LA GRAMATICA
PASSIVE VOICE
*conjugated form of "ser"
plus the past participle
(usually conjugated
in the singular form of the preterit or future)
*used to lessen the emphasis on the subject and strength that of the noun
example:
El libro fue escrito por
Julio.
INTERROGATIVES
Quién? - Who?
Cómo? - How?
Qué? - What?
Dónde? - Where?
Adónde? -
To Where?
Cuál? - Which?
Cuándo? -
When?
Cuántos/ás?
- How many?
Por qué? -
Why?
ADVERBS
*use the feminine form of the adjective and add "mente"
example:
débil - débilmente
Irregulares-
bueno/a - bien mejor
- mejor
malo/a - mal peor
- peor
*adjectives expressing loudness and softness have NO ending
ADVERBIAL SEQUENCES:
1st adjective - stays
in the feminine form of the adjective
2nd adjective - add
"mente"
POR
PHRASES
por ejemplo-for example
por lo menos-atleast
por ahora-for now
por avión-by plane
por consiguiente-consequently
por desgracia-unfortunately
por ejemplo-for example
por escrito-in writing
por eso-therefore
por fin-finally
por lo común-generally
por lo contrario-on the
contrary
por lo general-generally
por regla general-as a
general rule
por lo tanto-consequently
por lo visto-apparently
por otra parte-on the other
hand
por poco-almost
por si acaso-in case
por supuesto-of course
por teléfono-by
phone
por todas partes-everywhere
IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS
DAR:
dar cuerda-to wind (rope)
dar en-to strike against,
hit
darse la mano-to shake
hands
dar las gracias-to thank
dar recuerdos-give regards
to
darse cuenta de-to realize
dar prisa-to hurry
dar un abrazo-to embrace
dar una vuelta-to take
a stroll
dar unas palmadas-to clap
dar a-to face
dar a luz un niño-to
give birth
dar asco-to disgust
dar con-to run into
dar guerra-to cause trouble
dar la hora-to strike the
hour
dar por sentado-to take
for granted
dar un paseo-take a walk,
ride
dar vueltas a algo-to think
over carefully
darse por vencido-to give
up
dar de comer/beber-to give/
feed a drink to
dar la lata-to make a nuisance
of oneself
HABER:
hay-there is, are
había-there was,
were
hubo-there took place
habrá-there will
be
habría-there would
be
ha habido-there has been
había habido-there
had been
haya-there may be
hubiera-there might be
va a haber-there's going
to be
iba a haber-there was going
""
tiene que haber-has to
be
puede haber-there can be
debe haber-there should
be
haber polvo-to be dusty
haber lodo-to be muddy
haber nublina-to be foggy
hay que + inf-one must
HACER:
hace poco-a little while
ago
hacer el papel de-to play
the role of
hacer pedazos-to tear,
shred
hacer una broma-play a
joke
hacerse-to become(w/effort)
hacer(se)dona/a-to harm
hace + time + preterit-ago
hacer caso-to pay attention
hacer juego-to match
hacer las paces-to make
peace
hacer un viaje-to take
a trip
hacerse + proffession-to
become
hacerse daño-to
hurt oneself
IR:
ir al grano-to go straight
to the point
ir de juerga-to be out
on a spree
ir sobre ruedas-to run
smoothly
ir tirando-to get by
LLEVAR:
llevar a cabo-to carry
out
llevar la contraria-to
contradict
llevarse un chasco-to be
disappointed
QUEDAR:
quedarse con-to keep
quedar en-to agree on
PONER:
poner pleito-to sue
ponérsele los cabellos-to
be
terrified
SER:
ser de película-be
sensational
ser todo oídos-to
be all ears
ser un mirlo blanco-to
be an
impossible dream
ser un cero a la izquierda-
to be of no value
TENER:
tener buena/mala estrella-to
be lucky/unlucky
tener ganas de-to feel
like
tener la culpa de-to be
to blame for
tener malas pulgas-to be
short-tempered
tener ojos de lince-to
have sharp eyes
tener palabra-to keep one's
word
no tener nombre-to be
unspeakable
no tener pies ni cabeza-to
not
make any sense
ESTAR:
estar en las nubes-daydream
estar fuera de si-to be
beside oneself
echar de menos-to miss
echarse a-to start to
ADJECTIVES
*follow the noun being modified
*must agree in number and
gender
EXCEPTIONS:
*these adjectives are placed
before the noun
1. those expressing
characteristics known to all, and that don't relay any
new
information about the noun
(blanca, tímido…)
2. those expressing a subjective judgement of the speaker (bueno, mejor…)
3. adjectives expressing quantity (mucho, poco, varios, primero…)
4. Qué! expressions
SHORTENED FORMS:
*place in front of nouns
or subjects
ciento-cien
grande-gran**
bueno-bien*
alguno-algún*
santo-San*
cualquiera-cualquier**
tercero-tercer* ninguno-ningún*
malo-mal* primero-primer*
*=only used with masculine
singular nouns
**=only used with singular
nouns
PRONOUNS
placement:
subject, indirect, direct, verb
SUBJECT:
*placed before the conjugated verb
yo - I
nosotros/as - we
tú - you
vosotros/as - you all
usted - you (formal)
ustedes - you all
él - he
ellos - they
ella - she
ellas - they
DIRECT OBJECT:
*placed before the conjugated verb or attached to an infinitive or gerund
*receive the action of the verb
me nos
te os
lo, la los,
las
INDIRECT OBJECT:
*placed before the conjugated verb or attached to an infinitive or gerund
*if used as part of double object pronoun, place before direct object pronoun
*to or for whom something is done
me nos
te os
le les
DOUBLE OBJECT/ REFLEXIVE:
me nos
te os
se se
POR vs PARA
POR
PARA
* through/along
* destination
* motive-on behalf of
* purpose or end
instead of, for the sake
of * “in order to”
* in exchange for
* end point of time
* span of time
* intended for
* units of measure
* expressions of inequality
* by means of
* Gracias “por”
Demonstrative Adjectives
I can touch it can spit on it
out of range
Aqui-here ahi,alli-there
alla-there
Sing.
Este,esta
ese,esa
aquel,aquella
Plural
estos,estas
esos,esas aquellos,aquellas
This, these
That, Those
That, Those