
¿Me quieres? ¿Me amas? - Do you love me?
Estoy celoso - I am jealous
Te adoro apasionadamente - I adore you passionately
Te quiero con toda mi alma - I love you with all my soul
¡Quiéreme o me muero! - Love me or I shall die!
Eres mi héroe/heroína - You are my hero/heroine
Con cariño - With affection
Cariñosamente - Affectionately
Con amor - With love
Besos - Kisses
Abrazos - Hugs
Personality
ambitious - ambicioso
annoying - pesado
argumentative, quarrelsome - discutidor
bad-tempered - malhumorado
big-headed - creído, engreído
bitchy - de mala leche, venenoso;
brave - valiente
cantankerous - cascarrabias
carefree - despreocupado
careless - descuidado, poco cuidadoso
cautious - prudente, cauteloso, cauto;
charming - encantador
cheerful - alegre, jovial;
conceited, full of oneself - presumido
conservative - conservador
conventional - convencional
cowardly - cobarde
crazy, nuts - loco, chiflado
26

27. cruel - cruel
dull, boring - soso, aburrido
flirtatious - coqueta
friendly - amigable, simpático, agradable
generous - generoso
hard-working - trabajador
honest - honesto
kind - amable
laid-back - tranquilo, relajado
lazy - perezoso, vago
loyal - fiel
mean - tacaño
modest - modesto
moody - de humor cambiante
naive - ingenuo, inocentón
naughty - (children) malo, travieso (niños)
narrow-minded - de mentalidad cerrada, intolerante
open-minded - de actitud abierta, sin prejuicios
pious - piadoso
polite - cortés, educado
proud - orgulloso
reliable - fiable, confiable: es una persona en la que se puede confiar
self-confident: to be self-confident seguro de sí mismo: tener confianza en sí mismo
selfish - egoísta
sensible - sensato, prudente;
sensitive - sensible
shy, introverted - tímido, vergonzoso - introvertido
strict - estricto, severo, riguroso
stubborn - terco, testarudo, tozudo
sympathetic (understanding) - comprensivo
talkative - conversador, hablador
trustworthy - digno de confianza
two-faced, false - falso
weird - raro, extraño
Colours
amarillo - yellow
anaranjado - orange
azul - blue
blanco - white
dorado - golden
gris - gray
marrón - brown
27

28. negro - black
púrpura - purple
rojo - red
rosado - pink
verde - green
beige, beis - beige
cereza - cherry-colored
chocolate - chocolate-colored
esmerelda - emerald
grana - dark red
humo - smoky
lila - lilac
malva - mauve
mostaza - mustard-colored
naranja - orange
oro - gold
paja - straw-colored
rosa - pink
turquesa - turquoise
violeta – violet
What color is it? - ¿Que color es este?
What is your favorite colour? - ¿Cuál es tu color favorito?
Note that the form changes depending on the number and gender of what's being described:
Tengo un coche amarillo. (I have one yellow car.) Tiene dos coches amarillos. (He has two
yellow cars.) Tienes una flor amarilla. (You have a yellow flower.) Tenemos diez flores
amarillas. (We have ten yellow flowers.)
Body parts
arm - el brazo
28

29. back - la espalda
backbone - la columna vertebral
brain - el cerebro, el seso
breast, chest - el pecho
buttocks - las nalgas
calf - la pantorrilla
ear - el oído, la oreja
elbow - el codo
eye - el ojo
finger - el dedo
foot - el pie
hair - el pelo
hand - la mano
head - la cabeza
heart - el corazón
hip - la cadera
intestine - el intestino knee - la rodilla
leg - la pierna
liver - el hígado
mouth - la boca
muscle - el músculo
neck - el cuello
nose - la nariz
penis - el pene
shoulder - el hombro
skin - la piel
stomach (abdomen) - el vientre
stomach (internal organ) - el estómago
thigh - el muslo
throat - la garganta
29

30. toe - el dedo
tongue - la lengua
tooth - el diente, la muela
vagina - la vagina
Physical appearance
He has blue eyes = tiene los ojos azules
He is bald = Es calvo
face - la cara/el rostro
facial features - rasgos
she has a thin face - tiene la/una cara delgada
an oval face - una cara ovalada
round face - una cara redonda
clean-shaven - bien afeitado
bloated face - una cara hinchada/abotagada/abotargada
cherubic face - una cara angelical
chubby face - una cara regordete
chubby-cheeked - mofletudo
chubby/podgy face - una cara rechoncha, regordete, gordinflona
he had a weather-beaten face - tenía un rostro curtido
face lift - un lifting, un estiramiento facial
she has freckles - tiene pecas, es pecosa
spots/pimples - granos
blackheads - espinillas
moles - lunares
warts - verrugas
wrinkles - arugas
rosy cheeks - mejillas sonrosadas
acne - acne
birthmark - un antojo/una mancha de nacimiento
double chin - una papada
hollow cheeks - las mejillas hundidas
dimple - un hoyuelo
smooth-cheeked/smooth-faced - lampiño
deadpan face - una cara de póquer/de palo
doleful face - una cara compungida
sad face - una cara triste
serious face - una cara seria
smiling face - una cara sonriente
happy face - una cara alegre
smooth-cheeked/smooth-faced - lampiño
go red in the face (with anger/heat) - ponerse colorado/rojo
go red/to blush (with embarassment) - sonrojarse/ruborizarse
he looks worried parece preocupado
frightened asustado
surprised sorprendido
smile una sonrisa
smirk una sonrisita
frown el ceño fruncido
nose = la nariz
30

31. bulbous nose - una nariz protuberante
hooked nose - una nariz aguileña
big nose - una nariz grande
turned-up/snub nose - una nariz respingona
a pointed nose - una nariz puntiaguda
a flat nose/a pug nose - una nariz chata
a lopsided nose - una nariz ladeada/torcida
a hooter/conk (fam) - una napia
flare your nostrils/to snort - resoplar/bufar
Weather
When talking about the weather in Spanish use "hace" and "hay"instead of English "to be"
It is sunny - Hace sol
It is hot - Hace calor
It is very windy - Hace / Hay mucho viento
Talking about weather
what’s the weather like? - "¿qué tiempo hace?" or "¿cómo está el tiempo?"
tomorrow will be dry - mañana hará tiempo seco
there’s been a change in the weather - ha cambiado el tiempo
let’s hope the weather holds out - esperemos que no nos falle el tiempo
the weather spoiled our plans - el tiempo nos estropeó los planes
it looks like it's going to rain - parece que va a llover
the bad weather is still with us - seguimos con mal tiempo
the garden could do with a bit of rain - al jardín le vendría bien que lloviera un poco
you get better weather on the south coast - en la costa sur hace mejor tiempo;
weather permitting - si hace buen tiempo
we’re hoping for good weather while we’re on holiday - esperamos tener buen tiempo
durante las vacaciones
I don’t like the look of the weather - no me gusta cómo se está poniendo el tiempo
breeze - una brisa
clap of thunder, a thunderclap - un trueno
clear sky/day - un cielo/día despejado
clear up - despejar
climate - el clima
cloud - una nube
cloudburst - un chaparrón
cloudburst - un chaparrón, un aguacero
cold front - un frente frío
damp - húmedo
31

32. degree - grado
depression - una depresión atmosférica, una borrasca
dew - el rocío , el sereno
downpour - un chaparrón, un turbión
drizzle / to drizzle (nm) - llovizna / lloviznar
flash of lightning - un relámpago
flashes of lightning - un relampagueo
flood - una inundación
flood (v) - inundar
fog -la niebla
force nine gale - vientos de fuerza nueve
forked lightning - una culebrina
frost - escarcha
frost (v) - helar
frosty night - una noche de helada
gale - un viento fuerte, una vendaval
gale-force winds - los vientos de tormenta
gust of wind - una racha
hail (v) - granizar
hailstones - los granizos, las piedras de granizo
hailstorm - una granizada
haziness - la nebulosidad, lo neblinoso
he was struck by lightning - le cayó un rayo
heat wave - una ola de calor
hot - cálido
humid - húmedo
humidity - la humedad
hurricane - un huracán
instability/changeability - inestabilidad
it’s cloudy - hace nubes or está nublado
it’s drizzling - está lloviznando
it’s foggy - hay niebla
it’s frosty - está helado
it’s hot - hace calor
it’s misty - hay neblina
it’s muggy / clammy / close - está abochornado
it’s raining - está lloviendo
it’s sleeting - cae aguanieve
it’s snowing - está nevado
it’s sunny - hace sol
it’s windy - hace viento, está ventoso
It's chilly today - hace fresquito hoy
light covering of snow - una fina capa de nieve
low/high-pressure - de bajas/altas presiones
mist - la neblina
rain (v) - llover
rain -la lluvia
scattered showers - chubascos aislados
sea breeze - una brisa marina
sea mist - la bruma
shower - un chaparrón, un chubasco
sleet - aguanieve f.
sleet showers - chubascos de aguanieve
snow - la nieve
snow (v) - nevar
snowball - una bola de nieve
32

33. storm - una tormenta, un temporal
stormy day - un día tormentoso
streak of lightning - un rayo
sun - el sol
sunny day - un día soleado
sunny spell - un claro
sunstroke - insolación
temperature - la temperatura
thaw - un deshielo
thaw (v) - deshelar
thunder - los truenos
thundercloud - un nubarrón
to become muggy - abochornarse
to rain cats and dogs - llover a cántaros
to ride out the storm - capear el temporal
turbulence - la turbulencia
unsettled weather - un tiempo revuelto
weather - el tiempo
weather forecast - la previsión del tiempo para mañana
weather vane - una veleta
wind - el viento
Grammar
Regular Verbs
In spanish there are three different kinds of regular verbs, these can be characterized by the
ending of the infinitive.
-ar -er -ir
An infinative is represented in the english language by the word to: to be, to have, to learn, to
speak, and to buy. These are all infinitive forms of english verbs. The following table lists the
conjugation for these Regular Verbs, with examples for each.
llamar comer abrir
yo llamo como abro
tu llamas comes abres
el/ella llama come abre
nosotros llamamos comemos abrimos
vosotros llamáis coméis abrís
ellos/ellas llaman comen abren
Irregular Verbs
Present Tense
ir hacer estar
yo voy hago estoy
tu vas haces estás
33

34. el / ella va hace está
nosotros vamos hacemos estamos
vosotros vais hacéis estáis
ellos / ellas van hacen están
Note: For more info about verbs look under: Tenses
Articles
The definite article (artículo definido) agrees in gender and number with the noun it modifies
and has four forms:
Masculine el (singular) los (plural)
Feminine la (singular) las (plural)
Examples: el río (the river); los refrescos (the refreshments); la guitarra (the guitar); las faltas
(the mistakes).
Definite articles are often used in Spanish where English would omit them, for example:
1) with abstract nouns: El amor es una fuerza irresistible (Love is an irresistible force)
2) with nouns used in a general sense: Prefiero los caballos (I prefer horses)
3) with parts of the body and articles of clothing: Tengo el brazo roto (I have a broken arm)
4) with titles, except in direct address: El señor García está aquí (Mr. Garcia is here) but
Buenos días, señor García (Hello, Mr. Garcia)
Neuter article (artículo neutro) lo can be used before an adjective (or a past participle used
adjectivally) to make it function as a noun: lo humano (that which is human); lo dicho (that
which has been said).
Note: Do not confuse the neuter article lo with the masculine singular direct object pronoun
lo: Lo vi en la calle (I saw it in the street).
The indefinite article (artículo indefinido): un for the masculine singular and una for the
feminine singular. It agrees with the noun it modifies: un médico bueno (a good doctor); una
lengua bella (a beautiful language). The plural forms unos and unas mean some or a few:
Tengo unos libros buenos (I have some good books); Dénos unas naranjas, por favor (Give
us some oranges, please).
Note:For feminine nouns beginning with a stressed a sound use the masculine definite article
in the singular e.g.: El alma es un fin, no un medio (The soul is an end, not a means); but
Las almas quieren hacerse inmortales (Souls long to become immortal).
Gender
The nouns in Spanish can have either of 2 genders (género): masculine (masculino) or
feminine (femenino).
The gender of many nouns can be determined by their meaning or their ending. The gender
34

35. of other nouns must be learned individually. The best way to memorize the gender of words
is to memorize the article when learning a new word.
la chica (the girl) feminine
el hombre (the man) masculine
In general masculine nouns end in -o and feminine nouns end in -a; but watch out for
exceptions:
el día (the day), la mano (the hand), and masculine nouns ending in -ma (of Greek
derivation): el idioma (the language); el poema (the poem); el clima (the climate).
El policía mató a tiros al ladrón (The policeman gunned down the thief); La actriz se veía
pobre y sin amigos (The actress found herself poor and friendless).
Nouns ending in -ista are masculine, unless referring to a woman: un comunista (a
communist); un pianista ( pianist).
Nouns ending in -ad, -ud, -ión are feminine: la ciudad (the city); la juventud (youth); la
dirección (the address).
In Spanish, nouns, pronouns, adjectives and articles are gender-related.
Ella compró una casa bonita (She bought a pretty house).
Plural nouns of mixed gender take the masculine: Los niños están enfermos (The children
are ill).
Knowing the gender of every noun is important not only for the noun itself, but for the
spelling and pronunciation of the words it influences in a sentence: adjectives, articles,
participles, and pronouns. They agree in the gender and in the number with the noun.
Plurals
The plural of nouns and adjectives is regularly formed by adding -s to words ending in a
vowel and -es to words ending in a consonant: Tiene los ojos negros (He has dark eyes);
Prefiero las canciones de cuna (I prefer lullabies).
Words ending with z change to c in the plural: Encienda la luz (Turn on the light); Desde
aquí podemos ver las luces de la ciudad (From here we can see the lights of the city).
Contractions
There are only two contractions (contracciones) in Spanish: al and del.
Al = a (to, for, at by) + el (masculine article)
35

36. Vamos al mercado (Let's go to the store); Al entrar en la clase, la profesora comenzó a
hablar (Upon entering the classroom, the professor began to speak).
Del = de (of, from, with) + el (masculine article): ¿Qué piensas del nuevo profesor? (What
do you think of the new teacher?).
Note: The preposition a and de does not contract with the personal pronoun él: Se lo doy a
él (I give it to him).
Adjectives
An adjective (adjetivo) agrees in gender and number with the noun it describes.
Like nouns, adjectives generally end in -o for the masculine (plural -os) and -a for the
feminine (plural -as): un libro bueno (a good book); muchos estudiantes (many students);
una costumbre francesa (a French custom); otras habitaciones (other rooms).
Some adjectives whose masculine singular ends in a consonant form the feminine by adding
-a: un muchacho francés (a French boy); una muchacha francesa (a French girl); un baile
encantador (a charming dance); una canción encantadora (a charming song).
Other adjectives ending in a consonant have the same form for both masculine and feminine:
un hombre joven (a young man), una mujer joven (a young woman); unos bailes populares
(some popular dances), unas canciones populares (some popular songs).
In Spanish adjectives are used usually after the nouns t(unlike English): un día lluvioso (a
rainy day).
When used before the noun, such adjectives change meaning, acquiring a less literal sense:
Hay que dar limosna a un hombre pobre (One must give alms to a poor man); but El pobre
hombre está con un pie en la fosa (The poor guy has one foot in the grave).
Adjectives precede the nouns they modify whenever they:
1) express an essential or characteristic quality: la dulce miel (the sweet honey;
las verdes hojas (the green leaves);
2) point out, limit or quantify: este hombre (this man); su marido (her husband);
menos caliente (less hot); dos lecciones (two lessons).
Adjectives can be used as nouns, in which case they take a definite article: Los
ricos también tienen sus problemas (Rich people have their problems, too). Adjectives are
occasionally used adverbially: Vive feliz en la ciudad (He lives happily in the city).
Adverbs
Many adverbs (adverbios) are formed from adjectives, by adding the suffix -mente to the
feminine singular form: Ella es muy rica (She is very rich); Está ricamente vestida (She is
richly dressed).
In a series of adverbs, only the last one takes the -mente suffix, while the other adverbs
36

37. have the form of feminine adjectives: Escribe clara, rápida y correctamente (She writes
clearly, quickly and correctly).
Comparison
The comparative (comparativo) of an adjective or adverb is formed by preceding it with
más (more) or menos (less): Esta lección es más fácil (This lesson is easier); Lo puedo
hacer más fácilmente (I can do it more easily).
The superlative (superlativo) of an adjective is formed by adding the definite article to
the comparative form: Esta lección es la más fácil (This lesson is the easiest one).
The superlative of an adverb is expressed by adding the neuter article lo to the comparative
form: lo más fácilmente (the most easily).
The superlative of a noun is expressed by mejor (best) and peor (worst) preceded by the
appropriate definite article: la mejor respuesta (the best answer).
The absolute sperlative (superlativo absoluto) of an adjective indicates a high degree of
some quality, rather than a comparison.
It is formed by adding the suffix -ísimo/a to the adjective or adverb: Es una mujer riquísima
(She is an extremely wealthy woman); Esta riquísimamente vestida (She is very richly
dressed).
Ser and Estar
Ser and estar both mean to be. Ser is used to express what something is, while estar
expresses where or how it is: Nosotros éramos buenos amigos (We were good friends);
Miguel está en la oficina (Michael is in the office); Pablo está enfermo (Paul is sick).
Estar is also used with the present participle to form the progressive tenses, present and
past. Examples: Juan está estudiando (John is studying); Ellos estaban bailando el tango
(They were dancing the Tango).
Tú and Usted
Tú (the plural vosotros/as is used exclusively in Spain) is the second person pronoun
(English "you"). It is used for the familiar form of address when speaking to family members,
close friends, children and pet animals: ¿Te sientes bien? (Do you feel okay?).
The polite form of the second person pronoun is usted (plural ustedes for both masculine
and feminine). It derives from the phrase Vuestra Merced (Your Grace), and is therefore
abbreviated either Vd. or Ud. (plural Vds. or Uds.). Although it indicates the second person
mode of address, usted is conjugated with third person verb forms (English "he/she/it"). This
37

38. lends a respectful sense of distance to the conversation: ¿Sigue Ud. estudiando el español?
(Do you continue studying Spanish?).
Prepositions
Prepositions (preposiciones) are the connecting words that show the relationships between
words in the sentence. Nouns, pronouns, noun phrases, gerunds or noun clauses can be the
complement of the prepositions:
Simple prepositions in Spanish include the following:
a to, at
con with
contra against
de of, from
desde from, since
durante during
en in, on
entre between
hacia toward
hasta until
para for, in order to
por for, by
sin without
sobre over
tras after
Vamos a Madrid. We are going to Madrid.
Viene con su hermano. - She's coming with her brother.
Quiero gasolina sin plomo. - I want unleaded gasoline.
Conjunctions
Conjunctions (conjunciones) join words, phrases and clauses together.
The most commonly used conjunction in Spanish is y (and).
con su espada y con su pluma
(with his sword and his pen)
Other commonly used conjunctions:
o or
ni nor
pero but
38

39. Interjections
An interjection (interjección) is a word or expression. Interjections are rarely used in formal or
business writing. In print interjection is usually followed by exclamation mark or a coma:
Note that in Spanish each interjection uses ¡ in front and ! at the end of the word:
¡ay! -oh!, ouch! ¡por Dios! -for goodness sakes!
Sentences
A sentence consists of the subject (the topic of the sentence) and the predicate (what is said
about the subject).
Yo compro suéteres en el Rastro.
(I buy sweaters in the Rastro.)
Yo (I) is the subject of the sentence and compro suéteres (buy sweaters) is the predicate.
The most common forms of subject are nouns and pronouns Noun phrase and noun clause
may be the subject of a sentence:
Los niños en la escuela reciclan las latas. (noun phrase)
(The children in the school recycle the cans.)
Los toros de Pamplona y los muchachos de Pamplona corren rapidamente. (noun clauses)
(The bulls of Pamplone and the boys of Pamplona run fast.)
The most common form of predicate is one consisting of the verb of action and direct or
indirect object:
La niña ve el elefante.
(The girl sees the elephant.)
Elefante is a direct object of the present tense verb ve.
Possessive Adjectives
The possessive adjectives (adjetivos posesivos) are:
39

40. mi or mío/a - my
tu or tuyo/a - your
su or suyo/a -his, her, its
nuestro/a - our
vuestro/a - your
su or suyo/a - their
Possessive adjectives have a short form when they precede the noun and a longer form
when they follow it: mis amigos (my friends); una amiga mía (a female friend of mine).
All these forms add -s to form the plural. They agree in gender and number with the noun:
mis libros (my books); nuestras cosas (our things).
Note: When referring to clothing, parts of the body, and so on, a definite article is regularly
used instead of a possessive adjective: Tiene algo en la mano (He has something in his
hand); Póngase Ud. los zapatos (Put on your shoes).
The possessive pronouns (pronombres posesivos) are formed by adding the appropriate
definite article to the long form of the possessive adjective:
el mío, la mía, los míos, las mías (mine)
el tuyo, la tuya, los tuyos, las tuyas (yours)
el suyo, la suya, los suyos, las suyas (his, hers its)
el nuestro, la nuestra, etc. (ours)
el vuestro, la vuestra, etc. (yours)
el suyo, la suya, etc. (theirs)
Possessive pronouns, like possessive adjectives, agree with the thing possessed rather than
with the possessor: tus cartas y las mías (your letters and mine); su casa y la nuestra (their
house and ours).
Demonstrative Adjectives
The DEMONSTRATIVE ADJECTIVES (adjetivos demostrativos) are:
Masculine Feminine Masculine Feminine
Singular Singular Plural Plural
este esta estos estas (this)
ese esa esos esas (that)
aquel aquella aquellos aquellas (that)
Demonstrative adjectives agree in gender and number with the noun they modify: estos libros
(these books); esa bicicleta (that bicycle); aquellos edificios (those buildings).
Este refers to something near the speaker; ese refers to something at a distance from the
40

41. speaker but in the vicinity of the person spoken to; aquel refers to something at a distance
from both the speaker and the listener.
The demonstrative pronouns (pronombres demostrativos) are formed by adding a written
accent to the demonstrative adjectives. They agree in gender and number with the nouns
the represent: No prefiero esta mesa; quiero aquélla (I don't like this table; I want that one
over there).
The neuter demonstrative pronouns esto, eso and aquello do not have written accents since
there are no neuter demonstrative adjectives with which they might be confused. They
always refer to a general idea, a situation, or an indefinite thing, and never have a specific
noun antecedent: ¿Qué es esto? (What's this?); La casa es muy pequeña, y él no quiere
eso (The house is very little, and he doesn't want that).
Pronouns
The personal pronouns (pronombres personales) have different forms depending on whether
they are the subject (sujeto), direct object (objeto directo) or indirect object (
objeto indirecto).
SUBJECT:
First person:
Yo - I
nosotros/as - we
Second person (familiar)
tú - you
vosotros/as – you (plural)
Second person (polite)
usted - you
Udstedes – you (plural)
Third Person
él - he, it
ellos - they
ella -she
ellas – they
Note: Subject pronouns (with the exception of Ud.) are regularly omitted, since they can be
deduced from the conjugated verb forms: Traigo los refrescos (I'm bringing the soft drinks);
Tienes razón (You're right). When the subject pronouns are used, it is in order to emphasize
or clarify: Yo quiero hacer eso (I want to do that myself); Ella cantaba mientras él tocaba la
guitarra (She sang while he played the guitar).
41

42. DIRECT OBJECT:
First person:
me (me) nos (us)
Second person (familiar)
te (you) os (you)
Second person (polite)
le, la (you) los, las (you)
Third Person
lo (him, it) los (them)
la (her, it) las (them)
Note: in parts of Spain, le is often used instead of lo for the direct object pronoun meaning
him.
INDIRECT OBJECT:
First person:
me (me) nos (us)
Second person (familiar)
te (you) os (you)
Second person (polite)
le (you) les (you)
Third Person
le (him, her, it) les (them)
Object pronouns (direct and indirect) usually precede the verb, but can be attached to
infinitives and present participles, and must be attached to affirmative commands: Lo escribo
en español (I'm writing it in Spanish); Quiero escribirlo en español or Lo quiero escribir en
español (I want to write it in Spanish); Estoy escribiéndolo en español or Lo estoy
escribiendo en español (I'm writing it in Spanish); Escríbalo Ud. en inglés (Write it in
English). When a verb has two object pronouns, the indirect object is given first. The indirect
object pronouns le and les change (for reasons of euphony) to se before lo, la, los and las:
42

43. Deseo dárselo a ellos (I want to give it to them); Se lo quiero enviar a ella (I want to send it
to her).
Reflexive Pronouns and Verbs
The reflexive pronouns (pronombres reflexivos) are:
First person:
me (myself) nos (ourselves)
Second person (familiar)
te (yourself) os (yourselves)
Second person (polite)
se (yourself) se (yourselves)
Third Person
se (him, her, itself) se (themselves)
Reflexive pronouns are always used with reflexive verbs (verbs expressing an action whose
subject is also its object, i.e. where the doer acts upon himself). Sometimes the literal
meaning of the reflexive pronouns (myself, etc.) can be translated into English, but usually
they cannot be translated in isolation from the verb: Me lavo (I wash myself); Me acuesto
muy tarde (I go to bed very late); Me quejo del trabajo (I complain about the work); Me
acuerdo de eso (I remember that); Ya me voy (I'm going away now).
Reflexive pronouns normally precede the conjugated verb, but are attached to the infinitive,
the present participle, and affirmative commands: Quiero lavarme (I want to wash up); Estoy
lavándome (I am washing myself); Lávense Uds. (Wash yourselves).
The reflexive pronouns can also be used in a reciprocal sense, meaning each other: Nos
amamos (we love each other); Se escriben todos los días (They write each other every day).
Prepositional Pronouns
The prepositional pronouns are:
First person:
mí (me) nosotros/as (us)
43

44. Second person (familiar)
tí (you) vosotros/as (you)
Second person (polite)
Ud. (you) Uds.(you)
Third Person
él (him, it) ellos (them)
Reflexive
sí (him/her/it/yourself, themselves/yourselves)
Neuter
ello
Prepositional pronouns are the object of the preposition that they follow: Es demasiado difícil
para mí (It's too difficult for me); No podemos hacerlo sin ella (We can't do it without her).
The neuter pronoun ello is used instead of lo after a preposition, when reference is being
made to a general idea that has already been expressed: Tendrás buen éxito; no hay
ninguna duda de ello (You'll be successful; there's no doubt about it).
The prepositional pronouns mí, tí and sí combine with the preposition con (with) to become
conmigo, contigo and consigo: ¿Quieres ir conmigo? (Do you want to come with me?); Lo
trae consigo (He's bringing it with him).
Relative Pronouns
Relative pronouns (pronombres relativos) introduce a subordinate clause and replace
something mentioned earlier in the sentence. They can function as either subject or object
pronouns without any change in form.
The most common relative pronoun is que: El hombre que está hablando es un amigo mío
(The man who is talking is a friend of mine); La lección que estudias es muy fácil (The
lesson that you're studying is quite simple).
After a preposition, que is used as the relative pronoun for things, quien or quienes for
persons: La habitación en que vivo es muy cómoda (The room in which I live is very cosy);
La mujer de quien hablabas es extranjera (The woman about whom you were speaking is a
foreigner).
The compound relative pronouns el/la que (plural los/las que) or el/la cual (pl. los/las cuales)
44

45. are used interchangeably after prepositions of more than one syllable, or to avoid confusion
and ambiguity: Estos son mis libros, entre los que hay un diccionario de bolsillo (These are
my books, among which there is a pocket dictionary); Ayer fuí al cine con la madre de Juan,
la cual es francesa (Yesterday I went to the cinema with John's mother, who is French).
The neuter forms lo que and lo cual are used when the antecedent is a general idea:
Siempre dice lo que piensa (He always says what he thinks); Me habló de sus problemas, lo
cual no me gustó (He spoke to me about his troubles, which didn't please me).
The relative pronoun cuyo/a (plural cuyos/as) usually functions as an adjective meaning
whose or of which. It can refer to both persons and things, and always agrees in gender and
number with the thing possessed rather than with the possessor: ¿Te acuerdas de la niña
cuyos padres la abandonaron? (Do you remember the little girl whose parents abandoned
her?).
Questions
Interrogatives (interrogativos) ask a question, and are distinguished by their written accents.
The most common interrogatives are:
¿Quién? (Who?) ¿Cuántos? (How many?)
¿Qué? (What) ¿Dónde? (Where?)
¿Cuál? (Which?) ¿Por qué? (Why?)
¿Cómo? (How?) ¿Para qué? (Why?)
¿Cuánto?(How much?) ¿Cuándo? (When?)
Qué asks for a definition or description (what?), while cuál (plural cuáles) asks for a choice or
distinction (which?): ¿Qué es el alma? (What is the soul?); ¿Cuáles son tus libros favoritos?
(Which are your favorite books?). Used in that way, qué and cuál are interrogative pronouns.
When an interrogative adjective is required, qué is used for both senses (what? and which?):
¿Qué días vas al hipódromo? (Which days do you go to the racetrack?).
Note: Interrogatives are also used in indirect questions, where a question is referred to
without being directly asked: No sé quién es (I don't know who she is). The direct question
was ¿Quién es esa mujer? (Who is that woman?).
Exclamations
Exclamatory words (exclamaciones) also have written accents. The most common one is
¡Qué...! used in front of an adjective, adverb or noun: ¡Qué casa! (What a house!); ¡Qué
delicioso! (How delicious!); ¡Qué fácilmente lo haces tú! (How easily you do it!). In literary
45

46. usage, ¡Cuán...! may replace ¡Qué...!: ¡Cuán fácilmente lo haces tú!
When an adjective follows a noun in this construction, it is preceded by más (most) or tan
(so): ¡Qué casa más bonita! (What a pretty house!); ¡Qué niños tan alegres! (What happy
children!).
Negation
The most common negatives (negativos) are:
no (no, not) nunca (never)
nada (nothing) jamás (never)
nadie (nobody) tampoco (neither)
ninguno/a (not any) ni...ni (neither...nor)
A verb is negated by placing no in front of it: No sé (I don't know). When there is an object
pronoun in front of the verb, no is placed before the object pronoun: No lo veo (I don't see it).
Double negatives are standard in Spanish: No veo a nadie en la calle (I don't see anybody in
the street); No tengo ni papel ni pluma (I don't have either paper or pen). Negatives are
also used in comparisons: Ella escribe mejor que nadie (She writes better than anybody);
Ahora lo necesito más que nunca (Now I need it more than ever).
Personal A
When the direct object of a verb is a person or a domestic animal, it is preceded by the
personal a (la preposición personal a) which has no English equivalent: Veo a mi amigo (I
see my friend); Hay que buscar al perro (We must look for the dog); No invito a nadie (I'm
not inviting anyone).
The personal a is not used, however, with the verb tener: Tengo un amigo (I have a friend).
Verb Conjugations: Tenses
Spanish verbs belong to one of three conjugations (conjugaciones) which can be
distinguished by the endings of the infinitive forms.
First Conjugation -ar: hablar (to talk)
Second Conjugation -er: comer (to eat)
Third Conjugation -ir: vivir (to live)
46

47. The form of a verb depends on:
1) its conjugation group
2) its tense (time reference) and mood (intent)
3) the person and number of its subject
Spanish has four simple tenses (tiempos simples):
1. Present - presente:
hablo (I talk)
2. Future - futuro:
hablarás (you will talk)
3. Imperfect - pretérito imperfecto:
hablaba (she used to talk)
4. Preterite - pretérito indefinido:
hablaron (they talked)
There are also four compound tenses (tiempos compuestos):
1. Present perfect - préterito perfecto:
hemos comido (we have eaten)
2. Future perfect - futuro perfecto:
habréis comido (you all will have eaten)
3. Plusperfect or past perfect - pretérito pluscuamperfecto:
habían comido (they had eaten)
4.Preterite perfect or past anterior - pretérito anterior:
hube comido (I had eaten)
There are four moods (modos) in Spanish:
1. Indicative - indicativo:
To express a fact:
47

48. Está en el banco (It's in the bank)
2. Subjanctive - subjuntivo:
To express a wish, an emotional attitude, or a doubt:
Quiero que Ud. venga (I want you to come)
Siento que no venga Ud. (I'm sorry you're not coming)
Dudo que venga Ud. (I doubt that you'll come)
3. Conditional - potencial or condicional:
expressing the idea of would:
Juan no lo haría así (John wouldn't do it that way)
4. Imperative - imperativo:
expressing a direct command:
Venga Ud. (Come!)
Verb Conjugations: Person and Number
A finite verb agrees in person (persona) and number (número) with its subject (the doer of the
action), even when the subject is understood without being expressed by a noun or pronoun.
There are two numbers:
1. Singular:
(Yo) veo a Juan (I see John)
(Tú) debes hacerlo (You must do it)
Ud. tiene razón (You're right)
(Ella) quiere a su gato (She loves her cat)
2. Plural :
(Nosotros) vemos el cielo (We see the sky)
(Vosotros) debéis trabajar (You all should work)
¿Tienen Uds. dinero? (Do you all have money?)
(Ellos) quieren comer (They want to eat)
There are three persons: First person is the speaker, second person is the one spoken to,
and third person is the one spoken about.
1. First person
(Yo) soy maestro (I'm a teacher)
(Nosotros) somos alumnos (We are pupils)
48

49. 2. Second person
(Tú) eres guapo (You are good-looking) - singular
(Vosotros) sois feos (You all are ugly) - plural
Ud. es muy amable (You are very kind) – singular, polite form
Uds. son muy amables (You all are very kind) – plural, polite form
NOTE: The usted/ustedes (polite you) form of address is second person but uses third
person verb forms, which lends an air of respectful distance on the part of the speaker.
3. Third person
(Ella) es trabajadora (She is hard-working)
(Ellos) son perezosos (They are lazy)
Present Tense
The present tense (presente) of regular verbs is formed by removing the infinitive ending (
-ar, -er or -ir) and adding personal endings to the verb stem. There is a different set of
personal endings for each of the three conjugations:
First conjugation (habl-ar)
habl-o (I talk) habl-amos (we talk)
habl-as (you talk) habl-áis (you talk)
habl-a (she talks) habl-an (they talk)
Second conjugation (com-er)
com-o (I eat) com-emos (we eat)
com-es (you eat) com-éis (you all eat)
com-e (she eats) com-en (they eat)
Third conjugation (viv-ir)
viv-o (I live) viv-imos (we live)
viv-es (you live) viv-ís (you live)
viv-e (she lives) viv-en (they live)
49

50. The present tense is commonly used in conversation to refer to actions which will take place
in the immediate future: Vengo más tarde (I'll come later). It is sometimes used in literature
to replace the preterite, lending a sense of immediacy to historical narrative: Cortés admira la
bondad y liberalidad del gran Montezuma (Cortez admired the goodness and generosity of
the great Montezuma). This is called the vivid present.
Future Tense
The future tense (futuro) of regular verbs is formed by adding personal endings to the
infinitive. The endings are the same for all three conjugations.
hablar-é (I will talk) comeré, viviré, etc.
hablar-ás(you will talk)
hablar-á (she will talk
hablar-emos (we will talk)
hablar-éis (you all will talk)
hablar-án (they will talk)
In addition to expressing future time, the future tense can express uncertainty or probability in
the present: Serán las cinco
(It must be about five o'clock).
Imperfect Tense
The imperfect tense (pretérito imperfecto) of regular verbs is formed by removing the infinitive
ending (-AR, -ER or -IR) and adding personal endings to the verb stem. There is one set of
endings for the first (-AR) conjugation and a second set of endings shared by the second (
-ER) and third (-IR) conjugations.
FIRST CONJUGATION (habl-ar)
habl-aba (I was talking) habl-ábamos (we were talking)
habl-abas (you were talking) habl-abais (you all were talking)
habl-aba (she was talking) habl-aban (they were talking)
SECOND CONJUGATION (com-er)
com-ía (I was eating) com-íamos (we were eating)
com-ías (you were eating) com-íais (you all were eating)
com-ía (she was eating) com-ían (they were eating)
THIRD CONJUGATION (viv-ir)
viv-ía (I used to live) viv-íamos (we used to live)
viv-ías (you used to live) viv-íais (you all used to live)
viv-ía (she used to live) viv-ían (they used to live)
The imperfect tense is used to describe a situation in the past, or an action which was
ongoing or repeated: Eran las once (it was eleven o'clock); Queríamos comer bien (We
wanted to eat well); Todos los días llegá bamos tarde (We used to arrive late every day).
50

51. Preterite Tense
The Preterite tense (pretérito indefinido) of regular verbs is formed by removing the infinitive
ending (-AR, -ER or -IR) and adding personal endings to the verb stem. As with the
imperfect tense, there is one set of endings for the first (-AR) conjugation and a second set of
endings shared by the second (-ER) and third (-IR) conjugations.
FIRST CONJUGATION (habl-ar)
habl-é (I talked) habl-amos (we talked)
habl-aste (you talked) habl-asteis (you all talked)
habl-ó (she talked) habl-aron (they talked)
SECOND CONJUGATION (com-er)
com-í (I ate) com-imos (we ate)
com-iste (you ate) com-isteis (you all ate)
com-ió (she ate) com-ieron (they ate)
THIRD CONJUGATION (viv-ir)
viv-í (I lived) viv-imos (we lived)
viv-iste (you lived) viv-isteis (you all lived)
viv-ió (she lived) viv-ieron (they lived)
The preterite tense narrates an action with a definite beginnning or ending in the past:
Comenzó a llover (It began to rain); Juan cenó conmigo ayer (John ate supper with me
yesterday).
The preterite is also used to indicate an event which took place while another action (in the
imperfect tense) was ongoing: Dormía cuando llegué (He was sleeping when I arrived).
Perfect Tenses
The COMPOUND TENSES (tiempos compuestos) are formed with the AUXILIARY VERB (
verbo auxiliar) haber and the PAST PARTICIPLE (participio pasivo) of the main verb. The
past participle in compound tenses is invariable in form.
The PRESENT PERFECT (pretérito perfecto) uses the present tense of the auxiliary verb
haber:
he comido (I have eaten)
has comido (you have eaten)
ha comido (she has eaten)
hemos comido (we have eaten)
habéis comido (you all have eaten)
han comido (they have eaten)
The FUTURE PERFECT (futuro perfecto) uses the future tense of the auxiliary verb haber:
habré comido (I will have eaten )
habrás comido (you will have eaten)
habrá comido (she will have eaten)
51

52. habremos comido (we will have eaten)
habréis comido (you all will have eaten)
habrán comido (they will have eaten)
The PLUPERFECT or PAST PERFECT (pretérito pluscuamperfecto) uses the imperfect
tense of haber:
había comido (I had eaten)
habías comido (you had eaten)
había comido (she had eaten)
habíamos comido (we had eaten)
habíais comido (you all had eaten)
habían comido (they had eaten)
The PRETERITE PERFECT or PAST ANTERIOR (pretérito anterior) uses the preterite tense
of haber:
hube comido (I had eaten)
hubiste comido (you had eaten)
hubo comido (she had eaten)
hubimos comido (we had eaten)
hubisteis comido (you all had eaten)
hubieron comido (they had eaten)
NOTE: This is strictly a literary tense; in conversation, the preterite or pluperfect is used. The
preterite perfect is only found after conjunctions of time, such as cuando (when), después
que (after), apenas (scarcely) or luego que (as soon as): Después que hube comido, salí
(After I had eaten, I went out).
The PERFECT INFINITIVE (infinitivo compuesto) is composed of the infinitive of haber and
the past participle of the verb: haber comido (to have eaten).
The PERFECT PARTICIPLE (gerundio compuesto) is composed of the present participle of
haber and the past participle of the verb: habiendo comido (having eaten).
Conditional Mood
The CONDITIONAL MOOD (modo potencial) expresses the idea of would (contingent
possibility): Lo haría hoy, pero no tendré tiempo (I would do it today, but I won't have time);
Lo habría hecho ayer, pero no tenía tiempo (I would have done it yesterday, but I didn't have
time); Elena dijo que vendría (Elena said that she would come).
It can also be used to express wonderment or doubt in the past, just as the future tense can
be used in the present: ¿Qué hora sería cuando desayuné ayer? (I wonder what time was it
when I ate breakfast yesterday?).
The conditional is formed (like the future) by adding a single set of personal endings to the
infinitives of all three conjugations. (The endings are identical to those of the imperfect tense
of second and third conjugation verbs; the only difference is that those are added to the stem,
rather than to the entire infinitive form.)
52

53. hablar-ía (I would talk) comería, viviría, etc.
hablar-ías (you would talk)
hablar-ía (she would talk)
hablar-íamos (we would talk)
hablar-íais (you all would talk)
hablar-ían (they would talk)
The CONDITIONAL PERFECT (potencial perfecto) is a compound tense using the
conditional of the auxiliary verb haber and the past participle of the main verb:
habría comido (I would have eaten)
habrías comido (you would have eaten)
habría comido (she would have eaten)
habríamos comido (we would have eaten)
habríais comido (you would have eaten)
habrían comido (they would have eaten)
NOTE: The conditional is often treated as though it were a tense rather than a mood; strictly
speaking, however, the conditional is a mood which has two tenses: a simple tense used
when referring to present possibilities, and a compound tense used when referring to
possibilities in the past.
Subjunctive Mood
The SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD (modo subjuntivo) is used in independent clauses introduced by
que (that) when the main clause expresses a wish, a strong emotional attitude, or an
uncertainty: Te ruego que escribas en español (I beg you to write in Spanish); Tenían
miedo de que ella no volviera (They were afraid that she might not come back); Dudo que
sea la verdad (I doubt that it's the truth).
The subjunctive is also used for FORMAL COMMANDS, for the negative (only) of
INFORMAL COMMANDS, for HORTATORY COMMANDS (English Let's...!) and after
IMPERSONAL EXPRESSIONS like es necesario (it is necessary): Tenga Ud. (Here, have
this); No hables (Don't talk!); Comamos (Let's eat); Es una lástima que no quiera venir (It's
a pity that he doesn't want to come).
The PRESENT SUBJUNCTIVE is regularly formed by adding one set of personal endings to
the stem of -AR verbs and a second set of endings to verbs of the -ER and -IR conjugations:
FIRST CONJUGATION (habl-ar) PRESENT SUBJUNCTIVE
habl-e (I talk) habl-emos (we talk)
habl-es (you talk) habl-éis (you talk)
habl-e (she talks) habl-en (they talk)
SECOND CONJUGATION (com-er) PRESENT SUBJUNCTIVE
com-a (I eat) com-amos (we eat)
com-as (you eat) com-áis (you eat)
com-a (she eat) com-an (they eat)
THIRD CONJUGATION (viv-ir) PRESENT SUBJUNCTIVE
viv-a (I live) viv-amos (we live)
viv-as (you live) viv-áis (you live)
viv-a (she lives) viv-an (they live)
The IMPERFECT SUBJUNCTIVE is formed by adding a set of endings terminating in either -
53

54. RA or -SE (with no difference in usage or meaning) to the verb stem, with one set of endings
for first conjugation (-AR) verbs and another set of endings for second (-ER) and third (-IR)
conjugation verbs: Esperaba que él llegara/llegase tarde (I was expecting him to arrive late).
FIRST CONJUGATION (habl-ar) IMPERFECT SUBJUNCTIVE
habl-ara OR habl-ase (I talked)
habl-aras OR habl-ases (you talked)
habl-ara OR habl-ase (she talked)
habl-áramos OR habl-ásemos (we talked)
habl-arais OR habl-aseis (you all talked)
habl-aranOR habl-asen (they talked)
SECOND CONJUGATION (com-er) IMPERFECT SUBJUNCTIVE
com-iera OR com-iese (I ate)
com-ieras OR com-ieses (you ate)
com-iera OR com-iese (she ate)
com-iéramos OR com-iésemos (we ate)
com-ierais OR com-ieseis (you all ate)
com-ieran OR com-iesen (they ate)
THIRD CONJUGATION (viv-ir) IMPERFECT SUBJUNCTIVE
viv-iera OR viv-iese (I lived)
viv-ieras OR viv-ieses (you lived)
viv-iera OR viv-iese (she lived)
viv-iéramos OR viviésemos (we lived)
viv-ierais OR viv-ieseis (you all lived)
viv-ieran OR viv-iesen (they lived)
The PERFECT SUBJUNCTIVE is a compound tense formed by the present subjunctive of
haber and the past participle of the main verb.
haya comido (I have eaten)
hayas comido (you have eaten)
haya comido (she has eaten)
hayamos comido (we have eaten)
hayáis comido (you all have eaten)
hayan comido (they have eaten)
The PLUPERFECT SUBJUNCTIVE is a compound tense formed by the imperfect
subjunctive of haber and the past participle of the main verb.
hubiera/hubiese comido (I had eaten)
hubieras/hubieses comido (you had eaten)
hubiera/hubiese comido (she had have eaten)
hubiéramos/hubiésemos comido (we had eaten)
hubierais/hubieseis comido (you had eaten)
hubieran/hubiesen comido (they had eaten)
Commands
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55. Familiar COMMANDS (mandatos), when positive, are expressed by means of the imperative
mood. The second person singular (tú) forms are identical to the third person singular of the
present tense: El niño duerme (The child is sleeping); ¡Duerme tú! (Go to sleep!). The
second person plural (vosotros) forms are based on the infinitive, with a -d substituted for the
final -r: ¡Dormid vosotros! (Go to sleep, all of you!).
NEGATIVE familiar commands, both singular and plural, are expressed by the present
subjunctive: ¡No duermas tú! (Don't go to sleep!).
The present subjunctive is used for FORMAL COMMANDS, both positive and negative:
Duerma Ud. (Please go to sleep). It is also used for indirect commands (introduced by the
conjunction que): Está cansado; que se acueste (He's tired; let him go to bed).
For impersonal commands given in a general sense (directions on a bottle or an examination
paper, for instance) the impersonal pronoun se is attached to the subjunctive: Agítese antes
de usar (Shake before using); Escríbase en español (Write in Spanish). Hortatory commands
can be expressed either with the subjunctive or with the phrase vamos a and an infinitive:
Durmamos (Let's go to sleep); Vamos a dormir (Let's go to sleep).
Object pronouns are attached to affirmative commands, but they precede negative and
indirect commands: Tráigamelo Ud. (Bring it to me); No me lo traiga Ud. (Don't bring it to
me); Que lo traiga Juan (Let John bring it).
Passive and Impersonal Constructions
In the PASSIVE VOICE (voz pasiva), the subject is acted upon by an outside agent. When
the agent is specified, the passive voice is expressed by:
SUBJECT + ser + past participle + por + AGENT
for example: Esta carta fue escrita por un amigo mío (This letter was written by a friend of
mine).
Since the past participle acts as an adjective, it agrees in gender and number with the
subject. If the passive subject is a thing and the agent is not mentioned, then a PASSIVE
REFLEXIVE (
pasiva reflexiva) construction is used, with the reflexive pronoun se preceding the verb and
the passive subject following it: Aquí se venden cigarrillos (Cigarettes are sold here).
Se is also used to form IMPERSONAL CONSTRUCTIONS, with se used as an indefinite
subject pronoun similar to the English one or the impersonal you and they. This construction
is often difficult-- if not impossible-- to distinguish from the passive reflexive (textbooks differ
in their classification of common phrases like Se habla español (Spanish is spoken / One
speaks Spanish). There are two main criteria to be met: the verb must be in the singular,
since se is singular when used as a subject pronoun, and se should be easily translated as
one or you: ¿Cómo se va al teatro? (How does one get to the theater?); ¿Cómo se dice eso
en español? (How do you say that in Spanish?).
Participles and Progressive Tenses
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56. The PRESENT PARTICIPLE (gerundio) is formed by adding the suffix -ando to the stem of
first conjugation (-AR) verbs and -iendo to the stem of second (-ER) and third (-IR)
conjugation verbs (or -yendo if the stem ends in a vowel).
habl-ar (to talk) hablando (talking)
com-er (to eat) comiendo (eating)
viv-ir (to live) viviendo (living)
le-er (to read) leyendo (reading)
The present participle is used with the verb estar to form the PROGRESSIVE TENSES (
tiempos progresivos), which express an ongoing action: Estoy estudiando español (I am
studying Spanish); Estabas leyendo el periódico (You were reading the newspaper). The
same construction is used with seguir and continuar: Sigue llorando (She keeps on crying);
Continuan estudiando (They continue studying). The present participle is also used with the
verb ir to express an action which is gradual or incremental: Va mejorando (It is getting
better).
NOTE: The progressive construction is never used for estar, venir and ir.
The PAST PARTICIPLE (participio pasivo) is formed by adding the suffix -ado to the stem of -
AR verbs, -ido to the stem of -ER and -IR verbs (or -ído if the stem ends in a vowel).
cerr-ar (to close) cerrado (closed)
perd-er (to lose) perdido (lost)
recib-ir (to receive) recibido (received)
ca-er (to fall) caído (fallen)
When used with the auxiliary verb haber to form compound tenses, the past participle has an
invariable ending: Hemos cerrado la tienda (We have closed the store); Habrá perdido las
llaves (He will have lost the keys); Habías recibido una carta (You had received a letter);
Entraron después de que hubo caído (They entered after she had fallen down).
When used adjectivally, however, past participles agree in gender and number with the
nouns they modify: La tienda está cerrada (The store is closed); Las llaves están perdidas
(The keys are lost).
Infinitives
The INFINITIVE (infinitivo) is a verb form that is not limited by person or number; to be is an
English infinitive. Spanish/English dictionaries always identify a verb by its infinitive.
A COMPLEMENTARY INFINITIVE completes the meaning of a preceding conjugated verb:
No puedo hablar de eso (I can't talk about that); Quiero comer en un restaurante (I want to
eat in a restaurant); Ella piensa vivir con ellos (She intends to live with them).
After a preposition, the infinitive form of a verb must always be used: Prefiero leer antes de
dormir (I prefer to read before going to sleep).
A common temporal expression consists of the contraction al (literally, "at the", but translate
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57. "upon") together with an infinitive: Al despertar, me di cuenta de lo que había hecho (Upon
awakening, I realized what I had done).
Infinitives can be used as VERBAL NOUNS (nombres verbales). When used that way, they
are considered to be masculine singular, and may be preceded by the definite article el: El
escribir bien es un arte (Writing well is an art); Trabajar es lo que importa (Working is what
matters).
NOTE: Confusion arises for English-speaking students from the fact that verbal nouns in
English have the same form as present participles. In the sentence "Singing is fun", for
example, the word "singing" is a verbal noun; but it is a present participle in the sentence "I
am singing" (present progressive tense). In Spanish, the first example would use an infinitive
(El cantar es agradable), while the second one would use a present participle (Estoy
cantando).
This confusion is compounded by the fact that English verbal nouns are called gerunds and
Spanish present participles are called gerundios. It is advisable, perhaps, to avoid using the
terms gerund and gerundio altogether; verbal noun and present participle are unmistakable in
their meaning.
Stem-Changing Verbs
Many verbs in Spanish change the spelling of their stems in certain conjugated forms. These
verbs can be divided into three major groups:
GROUP 1
Verbs in -AR or -ER that change the stem vowel from E to IE or from O to UE in the indicative
and subjunctive moods of the present tense, except in the plurals of the first and second
persons ("we" and "you all").
Pensar (to think)
INDICATIVE SUBJUNCTIVE
pienso piense (I think)
piensas pienses (you think)
piensa piense (she thinks)
pensamos pensemos (we think)
pensáis penséis (you all think)
piensan piensen (they think)
Volver (to return)
INDICATIVE SUBJUNCTIVE
vuelvo vuelva (I return)
vuelves vuelvas (you return)
vuelve vuelva (she returns)
volvemosvolvamos (we return)
volvéis volváis (you all return)
vuelven vuelvan (they return)
GROUP 2
Verbs in -IR with the same changes as above, and an additional change of E to I or O to U in
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58. the third person of the preterite tense, in the first and second person plural forms of the
present subjunctive, and in the entire imperfect subjunctive conjugation as well as the
present participle.
Sentir, (to feel)
Present Indicative: siento, sientes, siente, sentimos, sentís, sienten
Preterite: sentí, sentiste, sintió, sentimos, sentisteis, sintieron
Present Subjunctive: sienta, sientas, sienta, sintamos, sintáis, sientan
Imperfect Subjunctive: sintiera, sintieras, sintiera, sintiéramos, sintierais, sintieran
Present Participle: sintiendo
Dormir, (to sleep)
Present Indicative duermo, duermes, duerme, dormimos, dormís, duermen
Preterite: dormí, dormiste, durmió, dormimos, dormisteis, durmieron
Present Subjunctive: duerma, duermas, duerma durmamos, durmáis, duerman
Imperfect Subjunctive: durmiera, durmieras, durmiera, durmiéramos
durmierais, durmieran
Present Participle: durmiendo
GROUP 3
Verbs in -IR which only change E to I.
Pedir (to request)
Present Indicative: pido, pides, pide, pedimos, pedís, piden
Preterite: pedí, pediste, pidió, pedimos, pedisteis, pidieron
Present Subjunctive: pida, pidas, pida, pidamos, pidáis, pidan
Imperfect Subjunctive: pidiera, pidieras, pidiera, pidiéramos, pidierais, pidieran
Present Participle: pidiendo
Future tense Ir A
The future tense can be expressed by using the construction ir a followed by an infinitive.
This construction can also be used with reference to the past, by conjugating ir in the
imperfect tense: Voy a cantar (I am going to sing); Iban a bailar (They were about to dance).
False friends
Because some of the words are almost identical in the two languages, it’s easy to
confuse their meanings. It is one of the pitfalls for people learning Spanish.
Absoluto & Absolute(ly)
Absoluto - absolute, utter, complete. When preceded by en, it means not at all, by
no means, no way.
Absolute- absoluto. Absolutely - absolutamente, completamente, totalmente.
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59. Actual & Actual
Actual - current or present: El presidente actual vive en Madrid - The current
president lives in Madrid. Actualmente - currently, at present, now.
Actual - verdadero or efectivo. Actually - realmente, en realidad, en efecto.
Aplicar & Apply
Aplicar - to apply something, like a theory, paint, or sanctions.
Apply - aplicar apply for a job - solicitar or presentar; to apply oneself to - dirigirse a
uno; to apply in the sense of be applicable - ser aplicable or interesar.
Asistir & Assist
Asistir - to attend.
Assist - ayudar.
Atender & Attend
Atender - to attend in Latin America, in Spain - to pay attention to, to heed, care for.
Attend - asistir.
Billón & Billion
Billón - a trillion in US, billion in UK.
Billion (amer) - mil millones. (Brit) billón.
Bizarro & Bizarre
Bizarro - valient, gallant, brave; generous.
Bizarre - extraño or raro
Blanco & Blank
Blanco – white, blank: una página blanca - a blank sheet of paper.
Blank (adj) en blanco, liso, sin adorno.
Campo & Camp
Campo means country(side), field, or farm.
Camp refers to un campamento.
Carpeta & Carpet
Carpeta - folder, file, portfolio, briefcase, or table cloth.
Carpet - una alfombra, una moqueta.
Complexión & Complexion
Complexión - constitution, make-up, temperament, physical build.
Complexion - la tez, el cutiz, la piel.
Compromiso & Compromise
Compromiso - obligation, commitment, promise, or agreement.
Compromise (n) - una transacción, una avenencia, unas concesiones recíprocas, el
término medio, la solución intermedia; (v) - comprometer or transigir.
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60. Constipación & Constipation
Constipación, constipado - a cold or catarrh.
Constipation - el estreñimiento.
Contestar & Contest
Contestar means to answer or reply.
Contest as a verb means impugnar, atacar, disputar, or contender.
Corresponder & Correspond
Corresponder -to correspond, tally, fit in, match, or belong.
Correspond (by mail) - escribirse, estar en correspondencia con.
Chocar & Choke
Chocar - shock or startle, clink (glasses), shake (hands).
Choke - sofocarse or atragantarse.
Decepción/Decepcionar & Deception/Deceive
Decepción - disappointment. Decepcionar - to disappoint.
Deception - un engaño, un fraude. To deceive - engañar, defraudar.
Delito & Delight
Delito - a crime, offence, misdeed.
Delight - el placer, el deleite, el encanto, la delicia. To delight - encantar, deleitar.
Desgracia & Disgrace
Desgracia - misfortune, mishap, accident, setback, bad luck.
Disgrace - la deshonra, ignominia.
Despertar & Desperate
Despertar – to wake up
Desperate - desesperado.
Destituido & Destitute
Destituido - devoid of or lacking.
Destitute - indigente, desamparado, necesitado, en la miseria.
Disco & Disco
Disco - disco, disk, discus, traffic-light, or (audio) record.
Disco - disco, discoteca, or sala de baile.
Disgusto & Disgust
Disgusto - annoyance, displeasure, grief, trouble.
Disgust - repugnancia , aversión.
Educado & Educated
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61. Educado - well-mannered, polite, cultivated, from the verb educar - to raise, bring
up, rear.
Educated form of the verb to educate: formar or instruir.
Embarazada & Embarrassed
Embarazada (adj) – pregnant, noun: una embarazada = a pregnant woman, an
expectant mother.
Embarrassed - avergonzado, molesto, or incómodo.
Emocionante & Emotional
Emocionante - exciting, thrilling, moving.
Emotional - afectivo, emocional, emotivo, sentimental.
Éxito & Exit
Éxito - success: a gran éxito - very successful.
Exit - una salida.
Fábrica & Fabric
Fábrica - factory, plant, or mill.
Fabric - el tejido or la tela.
Fútbol & Football
Fútbol - soccer (in American English).
Football - le fútbol americano.
Fútil & Futile
Fútil - trivial, while
Futile - inútil, vano, or infructuoso.
Insulto & Insult
Insulto (Mexico) - indigestion or a stomachache.
Insult - insulto.
Introducir & Introduce
Introducir - introduce a topic.
Introduce (a person) - presentar
Largo & Large
Largo - long, generous, or abundant.
Large - grande or importante.
Librería & Library
Librería - bookstore.
Library - una biblioteca.
Minorista & Minority
61

62. Minorista (Caribbean and South American) - retail or retail seller.
Minority - la minoría or, as an adjective, minoritario.
Molestar & Molest
Molestar - to annoy or bother.
Molest - acosar sexualmente.
Nombre & Number
Nombre - name or noun.
Number - un número.
Once & Once
Once - eleven
Once - una vez.
Preservativo vs Preservative
Preservativo - a condom.
Preservative - un conservador.
Pretender & Pretend
Pretender - claim: Ella pretende ser rica - She claims to be rich.
Pretend - fingir or simular.
Raro & Rare
Raro - rare, but more commonly means odd or strange.
Rare - poco común or excepcional.
Real & Real
Real - royal.
Real - verdadero, auténtico, legítimo.
Realizar & Realize
Realizar - to realize, make real, to attain, or to fulfill.
Realize – realizar, darse cuenta de, comprender, reconocer.
Recordar & Record
Recordar - remember, recall, or remind.
Record - registrar, inscribir, or grabar.
Relativo & Relative
Relativo has the same meaning as an adjective, but as a noun it is used only in
linguistics.
Relative as a noun - pariente or familiar.
Revolver & Revolver
62

63. Revolver is a verb: to move around, turn over, revolve, or disturb.
Revolver is a noun: un revólver
Ropa & Rope
Ropa - clothing.
Rope - una cuerda or una soga.
Salario & Salary
Salario - hourly wages, while
Salary - fixed earnings per month or year: el sueldo.
Sano & Sane
Sano - healthy, fit, or intact.
Sane - cuerdo, sensato, or de juicio sano.
Sensible & Sensible
Sensible - sensitive or regrettable.
Sensible - juicioso, sensato, or prudente.
Sobre - Sober
Sobre - envelope or a preposition: on, above, over.
Sober - sobrio or sereno.
Sopa & Soap
Sopa - soup or, informally, a hangover, while
Soap - jabón.
Soportar & Support
Soportar - to bear, carry, support, hold up, or withstand.
Support - apoyar, sostener, or mantener.
Suceso & Success
Suceso - an event, incident, happening, or outcome.
Success - un éxito or triunfo.
Tuna & Tuna
Tuna - prickly pear, a student music group, the life of a rogue, and, in Central
America, drunkenness.
Tuna - el atún.
Vaso & Vase
Vaso - a glass or tumbler.
Vase - un florero or jarrón.
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64. How to write Spanish characters
How to write the Spanish characters and accents eg, á é í ó ú ü ñ ¿ ¡ º ª on a non Spanish
keyboard?
If you didn't buy your computer in a Spanish speaking country then your keyboard won't be
set up for Spanish. .
To write a character with alt keys you must have your "num lock" enabled.
If you want to write an ñ first we have to know the ASCII code which is alt 164.
To write an ñ press and hold the ALT key. While holding down the ALT key, enter the 3-digit
decimal code for the extended ASCII character you want to generate (in this case 164) then
release the ALT key. You should be able to do this in almost any programme.
Here is a list of Spanish characters with their alt numbers.
á 160 ¿ 168
é 130 ¡ 173
í 161 ª 166
ó 162 º 167
ú 163 Ñ 164
É 144 ñ 165
Note: It is never obligatory to use accents with capital letters.
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