Table of Contents
Dedication
Preface
Contents
I Verbs—Forms and Uses
1 The Present Tense
The Present Tense of Regular -ar, -er, and -ir Verbs
Uses of the Present Tense
The Present Tense of Irregular Verbs
2 Ser and estar
The Uses of ser
The Uses of estar
3 Stem-Changing Verbs and Verbs with Spelling Changes
Stem-Changing Verbs Ending in -ar and -er
Stem-Changing Verbs Ending in -ir
Verbs Ending in -uir
Verbs Ending in -iar and -uar
Verbs with Spelling Changes in the Present Tense
4 The Preterit Tense
Regular Verbs
Verbs with Spelling Changes in the Preterit
-Er and -ir Verbs with Stems Ending in a Vowel
Irregular Verbs in the Preterit
5 The Imperfect Tense
Formation of the Imperfect
Basic Uses of the Imperfect
The Imperfect and the Preterit: Two Aspects of Past Time
6 The Future and Conditional Tenses
Formation of the Future Tense
Uses of the Future Tense
The Future Tense Used to Express Probability or Conjecture
Formation of the Conditional Tense
Uses of the Conditional Tense
7 Reflexive Verbs
Reflexive Verbs—Introduction and Conjugation
The Reflexive Pronoun as Indirect Object
The Imperative of Reflexive Verbs
The Position of Reflexive Pronouns with the Present Participle
Reflexive Verbs with Reciprocal Meaning
How to Say “Become” in Spanish
Other Reflexive Verbs
8 Passive Constructions
The Passive Voice—Formation and Use
Se Constructions with Passive Meaning
Ser and estar with the Past Participle
9 The Compound Tenses
Formation of the Present Perfect
The Past Perfect
The Future Perfect
The Conditional Perfect
10 The Gerund and the Progressive Tenses
Formation of the Gerund (Present Participle)
The Progressive Tenses
The Progressive Tenses with llevar to Express “Have Been Doing”
11 The Subjunctive in Noun Clauses: Present and Present Perfect Subjunctive
Forms of the Present Subjunctive: Regular Verbs
Forms of the Present Subjunctive: Irregular Verbs
Spelling Changes in the Present Subjunctive
Use of the Present Subjunctive in Noun Clauses
The Present Subjunctive in Noun Clauses After Impersonal Expressions
The Present Perfect Subjunctive: Forms and Uses
12 The Imperfect Subjunctive and Past Perfect Subjunctive; Conditional Sentences
Forms of the Imperfect Subjunctive
The Imperfect Subjunctive in Noun Clauses; the Sequence of Tenses
The Past Perfect (or Pluperfect) Subjunctive
Conditional Sentences
Como si …
13 The Subjunctive: Adverb and Adjective Clauses
Adverb Clauses That Require the Subjunctive
Adverb Clauses with Indicative or Subjunctive
Adjective Clauses That Require the Subjunctive
Adjective Clauses with Indicative or Subjunctive
14 Commands
Command Forms for Ud. and Uds.
Command Forms for nosotros (let’s, let’s not)
Command Forms for tú and vosotros
The Position of Object Pronouns with Command Forms
Indirect Commands
Other Ways of Giving Commands
15 The Infinitive
Verb + Infinitive Construction
Conjugated Verb + Preposition + Infinitive
Infinitive After Prepositions
Al + Infinitive
Infinitive After Verbs of Perception
The Infinitive Preceded by que
Adjective + de + Infinitive
II Nouns and Their Modifiers; Pronouns
16 Nouns and Articles
Gender of Nouns
Number of Nouns
The Definite Article: Forms and Uses
The Definite Article: Omissions
The Neuter Article lo
The Indefinite Article: Forms, Uses, and Omissions
Contractions del and al
Possession
17 Adjectives
Agreement of Adjectives
Position of Adjectives; Shortened Forms of Adjectives
Adjectives of Nationality
More on the Agreement of Adjectives
Two or More Adjectives Modifying a Noun
The Past Participle as an Adjective
Adjectives Used as Nouns (Nominalization of Adjectives)
Comparative of Adjectives
Superlative of Adjectives; Absolute Superlative
18 Demonstratives and Possessives
Demonstrative Adjectives
Demonstrative Pronouns
Possessive Adjectives
Possessive Pronouns
19 Personal Pronouns: Subject, Object, Prepositional
Subject Pronouns
Pronouns After Prepositions (Prepositional Pronouns)
Personal a and Direct Objects
Direct Object Pronouns: Forms and Position
Indirect Object Pronouns: Forms and Position
Verbs Usually Appearing with an Indirect Object Pronoun (e.g., gustar)
Other Uses of the Indirect Object
Double Object Pronouns
Special Uses of the Object Pronouns
20 Relative Pronouns
The Relative Pronoun que
The Relative Pronoun quien
The Relative Pronouns el que, el cual
Relative Pronouns After Prepositions
The Relative Pronoun cuyo; donde as a Relative Pronoun
III Other Elements of the Sentence
21 Adverbs
Formation of Adverbs
Adverbs of Manner
Adverbs as Intensifiers
Adverbs of Time and Place
Comparison of Adverbs
22 Prepositions
The Preposition a
The Preposition de
The Preposition en
The Preposition con
The Prepositions para and por
Other Common Simple Prepositions
Sets of Prepositions and Compound Prepositions
23 Interrogative Words and Question Formation
Interrogative Words in Information Questions
Yes/No Questions
Questions in Indirect Speech
24 Negative and Indefinite Words
Negative Words and Expressions
Other Uses of Negative Words
Negative Words in Conversation
Other Indefinite Words and Constructions
25 Numbers; Dates; Time
Cardinal Numbers
Ordinal Numbers
Days, Dates, and Years
Telling Time
Arithmetic Operations, Fractions, and Percentages
IV Idiomatic Usage
26 Idioms, Expressions, and Proverbs
Idioms and Expressions with tener
Idioms and Expressions with tomar
Idioms and Expressions with estar
Idioms and Expressions with echar
Idioms and Expressions with dar
Idioms and Expressions with hacer
Idioms and Expressions with ir, llevar, and quedar
Idioms and Expressions with meter and poner
Idioms and Expressions with ser
Other Verbal Expressions
Other Idioms
Proverbs and Sayings
27 Word Formation and Diminutives
Forming Nouns from Verbs
Forming Verbs from Nouns
Forming Verbs from Adjectives
Suffixes Added to Nouns to Form New Nouns
Diminutives and Augmentatives
28 ¡Ojo! Common Errors and Pitfalls
Dejar vs. salir
Saber vs. conocer
Oreja vs. oído
Meanings of quedar
“To Break” and “To Tear”
“Wrong”
“To Miss”
V Review
29 Review Exercises
Appendices
Verb Charts
Written Conventions
Answer Key
Index
About the Author
