ModernSPANISHGrammarA practical guide

Juan Kattan-Ibarraand Christopher J. Pountain

London and New York

Contents

IntroductionGlossary

[^^3 Structures

1 Pronunciation and spelling1.1 The Spanish alphabet1.2 Diphthongs1.3 Syllabification1.4 Sinalefa1.5 The written stress accent1.6 Punctuation1.7 Capital letters

2 Gender and gender agreements2.1 Masculine and feminine2.2 Plural2.3 General rules for gender2.4 Words which are both masculine and feminine2.5 Nouns which vary in gender2.6 Agreement classes of adjectives2.7 The neuter2.8 Lo

3 Plurals and number agreement3.1 Plural forms3.2 Number agreement

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4 The articles4.1 Definite article 204.2 Principal differences between the use of the definite article

in Spanish and English 214.3 Definite article + que and de 224.4 The indefinite article 234.5 Principal differences between the use of the indefinite

article in Spanish and English 24

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4.6 Use of the plural unos, unas 25

5 Adjectives5.1 Shortening of adjectives 265.2 Adjective position 275.3 Adjectives used as nouns 295.4 Adjectives used as adverbs 29

6 Comparative forms of adjectives and adverbs6.1 Lack of distinction between 'more...' and 'most...' 306.2 Syntax of comparative constructions 31

7 Numbers7.1 Cardinal numbers 327.2 Ordinal numbers 337.3 Expressions involving numbers 34

8 Personal pronouns8.1 Subject pronouns 368.2 Object pronouns 388.3 Reduplicated pronoun structures 41

9 Demonstratives9.1 Forms 1 439.2 Order 439.3 Usage 44

10Possessives10.1 Forms 4510.2 Use 46

11 Relative pronouns11.1 Que 4811.2 Elque/elcuaLetc. j . 4811.3 Quien(es) 4911.4 Cuyo (adj.) 50

12 Interrogative and exclamatory forms12.1 iC6mo?/iC6mo! 5112.2 *Cual? and $Qu6?/jQu6! 5212.3 iCuando? 5312.4 £Cuanto?/iCuanto! 5312.5 jD6nde?/jAd6nde? 54

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12.6 jPara que?/ jPor que?12.7 £Qu£tal?12.8 jQuie"n(es)?12.9 jVerdad?,^no?

13 Indefinite and negative pronouns and adjectives13.1 Alguno and ninguno13.2 Alguien and nadie13.3 Uno13.4 Algo and nada13.5 Cualquiera13.6 Quienquiera13.7 Todo

14Adverbs14.1 Formation of adverbs in-mente14.2 Other adverbs

15 Negation15.1 No15.2 Negative element following the verb15.3 Expressions requiring a negative15.4 No . . . s ino . . .15.5 Negation of adjectives15.6 Negative questions

16 Verb forms16.1 The overall pattern

17 Use of the verb forms17.1 Present17.2 Perfect17.3 Imperfect17A Preterite17.5 Future17.6 Future perfect17.7 Conditional17.8 Conditional perfect17.9 Pluperfect17.10 Past anterior17.11 Infinitive17.12 Gerund17.13 Imperative

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18 Use of the subjunctive18.1 The subjunctive in complements of verbs and verbal

expressions 9118.2 The subjunctive after conjunctions 9418.3 The subjunctive in main clauses 100

19 Sequence of tense19.1 In reported (indirect) speech19.2 Constructions involving the subjunctive

20 Other forms of the verb and their uses20.1 Estar +gerund20.2 Ir a + infinitive20.3 Iievar + gerund20.4 Acabar de + infinitive20.5 Ir +gerund20.6 Venir + gerund20.7 Tener + past participle

21 Modal auxiliary verbs and expressions21.1 Poder21.2 Deber (de)21.3 Saber21.4 Querer21.5 Tener que21.6 Haberde21.7 Haberque

22Serandestar22.1 Ser22.2 Estar

23 The reflexive23.1 Literal reflexive23.2 Inherently reflexive verbs23.3 The reflexive corresponding to an English intransitive23.4 Reflexive verbs with prepositional objects23.5 The intensifying reflexive23.6 The impersonal reflexive23.7 The passive reflexive

24 The passive24.1 Ser + past participle

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24.2 Estar + past participle24.3 The passive reflexive24.4 Use of indefinite subjects24.5 Bringing the object to the front of the sentence

25 Prepositions25.1 Basic use of prepositions25.2 Groups of prepositions

26 Complementation26.1 Sentence complementation26.2 Infinitive complementation26.3 Gerund complementation

27 Conjunctions ,27.1 Coordinating conjunctions27.2 Subordinating conjunctions

28 Word order28.1 Statements28.2 Questions

| Functions

/ Social contacts and communication strategies

PartB

29 Making social contacts29.1 Greeting someone29.2 Conveying greetings29.3 Asking people how they are29.4 Introducing someone29.5 Taking leave29.6 Drinking a toast and wishing somebody bon appetit29.7 Congratulating somebody29.8 Using the phone29.9 Common phrases used in letter writing

30 Basic strategies for communication30.1 Attracting someone's attention and responding to a call

for attention ' 18230.2 Starting up a conversation 18330.3 Asking people to repeat something you have not heard

properly, and responding 184

Contents

30.4 Apologizing for your Spanish and asking people toexplain something or speak more slowly 186

30.5 Checking whether people have understood 18730.6 Signalling that one is following the speaker 18830.7 Asking people how to pronounce or spell a word 18830.8 Interrupting a speaker 18930.9 Using fillers 18930.10 Formal development of a topic 191

II Giving and seeking factual information

31 Asking questions and responding31.1 Asking questions requiring a yes or no answer 19631.2 Asking questions seeking partial information 19831.3 Asking polite and indirect questions 19831.4 Asking negative questionsv 19931.5 Responding to a question with another question 20031.6 Responding to a yes or no question 200

32 Negating32.1 No + verb/auxiliary 20332.2 Limiting the scope of negation 20432.3 Negating adjectives and nouns 20432.4 Other ways of expressing negation 205

33 Reporting33.1 Direct and indirect speech 20933.2 Indirect speech 20933.3 Reporting statements 21133.4 Reporting questions 21433.5 Reporting yes and no answers 21533.6 Reporting commands and requests 215

34 Asking and giving personal information34.1 Stating one's name and asking someone's name 21834.2 Stating nationality 21934.3 Stating origin " 22034.4 Referring to marital status 22034.5 Asking someone's age and stating one's own age 22034.6 Asking people when and where they were born and giving

similar information about oneself 22134.7 Stating occupation 221

Contents

34.8 Defining professional status or rank, religion and politicalaffiliation

35 Identifying people, places and things35.1 Identifying oneself and others35.2 Identifying places35.3 Identifying things

36 Describing people, places and things36.1 Describing people, places and things in terms of

attributes considered as inherent or as a physical ormoral property of the subject

36.2 Asking questions regarding attributes of a person, aplace or a thing

36.3 Describing people, places and things as seen at aparticular moment in time

36.4 Describing people, places and things in terms ofattributes which denote a comparative notion

36.5 Describing people in terms of their physical or mentalstate or condition

36.6 Asking questions in relation to someone's physical ormental state or condition

36.7 Describing things in terms of the material they aremade of

36.8 Asking what something is made of36.9 Describing events36.10 Describing facts or information36.11 Describing social manners36.12 Describing the weather

37 Making comparisons37.1 Expressing comparisons of inequality37.2 Expressing comparisons of equality37.3 Comparing more than two objects

38 Expressing existence and availability38.1 Asking and answering questions regarding existence38.2 Talking about the existence of facilities38.3 Expressing availability

39 Expressing location and distance39.1 Expressing location with regard to places, people and

things

Contents

39.2 Asking where places, people or things are 24639.3 Talking about the location of events 24739.4 Indicating precise location 24839.5 Indicating distance 251

40.1 Expressing ownership and possession 25240.2 Emphasizing possessive relations 25440.3 Expressing possessive relations involving parts of the

body and personal effects 25540.4 Asking and answering questions regarding whose

property something is 25540.5 Asking and answering questions regarding what people

have or do not have 256

41 Expressing changes41.1 Talking about temporary changes 25841.2 Talking about long-lasting changes which are regarded as

changing the nature of someone or something 25941.3 Talking about long-lasting changes not involving a change

in the nature of the subject 26041.4 Talking about voluntary changes 26041.5 Talking about changes which are the result of a natural

process 26141.6 Talking about the result of a process of change 26141.7 Talking about a change in the subject's state or condition

as the direct result of an action or event 26141.8 Other ways of expressing change 262

42 Describing processes and results42.1 Describing processes 26342.2 Describing results 267

43 Expressing cause, effect and purpose43.1 Enquiring about cause 26943.2 Giving reasons and expressing relationships of cause and

effect 27043.3 Other ways of expressing relationships of cause and effect 27243.4 Enquiring about purpose 27443.5 Expressing purpose 274

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III Putting events into a wider context

44 Expressing knowledge44.1 Expressing knowledge with regard to a fact 28044.2 Saying that one knows a person, a place or an object 28044.3 Expressing knowledge with regard to a subject 28144.4 Expressing knowledge of a skill 28144.5 Getting to know, becoming acquainted with or meeting

someone 28144.6 Learning or finding out about something 282

45 Saying whether one remembers or has forgottensomething or someone45.1 Saying whether one remembers something or someone 28345.2 Asking people whether they remember something or

someone 28645.3 Saying that one has forgotten something or someone 28845.4 Enquiring whether someone has forgotten something or

someone 288

46 Expressing obligation and duty46.1 Expressing obligation and duty with regard to oneself and

others 29046.2 Enquiring whether one is obliged to do something 29246.3 Expressing obligation in an impersonal way 292

47 Expressing needs47.1 Expressing needs with regard to oneself and others 29347.2 Asking people about their needs 29547.3 Asking and answering questions about needs in an

impersonal way 29647.4 Expressing strong need 299

48 Expressing possibility and probability48.1 Saying whether something is considered possible or

impossible 30048.2 Enquiring whether something is considered possible or

impossible 307

49 Expressing certainty and uncertainty49.1 Saying how certain one is of something 31049.2 Enquiring about how certain or uncertain others are of

something 314

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50 Expressing supposition50.1 Common expressions of supposition 316

51 Expressing conditions51.1 Expressing open conditions 31851.2 Expressing unfulfilled conditions 32051.3 Other conditional expressions 321

52 Expressing contrast52.1 Common expressions of contrast 327

53 Expressing capability and incapability53.1 Enquiring and making statements about capability or

incapability 33153.2 Enquiring and making statements about learned abilities 333

54 Giving and seeking permission to do something54.1 Seeking permission 33454.2 Giving permission 33754.3 Stating that permission is withheld 338

55 Asking and giving opinions55.1 Asking someone's opinion 33955.2 Expressing opinions 34155.3 Enquiring about other people's opinions 34555.4 Reporting on other people's opinions 345

56 Expressing agreement and disagreement56.1 Expressing agreement 34756.2 Expressing disagreement 34856.3 Asking about agreement and disagreement 349

IVExpressing emotional attitudes

57 Expressing desires and preferences57.1 Expressing desires 35257.2 Enquiring about desires 35557.3 Expressing preferences and enquiring about preferences 35657.4 Expressing preferences involving others 357

58 Expressing likes and dislikes58.1 Saying that one likes or dislikes something or someone 35958.2 Enquiring about likes and dislikes 361

58.3 Other ways of e:

59 Expressing surpri59.1 Set expressions

60.1 Expressing satis60.2 Expressing diss£60.3 Enquiring abou

61 Expressing appiw61.1 Expressing appr61.2 Expressing disaj61.3 Enquiring aboul

62 Expressing hope62.1 Saying what one62.2 Expressing hope62.3 Expressing hope

to a statement

63 Expressing sympa63.1 Saying one is soi63.2 Saying one is gla

64 Apologizing and e;64.1 Apologizing64.2 Expressing forgi

01worry65.1 Set expressions65.2 Other ways of e>

gratitude66.1 Expressing grati66.2 Responding to a

V The language ofpersu

67 Giving advice and67.1 Giving advice ar

speaker

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58.3 Other ways of expressing likes and dislikes 362

59 Expressing surprise59.1 Set expressions 365

60.1 Expressing satisfaction 36860.2 Expressing dissatisfaction 36960.3 Enquiring about satisfaction or dissatisfaction 370

61 Expressing approval and disapproval61.1 Expressing approval 37161.2 Expressing disapproval 37261.3 Enquiring about approval or disapproval 372

62 Expressing hope62.1 Saying what one hopes or others hope to do 37462.2 Expressing hope with regard to other people 37462.3 Expressing hope in answer to a question or as a reaction

to a statement 376

63 Expressing sympathy63.1 Saying one is sorry about something 37763.2 Saying one is glad about something 380

64 Apologizing and expressing forgiveness64.1 Apologizing 38164.2 Expressing forgiveness 383

65 Expressing fear or worry and enquiring about fear orworry65.1 Set expressions 38465.2 Other ways of expressing fear 388

66 Expressing gratitude and responding to an expression ofgratitude66.1 Expressing gratitude 38966.2 Responding to an expression of gratitude 391

V The language of persuasion

67 Giving advice and making suggestions67.1 Giving advice and making suggestions not involving the

speaker 394

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67.2 Suggesting a course of action involving the speaker 39667.3 Asking for advice and suggestions 397

68 Making requests68.1 Set expressions 399

69 Giving directions and instructions69.1 Giving directions 40369.2 Giving instructions 405

70 Making an offer or invitation and accepting or declining70.1 Making an offer or invitation 40770.2 Accepting an offer or invitation 41070.3 Declining an offer or invitation 41170.4 Enquiring whether an offer or invitation is accepted or

declined 411

VI Expressing temporal relations

71 Talking about the present71.1 Describing states which are true in the present 41471.2 Giving information about facts which are generally true or

true in the present 41471.3 Referring to events which are in the present but not in

progress 41571.4 Expressing timeless ideas or emotions 41571.5 Referring to events taking place in the present 41571.6 Expressing disapproval or surprise about an action in

progress 41771.7 Referring to present habitual actions 41771.8 Referring to a present, continuous action or state which

began at some moment in the past 419

72 Talking about the future72.1 Expressing plans and intentions > 42272.2 Expressing uncertainty with regard to future plans 42472.3 Referring to the immediate future 42572.4 Referring to future events 42672.5 Referring to fixed future events 42772.6 Expressing promises 42772.7 Reporting statements about the future 42872.8 Enquiring about future plans and events 428

Contents

73 Talking about the past73.1 Referring to past events which bear some relationship

with the present73.2 Referring to the recent past73.3 Referring to the immediate past73.4 Referring to events which have taken place over a period

of time, including the present73.5 Referring to a prolonged action which began in the past

and is still in progress73.6 Referring to events which are past and complete73.7 Saying how long ago something happened73.8 Referring to events which lasted over a definite period of

time and ended in the past73.9 Referring to an event which was completed before

another past event73.10 Referring to the beginning of a past action or state73.11 Referring to a past action as part of a sequence of events73.12 Referring to ongoing states or actions which took place

over an unspecified period of time73.13 Referring to past habitual actions73.14 Referring to actions which were taking place when

something else happened73.15 Describing past events which occurred before another

past event or situation

Appendix: Table of common irregular verbsBibliographyIndex