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SPANISH GRAMMAR
NOUNS
THE GENDER OF NOUNS
In Spanish, all nouns are either masculine or feminine
MASCULINE
FEMININE
el chico
boy
la chica
girl
el jardín
garden
la universidad
university
el libro
book
la revista
magazine
el miedo
fear
la libertad
liberty
The idea that nouns have gender seems perfectly natural when the noun stands for a
living creature. This is because in English, living creatures often have different names,
depending upon whether they are male or female.
The following Spanish nouns all denote living creatures.
MACULINE
FEMININE
el gato
the male cat
la gata
the female cat
el perro
the male dog
la perra
the female dog
el chico
the boy
la chica
the girl
el abuelo
the grandfather
la abuela
the grandmother
Note:
1.Masculine nouns that end in a consonant often have a corresponding feminine form that ends in
-a
Example: el profesor-la profesora, el señor-la señora.
2.Some nouns that refer to people use the same form for both masculine and feminine. These
nouns indicate gender by the article (el or la).
Example: el estudiante-la estudiante, el pianista-la pianista
3. Nouns that end in -sión, -ción, -dad, -tad, -tud, -umbre are feminine.
Example: la televisión, la decisión, la conversación, la habitación
4. Some nouns that end in -a are masculine.
Example: el problema, el telegrama, el programa, el mapa
5. Four of the nouns that end in -a are simply exceptions and must be memorized.
Example: el día, el mapa, el planeta, el sofá
THE NUMBER OF NOUNS
If a noun ends in a vowel, make it plural by adding -s.
SINGULAR
PLURAL
Libro (book)
Libros (books)
Pluma (feather)
Plumas (feathers)
Chico (boy)
Chicos (boys)
Señora ( lady)
Señoras (ladies)
The definite articles (el, la) also change in the plural form. They become "los" and "las."
SINGULAR
PLURAL
El libro (book)
Los libros (books)
La pluma (feather)
Las plumas (feathers)
El chico (boy)
Los chicos (boys)
La señora ( lady)
Las señoras (ladies)
If a noun ends in a consonant, make it plural by adding -es.
SINGULAR
PLURAL
El borrador (the eraser)
Los borradores (the erasers)
La universidad (the university)
Las universidades (the universities)
El profesor (el profesor)
Los profesores (los profesores)
La ciudad (la ciudad)
Las ciudades (las ciudades)
Note:
1. If a noun ends in -ión, add -es and drop the written accent.
Examples:
El avión ( the plane)
Los aviones (the planes)
2. If a noun ends in -z, add -es and change the z to c.
Examples:
El lápiz (the pénsil)
Los lápices (the pencils)
3. When the plural refers to two or more nouns of different genders, the masculine plural is
used.
Examples:
2 perros +6 perras
8 perros (no 8 perrras)
4. A few nouns are "compound nouns," that is, they are formed by combining two words into
one. (Example: abre + latas = abrelatas / open + cans = can opener) These compound
nouns are always masculine, and the plural is formed by changing the "el" to "los."
Examples:
El abrelatas (the tin opener)
Los abrelatas (the tin openers)
Cardinal Numbers: 1-30
SINGULAR
1. uno
2. dos
3. tres
4. cuatro
5.cinco
6. seis
7. siete
8. ocho
9. nueve
10. diez
11.once
12. doce
13. trece
14. catorce
15. quince
16. dieciséis
17. diecisiete
18. dieciocho
19. diecinueve
20. veinte
21. veintiuno
22. veintidós
23. veintitrés
24. veinticuatro
25. veinticinco
26. veintiséis
27. veintisiete
28. veintiocho
29. veintinueve
30. treinta
VERBS
REGULAR VERBS
FORMATION OF SIMPLE VERB TENSES
All Spanish verbs are either "regular" or "irregular." In this lesson we will look at three
completely regular verbs: hablar (to speak), comer (to eat), vivir (to live).
Notice the last two letters of each verb. There are three categories of verbs:
-ar verbs (like hablar -to speak)
-er verbs (like comer- to eat)
-ir verbs (like vivir- to live)
1 CONJUGATION
STEM+ ENDINGS
INFINITIVE
Am- -ar (to love)
Cant- -ar (to sing)
Mud- -ar (to move)
2 CONJUGATION
STEM+ ENDINGS
INFINITIVE
Tem- -er (to fear)
Com- -er (to eat)
Deb- -er (to owe)
3 CONJUGATION
STEM+ ENDINGS
INFINITIVE
Viv- -ir (to live)
Sub- -ir (to go up )
Escrib- -ir (to write)
GERUND
1ST CONJUGATION
2ND CONJUGATION
3RD CONJUGATION
PAST PARTICIPLE
1ST CONJUGATION
2ND CONJUGATION
3RD CONJUGATION
STEM+ ENDINGS
Am- -ando (loving)
Tem- -iendo (fearing)
Viv- iendo (living)
STEM+ ENDINGS
Am- -ado (loved)
Tem- -ido (feared)
Viv- ido (lived)
Note:
1. To coniugate the simple present of -ar verbs, drop the ending and add:
-o
-as
-a
-amos
-áis
-an
2.
To coniugate the simple present of -er verbs, drop the ending and add:
-o
-es
-e
-emos
-éis
-en
3.
To coniugate the simple present of -ir verbs, drop the ending and add:
-o
-es
-e
-imos
-ís
-en
Examples: Yo vivo en Madrid pero ella no vive en Madrid. (I live in Madrid but she
doesn’t live in Madrid.) / Yo estudio medicina y ellos estudian derecho. (I study
medicine and they study law.) / Hablas español ? Do you speak Spanish? (informal)/
Habla Ud. español? Do you speak Spanish? (formal)
Note: The verb forms are the same for él, ella and Ud. as are the verb forms for ellos, ellas and
Uds, although In Spanish the subject pronouns are not always required. This is because the verb
endings can indicate who is performing the action.
TWO VERY IMPORTANT VERBS: “SER” AND “ESTAR”
Ser and estar can both be translated as "to be." Notice that these two sentences can
have different meanings in English.
La manzana está verde
La manzana es verde
The apple is not ripe
The colour of the apple is green
In the first case, our example speaks of the condition of the apple. The apple is green
because it has not yet ripened. When the condition of the apple changes, that is, when it
has ripened, it will no longer be green, it will be ripe.
In the second case, our example speaks of the essential characteristics of the apple. The apple is
green in color. This particular apple remains green even after it has ripened.
To address condition, use estar. Estar is an irregular verb. It does not follow the standard
rules of conjugation for regular -ar verbs. Therefore, you must memorize it.
ESTAR
estoy
estás
está
estamos
estáis
están
To address an essential quality, use ser. Ser is also irregular and must be memorized.
SER
soy
eres
es
somos
sois
son
IRREGULAR VERBS
Spanish verbs are irregular when they change the vowels or the consonant in the stem of
the verb. There are also particularly irregular verbs. Here are some verbs of each
category:
1. VOWEL CHANGE
Stem-changing verbs E-IE
First conjugation : CERRAR
PRESENTE INDICATIVO
IMPERATIVO
cierro
PRESENTE
SUBJUNTIVO
cierre
cierras
cierra
cierres
cierra
cierre
cierre
cerramos
cerremos
cerráis
cerrad
cerréis
cierran
cierren
cierren
cerremos
Other verbs which follow the same pattern are: Acertar (to guess), alentar (to
encourage), arrendar (to rent), atravesar (to cross), calentar (to heat), cegar (to blind),
comenzar (to start), concertar (to arrange), despertar (to wake up), enterrar (to bury),
regar (to water), temblar (to tremble)
Second conjugation : PERDER
PRESENTE INDICATIVO
IMPERATIVO
pierdo
PRESENTE
SUBJUNTIVO
pierda
pierdes
pierda
pierdas
pierde
pierde
pierda
perdemos
perdamos
perdéis
perded
perdáis
pierden
pierdan
pierdan
perdamos
Other verbs which follow the same pattern are: Ascender (to climb), defender (to
defend), encender (to light), entender (to understand), querer (to want) and all the verbs
ending in : -erder, -erner,- erter (verter-to pour)
Third conjugation : CONCERNIR
PRESENTE INDICATIVO
IMPERATIVO
PRESENTE
SUBJUNTIVO
concierno
concierna
conciernes
concierne
conciernas
concierne
concierna
concierna
concernimos
concernamos
concernís
concernid
concernáis
conciernen
conciernan
conciernan
concernamos
Other verbs which follow the same pattern are: discernir (to discern)
Stem-changing verbs E-I : competir( to compete), perseguir ( to chase), reís (to laugh),
sonreír (to smile)
Pedir(to request)
pido(I request)
Stem-changing verbs O-UE : apostar (to bet), colgar (to hang), encontrar (to find),
volver (to return), cocer (to cook) and all the verbs ending in: -olgar, -ontrar, -oler, olver,-order, -over
Acordar(to agree)
acuerdo(I agree)
Stem-changing verb U-UE : This irregularity only happens with First conjugation verb
JUGAR
PRESENTE INDICATIVO
IMPERATIVO
juego
PRESENTE
SUBJUNTIVO
juegue
juegas
juega
juegues
juega
juegue
jugamos
juguemos
jugáis
jugad
juguéis
juegan
jueguen
jueguen
juegue
juguemos
Other stem-changing verbs are : SENTIR ( siento, sientes, siente...), ADQUIRIR (
adquiero, adquieres, adquiere...), PODRIR ( pudro, pudres, pudre...)
2. CONSONANT CHANGE
Stem-changing verb C- G: Second Conjugation: HACER
PRESENTE INDICATIVO
PRESENTE SUBJUNTIVO
HAGO, HACES, HACE, HACEMOS, HACÉIS, HACEN.
HAGA, HAGAS, HAGA, HAGAMOS,
HAGÁIS, HAGAN.
Other stem-changing verbs are : HABER (haya, hayas, haya…) CONOCER ( conozco, conozca…)
PONER ( pongo, ponga…) TRADUCIR ( traduzco, traduzca…) SALIR ( salgo, salga…) TRAER ( traigo,
Traiga…)
3. PARTICULARLY IRREGULAR VERBS
.
VERB
“PRETERITO INDEFINIDO” (SIMPLE PAST)
andar (walk)
Anduve- anduviste- anduvo- anduvimos- anduvisteisanduvieron
Caber (fit)
cupe – cupiste- cupo- cupimos- cupisteis- cupieron
dar (give)
di – diste- dio- dimos- disteis- dieron
decir (say)
dije – dijiste- dijo- dijimos- dijisteis- dijeron
estar ( be)
estuve – estuviste- estuvo- estuvimos- estuvisteisestuvieron
haber (there was
/were only “hubo”)
hube- hubiste- hubo- hubimos- hubisteis- hubieron
Hacer (do)
hice- hiciste- hizo- hicimos- hicisteis- hicieron
Ir, ser (go)
fui- fuiste- fue- fuimos- fuisteis- fueron
Poder (be able)
pude- pudiste- pudo- pudimos- pudisteis- pudieron
Poner (put)
puse- pusiste- puso- pusimos- pusisteis- pusieron
querer (want)
quise- quiste- quiso- quisimos- quisisteis- quisieron
saber (know)
supe- supiste- supo- supimos- supisteis- supieron
Tener (have)
tuve- tuviste- tuvo- tuvimos- tuvisteis- tuvieron
Traer (bring)
traje – trajiste- trajo- trajimos- trajisteis- trajeron
Venire (come)
vine- viniste- vino- vinimos- vinisteis- vinieron
4. PERSONAL FORMS OF THE VERB
PRESENTE
Te llamo y no me contestas (I call you and you don’t answer me)
PRETÉRITO IMPERFECTO
Aquel día llovía mucho (it was raining very much that day)
PRETÉRITO PERFECTO
He sufrido mucho (I’ve suffered very much)
PRETÉRITO INDEFINIDO
La semana pasada fui al cine (That summer I went twice to the cinema)
PRETÉRITO
PLUSCUAMPERFECTO
Cuando llegué, ya había terminado. (when I arrived, the lecture had
already finished).
PRETÉRITO ANTERIOR
Apenas hubo cenado, se acostó. (As soon as he’d have eaten, he went to
sleep)
FUTURO IMPERFECTO
Pasado mañana iremos al cine. (Tomorrow we will go to the cinema)
FUTURO PERFECTO
Cuando llegues, ya habré acabado el trabajo. (when you’ll come back, I’ll
have finished )
CONDICIONAL SIMPLE
Iría si pudiera. (I’d go if I could)
CONDICIONAL
COMPUESTO
Nos dijo que habría podido hacerlo a tiempo. (He told us that he could
have done it on time.)
THE DEFINITE ARTICLE
EL, LA, LOS, LAS
In Spanish, the definite article has 4 forms, depending on whether the noun is masculine,
feminine, singular or plural.
THE FOUR FORMS OF THE DEFINITE ARTICLE
el gato
the male cat
los gatos
the male cats
la gata
the female cat
las gatas
the female cats
Note: The masculine plural definite and indefinite articles (los, unos) are also used to
indicate a group of mixed sex. Thus, "los gatos" could refer to a group of 10 male cats, or
it could refer to a group of 9 female cats and one male cat.
INDEFINITE ARTICLE
UN, UNA, UNOS, UNAS
The 4 forms of the indefinite article are: UN, UNA, UNOS, UNAS.
INDEFINITE ARTICLES
EXAMPLES
un
masculine singular
un gato
a male cat
una
feminine singular
una gata
a female cat
unos
masculine plural
unos gatos
some male cats
unas
feminine plural
unas gatas
some female cats
NOTE:
"Un" and "una" can mean "one," "a," or "an."
Examples:
Un libro ( one book, a book)
Una pluma ( a feather, one feather)
Una manzana (an apple, one apple)
ADJECTIVES
In Spanish, most adjectives change form, depending upon whether the word they modify is
masculine or feminine. Notice the difference between "the tall boy" and "the tall girl."
Example: El chico alto ( the tall boy)
La chica alta (the tall girl)
Adjectives also change form depending upon whether the word they modify is singular or plural.
Notice the difference between "the tall boy" and "the tall boys" ; "the tall girl" and "the tall girls."
Example: El chico alto ( the tall boy)
La chica alta ( the tall girl)
Los chicos altos (the tall girl)
Las chicas altas (the tall girls)
1. Many common adjectives end in -o. These adjectives have four forms. The following words all
mean "tall": alto, alta, altos, altas.
2. Adjectives that end in -e also change form for singular or plural. To form the plural, simply add
-s. These do not, however, change form for masculine or feminine.
La chica inteligente ( the intelligent girl)
Las chicas inteligentes (the intelligent girls)
El chico inteligente ( the intelligent boy)
Los chicos inteligentes (the intelligent boys)
3. Similarly, most adjectives that end in a consonant do change form for singular or plural, but
do not change for masculine or feminine. To form the plural, add -es.
La chica popular ( the popular girl)
Las chicas populares (the popular girls)
El chico popular ( the popular boy)
Los chicos populares (the popular boys)
KINDS OF ADVERBS
INTERROGATIVE AND EXCLAMATIVE ADVERBS
These are:
¿Porqué?, ¿dónde?,¿ cómo?,¿ cuándo?, ¿Qué?, ¿Quién?,¿ Cúantos?, ¿Cuáles?¿Cuánto?
They are usually placed at the beginning of a question and they always take the graphic
accent.
Note that exclamatives always take the graphic accent and admiration mark, as questions
take question marks, at the beginning and at the end of a sentence.
Examples:










¿Porqué has llegado tan tarde? (Why are you so late?)
¿Dónde está mi pasaporte? (Where is my passport?)
¿Cómo estás? (How are you?)
¿Cuánto cuesta ese abrigo?(How much is that coat?)
¿Cuándo llega el tren?( When does the train arrive?
¿Qué pasó? ( What happened?)
¿Quién lo ha comprador? (Who has bought it?)
¿Cuántos quieres? (How many would you like?)
¿Cuáles son los mejores libros? (Which are the best books?)
¡Qué pena! (What a pity!)
PERSONAL AND POSSESSIVE PRONOUNS
SUBJECT PRONOUNS
POSSESSIVE ADJECTIVES POSSESSIVE PRONOUNS
yo - I
Mi-Mis
Mío, mía, míos, mías
tú - you (familiar)
Tu-Tus
Tuyo, tuya, tuyos, tuyas
él – he/ ella - she /usted - Su-Sus
you (formal)
nosotros
we (masculine or mixed
gender)/ nosotras
we (feminine)/
Nuestro/s
Suyo, suya, suyos, suyas
Nuestro, nuestra, nuestros,
nuestras
Nuestra/s
Vuestro/s
vosotros
you-all (familiar, Spain,
masculine or mixed gender)/ Vuestra/s
vosotras
you-all (familiar, Spain,
feminine)
Vuetro, vuestra, vuestros,
vuestras
ellos
they (masculine or mixed
gender)/ ellas
they (feminine)/ ustedes
you-all (formal in Spain,
formal and familiar in Latin
America)
Suyo, suya, suyos, suyas
Su-Sus
Note: Possessive adjectives and possessive pronouns replace the article to express possession. MI, TU
and Su agree in number with the noun they precede. NUESTRO Y VUESTRO agree with the noun in
both number and gender.
Examples:
mi libro (my book –singular noun)
vuestra madre (your (plural pronoun) mother – feminine singular noun)
tus amigos (your (singular pronoun) friends – masculine plural noun)
tus amigas (your (singular pronoun) friends – feminine plural noun)