While I drink my coffeeBefore you practise: rules and examples
These topics cover this set, including review questions. Open the guide and refer to it while answering.
Three ways to talk about the past
Perfect: he, has, ha, hemos, habéis, han + participle (-ado / -ido), linked to the present or an ongoing period. Preterite: a finished event (hablé, comí, viví; fui, tuve, hice). Imperfect: background, states or habits (hablaba, comía, vivía; era, iba, veía). Choose by meaning, not only a time marker; perfect usage varies by region.
Hoy he hablado con Eva. Ayer hablé con ella. Antes hablábamos cada día.I have spoken to Eva today. I spoke to her yesterday. We used to talk every day.
Tan or tanto
Use tan before an adjective or adverb. Before a noun use tanto / tanta / tantos / tantas, agreeing with it. With que this expresses a result: so… that…
Es tan fácil que todos pueden hacerlo. Hay tantas preguntas que necesitamos más tiempo.It is so easy that everyone can do it. There are so many questions that we need more time.
Verb + preposition + infinitive
Learn the whole pattern: empezar a — start; volver a — do again; acabar de — have just done; tener ganas de — feel like doing. Conjugate the first verb and keep the second action as an infinitive.
Empiezo a entender. Vuelvo a intentarlo. Acabo de llegar. Tengo ganas de descansar.I am starting to understand. I try again. I have just arrived. I feel like resting.
Duration and time reference
Hace + time says how long ago an event happened. Desde hace + time gives the duration of something still true. Llevar + time + gerund emphasises how long an activity has continued. Tardar + time + en + infinitive says how long an action takes. With desde que an ongoing situation or habit can use the present.
Llegué hace un mes. Vivo aquí desde hace un mes. Llevo un mes estudiando. Tardo diez minutos en llegar.I arrived a month ago. I have lived here for a month. I have been studying for a month. It takes me ten minutes to get there.
Person endings in the present
First identify who acts. Regular -ar endings: -o, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an. For -er: -o, -es, -e, -emos, -éis, -en; for -ir: -o, -es, -e, -imos, -ís, -en.
Yo trabajo, tú comes, nosotros vivimos cerca.I work, you eat, we live nearby.
1. Esta mañana ___ pan en la panadería de la esquina.
2. Cuando ___ a mi barrio, no conocía a nadie.
3. En verano hace ___ calor que las calles se quedan vacías.
4. Las tiendas cierran a las dos y ___ a abrir a las cinco.
5. Hay mucha gente esperando: hay una larga ___ en la panadería.
6. La panadera me ___ la última barra desde que soy clienta.