Using Helping Verbs in Spanish

Using Helping Verbs in Spanish

In Class: Grammar Lesson and Practice

What is a "helping verb?"

• A helping verb (also called an "auxiliary verb") adds meaning to another verb.

• There are many helping verbs. In English, a few examples are: Need, Can, Want, Should, Might.

• In a sentence, helping verbs are conjugated, while the verb that they are helping is left in the infinitive.

Take a look...

• The helping verb will be underlined and the verb it's helping will be bolded.

• I need to go to the store.

• Do you want to have ice'd cream for lunch?

• They can't help us clean the room.

Fill in the Blank

What is the helping verb in the following sentence?




Who needs to use the phone?

Fill in the Blank

What is the helping verb in the following sentence?




I shouldn't talk to my brother like that...

Helping Verbs - In Spanish

Helping verbs in Spanish work the same way. When we use one, we conjugate the helping verb to the subject and leave the verb that it is helping in the infinitive.

Deber - To "should"

• I should eat more vegetables.

Deber - To "should"

• I should eat more vegetables.

• We first need to conjugate the verb "deber" so it means "I should." In Spanish "I" is "Yo," and verbs with an -er ending like "deber" use the "-o" ending with "yo" conjugations: Yo debo.

Deber - To "should"

• I should eat more vegetables.

• Now we will put the infinitive (unconjugated form) of the verb that comes after: comer

• Yo debo comer...

Deber - To "should"

• I should eat more vegetables.

• Finish the rest of the sentence: Yo debo comer más verduras.

Before we go on to making whole sentences ourselves, let's practice conjugating some verbs!

Fill in the Blank

Write in the correct conjugation for the verb and subject:




Tú / Comer

Fill in the Blank

Write in the correct conjugation for the verb and subject:




Ellos / Bailar

Fill in the Blank

Write in the correct conjugation for the verb and subject:




Nosotros / Escribir

Fill in the Blank

Write in the correct conjugation for the verb and subject:




Yo / Deber

Fill in the Blank

Write in the correct conjugation for the verb and subject:




Ustedes / Deber

Using deber in conversation:

• ¿Qué debes hacer para mantener la salud?

• What should you do to stay healthy?

Using deber in conversation:

• ¿Qué debo hacer para mantener la salud?

• What should I do to stay healthy?

Using deber in conversation:

• Debes hacer ejercicio.

• Debes caminar.

• Debes comer verduras.

Using deber in conversation:

• PLURAL: ¿Qué deben ustedes hacer para mantener la salud?

• ¿Qué debemos hacer para mantener la salud?

Using deber in conversation:

• Debemos practicar deportes una hora cada día.

• Ustedes deben comer los cereales en el desayuno.

Using deber in conversation:

• Negative Questions:

• What SHOULDN'T you do to stay healthy?

• ¿Qué no debes hacer para mantener la salud?

Using deber in conversation:

• Negative Answers:

• No debes comer mucho helado.

Using deber in conversation:

• Yes or No questions

• ¿Debo comer una pizza y un burrito?

• No, debes comer arroz y guisantes.

Multiple Choice

Select the correctly phrased response to the questions:

¿Qué debo comer en el almuerzo?

• Debo como un sándwich.

• Debes una sopa.

• Como deber un yogur de fresa con pan.

• Debes comer pizza o una ensalada.

Multiple Choice

Select the correctly phrased response to the questions:

¿Qué debes hacer para mantener la salud?

• Comer muchas galletas.

• Debes levantar pesas.

• Deber hablo por teléfono.

• Sí, debes hacer mantener la salud.

Multiple Choice

Select the correctly phrased response to the questions:

¿Qué debemos beber en el almuerzo?

• Ustedes deben beber un refresco o jugo de naranja.

• Debes bebes leche.

• Debemos beberemos té helado en el almuerzo.

• No, no debemos el almuerzo.

Multiple Choice

Select the correctly phrased response to the questions:

Me gusta la fruta. ¿Qué debo comer?

• Usted debe comer una manzana, Señor.

• Amigo, tú debo comer naranja.

• Yo debo como mucha fruta, sí.

• Debemos practicas deportes, es bueno para la salud.

Multiple Choice

Select the correctly phrased response to the questions:

¿Debes comer mantequilla cada día?

• No debo como la mantequilla cada día,

• Sí, creo que debes comer mucha mantequilla.

• Usted debe no beber ella.

• Yo deber practico el fútbol... ¡mucho!

Multiple Choice

When using a helping verb we conjugate...

• the subject

• the helping verb

• the other verb

• the present tense

Congratulations! We're ready to use helping verbs.

To finish practicing today we will do a vocabulary exercise. Find exercise 4 on page 152. Look through the rows numbered 1-9. On a piece of paper, write down which word doesn't belong in each row. Bring your paper to class tomorrow!