learning spanish - 2b

8/9/2019 Learning Spanish - 2b

1/24

Unit 2: Using Spanish in Your Community 131

Gender of Nouns

In Spanish all nouns havegender. Gender means sex, male or female. Allnouns in Spanish are referred to as being masculine orfeminine, even wordsthat do not refer to people. That does not mean that a pencil is a man or achair is a woman. What determines gender is spelling, although there area few exceptions. When you studied the words on the previous pages, you

may have noticed that most nouns end in-a , -o, -l, -n, or a few combinations of letterssuch as -in. Gender is determined by how anoun ends in Spanish. It is important to knowthe gender of nouns because other words in thesentence will depend on that gender for their

spelling, as you will see later.While there are some exceptions, there is a way to know gender withaccuracy. For the most part, nouns that end in these letters are usuallymasculine:

masculine

L O N E R S MA

Examples of masculine:

papel, cuaderno, tiburn (shark), pupitre, profesor, sacapuntas,and poema (poem)

Nouns that end in the following letters are usuallyfeminine:

feminine

D IN Z A

Examples of feminine:

ciudad (city), nacin (nation), luz (light), and puerta

There are some exceptions to this rule. There are only a few, so it is easy tolearn them. Remember, they take the opposite gender of what you maythink.

mapa is masculine foto is femininelpiz is masculine moto is feminine

masculine feminineor


2/24

132 Unit 2: Using Spanish in Your Community

El, la, los, y las (The)Definite Articles

There are four words for the word the in Spanish. These words are calleddefinite articles. For example, if I said, I read the book, the is a definitearticle because the refers to a particular book. The definite article you usein Spanish depends on two things:

1. whether the noun is masculine or feminine

2. whether the noun is singular or plural.

Here are some masculine nouns that are singular:

el cuadernoel libroel alumnoel lpizel sacapuntasel profesorel estante

As you can see, the Spanish word el means the and is used only in front ofa noun that is masculine and singular. When these masculine words becomeplural, you must make the word the plural as well. The way to do that is to

change the word el to the word los.Here are the same nouns in theplural:

los cuadernoslos libroslos alumnoslos lpiceslos sacapuntaslos profesoreslos estantes


3/24


Now lets take a look at thefeminine nouns. The Spanish word la is used infront of a feminine noun that is singular to mean the. Look at thesefeminine nouns:

la profesorala sillala puertala pginala reglala ventanala estudiante

When these nouns are plural, the word la is changed to las and becomesplural also.

Compare thesefeminine nouns that areplural with the ones above that aresingular:

las profesoraslas sillaslas puertaslas pginaslas reglaslas ventanaslas estudiantes


4/24


Prctica (Practice)

Below are some ways the definite articletheel, los, la, and lasis usedwith masculine and feminine singular and plural nouns.

escuchen (listen)

repitan (repeat)

el with masculine nouns that are singular:

el cuadernoel libroel alumnoel lpizel sacapuntasel profesorel estante

los with masculine nouns that areplural:

los cuadernoslos libroslos alumnoslos lpiceslos sacapuntaslos profesoreslos estantes

la withfeminine nouns that are singular:

la profesorala silla

la puertala pginala reglala ventanala estudiante


5/24


las withfeminine nouns that areplural:

las profesoraslas sillaslas puertaslas pginaslas reglaslas ventanaslas estudiantes

Now,listenandrepeatagain.


6/24


Prctica (Practice)

Determine if each Spanish noun is masculine or feminine and singular orplural. Use the list below to write the correct definite article in front of eachnoun. Terms will be used more than once.

el losla las

1. colegio

2. mochilas

3. pupitres

4. mapa

5. puertas

6. alumnos

7. calculadoras

8. lpices

9. banderas

10. pgina

11. escritorios

12. radios

13. ventanas

14. diccionario

15. profesora


7/24


Prctica (Practice)

Listen as the teacher reads the words below. For each word read,place acheck mark on the chart below under the correct Spanish wordfortheel,la, los, or lasthat you should use with the word.

1. bolgrafos

2. profesora

3. diccionario

4. banderas

5. mapa

6. escritorios

7. pgina

8. sacapuntas

Example: Listening to the teacher say, puerta, you would place a check markunder the column labeled la by the number of the word read, or, in this case, bythe word example. See the check mark below.

escuchen (listen):

el la los las

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

Example:


8/24


Un, una, unos, y unas (A, An, and Some)Indefinite Articles

As you know from the last section, el, la, los, and las mean the. We are nowgoing to look at the words that mean a, an, or some. These words are calledindefinite articles. For example, if I said, I read a book, a is an indefinitearticle because a does not refer to a particular book. Once again, theindefinite article you use in Spanish depends upon genderwhether thenoun is masculine or feminine and whether the noun is singular or plural.

Look at these examples:

un lpiz Tengo un lpiz. I have a pencil.

una calculadora Tengo una calculadora. I have a calculator.

As you can see, un is used for a or an in front of a masculine noun that issingular.

un cuaderno a notebook

un libro a book

un profesor a teacher (male)

Una is used in front of a feminine noun that is singular. Review your rulesconcerning gender if you do not understand the following examples:

una silla a chair

una ventana a windowuna profesora a teacher (female)

In front of a plural noun, the words unos and unas are used to mean some.

unos cuadernos some notebooks

unos libros some books

unos profesores some teachers (males)

Unos is used before masculine plural nouns, and unas is used before anoun that is feminine plural. Look at the following examples:

unas sillas some chairs

unas ventanas some windows

unas profesoras some teachers (females)


9/24


Prctica (Practice)

Below are some ways the indefinite articles a, an, and someun, unos, una,and unasare used with masculine and feminine singular and pluralnouns.

escuchen (listen)

repitan (repeat)

un with masculine nouns that are singular:

un cuaderno........................ a notebookun libro ................................ a bookun profesor ......................... a teacher (male)

unos with masculine nouns that areplural:

unos cuadernos .................. some notebooksunos libros .......................... some booksunos profesores .................. some teachers (males)

una withfeminine nouns that are singular:

una silla ............................... a chairuna ventana ........................ a windowuna profesora ..................... a teacher (female)

unas withfeminine nouns that areplural:

unas sillas............................ some chairsunas ventanas..................... some windowsunas profesoras .................. some teachers (females)

Nowlistenandrepeatagain.


10/24


Hay (There Is orThere Are)

The wordhay

in Spanish meansthere is

orthere are

. In a question, the wordhay means is there or are there?

Cuntos libros hay? How many books are there?

Hay un libro en la mesa. There is one book on the table.

Hay dos libros en la mesa. There are two books on the table.

Cuntas profesoras hay? How many teachers (female) are

there?

Hay tres profesoras en la clase. There are three teachers (females) in

the class.


11/24


Prctica (Practice)

Determine if each Spanish noun is masculine or feminine and singular orplural. Use the list below to write the correct indefinite article in front of eachnoun. Terms will be used more than once.

ununa

unosunas

1. mochila

2. profesor

3. papeles

4. libros

5. lpiz

6. mapa

7. diccionario

8. profesora

9. pginas

10. puerta

11. bandera

12. calculadoras

13. computadora

14. cuaderno

15. diccionarios


12/24


Prctica (Practice)

Use the lists below to say the following classroom itemsin Spanish to yourpartner. Articles will be used more than once.

ella

unosunas

1. a dictionary

2. the paper

3. some student desks

4. the female student

5. some pages

6. a book bag

7. the bookcase

8. some rulers

9. a pencil

10. the window

ununa

diccionarioestanteestudiantelpizmochila

pginaspapelpupitresreglasventana

articles classroom items


13/24


Subject Pronouns

Subject pronouns are the words we use to talk about or address peoplewhen we do not use their names. You do not refer to yourself by your firstname when you talk about the things you do. Instead, you call yourselfI.These are subject pronouns. In Spanish, the pronouns used are thefollowing:

yoI

tyou

(informal)

ustedyou

(formal)

someone you wouldnot call by his orherfirst name oris not a

family member

lhe

ellashe

nosotroswe

(all males or amixed group)

ellasthey

(all females)

ustedesyou

(plural)

ellosthey

(all males or amixed group)

nosotraswe

(all females)


14/24


Did you notice that t, usted, and ustedes all meanyou?

T is used to meanyou when you are speaking to a relative, a

friend, or a child. These are people with whom you are familiar andwould call by their first names.

Usted is used when you are speaking to an adult or a stranger. Thisis someone with whom you may not be familiar or someone youwould not call by his or her first name.

Ustedes is used when you are speaking to two or more people,whether they or you are familiar with each other or not.

Bien, gracias. Adis.Hola. Qu tal?Cmo ests?

Why is Mr. Ramos unhappywith the way Miguel isgreeting him?

Miguel should have used themore formal ustedform ofyouto address a teacher.


15/24


Prctica (Practice)

Below aresubject pronouns. Listenandrepeatas the teacher models thefollowing subject pronounsin Spanish.

escuchen (listen)

repitan (repeat)

Now, listen and repeat the subject pronouns again.

yo ..... I

usted .... you(formal)

ustedes ..... you (plural)

l .... he ellos ...... they(all males or amixed group)

ella .... she ellas ..... they(all females)

t ............... you (informal)

nosotros .... we(all males or a mixed

group)

nosotras ..... we(all females)


16/24


17/24


Prctica (Practice)

Use the list below ofsubject pronouns to answer the following on the lineprovided. Terms will be used more than once.

lella

ellosellas

___________________________ 1. Which pronoun would you use if youwere talking about Juan without usinghis name?

___________________________ 2. Which pronoun would replace Marasname?

___________________________ 3. Which pronoun would replace Carlosand Juan?

___________________________ 4. Which pronoun would replace Maraand Juan?

___________________________ 5. l and ella can also mean it.Remembering gender, which pronounwould replace el librol or ella?

___________________________ 6. Which pronoun would replace lareglal, or ella?

___________________________ 7. Ellos and ellas mean they. Whichpronoun would replace los librosellosor ellas?

___________________________ 8. Which pronoun would replace lasbanderasellos or ellas?


18/24


The Verb estar(To Be)

Use the letters of the word HELP to remember when to use the verb estar.Estar, meaning to be, is used for the following:

HHealthto tell how you or someone is feelinghealthwise at this time

EEmotions and feelingsto tell about your emotionsand feelings at this time

LLocationto tell where something is at this time

PPresent and temporary conditionsto describe

something that can change.Example: The water is cold.

When you change the spelling to mean is, am, or are, you are conjugatingthe verb. Conjugating the verb means you are giving it a tense andmatching it to the subject. The forms ofestar are as follows:

yo estoy I am

t ests you are (informal)

usted est you are (formal)

l est he is

ella est she is

nosotros estamos we are (all males or a mixed group)

nosotras estamos we are (all females)

ustedes estn you are (plural)

ellos estn they are (all males or a mixed group)

ellas estn they are (all females)

Forms ofestarTo Be

Modelos (Models):

Ella est en la clase. She is in the classroom.

Yo estoybien. I am fine.

Nosotros estamos contentos. We are happy.


19/24


Prctica (Practice)

Below are the conjugatedforms of the verbestarto be. Listen and repeatas the teacher models the following verb forms in Spanish.

escuchen (listen)

repitan (repeat)

yo estoy ..................................... I am

t ests .......................................you are (informal)usted est ..................................you are (formal)

l est ......................................... he is

ella est ...................................... she is

nosotros estamos ..................... we are (all males or a mixed group)

nosotras estamos ...................... we are (all females)

ustedes estn ............................you are (plural)

ellos estn ................................. they are (all males or a mixed group)

ellas estn .................................. they are (all females)

Now, listen and repeat the verb forms again.


20/24


Prctica (Practice)

Use the list below to complete the following sentences with the correct form of theverb estar to tell that everyone is feeling fine. Some terms will be usedmore than once.

estoyestsestamos

estestn

Modelo (Model):

Ellas bien. They are fine. (all females)

1. Ella bien.

2. Ustedes bien.

3. Yo bien.

4. Ellos bien.

5. T bien.

6. l bien.

7. Usted bien.

8. Mara bien.

9. Pablo y Alberto bien.

10. Nosotros bien.

estn


21/24


Prctica (Practice)

Match each subject with the correct form ofestar. Write the letter on the lineprovided. Some terms are used more than once.

______ 1. ella

______ 2. usted

______ 3. yo

______ 4. nosotros

______ 5. ustedes

______ 6. t

______ 7. l

______ 8. ellos

______ 9. nosotras

A. estamos

B. estoy

C. est

D. estn

E. ests


22/24


Prctica (Practice)

Use the lists below to write the following in Spanish. Some terms will be usedmore than once.

subject pronouns

lellaellosnosotrosyo

forms of estar

estoyestestamosestn

biencontentosen la claseen la escuelaen el pupitre

1. She is fine.

___________________________________________________________

2. We are in the classroom.

___________________________________________________________

3. They (males or a mixed group) are happy.

___________________________________________________________4. He is at the (student) desk.

___________________________________________________________

5. I am in the school.

___________________________________________________________


23/24


Prctica (Practice)

Match each Spanish word with the correct English word.

______ 1. la mochila

______ 2. el estante

______ 3. la bandera

______ 4. la silla

______ 5. el mapa

______ 6. el profesor, el maestro______ 7. el estudiante, el alumno

______ 8. la pgina

______ 9. la profesora, la maestra

______ 10. la escuela, el colegio

______ 11. el bolgrafo

______ 12. la estudiante, la alumna

A. book bag

B. bookcase

C. chair

D. flag

E. map

F. pageG. pen

H. school

I. student (male)

J. student (female)

K. teacher (male)

L. teacher (female)

Write un, una, unos,or unas in front of the following nouns. Some terms willbe used more than once.

13. mochila

14. papeles

15. mapa

16. cuaderno

17. calculadoras


24/24

learning spanish - 2b

Documents