This grammar book provides an overview of key Spanish grammar topics in 14 sections: 1. El Presente - formation of regular and irregular present tense verbs. 2. Ser y Estar - uses of ser and estar with adjectives to describe permanent vs. temporary qualities. 3. Verbs like Gustar - construction and uses of verbs like gustar, encantar, and faltar. 4. Nouns and Articles - agreement of nouns and articles based on gender and number. 5. Adjectives - agreement of adjectives with nouns. 6. Preterite vs. Imperfect - uses of the preterite and imperfect

1. Grammar Book
Emma Waldron

2. Table of Contents
El Presente
Ser y Estar
Verbs like Gustar
Nouns and Articles
Adjectives
Preterite vs. Imperfect
The Preterite (Regular and Irregular)
Subjunctive Mood
Present Subjunctive
Impersonal Expressions
Mandatos
Object Pronouns
Double Object Pronouns

3. El Presente
• Regular –ar –er –ir verbs are formed by dropping the
infinitive ending and add these endings.
AR Endings ER/IR
Endings
o emos/imos
o amos
as áis es éis/ís
a an e En
• Also used to express habitual actions or actions that
will take place in the near future.

4. El Presente
• Stem Changing Verbs change all forms of the
verb EXCEPT FOR nosotros or vosotros
• e:i pedir
– Jugar changes its stem vowel from u to ue.
– Add a y before personal endings for construir, destruir,
incluir, and influir.
– Jugar: juego, juegas, juegam jugamos, juegan

5. El Presente
• Irregular yo Forms
– Verbs ending in –cer or –cir change to –zco in the
yo form
– Verbs ending in –ger or –gir change to –jo.
– Example: caer- yo caigo & conducir- yo conduzco
– Ending in jo: escoger yo escojo
saber yo sé
- Verbs with prefixes FOLLOW THE SAME PATTERNS!

6. Irregular Verbs
• Some verbs are irregular in the present tense
or combine a stem-change with an irregular to
form another spelling change.

7. Ser and Estar
• Both mean to be, but they are not interchangeable.
• Ser is used to express the idea of permanence, such as
inherent or unchanging qualities and characteristics
• Ser and Estar with adjectives
– Ser is used with adjectives to describe inherent, expected
qualities.
– Estar is used to describe temporary qualities.
– Ser and estar can both be used with most descriptive
adjectives, but have different meanings.
*Estar, not ser is used with muerto/a.

8. Ser vs. Estar
Ser Estar
– Nationality and place of origin • Location or spatial relationships
– Profession or occupation • Health
– Characteristics of people, • Physical states and conditions
animals, and things • Emotional states
– Generalizations • Certain weather expressions
– Possession • Ongoing actions(progressive
– Material of composition tenses)
– Time, date or season • Results of actions (past
– Where or when an event participles)
takes place

9. Verbos como gustar
• Though gustar is translated as to like in English, its literal
meaning is to please.
• Because the things or person that pleases is the subject,
gustar agrees in person and number with it. Most
commonly the subject is third person singular or plural.
• When gustar is followed by one or more verbs in the
infinitive, the singular form of gustar is always used. Les
gusta cantar y bailar.
• It is often used in the conditional

10. Verbs como gustar
• Verbs like gustar: aburrir, caer bien/mal, disgustar, doler,
encantar, faltar, fascinar, hacer falta, importarm interesar,
molestar, preocupar, quedar, sorprender, and apetecer
• The construction a + [prepositional pronoun] or a + [noun]
can be used to emphasize who is pleased, bothered, etc.
• Examples: A Felipe le molesta ir de compras.
• Faltar expresses what someone or something lacks and
quedar expresses what someone or something has left.
Quedar is also used to talk about how clothing looks or fits
on someone.

11. Nouns and Articles
• In Spanish, there are feminine nouns and masculine
nouns. In general, nouns that end in –a are feminine, and
nouns that end in –o are masculine. However, there are
some exceptions. (El agua)
• The article used before a noun depends on whether it is
indefinite or definite and whether the noun is masculine
or feminine.
Definite Feminine Masculine Indefinite Feminine Masculine
Articles Articles
Singular La El Singular Una Un
Plural Las Los Plural Unas Unos

12. Adjectives
• In Spanish, an adjective must agree in number
and gender with the noun it is describing.
• Examples
• La chica alta
• Las chicas altas
• El hombre fuerte
• Los hombres fuertes

13. Pretérito vs. Imperfecto
• A single instantaneous • A description of a scene
action or event in the past
• An event that is done and • Tells in general when an
over with action took place
• A series of completed • Used to talk about a
events recurring action in the
• Tells specifically when an past
event took place • An ongoing action in the
• Used to describe actions past
with definite beginnings • Used to describe a
or endings physical or mental
condition in the past

14. El Pretérito
• Regular Verbs
AR Verbs ER/IR Verbs
é amos í imos
aste asteis iste isteis
ó aron ió ieron
Verbs ending in –aer, -eer, -oír, oer
The third person singular form of these verbs uses the “yó” ending.
The third person plural form uses “yeron.” Add an accent on “i” for all other
forms.
Example: creer í, ó
Creí Creímos
Creíste Creísteis
Creyó creyeron

15. Los verbos irregulares en el pretérito
• Car, Gar, Zar Verbs
– These verbs have changes in the “yo” form only.
– Car- qué
– Gar- gué
– Zar- cé
• Four Irregulars
Ser y Ir Dar
Fui Fuimos Di Dimos
Fuiste Fuisteis Diste Disteis
Fue Fueron Dio Dieron
Hacer
Hice Hicimos
Hiciste Hicisteis
Hizo Hicieron

16. Los verbos irregulares en el pretérito
Stem Changers
Snake Verbs - These verbs change to the
- Only stem changing following stems and have
IR verbs change in these endings:
the preterite. They - Andar- anduv
- Estar- estuv
only change in the - Tener- tuv
third person. - Caber- cup
- ei ou - Haber- hub
- Poder- pud
- Example: - Poner- pus
Preferir - Saber- sup
- Hacer - hic
Preferí Preferimos - Querer - quis
Preferiste Preferisteis - Venir- vin
Prefirió Prefirieron
- Endings
e imos
iste isteis
o ieron

17. The Subjunctive Mood
• Subjunctive mood: attitudes, uncertain,
hypothetical, unspecified, not a fact
• W-wishing/wanting
• E- emotions
• D- doubt
• D- disbelief
• I- impersonal expressions
• N- Negation
• G-God/grief

18. The Present Subjunctive
• Main clause + connector + subordinate clause
• Regular Verbs
AR Verbs ER/IR Verbs
e emos a amos
es as
e en a an
• Irregulars:
– Dar  dé; estar esté; ir  vaya; saber sepa
haber haya; ser  sea

19. Impersonal Expressions
• Es bueno que…
• Es mejor que…
• Es malo que…
• Es importante que…
• Es necesario que…
• Es urgente que…
* Que is the connector word!

20. Verbs of Will and Influence
• Asconsejar- to advise
• Importar- to be important; to matter
• Insistir (en)- to insist (on)
• Mandar- to order
• Prohibir- to prohibit
• Recomendar (eie)- to reccoment
• Rogar (oue)- to beg, to plead
• Sugerir (eie)- to suggest

21. Expressions of Emotion
• Alegrarse (de)- to be happy
• Esperar- to hope, to wish
• Sentir (eie)- to be sorry, to regret
• Sorprender- to surprise
• Temer- to be afraid; to fear
• Es triste- It’s sad
• Ojála (que)- I hope (that); I wish (that)

22. Expressions of Doubt, Disbelief, and
Denial
• Dudar- to doubt
• Begar (eie)- to deny
• Es imposible- it’s impossible
• Es improbable- it’s improbable
• No es cierto- it’s not true; it’s not certain
• No es seguro- it’s not certain
• No es verdad- it’s not true

23. Object Pronouns
• Direct object pronouns directly receive the
action of the verb.
• Indirect object pronouns identify TO WHOM
or FOR WHOM an action is done.
• Direct and indirect pronouns precede the
conjugated verb
– Example: Carla siempre me da boletos para el
cine. (Carla always gives me movie tickets.)

24. Subjunctive in Noun Clauses
• The subjunctive is used mainly in multiple
clause sentences which express will, influence,
emotion, doubt, or denial.
• Present subjunctive is formed by dripping the
–o from the yo form of the present indicative
and adding the subjunctive endings.
• Verbs with irregular yo forms show that same
irregularity throughout the forms of the
subjunctive.

25. Mandatos
• Tu Affirmative- simply drop the ‘s’
– Los Irregulares: TVDISHES
• Ud/Uds Affirmative- put it in ‘yo’ form and
change to opposite vowel
– Los Irregulares: TVDISHES
• Tu Negative- put it in ‘yo’ form and change to
opposite vowel, add an ‘s’
– Los Irregulares: TVDISHES
• Ud/Uds Negative- put it in ‘yo’ form and change
to opposite vowel
– Los Irregulares: TVDISHES

26. Commands
• Formal commands are used to give orders or advice
to people you address as usted or ustedes. Their
forms are identical to present subjunctive forms for
usted and ustedes.
• Tomar: Tome, tomen, no tome, no tomen
• Familiar tu commands: used with people you address
as tu. Affirmatice tu commands have the same form
as the ella, usted form of the present indicative.
Negative tu commandshave the same form as the tu
form of the present subjunctive.
• Viajar: viaja, no viajes
• Empezar: empieza, no empieces

27. Mandatos
• DOP + IOP + ‘se’ can attach to an affirmative.
• DOP + IOP + ‘se’ must go before the negative
command.

28. Object Pronouns
• When the verb is an infinitive construction,
object pronouns may be either attached to the
infinitive or placed before the conjugated verb.
• Can attach to infinitive, gerund, or an affirmative
command and is placed before a conjugated verb.
• When the verb is in the progressive, object
pronouns may be either attached to the present
participle or placed before the conjugated verb.

29. Double Object Pronouns
• The indirect object pronoun precedes the direct object
pronoun when they are used together in a sentence.
• Ex: Me mandaron los boletos por correo.  Me los
mandaran por correo.
• *Le and les change to se when they are used with lo, la,
los, las.
• When object pronouns are attached to infinitives,
participles, or commands, a written accent is often
added on the 3rd to the last syllable. If you add both
indirect and direct, it would be the 4th to the last
syllable.

30. Prepositional Pronouns/Possesive
Adjectives and Pronouns
• Prepositional pronouns function as the objects of
prepositions. Except for mí, ti, and sí, they are identical
to their corresponding subject pronouns.
• The pronoun sí (himself, herself, itself, themselves) is
the prepositional pronoun used to refer back to the
same third-person subject. In this case, the adjective
mismo/a(s) is usually added for clarification.
• When mí, ti, and sí are used with con, they become:
conmigo  with me; contigo  with you; consigo 
with them
• These prepositions are used with tú and yo instead of
mí and ti: entre, excepto, incluso, menos, salvo, según.

31. Subjunctive in Adjective Clauses
• When the subordinate clause of a sentence refers
to something (the antecedent) that is known to
exist, the indicative is used.
• When the antecedent is uncertain or indefinite,
the subjunctive is used.
• When the antecedent of an adjective clause is a
negative pronoun, the subjunctive is used in the
subordinate clause.
• The personal a is not used with direct objects that
represent hypothetical persons.

32. Demonstrative Adjectives
Demonstrative adjectives point out a specific
noun.
Singular masculine: este (this), ese (that), aquel
(that)
Plural masculine: estos (these), esos (those),
aquellos (those)
Singular feminine: esta (this), esa (that), aquella
(that)
Plural feminine: estas (these), esas (those),
aquellas (those)

33. Reflexive Verbs
• In reflexive construction, the subject of the
verb both performs and receives the action.
• Reflexive verbs always use reflexive pronouns
(me, te, se, nos, os, se)
• Lavarse: Me lavo, te lavas, se lava, nos
lavamos, se lavan
• Many of the verbs used to describe daily
routines and personal care are reflexive.

34. Por and Para
• Uses of para: destination, deadline or a specific
time in the future, purpose or goal ( + infinitive),
purpose + noun, recipient, comparison with
others or opinion, employment.
• Uses of por: Motion or general location, duration
of action, reason or motive for action, object of a
search, unit of measure, agent, means by which,
exchange or substitution

35. Por vs Para
• Motion or general location • Destination
• Duration of an action • Deadline or a specific time in the
• Agent (passive voice) future
• To express gratitude or apology • Purpose or goal + [infinitive]
• For multiplication and division • Purpose + [noun]
• Velocity, frequency, and proportion • Recipient
• Meaning “through”, “along”, “by”, • Comparison with others or opinion
or “in the area of” • Employment
• When talking about exchange, Expressions with Para
including sales
No estar para bromas To be in no mood for jokes
• To mean “on behalf of”
• Duration of time No ser para tanto To not be so important
• To express an undetermined or Para colmo To top it all off
general time, meaning “during”
Para que sepas Just so you know
• Reason for an errand
• To express cause or reason Para siempre Forever
• Object of a search
• Unit of measure
• Means by which

36. To Become
These words can be used to mean “to become”
the are all reflexive verbs and should be
conjugated in this way.
• Hacerse
• Ponerse
• Volverse
• Llegar a ser

37. Reflexive Verbs
• Most transitive verbs can also be used as
reflexive verbs to indicate that the subject
performs the action to or for himself or
herself.
• A transitive verb takes an object, and an
intransitive verb does not take an object.
• Many verbs change meanings when they are
used reflexively

38. • Aburrir- to bore
• Aburrirse- to become bored
• Acordar- to agree
• Acordarse (de)- to remember
• Comer- to eat
• Comerse- to eat up
• Dormir- to sleep
• Dormirse- to fall asleep
• Ir- to go
• Irse (de)- to go away from

39. • Llevar- to carry
• Llevarse- to carry away
• Mudar- to change
• Mudarse- to move (change residence
• Parecer- to seem
• Parecerse- to resemble, to look like
• Poner- to put
• Ponerse- to put on (clothing)
• Quitar- to take away
• Quitarse- to take off (clothing)

40. • Some Spanish verbs and expressions are
reflexive even though their English equivalents
may not be. Many of these are followed by
the prepositions a, de, and en
• acercarse (a) to approach
• arrepentirse (de)- to regret
• Atreverse (a)- to dare to
• Convertirse (en)- to become

41. • Darse cuenta (de)- to realize
• Enterarse (de)- to find out (about)

42. • To get or become is frequently expressed in
Spanish by the reflexive verb ponerse +
[adjective].
• In the plural, reflexive verbs can express
reciprocal actions done to one another.
• The reflexive pronoun precedes the direct
object pronoun when they are used together
in a sentence.

43. Future Tense
• The future tense is one of many ways to express
actions or conditions that will happen in the future.
• The future tense can be used to express conjecture
or probability, even about present events.
– Example: Probablemente tendremos un poco de sol.
(It will probably be sunny.)
• The future tense uses the same endings for all –ar, -
er, and –ir verbs.
• Regular verbs: add endings to the infinitive.
Futuro Verb Endings
é emos
ás éis
á án

44. Future Tense
• For irregular verbs, the same future endings
are added to the irregular stem.
Infinitive Stem
Caber Cabr-
Haber Habr-
Poder Podr-
Querer Querr-
Saber Sabr-
Poner Pondr-
Salir Saldr-
Tener Tendr-
Valer Valdr-
Venir Vendr-
Decir Dir-
Hacer Har-

45. The Conditional
• The conditional tense is used to express what
would occur under certain circumstances and is
also used to make polite requests.
• The conditional tense uses the same endings for
all –ar, -er, and –ir verbs.
• For regular verbs, the endings are added to the
infinitive.
Conditional Endings
ía íamos
ías íais
ía ían
• Verbs with irregular future stems have the same
irregular stem in the conditional.

46. Relative Pronouns
• -Que (that, which, who) is the most frequently
used relative pronoun.
– can refer to people, things, subjects, objects, and can
be used in clauses with or without commas.
• El que/La que: After prepositions, que is used
with the definite article el que, la que, los que, or
las que.
– The article must agree in gender and number with the
thing or person it refers to (the antecedent).
– When referring to things but not people, the article
may be omitted after short prepositions such as en,
de, & con.
– Also used for clarification in nonrestrictive clauses
(with commas) when it might be unclear to what or
whom the clause refers.

47. Relative Pronouns
• El cual/la cual: generally interchangeable with el que, la
que, los que, and las que. They are often used in more
formal speech or writing.
– When el cual and its forms are used, the definite article is
never omitted.
• Quien/Quienes: Quien (singular) and quienes (plural)
are used to refer only to people, not to things.
Quien(es) is generally interchangeable with forms of el
que and el cual.
– Although que and quienes may both refer to people, their
use depends on the structure of the sentence.
– In restrictive clauses that refer to people, que is used if no
preposition is present. If a preposition or the personal a is
present, quien (or el que/el cual) is used instead.

48. Relative Adjective Cuyo
• The relative adjective cuyo (cuya, cuyos,
cuyas) means whose and agrees in number
and gender with the noun it precedes.
• Remember that de quién(es) not cuyo is used
in questions to express whose.

49. Present Perfect Tense
• The present perfect is a compound tense, so two verbs
are required- the main verb and the auxiliary verb.
• Conjugated auxiliary verb + participle form of verb.
• The forms of the auxiliary verb “haber” are:
Auxiliary Verb “Haber”
He Hemos
Has Habéis
Ha Han
• To form the participle of regular ar verbs, drop the
infinitive ending and add –ado. To form the participle of
regular –er or –ir verbs, drop the infinitive ending and
add –ido.
• Example: He bailado. (I have danced.)

50. Present Perfect Tense
• Irregular Verbs in the Present Verb Participle Form
Perfect Abrir Abierto
Escribir Escrito
• ALL VERBS in the present
Morir Muerto
perfect tense use the same
Volver Vuelto
forms of the auxiliary verbs. Romper Roto
However, the participles of Poner Puesto
some verbs are irregular. Hacer Hecho
Decir Dicho
Creer Creído
Traer Traído
Leer Leído
Caer Caído

51. Qué vs. Cuál
• The interrogative words qué and cuál can both mean
what/which, but they are not interchangeable.
• Qué is used to ask for general information, explanations, or
definitions.
• Cuál(es) is used to ask for specific information or to choose
from a limited set of possibilties.
• When referring to more than one item, the plural Cuáles is
used.
• Often, either qué or cuál may be used in the same
sentence, but the meaning is different.
• Cuál(es) is not used before nouns. Qué is used instead,
regardless of the type of information requested.
• Qué and cuál(es) are sometimes used in declarative
sentences.
• Qué is also used frequently in exclamations. In this case it
means What…! Or How…!

52. The neuter lo
• The definite articles el, la, los, and las modify masculine or
feminine nouns. The neuter article lo is used to refer to
concepts that have no gender.
• In Spanish, the construction lo + [masculine singular
adjective] is used to express general characteristics and
abstract ideas. The English equivalent of this construction is
the + [adjective] + thing.
• To express the idea of the most or the least, más sand
menos can be added after lo. Lo mejor and lo peor mean
the best/worst (thing).
• The construction lo + [adjective or adverb] + que is used to
express the English how + [adjective]. In these cases, the
adjective agrees in number and gender with the noun it
modifies.
• Lo que is equivalent to the English what, that, which. It is
used to refer to an abstract idea, or to a previously
mentioned situation or concept.

53. The Subjunctive in Adverbial Clauses
• In Spanish, adverbial clauses are Conjunctions That
commonly introduced by Require Subjunctive
conjunctions. Certain
conjunctions require the a menos que unless
subjunctive, while others can be
followed by the subjunctive or antes (de) que before
the indicative, depending on the
con tal (de) que provided that
context in which they are used
• Conjunctions that require en caso (de) que in case
subjunctive: Certain conjunctions
are always followed by the para que so that
subjunctive because they
sin que without, unless
introduce actions or states that
are uncertain or have not yet
happened. These conjunctions
commonly express purpose,
condition, or intent.