Span 2 - Using common verbs and nouns in simple sentences

Using common verbs and nouns together in simple sentences

By Ms. Edinger

Necessary Skills

• Recognize verbs in their infinitive forms

• Recognize nouns independently

• Recognize verbs once conjugated

• Have subject pronouns and their corresponding verb endings memorized

• Recognize nouns with different articles and in singular/plural forms

Recognizing verbs in their infinitive forms

This should be a skill that we have more or less mastered with the current set of verbs that we have been practicing.

If you are still having trouble translating verbs from Spanish to English and vice versa, you need to spend more time in independent practice.

Let's try a few. First, Spanish to English, then English to Spanish.

For these, the answer timer is set to 5 seconds.

Multiple Choice

Translate: comer

• to drink

• to read

• to wash

• to eat

Multiple Choice

Translate: vivir

• to write

• to drink

• to live

• to wash

Multiple Choice

Translate: regresar

• to return, come back

• to need

• to stay, remain

• to write

OJO! Now we translate from English to Spanish

The answer timer will be adjusted to 10 seconds.

Multiple Choice

Translate: to look for

• quedar

• buscar

• ayudar

• cocinar

Multiple Choice

Translate: to use

• leer

• usar

• lavar

• ayudar

Multiple Choice

Translate: to help

• lavar

• esperar

• ayudar

• cocinar

Recognizing nouns independently

This also should be fairly easy, though we haven't practiced the nouns as much as the verbs.

The answer timer is set to 10 seconds on these.

Multiple Choice

Translate: el regalo

• money

• restaurant

• computer

• gift/present

Multiple Choice

Translate: débil

• hello

• okay

• weak

• what?

Multiple Choice

Translate: cansado/cansada

• tired

• tall

• short

• sorry

OJO! Now translating from English to Spanish!

Answer timer now set to 20 seconds.

Multiple Choice

Translate: classmates

• los deportes

• los compañeros de la clase

• feliz, contento

• las amigas

Multiple Choice

Translate: money

• la familia

• el regalo

• el dinero

• el perro

Multiple Choice

Translate: okay

• de acuerdo, bien

• ¿Cómo?

• lo siento

• Hola

Recognizing verbs once conjugated

This can be where it gets a bit tricky. You need to practice recognizing and translating verb stems quickly.

For example, with the following:

lavo

lavas

lava

lavamos

lavan

The stem "lav" in all of those conjugated verbs means "wash".

Fill in the Blank

Write in the stem of these verb conjugations:

espero, esperas, espera, esperamos, esperan

Fill in the Blank

Write in the stem of these verb conjugations:

regreso, regresas, regresa, regresamos, regresan

Fill in the Blank

Write in the stem of these verb conjugations:

cocino, cocinas, cocina, cocinamos, cocinan

Multiple Choice

What does this stem mean?

busc-

• need

• wait

• look for

• cook

Multiple Choice

What does this stem mean?

necesit-

• use

• stay

• need

• return

Multiple Choice

What does this stem mean?

limpi-

• help

• eat

• read

• clean

Now for the endings

Knowing the stems is one half of the equation.

You also have to have the endings and their meanings memorized.

Sometimes you will have the subject pronoun to jog your memory, sometimes you won't.

We'll practice three with subject pronouns, and three without.

Multiple Choice

Translate: ustedes comen

• they eat

• you all eat

• we eat

• you (singular) eat

Multiple Choice

Translate: tú lees

• You read

• I read

• He reads

• We read

Multiple Choice

Translate: ella regresa

• they return

• he returns

• you all return

• she returns

Multiple Choice

Translate: vivo

• he lives

• you live

• I live

• we live

Multiple Choice

Translate: usamos

• you all use

• we use

• they use

• he uses

Multiple Choice

Translate: escribes

• you write

• she writes

• we write

• they write

Almost there! We need to be familiar with our common nouns in their singular and plural forms.

Generally, Spanish nouns are like English nouns, they add an -s or -es to become plural.

Multiple Choice

Singular or plural: los amigos

• the friend

• the friends

Multiple Choice

Singular or plural: el arte

• the art

• the arts

Multiple Choice

Singular or plural: las familias

• the family

• the families

And finally! We need to be familiar with different articles in Spanish

Articles are words like "the", "a/an", and "some"

Articles in Spanish

For now, don't worry about the difference between masculine and feminine articles.

What we want to focus on for now is words that mean "the" and words that mean "a/an/some".

Multiple Choice

Which is it?

el perro

• the dog

• a dog

• some dogs

Multiple Choice

Which is it?

un regalo

• the gift

• a gift

• some gifts

Multiple Choice

Which is it?

unas computadoras

• the computers

• a computer

• some computers

Multiple Choice

Which is it?

los deportes

• the sports

• a sport

• some sports

Multiple Choice

Which is it?

una amiga

• the friend

• a friend

• some friends

Phew! We made it!

Hopefully these explanations and practice questions have your brain ready to work with these common verbs and nouns in some sentences.

But first, take a break and...shake it off.