The document provides information on Spanish grammar concepts including: - The difference between qué and cuál - Uses of ser and estar - Verbs like gustar and their construction - Uses of the imperfect tense and triggers that indicate it - The construction of "acabar de" + infinitive and "hace" + time phrases - Reflexive verbs and commands - Irregular preterite verb forms It covers these topics concisely with definitions and examples.

1. Manuel Ormstrup

2.  Qué vs. Cuál
 Ser (DOCTOR PED)
 Estar (HELPING)
 Verbs like Gustar
 Transitions
 Imperfect
 Triggers
 Acabar de imperfect
 Hace + Time + Que + Progressive
 Reflexive
 Tú Commands (Affirmative, Negative)
 DOP + Placement
 Irregulars
 Preterite

3.  Qué is used when asking for definitions.
 ¿Qué es una ciudad? (What is a city?)
 Qué normally is most often used before nouns.
 Cuál usually is used before es and other forms
of ser when not seeking a definition.
 ¿Cuál es tu número de teléfono? (What is your
phone number?)

4.  DESCRIPTIONS Que es?
 ORIGIN De donde eres?
 CHARACTERISTICS Como es?
 TIME Que hora es?
 OCCUPATION Que hace?
 RELATIONSHIPS Quien es?
 POSSESSION De quien es?
 EVENTS Cuando/donde es?
 DATES Que dia es hoy?

5.  HEALTH Como estas?
 EMOTIONS Como estas?
 LOCATION Donde estas?
 PRESENT Como esta?
Que estas
 -ING
haciendo?

6.  Gustar – It pleases me
 Faltar – To lack
 Fascinar – To fascinate
 Encantar – To love
 Importar – To matter
 Interesar – To interest
 Molestar – To bother
 Doler – To feel pain
 When the object is singular, use the singular form of the verb. (e.g. A Juan, le falta
un pencho.)
 When the object is plural, use the plural form of the verb that ends in „n‟. (e.g. A
Juan, le falta los dedos.)
 If the subject is singular, use the correct singular possessive pronoun. (e.g. Me, Te,
Le)
 If the subject is plural, use the correct plural possessive pronoun (e.g. Nos, Os, Les)

7.  Examples:
now
 ahora
after
 despues
 asi-que
so-that
 ni-ni neither-nor
 tambien also
 primero first
 pero but
 por-eso by-that
 y and
 entonces then

8.  The imperfect tense is used to refer to actions in
the past that occurred repeatedly. The
imperfect tense is also used to refer to actions
in the past that occurred over an extended
period of time.
 [-ar] [-er] [-ir]
 -aba -abamos -ia -iamos -ia -iamos
 -abas -abais -ias -iais -ias -iais
 -aba -aban -ia -ian -ia -ian
[ir] [ser] [ver]
-iba -ibamos -era -eramos -veia -veiamos
-ibas -ibais -eras -erais -veias -veias
-iba -iban -era -eran -veia -veian

9.  Uses:
 1. ongoing action (was/were)
 2. repeated action (used to)
 3. no definite beginning or end
 4. time/date/age/feelings/descriptions
 5. interrupted activity (cuando)
Triggers:
todos los dias every day
a menudo often
a veces sometimes
siempre always
cada dia every day
los lunes Monday
generalmente generally
mientras as
de ven en cuando to see when
mucha veces many times
frecuentemente frequently

10.  acabar de + infinitive = to have just done
something (in the very recent past)
 Nosotros acabamos de leer el libro.
 (We just read the book.)

11.  The verb "hacer" can be used in a number of
ways to indicate the length of time an action
has been taking place.
Hace + time + que + conjugated verb.
[Time spent]
Hay + que + infinitive
[Needs to be done]
Se prohibe + infinite
[What is prohibited]
Ir + a + infinitive
[What someone is going to do]

12.  When the subject and object are the same, the
verb may be reflexive.
 A refelxive verb always ends in “se”.
 Reflexive pronouns need to be added when the
ending “se” is dropped in a sentene.
 Ex. (lavarse)
-Yo me lavo.
-Ella se lava.

13.  When telling someone to do something, not asking
them to do something, simply drop the „s‟.
-Ex.
Lava (Wash yourself)
Afeita (Shave yourself)
Comé (Eat)
 When telling someone NOT to do something, add a
„no‟ at the beginning. turn the verb into the „yo‟ form,
turn the ending vowel opposite, and add an „s‟
-Ex.
No comas. (Don‟t eat.)
No respires (Don‟t breathe.)

14.  When there is a word such as „lo‟ or „la‟, one
can add it to the end of a verb to compact the
sentence. Neither method is more
grammatically correct. If attached, an accent
must be placed over the third syllable.
-Ex.
¡Cómelo! (Eat it!)
¡Mírala! (Look at it!)

15. AFFIRMATIVE
VERB COMMAND
 Decir  Di
 Salir  Sal
 Hacer  Haz
 Ser  Sé
 Ir  Ve
 Tener  Ten
 Poner  Pon
 Venir  Ven
These affirmative commands replace the verbs when demanding an
action to or to not be done.
-Ex.
Haz tu tarea. (Do your homework).

16. -AR -ER/-IR
 É  Í
 Aste  Iste
 Ó  Ió
 Amos  Imos
 Aron  Ieron
The preterite is used for actions in the past that are seen as
completed, drop the –ar/-er/-ir and add the appropriate
conjugation.