¿Como nos comunicamos? A Brief Lesson on Spanish Grammar

Some Spanish Grammar concepts I've been studying over the past two days...

 

Uses of Subjunctive

• Verbs of "mental activity" such as creer, pensar, considerar are followed by an indicative when used affirmatively.

Creer/ Pensar/ Considerar + que+ Indicative

Ejemplos (examples): Creo que debes comes mas chocolate.

                                      (I think you should eat more chocolate.)

                                      Pensamos que vuelas a Italia. 

                                      (We think you should fly to Italy.)            

• However when used in the negative form, subjunctive must be used in the following subordinate clause.

No + Creer/ Pensar/ Considerar + que+ Subjunctive

Ejemplos (examples):No creo que comas mas chocolate.

                                      (I don't think you should eat more chocolate.)

                                      No pensamos que vueles a Italia. 

                                      (We don't think you should fly to Italy.)

 

Reflexive Verbs

• In sentence containing reflexive verbs , the subject and object of the verb are the same person. In Spanish reflexive verbs are always accompanied by a reflexive pronoun.

Ejemplos: 

Divertirse (to amuse oneself)

Me     Diverto

Te      Divertes

Se      Diverte

Nos   Divertimos

Os     Divertís

Se      Diverten

*When you translate a reflexive to English, it often doesn't have a reflexive pronoun or the reflexive is "understood" i.e Lavarse- to wash (to wash oneself)

Ejemplos (examples) :

Ducharse (to shower)  Vesitirse (to dress)   Hacerse (to become)

Peinarse (to comb)      Ponerse (to put)        Darse (to give) 

 

Uses of sunbjunctive

Como si (as if) + subjuntive

• Subjunctive is always used after "Como si "  

Ana me miró como si estuviera loco. 

(Ana looked at me as if I was mad.)

 

How to express "for" with a period of time.

• For actions referring to an action which began in the past and is still/ was going on, maybe expressed in the following ways:

Lleva + Gerundio = 

Lleva esperando media hora 

(I've been waiting for an hour)

Desde Hace + Tiempo = 

Espero desde hace media hora 

(I have been waiting since two hours)

Desde* + Fecha = 

Espero desde 1998. 

(I have waited since 1998)

Hace + Tiempo + que = 

Hace media hora que espero. 

(Its been half and hour since I've been waiting)

[ * Desde = since ]

 

• "For" referring to the duration of a time period is conveyed through 
• "por" or "durante"

Por  

Voy a comer por 2 horas. 

(I am going to eat for two hours) 

Durante

Romeo buscó para Julieta durante el anos de guerra. 

(Romeo searched for Juliet during the years of the war.)

 

Lo + adjective 

• "Lo" is often followed by an adjective in the masculine singular form creating an abstract noun. 
• In English = "the (adjective) thing

Ejemplo: 

Lo bonito es que el novio esperó para su amor. 

(The beauty is that the boyfriend waited for his love.)

 

Uses of subjunctive

•  Subjunctive is used with the following expression to make value judgments and are usually impersonal.

A mí me parece bien/mal           Vale la pena              Es imprescindible

Es normal                                  Hace falta                 Es necesario  

Sería mejor                                Es importante           Más vale

• These expressions are usually followed by the infinitive.

Sería mejor reducir el uso de los moviles. 

(Its better to reduce the use of mobiles.)

• However when the subject changes:

Expression + que + subjunctive

Es importante que el cuerpo tenga suficiente agua en esto clima calor. 

(Its important that the body had enough water in this hot weather)

*dusts chalk of fingers*

Hope you had a good class! :)

 

♪Edward Maya ft Vika Jigulin Desert Rose

Sources:

Info: Edexcel Spanish for A Level (Chapter 7, 

pages -131,133,135,137,141 & 143)

 

Photos: WeHeartit