This document provides an overview of Spanish grammar concepts including: - Present tense conjugations of -ar, -er, and -ir verbs - Stem-changing and irregular yo verbs - Uses of ser and estar - Verbs like gustar and their conjugation - Differences between preterite and imperfect tenses - Saber vs conocer, reflexive verbs, and se impersonals - Verb conjugations with diphthongs and accents - Forms like the present perfect and pluperfect tenses

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2. TABLE OF CONTENTS
• Present Tense
• Stem changers
• Irregular yo
• Ser and Estar
• Verbs like gustar
• Preterite vs Imperfect
End of part one 2012
• Subjunctive
• Irregulars
• Saber vs Conocer
• Reflexives
• “Se” imporsonals
• Dipthongs with accents
• Verbs like ger/gir, uir/guir, cer/cir
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3. PRESENT TENSE
Step One: Determine if the Verb is an “-ar, -er, or –ir” verb.
Step Two: Drop the ending.
Step Three: Add the correct ending in place of the –ar, -er, or -ir.
-ar verbs -er verbs -ir verbs
-o -amos -o -emos -o -imos
-as -áis -es -éis -es -is
-a -an -e -en -e -en
Example:
Cantar (yo form) Cantar Canto
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4. STEM CHANGERS
• Stem changer verbs are verbs that need certain vowels in the
middle of the word changed .
• The stem is only changed in yo, tú, usted, and ustedes form.
This is known as the boot.
• There are three types of stem changes. (I to ie, I to e, and o to
ue)
• The stem change will occur in the second to last vowel in the
word. For example; the ‘E’ in the word comenzar would be
changed.
Step One: Determine if the verb is a stem changer verb, if so, determine
what type of stem change it needs.
Step Two: If the verb is conjugated in the boot, change the stem, if not,
leave it be.
Step Three: Finally, drop the –ar, -ir, or –er ending and conjugate
accordingly.
I to IE
I to E Only change the
O to UE stem in the BOOT.
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5. IRREGULAR YO
• Irregular yo verbs are verbs that are
normal in every tense but the yo
form. The irregular yo verbs will
have a different ending in the yo
form.
• These verbs change to either –yo, -
go, or zco.
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6. SER
Descrip
tion
Dates Origin
Charac
Events
Ser teristics
Posses
Time
sion
Relatio Occupa
nships tion
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7. ESTAR
Health
-ing Emotion
Estar
Present
Location
Condition
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8. VERBS LIKE GUSTAR
Gustar- To like Gustar and verbs like gustar are only
Molestar-To bother conjugated in two different way based on if
Fascinar-To fascinate the object is singular or plural. (-a or –an)
Aburrir-To bore
Importar-To be important to Example:
Interesar-To Interest
Disgustar-To disgust Me gusta su gato.
Doler(e-ue)-To inflict pain Me gustan sus tortugas.
Encantar- To love something
Quedar-To remain
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9. PRETERITE VS IMPERFECT
Refers to ONE specific A continuous action in
event or time in the past! the past!
ER/IR
Er/Ir AR
AR ia iamos
i imos ab abamo
e amos a s
abas abais ias iais
aste asteis iste isteis
aba aban ia ian
o aron io ieron
Ser ver ir Ser & Ir Dar Hacer
• era • veia • iba • fui • di • hice
• Eras • Veias • Ibas • Fuiste • Diste • Hiciste'
• Era • Veia • Iba • Fue • Dio • Hizo
• Eramos • Veiamos • Ibamos • Fuimos • Dimos • Hicimos
• Erias • Veiais • Ibais • Fuisteis • Disteis • Hicisteis
• eran • veian • iban • Fueron • dieron • hicieron
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10. SABER VS CONOCER
When translated to English, both Saber and Conocer mean to
know; however they
are used in two very different situations.
Saber: to know a fact, or know how to do something.
In the preterit it means to learn or find out
Conocer: to know someone or something and be familiar with
it.
In the preterit it means to meet someone.
Conocer is an irregular yo verb! (zco)
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11. •Me lavo.
REFLEXIVES
Reflexive pronouns are often followed by a verb :
Example: I brush my teeth.
This goes for Spanish language as well:
Me Nos
Te Os
Se Se
•Me lavo .
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12. “SE” IMPERSONALS
‘Se’ becomes impersonal when the subject of the
verb is unidentified, but obviously third person.
This is most commonly used when making a
general statement.
se + 3rd person singular verb
Examples:
Se habla español aquí.
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13. DIPHTHONGS WITH ACCENTS
In some cases, verbs require an accent to break up a
diphthong. The syllable with the an accent is the syllable
to be stressed when saying the word. If there is no
accent, the second to last syllable will be stressed if the
word ends in an n or s.
- Happens when a weak vowel (i/y,u) and strong
vowels come together and form on syllable.
In this case, an accent is used on the weak vowel.
Examples:
Comprendió
tenéis
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14. VERBS LIKE GER/GIR, UIR/GUIR, CER/CIR
Verbs that end in ger, gir, uir, guir, cer, and cir irregular yo form
verbs.
Verbs that end in ger or gir-
G to J in yo form
Verbs that end in uir or guir-
GU to G in yo form
Verbs that end in cer or cir-
C to ZC in yo form
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15. HACE+TIME+QUE+PRESENT TENSE
• This format is used to explain the
amount of time that the action took.
Hace
Tres
ańos
Que
bailo
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16. IMPERFECT
Imperfect tense is used when an action is continuous and has no
exact beginning or ending point.
*Think about it like a movie*
Ia Iamos Aba Abamos
Ias Abas
Ia Ian Aba Aban
-Ir/-Er -Ar
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17. PRETERITE
Preterite tense is used when the action is past tense that is over
and done with.
*Think of it as a snapshot*
To the tune of “row row row your boat”
Trigger Words:
E, I, aste, iste, Anteayer
O, io-o-o, Anoche
Amos, imos, aron, ieron Ayer
El es preterito La semanapasada
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18. IRREGULARS
-Car
• Que
-Gar
• Gue
-Zar
• Ce
Must have accent over e in yo form only!
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19. SPOCK VERBS
Ser/Ir Dar/Ver Hacer
• Fui • (D/V)i • Hice
• (d/v)iste • Hiciste
• Fuiste
• (d/v)io • Hizo
• Fue • (d/v)imos • Hicimos
• Fuimos • (d/v)ieron • Hicieron
• Fuieron
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