Spanish Grammar

Preface

Our goals in creating and editing this textbook have been to provide you with a clear and simple reference to some of the most difficult aspects of Spanish grammar. We have found that, in general, most language textbooks have segments of grammar points spread throughout the text according to themes. For example, the use of prepositions might be spread out through three or four chapters, or verb tenses might not always follow a logical sequence. This study guide, on the other hand, is meant to help you understand conceptual differences that are at times difficult to grasp in the more traditional language textbook.

This book contains explanations of grammatical rules as well as a series of opportunities to test yourself, with an answer key at the end of each chapter. We have also included a set of idioms and expressions that will facilitate your use and comprehension of Spanish, and have outlined the rules for using accent marks with Spanish words.

We would like to thank the reviewers for their attention to detail and their suggestions on how to improve this book. Although we were unable to implement all the suggestions, we are grateful for their comments.

We would like to offer special thanks to all the people who have shown us their support on this endeavor.

CHAPTER 1

Articles and Nouns

Gender and number are aspects that are sometimes difficult for English speakers to learn. In this chapter we will look at how these function and also the use of the articles the and a in regards to these nouns.

ARTICLES

There are two types of articles in Spanish: definite and indefinite. The definite article (the) indicates a specific person or thing while the indefinite article (a, an) refers to a person or thing not known to the speaker. In a lot of cases they are used the same as in English. For example: The woman walked into the store. Or in the case of the indefinite article: A woman walked into the store. These articles in Spanish agree with the noun in gender, (feminine, masculine) and number (singular, plural). One must keep in mind that the articles used in Spanish are often omitted in English.

Definite Articles

There are four definite articles in Spanish: el, la, los, las. The plural of the masculine el is los, and the plural of the feminine la is las.

For phonetic purposes, feminine nouns that begin with an a or ha take the article el only when the first a is stressed.

Please note that the stressed syllable in this last group of words is not the first a. For more detail, see Chapter 12.

With Nouns

The definite article in used in Spanish much more than in English. It is used with all general or abstract nouns:

La vida es dura.

Life is hard.

Con el dinero no se puede comprar la felicidad.

You can’t buy happiness with money.

La paz es una idea valiosa.

Peace is a valuable idea.

When the Quantity is Vague

The article is omitted when the sentence implies some, any, each, or many.

Necesito dinero para comprar comida.

I need some money to buy some food.

However, if the noun is modified, the definite article is used:

Necesito el dinero que me dio mi abuelita para comprar libros.

I need the money my grandma gave me to buy books.

When Referring to a Person

The definite article is used with titles when referring to a person. It is omitted when addressing the individual or with the titles don, doña, Santo, San and Santa.

El rey Juan Carlos es un gran hombre.

King Juan Carlos is a great man.

El señor Ramírez es el dueño del apartamento.

Mr. Ramírez is the owner of the apartment.

La señorita María está estudiando la lección.

Miss María is studying the lesson.

But,

¿Cómo está usted, Señor Ramírez?

How are you, Mr. Ramírez?

Don Juan es un personaje famoso en la literatura.

Don Juan is a famous literary character.

Santo Domingo fundó la orden dominica.

Saint Dominic was the founder of the Dominican order.

When Referring to Languages

The definite article is used before all languages except when the name of the language follows the verb hablar or the prepositions a, en, and de:

El español es un idioma importante.

Spanish is an important language.

El inglés es el idioma internacional para el negocio.

English is the international language for business.

But,

Juan habla español muy bien.

John speaks Spanish very well.

La clase de español es interesante.

The Spanish class is interesting.

En inglés se dice, Thank you.

In English you say, Thank you.

With Verbs Related to Learning

The article is omitted with verbs related to learning, such as aprender, escribir, enseñar, estudiar, and leer:

Yo aprendo español.

I learn Spanish.

Ellos estudian francés.

They study French.

Tú lees alemán.

You read German.

In Place of the Possessive Adjective

The definite article is used in place of possessive adjectives when referring to parts of the body or articles of clothing, when the possessor is clear.

Me lavo la cabeza.

I wash my head.

Nosotros nos cepillamos el cabello.

We brush our hair.

Se quita la camisa.

He takes off his shirt.

Ella se pone el sombrero.

She puts her hat on.

With Names of Seasons

The definite article is used with the names of the seasons:

En el verano, nos vamos de vacaciones a España.

During the summer, we will go on vacation to Spain.

Me gusta ir a esquiar en el invierno.

I like to go to skiing during the winter.

With the Time of Day

The definite article is also used with the time of the day:

A las ocho empieza mi primera clase.

My first class begins at eight.

Te veré en la biblioteca a las tres.

I’ll see you at the library at three.

With Days of the Week

In Spanish, unlike in English, the definite article is used with the days of the week, with the excep-tion of when the day of the week is preceded by the verb ser:

Siempre vamos al cine los sábados.

We always go to the movies on Saturdays.

El lunes no hay clases.

On Monday, there is no school.

La tarea es para el lunes.

The homework is due on Monday.

But,

Mañana es lunes.

Tomorrow is Monday.

Hoy es domingo.

Today is Sunday.

With Countries, States, or Cities

The definite article is omitted with most countries, states, or cities. However, there are some occa-sions when it is used:

The article is omitted with these countries after a preposition.

Los Estados Unidos es un país muy grande.

The United States is a big country.

But,

Salen de Perú y van para Canadá.

They are leaving Peru and going to Canada.

When Naming Mountains, Rivers, and Oceans

The definite article is used before names of mountains, rivers, and oceans:

Los Andes están en América del Sur.

The Andes are in South America.

El Ebro es el río más grande de España.

The Ebro is the biggest river in Spain.

El Pacífico es el océano más grande del mundo.

The Pacific Ocean is the biggest ocean in the world.

With Quantities, Weights, and Measures

The definite article is used instead of the indefinite article with quantities, weights, and measures.

La docena de huevos cuesta cien pesos.

A dozen eggs costs one hundred pesos.

El kilo de carne de res cuesta tres euros.

One kilogram of beef costs three euros.

Esta tela cuesta treinta mil pesos el metro.

This material costs thirty thousand pesos per meter.

With the Contractions a + el (al) and de + el (del)

The masculine singular definite article el is contracted with the preposition de to form the word del, and with the preposition a to become al. These contractions are not used with the masculine plural or with the feminine forms of the definite article.

Todos hablan bien del hombre.

Everyone speaks well about the man.

Necesito cambiarle las bujías al automóvil.

I need to change the spark plugs in the car.

Vamos a la casa de Juan.

We are going to John’s house.

A las tres iremos a la biblioteca.

At three we will go to the library.

El profesor les da buenas notas a los estudiantes.

The professor gives good grades to the pupils.

Acabo de salir de la clase de física.

I just came out of the physics class.

Luis tiene las entradas de las chicas.

Louis has the girls ’ tickets.

De los zapatos que compré, solamente me gustan dos pares.

Of the shoes that I purchased, I like only two pairs.

Test Yourself: 1) Write the correct definite article for the following list of words.

1. autobús

2. papeles

3. avión

4. acción

5. agua

6. arma

7. aceituna

8. amiga

9. casa

10. cuaderno

11. águilas

12. hachas

13. blusas

14. almohada

15. yeguas

16. aguas

17. altura

18. muchachos

19. almas

20. caballo

Test Yourself: 2) Answer the following questions.

1. ¿Qué idioma hablas? (español)

2. ¿Qué usas cuando hace sol? (sombrero)

3. ¿Cuál es tu estación preferida? (invierno)

4. ¿A qué hora termina la escuela? (3:00)

5. ¿Para cuándo son las entradas de la ópera? (sábado)

6. ¿Qué día es mañana? (martes)

7. ¿A dónde vas? (Bolivia)

8. ¿Dónde está el Japón? (Asia)

9. ¿De qué color es el coche de tu padre? (azul)

10. ¿Cuál es el río más largo de España? (Ebro)

Indefinite Articles

The indefinite article (a, an, some) in Spanish refers to a person or thing not known to the subject who is speaking. It refers to any member of a class or group. There are four indefinite articles in Spanish: un, una, unos, and unas. The plural of the masculine un is unos, and the plural of the feminine una is unas.

Indefinite Articles and Feminine Words That Begin with a Stressed a

Like the feminine nouns that need the masculine article el when the first syllable is stressed, the same occurs when the indefinite article is used. These nouns take the indefinite article un instead of una.

With the Verb Ser

Unlike in English, in Spanish, the indefinite article is omitted after the verb ser when followed by a noun that is unmodified. However, the indefinite article is used when the noun is modified.

Ella es artista.

She is an artist.

Ella es una artista famosa.

She is a famous artist.

Unamuno es escritor.

Unamuno is a writer.

Unamuno es un escritor conocido.

Unamuno is a known artist.

With Non-Specific Entities

The indefinite article is used when referring to non-specific entities.

Hay un estudiante en su oficina.

There is a student in your office.

When Emphasizing a Number in Negative Expresssions

The indefinite article is also used in negative expressions when emphasizing the concept of a number.

No tenía ni un centavo.

I didn’t have a single cent.

Ella no quería oir ni una palabra más.

She didn’t want to hear one more word.

With Certain Words and Expressions

The indefinite article is omitted before any form of the words otro, cierto, mil, cien, ciento, medio and after the words tal and que in exclamations.

Ella necesita otra oportunidad.

She needs another opportunity.

Vinieron cien personas a la reuniòn

One hundred people came to the reunion.

¡Qué hombre!

What a man!

Test Yourself: 3) Write the appropriate indefinite article that corresponds to the words listed below.

1. mujer

2. libro

3. cuadernos

4. cuchara

5. zapato

6. arma

7. almas

8. almohada

9. amigo

10. casas

11. edificio

12. comedor

13. trenes

14. televisores

15. edificio

16. hachas

17. estudiante

18. persona

19. boleto

20. autobuses

Test Yourself: 4) Complete the following sentences with the correct indefinite article.

1. Jorge va a __ café antes de ir al trabajo.

2. Yo fui a __ tintorería a buscar mi ropa.

3. En __ universidad se educan a los profesionales del futuro.

4. __ jardín debe tener flores bellas.

5. Vamos a __ plaza que está cerca del banco.

6. Juan tiene __ cuenta en el banco.

7. Hay __ examen el pròximo lunes.

8. La familia Sánchez tiene __ casa de veraneo preciosa.

9. Nueva York es __ ciudad inmensa e interesante.

10. __ obra maestra de la literatura mundial es El ingenioso hidalgo Don Quijote de la Mancha.

Test Yourself: 5) Complete the following sentences with the appropriate indefinite article when needed.

1. Gabriela Mistral es __escritora famosa.

2. Felipe tiene __ talento enorme.

3. Quiero __ otra galleta.

4. El es __pintor.

5. Carlos Miguel es __ estudiante brillante.

6. La señorita tiene __ educaciòn extraordinaria.

7. Luisa desea ser __ingeniera.

8. En este restaurante hay __ cocinero muy bueno.

9. Necesitamos __ mil dòlares para comprar eso.

10. El abogado es __ alumno del profesor Lòpez.

TIME OF DAY, DATES, AND WEATHER EXPRESSIONS

In the following section you will learn about the expressions used for telling time, the date, and what the weather is like.

Time of Day

To be able to ask or to tell time is a very important factor in any language in order to attend a meeting; take a plane, a train, or a bus; or simply know whether you are on schedule. The following are ways to ask or tell time in Spanish, along with a typical response:

¿Qué hora es?

What time is it?

Es la una de la tarde.

It is one o’clock in the afternoon.

Notice that when asking for the time in Spanish, the singular form of the verb is always used. This is always the case even if a plural answer is expected.

¿Qué hora es?

What time is it?

Son las siete de la mañana.

It is seven o’clock in the morning.

Son las ocho y cinco.

It is five minutes after eight.

Son las ocho y quince.

It is fifteen minutes after eight.

Son las once y cuarenta y cinco.

It is forty five minutes after eleven.

Son las once menos diez.

It is ten minutes to eleven.

Son las once y cincuenta y cinco.

It is fifty five minutes after eleven.

Es la una.

It’s one o’clock.

Son las dos.

It’s two o’clock.

In Spanish, like in English, the words quarter and half are employed to tell time.

Son las ocho y cuarto.

It is a quarter past eight.

Son las nueve y media.

It is half past nine.

Son las diez menos cuarto.

It is a quarter to ten.

To tell time, the expression faltar + minutes + para + hour can be used:

Son las diez menos trece.

It is thirteen minutes to ten.

Or,

Faltan trece minutos para las diez.

It is thirteen minutes to ten.

¿A qué hora llega Juan?

At what time does Juan arrive?

¿A qué hora sales tú?

At what time do you leave ?

Yo salgo por la mañana.

I leave in the morning.

Tú sales en la madrugada.

You leave at daybreak.

Él sale al mediodía.

He leaves at noon.

Nosotros salimos por la tarde.

We leave in the afternoon.

Vosotros salís por la noche.

You leave at night.

Ellos salen a las seis en punto.

They leave at six o’clock sharp.

Test Yourself: 6) Write the time corresponding to the numbers given. Do not repeat the same answer

1. 07:00

2. 08:10

3. 09:15

4. 09:15

5. 11:30

6. 11:30

6. 11:30

8. 12:45

9. 12:45

10. 12:00

Dates

To be able to tell dates correctly is equally practical and important. Cardinal numbers, not ordinal numbers, are used to tell dates with the exception of primero (first).

In Spanish, only the first letter of proper names and the first letter of a sentence are written in uppercase. All other letters are written in lowercase. This also applies to the months of the year and days of the week.

The years in Spanish are expressed in terms of thousands and hundreds. Also, keep in mind that when writing the date in Spanish, the day is written before the month, followed by the year.

¿Cuál es la fecha de hoy?

What date is today?

Hoy es el quince de septiembre.

Today is the fifteenth of September.

Hoy es el primero de octubre.

Today is the first of October.

Hoy es lunes, catorce de noviembre de mil novecientos noventa.

Today is Monday, November fourteenth, nineteen hundred and ninety.

¿En qué año estamos nosotros?

What year are we in?

Este año es el dos mil cinco.

This year is two thousand five.

¿En qué fecha llega el cargamento?

On what date does the shipment arrive?

Llega el tres de junio.

It arrives on June third.

Test Yourself: 7) Write the following dates in Spanish.

1. January 4

2. February 14

3. July 4

4. October 12

5. September 3

6. October 8

7. November 12

8. August 22

9. June 19

10. May 28

Weather Expressions

In the following section you will find ways of expressing what the weather is like. Notice that the verbs that are used the most are hacer and estar.

¿Qué tiempo hace hoy?

What is the weather like today?

¿Còmo está el día hoy?

How is the day today?

Many weather expressions require the verb hacer:

Hace mucho viento.

It’s very windy.

Hace muy buen tiempo.

The weather is very nice.

Hay can also be used to speak about observed weather conditions:

Hay mucho sol hoy.

It is very sunny today.

Hay viento y llueve.

It is windy and raining.

Other verbs used with weather expressions are:

Test Yourself: 8) Answer the following sentences according to the words given in parentheses.

María y Jorge fueron al parque. Al salir de la casa, ellos miraron el cielo y el día estaba __(1) (sunny) y un poco__(2) (warm). Al tomar el autobús, Maria notò queel cielo estaba__ (3) (clear). Era un día__ (4) (comfortable) aunque estaba un poco__ (5) (humid). Ellos llegaron al parque y pasaron un día maravilloso. De regreso a la casa por la tarde, el cielo se puso__ (6) (cloudy) y negro. Apenas ellos llegaron a casa empezò a__ (7) (to rain) fuertemente. ¡Qué suerte tenemos! exclamaron Jorge y María.

NOUNS

Nouns in Spanish have a gender and a number. The gender determines whether a noun is masculine or feminine. The number determines whether a noun is singular or plural.

Singular and Plural Nouns

Nouns that end in a vowel become plural when an -s is added to the end of the word. For nouns that end in a consonant, an - es is added to the end of the word to make them plural. When nouns end in -z, the -z changes to -c before making them plural. Also, certain nouns (such as days of the week) that end in -es remain unchanged when made plural.

Masculine and Feminine Nouns

Nouns in Spanish are either masculine or feminine; most nouns ending in -o are masculine. Most nouns that end in -a are feminine.

Here are some examples of masculine nouns:

Likewise, here are some feminine nouns:

Exceptions to this rule are some masculine words that end in -a, -ma, -pa, -ta:

There are a few nouns that end in - o that are feminine:

Note that la moto and la foto are feminine because these words are derived from the words la motocicleta and la fotografìa.

Nouns ending in-dad,-tad,-tud,-umbre,-ie, or --iòn are normally feminine (except for aviòn and camiòn).