Reviewing past tenses in Spanish with songs

Posted on 16. May, 2013 by in Spanish Grammar, Videos

Hi all!

I know you have been working hard to learn Spanish verbs in past tense in some previous posts, so I think it´s a good idea to do an exercise to review them. I have chosen a song by Joaquin Sabina, and I have removed all verbs, giving you them in the infinitive form. Try filling in the gaps before listening to it, and feel free to make questions about their use if you have any.

JOAQUÍN SABINA : Y nos dieron las diez…

 

_______ (ser) en un pueblo con mar una noche después de un concierto;

tú ______ (reinar) detrás de la barra del único bar que ______ (ver/ nosotros) abierto

-”Cántame una canción al oído y te pongo un cubata”-

-”Con una condición: que me dejes abierto el balcón de tus ojos de gata”

Loco por conocer los secretos de su dormitorio

esa noche ______ (cantar) al piano del amanecer todo mi repertorio.

Los clientes del bar uno a uno se _____ (ir) marchando,

tú ________ (salir) a cerrar, yo me ______ (decir):

“Cuidado, chaval, te estás enamorando”.

Luego todo _______ (pasar)

de repente, tu dedo en mi espalda __________ (dibujar) un corazón

y mi mano le _________ (corresponder) debajo de su falda;

caminito al hostal nos _________ (besar) en cada farola,

_______ (ser) un pueblo con mar,

yo ______ (querer) dormir contigo y tú no ______ (querer) dormir sola…

 

Y nos ________ (dar) las diez y las once, las doce y la una y las dos y las tres

y desnudos al anochecer nos ________ (encontrar) la luna.

Nos ______ (decir) adiós, ojalá que volvamos a vernos…

El verano _______ (acabar) el otoño _______ (durar) lo que tarda en llegar el invierno,

y a tu pueblo el azar otra vez el verano siguiente me _______ (llevar), y al final

del concierto me ______ (poner) a buscar tu cara entre la gente,

y no ______ (hallar) quien de ti me dijera ni media palabra,

______ (parecer) como si me quisiera gastar el destino una broma macabra.

No ______ (haber) nadie detrás de la barra del otro verano.

Y en lugar de tu bar me _______ (encontrar) una sucursal del Banco Hispano Americano,

tu memoria _______ (vengar) a pedradas contra los cristales,

-”Sé que no lo _______ (soñar)”-

______ (protestar) mientras me ______ (esposar) los municipales.

En mi declaración _________ (alegar) que ______ (llevar) tres copas

y __________ (empezar) esta canción.

en el cuarto donde aquella vez te ______ (quitar) la ropa.

Y nos ________ (dar) las diez y las once, las doce y la una

y las dos y las tres y desnudos al anochecer nos ________ (encontrar) la luna.

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Syllable division in Spanish

Posted on 15. May, 2013 by in Spanish Grammar

http://ow.ly/kZMpS

In Spanish syllables are made up of one (or more consonants) and a vowel:

libro = li-bro
suelo = sue-lo
mucho = mu-cho

There are some small rules to divide syllables in Spanish:

01. The clusters RR and LL are not separated.

tierra = tie-rra
corrida = co-rri-da
calle = ca-lle
olla = o-lla

02. The h never goes at the end of a syllable.

deshacer = des-ha-cer
almohada = al-mo-ha-da
Alhambra = Al-ham-bra

03. Diphthongs and triphthongs are not separated.

historia = his-to-ria
intención = in-ten-cn
estudiáis = es-tu-diáis
Paraguay = Pa-ra-guay

04. Hiatuses are separated.

espontáneo = es-pon-tá-ne-o
alegría = a-le-grí-a
baúl = ba-úl

05. You can’t write a single vowel at the beginning or end of a line, even if it’s a hiatus. So words like avenida and alegría are never written:

a-
venida

alegrí-
a

It’s better to leave the complete word in a line.

06. Words having a prefix can be divided etymologically or according to general rules, so:

inútil = in-ú-til or i-nú-til
malestar = mal-es-tar or ma-les-tar

A little test for you!

Write out the following words separating their syllables. The answers are below (but don’t peek!).

1. bueno
2. montaña
3. abierto
4. río
5. línea
6. reino
7. alcohol
8. sabíais
9. inmediato
10. huellas
11. importancia
12. encerrado
13. ayuntamiento
14. zanahoria
15. ferrocarril
16. innecesario
17. zoológico
18. ultrarrápido
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

Answers!

1. bueno = bue-no
2. montaña = mon-ta-ña
3. abierto = a-bier-to
4. río = rí-o
5. línea = lí-ne-a
6. reino = rei-no
7. alcohol = al-co-hol
8. sabíais = sa-bí-ais
9. inmediato = in-me-dia-to
10. huellas = hue-llas
11. importancia = im-por-tan-cia
12. encerrado = en-ce-rra-do
13. ayuntamiento = a-yun-ta-mien-to
14. zanahoria = za-na-ho-ria
15. ferrocarril = fe-rro-ca-rril
16. innecesario – in-ne-ce-sa-rio
17. zoológico = zo-o-ló-gi-co
18. ultrarrápido = ul-tra-rrá-pi-do

Want more free resources to learn Spanish? Check out the other goodies we offer to help make your language learning efforts a daily habit.

Beginner Spanish Review Lesson 26 More about managing in Spanish at the doctor´s

Posted on 14. May, 2013 by in Holidays, Learning, Pronunciation, Spanish Culture, Spanish Grammar, Spanish Vocabulary, Travel, Videos

Hola a todos ¿Qué tal?

Following on from the last Spanish Practice Lesson, today we are going to practice some more very useful Spanish vocabulary related to illnesses, symptoms and medicine and how to manage in Spanish at the doctor’s.

Answers to all tasks involved in this lesson will be given at the end of the post and you can also follow a link with this post to watch the original theory video lesson on the same topic.

To go back and watch the original video lesson please follow this link:

More about managing in Spanish at the doctor´s

YouTube Preview Image

1. First, please translate the following words from Spanish to English:

Pediatra
Médico
Consulta
Enfermera
Centro de salud
Hospital

Do you know the difference between “medico” and “doctor”?

2. Let´s practice now some Spanish vocabulary related to illnesses, symptoms and medicine. How do you say these things in Spanish?

Symptoms
Throat infection
Sunstroke
Indigestion
Sprain
Prescription
Medicine
Aspirins
Cream

3. Now translate these words from Spanish to English:

Enfermedad
Virus
Intoxicación
Tortícolis
Rotura
Pastillas
Inyecciones
Antibióticos

4. Let´s see now if you understand these typical Spanish phrases describing how one feels:

Tengo fiebre
Estoy mareada
Me siento débil
Me siento mal
Tengo gripe
Tengo tos
Tengo dolor de cabeza
Tengo náuseas
Estoy cansada
Estoy enferma
Tengo resfriado
Me duelen los pies

5. Finally, please tell me how to say the following things in Spanish:

Where is doctor Martínez’s surgery?
Who is last in the queue?
What is wrong? (friendly)
What is wrong? (formal)
You have to take these tablets
You must take these tablets
It is nothing
It isn’t serious
Take it easy

This is all for today.

I recommend that you review also the previous video lesson. With both sets of information you should be able to manage very well at the doctor’s in a Spanish speaking country.

¡Hasta pronto!

I hope you are enjoying my weekly interactive Spanish lessons. Follow this link for many more great resources to help you learn and practice Spanish.

Answers:

1.
Paediatrician
Doctor
Doctor’s surgery
Nurse
Health Centre
Hospital

A doctor is “un médico”, but when you are talking directly to him you will use the word “Doctor/a”. For example: Buenos días doctor Martínez. Also you will use “doctor/a” when talking about a doctor with his/her name. For example: “La doctora Fernández es muy simpatica”.

2.
Síntomas
Infección de garganta
Insolación
Indigestión
Torcedura
Receta
Jarabe
Aspirinas
Pomada /crema

3.
Illness
Virus
Food poisoning
Stiff neck
Fracture
Tablets
Injections
Antibiotics

4.
I have fever/a temperature
I feel dizzy/sick
I feel weak
I feel unwell
I have the flu
I have a cough
I have a headache
I feel nauseous
I am tired
I am ill/sick
I have a cold
My feet hurt

5.
¿Dónde está la consulta del doctor Martínez?
¿Quién es el último?
¿Qué te pasa?
¿Qué le pasa?
Tiene que tomar estas pastillas
Debe tomar estas pastillas
No es nada
No es grave / No tiene importancia
Cuídese