Grammar Book (Mi Libro de Gramática)

By Antonio Boyett

Table of Contents

Qué vs. Cuál Ser – DOCTOR PED Estar – HELPING Gustar Transitional Words Imperfect Verbs Trigger Words Acabar + de +

Infinitive Hace + Time + Que +

Conjugated Verb Formulas

Verbs Like Gustar Reflexive Verbs Tu Commands

Affirmative Negative Irregular

DOP Preterit Tense

Qué vs. Cuál

Qué is more commonly used when asking for a definition. It is often used before a noun.

¿Qué es un perro?What is a dog?

Cuál is more

commonly used before “es” or other forms of “ser” and when asking quantity.

¿Cuál es tu número de teléfono?

What is your telephone number?

Ser

Ser = to be Congugations

Yo – Soy Tú – Eres Él/Ella/Usted – Es Nosotros – Somos Vosotros(as) – Sois Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes - SonSer is commonly used

when talking about permanent things.

Ser is specifically used when talking about:▪ D – Descriptions▪ O – Origin▪ C – Characteristics▪ T – Time▪ O – Occupation▪ R – Relationships▪ P – Possession▪ E – Events▪ D – Dates

Estar

Estar- To be Congugations:

Yo – Estoy Tú – Estás Él/Ella/Usted – Está Nostotros(as) –

Estamos Vosotros(as) – Estáis Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes-

Están

Estar is specifically used when talking about:▪ H▪ E▪ L▪ P▪ I▪ N▪ G

Gustar

Gustar is a tricky verb. Some might say it’s better to go backwards when using gustar.

You conjugate gustar for whatever is being gustar-ed. EXAMPLE: Me gusta el libro. (I like the book OR The book is pleasing to me)

In this sentence, el libro is being gustar-ed. Since it is singular object, gustar must be in the el/ella/usted form.

EXAMPLE 2: Me gustas tú. (I like you OR you are pleasing to me) NOTE: You must use a personal pronouns before

gustar to signify who something is pleasing to.

Transition Words

Words like: Y - And O - Or Ni – Or/Nor También – Also Pero - But

EXAMPLE:

Are what’s known as “transition words”. Their purpose is to joint sentences or to join a list of nouns together.

Soy cansado y emocionado. No tengo un perro ni un gato

Imperfect Verbs Part 1

You would use an imperfect verb conjugation when talking about something that has happened with no definite beginning or end. It’s almost like a movie. The action just keeps

on happening. EXAMPLES:

De vez en cuando, yo hablaba con Ivana.

Todos los días, comías hamburgesas.

Imperfect Verbs Part 2 AR:▪ Yo = -aba▪ Tú = -abas▪ Él/Ella/Usted = -aba▪ Nosotros = -abamos▪ Vosotros = -abais▪ Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes-

aban

ER/IR▪ Ía▪ Ías▪ Ía▪ Íamos▪ Íais▪ íain

Trigger Words

Words to look for the will “trigger” that an imperfect verb is being used include, but are not limited to:

A menudo A veces Todos los días Todos los años A veces en cuando Generalmente Mucho Nunca Siempre

Acabar + de + Infinitive

Acabar de… is translated to, “I have just finished…”

NOTE: You conjugating acabar for whoever you’re speaking of. This verb follows regular -AR patterns.

EXAMPLE: Acabo de correr. (I have just finished

running). Acabamos de limpiar. (We have just

finished cleaning).

Hace + Time + Que + Conjugated Verb

EXAMPLE: Hace tres años que limpio. (It’s been

three years since I’ve cleaned). Hace un mes que buscamos mi pez. (It’s

been a month since we’ve looked for my fish).

HACE QUE

Verbs Like Gustar

Molestar Disgustar Doler Fascinar Encantar

Formulas

Tener que + infinitive… (Tengo que cantar. I have to sing)

Hay que + infinitive… (Hay que cantar. I need to sing)

Acabar de + infinitive… (See slide) Ir a + infinitive (Voy a la tienda. I’m

going to the store)

Reflexive Verbs Reflexive verbs are when you do something to yourself.

For instance, “I bathed myself,” or “My sister put make-up on herself.”

In Spanish, a reflexive verb is signified when --se is at the end of a verb.

Examples: Maquillarse LavarseTo conjugate, you take the –se off the end, and put the correct DOP in front of the verb, and conjugate the verb for the correct person.

EXAMPLES: Me maquillo. (I put make-up on myself)Nos llavamos. (We wash ourselves)

Affirmative Tu Commands #1

Tu commands are used when telling someone younger than you that you are familiar with to do something. For instance, “Sing!” or “Dance!”. You conjugate the verb (cantar or bailar) in the tu form and drop the “s”. EXAMPLES:▪ SING! = Canta!▪ Dance = Baila!

Affirmative Tu Commands #2

When telling someone to do the action to “it”, there’s another system. If you say, “Wash it,” you still conjugate for the tu form, drop the “s”, AND you add on lo/la to the end. Lo/La stands for he/she/or it. EXAMPLE:▪ Wash it! = Lavalo!If you were to tell someone to wash themselves, you would add on the appropriate DOP. EXAMPLE:(Wash yourself! = Lavate!)

Negative Tu Commands

When telling someone not to do something, there’s a completely different system. You want to tell someone to not dance. Take bailar, conjugate for the yo form, switch the ending (ar=e and er/ir=a), and add an “s”. The phrase would become… No bailes. To tell someone not to wash themselves, you would approach it the same way, but add a DOP in between “no” and the verb. It would become……… No te laves.

Irregular Tu Commands

Di Haz Ve Pon Sal Se Ten Ven

No Digas No Halgas No Veas No Pongas No Salgas No Seas No Tengas No Vengas

DOP

Me Te Se (Lo/La) Nos Os Se (Los/Las)

Preterit Tense

The preterit tense is used when talking about a specific event in the past. All you have to do is change the endings of the verbs for the appropriate conjugation.

AR ER/IR -e -i -aste -iste -o -io -amos -imos -aron -ieron