2. Table of Contents
1. Imperfect vs Preterite
2. Future vs Conditional
3. Por
4. Para
5. Commands
6. Present Perfect
7. Double Object Pronouns
8. Adverbs
9. Subjunctive
10. Se Impersonal
11. Progressive w/ir, andar, y seguir
3. Imperfect vs Preterite
Imperfect tense is used to represent things that The preterite tense allows you to refer to specific
happened in the past that occurred repeatedly or past actions performed (1) at a fixed point in time,
occurred over a period of time. It’s like a movie in (2) a specific number of times, (3) during an
the past. enclosed amount of time.
Form AR ER/IR Form -AR -ER, -IR
Yo -é -í
Yo -aba -ía
Tú -aste -iste
Tu -abas -ías
Ella/Él/Ud. -ó -ió
El/Ella/Usted -aba -ía
Nosotros -amos -imos
Nosotras/Nosotros -ábamos -íamos
Vosotros -asteis -isteis
Vosotros/Vosotras -abais -íais
Ellos/Ellas/ -aron -ieron
Ellos/Ellas/Ustedes -aban -ían Uds.
Trigger Word Translation
Ayer Yesterday
Anteayer The day before yesterday
IR SER Anoche Last night
VER
iba era éramos La Semana Pasada Last week
veía veíamos
ibas eras erais El Mes Pasado Last month
veías veíais
iba El Año Pasado Last year
veía veían era eran
íbamos El Fin De Semana Pasado Last weekend
ibais
iban
4. The future tense is used
The conditional is used
to tell what "will" happen,
or what "shall" happen.
However, the future tense
Future vs Conditional to express probability,
possibility, and is
translated as would,
is NOT used to express a
could, must have or
willingness to do
probably.
something.
ía Hablar
Form Ending
ías Hablaría
Yo -é ía Hablarías
Ex: Using the verb íamos Hablaría
Tú -ás hablar, to speak. íais Hablaríamos
Yo Hablé ían Hablaríais
Ella/Él/Ud. -á Tu Hablás
Ella Hablá Hablarían
Nosotros -emos Nosotros
Hablemos
Ellos/Ellas/Uds. -án Ellos Hablán
salir decir hacer
Verb Stem Verb Stem yo saldría yo diría yo haría
Change Change
Decir Dir- Venir Vendr- poner saber tener
Hacer Har- Poder Podr- yo pondría yo sabría yo tendría
Poner Pondr- Querer Querr-
Salir Saldr- Saber Sabr- venir poder querer
Tener Tendr- Valer Valdr- yo vendría yo podría yo querría
5. Por
Object of search
Duration of an action For, in search of
For, during, in
Means by which something is
done
Por ejemplo By, by way of, by means of Por eso
Por aquí Por fin Exchange or
substitution
For, in exchange for
Reason or motive for an action Units of measure
Because of, on account of, on behalf of
Per, by
6. Para
Destination
Describes the purpose + noun
Toward, in the direction of
For, used for
Purpose or goal + infinitive
In order to Deadline or a specific time in the future
By, for
Comparison with others or an opinion
For, considering
Recipient of something
For
In the employ of
For
7. Commands are used when telling someone what
to do. Informal commands are used when talking
to a friend or a child. Formal commands are used
when you want to be polite or show respect.
If the ‘yo’ form is irregular in
present tense, it carries
over to the command form
as well.
Tener – Tengan
Traer – Traiga
Venir -- Venga
•Start with the ‘yo’ form of
present indicative
•Drop the ‘-o’ ending
•Add on the following endings:
-AR verbs: -e (Ud.) –en (Uds.)
-ER and IR verbs: -a (Ud.) –an
(Uds.)
8. Present Perfect
The present perfect is created by taking the verbs ‘has’ or ‘have’ and combining them with the past
participle. Two verbs are required: the main verb and the ‘have’ or ‘has’.
The past participial is created by dropping the infinitive
ending and adding –ado or –ido.
--(yo) He comido.
I have eaten.
--(tú) Has comido. He
You have eaten.
--(él) Ha comido.
Has
He has eaten. Ha
--(nosotros) Hemos comido.
We have eaten. Hemos
--(vosotros) Habéis comido. Habéis
You-all have eaten.
--(ellos) Han comido. Han
They have eaten.
9. Double Object Pronouns
DO Pronouns English
me me
te you (familiar)
lo, la him, her, it, you (formal)
nos us
os you-all (familiar)
le lo = se lo
le la = se la los, las them, you-all (formal)
le los = se los
le las = se las
les lo = se lo
les la = se la
les los = se los
les las = se las
10. Most Spanish adverbs are formed
Adverbs by adding -mente to the feminine
singular form of the adjective. This
ending corresponds to -ly in
English.
Adjective Fem. Form Adverb
claro clara claramente
constante constante constantemente
difícil difícil difícilmente
Muy very
Nunca never
Peor worse
Poco little
Bastante quite
Demasiado too
Mal badly
Mucho a lot
Siempre always
11. Subjunctive
Conjugate & put in yo form with opposite vowel
• Attitudes
• Uncertain
• Hypothetical
Irregulars: Wish & Want
Conducir—condusca Emotion
Decir—diga Doubt (No creer, No pensar) Es importante que…
Oír—oíga Denial Es necessario que…
Dar—dé Impersonal Expression Es posible que…
Estar—esté Negation, non-existing Es probable que..
Ir—vaya God (ojala)/Guess Ojala que…
Saber—sepa
Ser—sea
Hacer—haya
12. Se Impersonal
• Use se to avoid specifying a person who is doing the
action of the verb.
– Se vende fruta en la frutería.
• When using se, the verb is always in 3rd person.
– Aqui, se habla español.
• Se can be used in all tenses.
– Se hizo mucho.
EXAMPLE:
– Se hara mucho. Se necesita que la gente proteja la Tierra.
(It's necessary that people protect the Earth.)
– Se había mucho.
Se habla español aquí.
(Spanish is spoken here.)
