Learn Spanish Part No 8

Learn Spanish Part No 8

Spanish Grammar

Demonstrative adjectives and pronouns

Demonstrative are the equivalent of English “this /these” and “that those”. Spanish likewise uses the first of these two categories, but goes further by dividing the second category of “that/those” into two. As a result, Spanish has three demonstratives rather than two.

Singular		Plural		Neutral
Masculine	Feminine	Masculine	Feminine
Este (this)	Esta (this)	Estos (these)	Estas (these)	Esto (this)
Ese (that)	Esa (that)	Esos (those)	Esas (those)	Eso (that)
Aquel (that)	Aquella (that)	Aquellos (those)	Aquellas (those)	Aquello (that)

The masculine and feminine forms can be used both as adjectives and as pronouns, while the neuter forms are pronouns only.

Native speakers still commonly use a written accent to distinguish the pronouns from the corresponding adjectives (“est “ this one compared to este libro – this book). Since accented forms are no longer recommended they are not shown above or belowee.

I. Demonstrative adjectives

The adjectives are normally placed before the noun (as in English), and they agree with it number and gender.

1. Este, esta, estos, estas

These are used to identify what is physically near to or is associated with the speaker

Estas botas que acabo de limpiar (These boots that I have just cleaned)

They also singnify proximity in terms of time

Lo voy a ver esta tarde (I am going to see him this afternoon)

2. Ese, esa, esos, esas and aquel, aquella, aquellos, aquellas

Both series of weords translate English “that / those”. However, Spanish establishes a destiction by means of ese its related forms, between what is connected with or known by the person being addresses means of the aquel series, what is distant both from the speaker listener. Therefore, ese can signify “that near you” or “associated whereas aquel tends to identify “that distant from us both” or “not associated” with either of us

In practice, there may not always be such a clear – cut distinction usage, and native speakers may alternate between the two forms, except in situations where the deliberate intention is stress distance by the use of aquel

Ese pueblo donde estas - That village where you are

El document esta en aquel archive en Madrid - The document is in that archive in Madrid.

These two series of words make a similar distinction between a relatively recent past and one more distant

Esos dias que pasamos juntos el verano pasado

(those days we spent together last summer)

En aquellos tiempos no existan armas de fuego

In those days firearms did not exist

3. Placing the demonstrative adjectives after the noun

Although its normal positions is before the noun, the demonstrative adjective can also be used after it, especially in speech, in which case the noun is preceded by the definite article

El libro ese – that book

Los dias aquellos – those days

Foreign speakers should take care in adopting this use, as it easily conveys a critical or dismissive attitude

Demonstrative adjectives

1. Learners should take care not to confuse the masculine form of the demonstrative adjectives este and ese with the neuter pronoun esto and eso, este libro “this book” and never “esto libro”
2. In contrast with English, demonstrative adjectives in Spanish are general repeated before each noun, especially when they are nouns of different gender - > Este caballo y esta oveja viven juntos (This horse and sheep live together)
3. Learners are recommended to avoid the practice of native speakers who use este, ese and aquel before feminine nouns beginning with a stressed a or ha, este agua “this water”.

II. Masculine and feminine demonstrative pronouns

The pronouns stand in place of a specific noun, expressed as “this / that” (one), “these / those” (ones), with which they agree in number and gender

No me des esa papaya, prefiero esta

Don’t give me that papaya, I prefer this one

Ese es el cuadro que mas me gusta

That’s the picture I like most

Cual quires – el de tu parde a quell vimos ayer

Which one do you want – your father’s or the one we saw yesterday?

The pronoun este is used with the meaning of “the latter” (this – the last mentioned), and aquel “the former) (that – mentioned earlier). They agree with nouns in number and gender as appropriate

De las dos propuestas, esta es la mas original y aquella la mas practica

Of the two proposal, the latter is the most original and the former is the most practical

• The translation of “those who” is not achieved by esos or aquellos, but by los / las que – No perdona a los que lo critican “He does not forgive those who criticize him”.

III. Neuter demonstrative pronous

These are used with the same meanings as the adjective and pronouns above, but they refer to things which bear no gender, such as statements, actions, situations and items required identification.

Esto es una pesadilla – This is a nightmare

Todo aquello es bosque virgin – All of that is virgin forest

Que es eso – What is this

Notes

1. In speech these commonly occur in the pattern esto/eso/aquello + de. The convey the equivalent of English phrases like “this matter”, “that business” – eso de no poder ver la tele – That business of not being able to watch TV”
2. The phase y eso que is used with the meaning of “although”, “even though” – Decidio ir y eso le dije que no “He decided to go even though I told him not to”
3. Other common phases are – eso si “yes indeed”, “of course”, eso no “certainly not”, eso es “that’s it” or “that’s right”, eso si que no “no way”, pore so “therefore” or “for that reason”.

Learn Spanish Part No 7

Learn Spanish Part No 7

Spanish Grammar

The indefinite article Part No 2  

Omission of the indefinite article with common verb + noun combinations

The indefinite article is often omitted after verbs such as buscar “to look for”, emplear “to use”, encontrar (to find), hay (there is), llevar (to wear), tener (to have).

Estamos buscando casa (We are looking for a house)

No llevaba abrigo (He wasn’t wearing a coat)

No tienen garaje – (They don’t have a garage)

Exceptions to the above, as with other uses of the articles, include contexts where the noun is qualified and contexts where it is necessary – to indicate “one”

Hay una radio que funciona – Is there a radio that works

Encontro una rueda pero no la otra – He found one wheel but not the other

Use one omission of the article with more than one noun

Spanish is much less likely than English to omit an article before the second or subsequent nouns in a list (especially when the nouns are of different genders) – Los CDs y las Cintas no estan aqui “The CDs and tapes are not here”

Spanish usage approximates to English only when the sequence consists of nouns of similar meaning that form part of a single idea – El cello, dedication y determinacion de este estudiante son increibles “The zeal, dedication and determination of this student are unbelievable”

The safest option for foreign learners is to use the appropriate article with each noun.\

 The neutral article Lo

This is used to refer to beliefs, concept, thoughts, opinions or ideas that have no gender

1.      Lo with adjectives and past participles

Lo may be used before a masculine singular adjective or past participle, to state succinctly what is sometimes expressed in English by the use of an adjective followed by a noun such as “thing” or “matter”

Lo maw importante es informar el banco (The most important thing is to inform the bank)

Todo lo mio esta en esa maleta (All that is mine is in that suitcase)

When used in this construction, the verb ser will be plural if what follows is plural noun –

Lo convenido ayer no son mas que las lineas generals (What was agreed yesterday was only the general outlines)

For lo with the possessive adjectives – 

1.      A + lo + adjective or noun conveys the idea of a la manera de  “in the manner / style of” a lo antiguo “in an old – fashioned way”

2.      De + lo + mas / menos + adjective (or other comparative word) creates a superlative construction – La lana de alpaca es lo mas fina que hay (Alpaca wool is very soft / one of the softest there is”

Lo + adjective / past participle / adverb + que

This common construction often corresponds to English “How” + adjective or adverb (sometimes with the force of an exclamation). An adjective or past participle used in this way agrees with the noun to which it refers.

Hasta entonces no me habia dado cuenta de lo alta que era

Until then I hadn’t realized how tall she was.

Hay que ver lo despacho que conduce ]

You have to see how slowly he drives

For the use of “que + adjective / adverb to translate “how”

This construction is also preceded by con, para or por.

Con lo listo que es, y mira que mal ha hecho el examen

He’s so clever but look how badly he did in the exam

Tiene bastantes canas para lo joven que es.

He has a lot of grey hairs for someone so young.

a.       Lo + de + noun

This succinctly approximates to English “the matter of”, “the business about”

Lo del agua es un problema grave – The water situation is a serious problem

b.      Lo que

Approximates in English  to “he thing which”, “wht”

Lo que nos soprendido fue su dominio del ingles

What surpsised us was her excellent English

c.       Lo in idiomatic expressions

Lo also occurs in a number of fixed phases (usually involving a, de or por)

A lo major (perhaps)               por lo menos (at least)

Por lo visto (appaqrently)       de lo contrarlo (otherwise)

Learn Spanish Part No 6

Learn Spanish Part No 6

Spanish Grammar 

The indefinite article

General use of the indefinite article

In general terms, the use of the singular indefinite article (un / una) to refer to someone or something not yet known or not specifically identified is similar to English

Un nino se me acerco – A boy came to me

The plural forms unos and unas are used with plural nouns in a similar way (often translating English some)

He comprador unos libros – I haved bought some books

The plural forms must also be used with nouns which only exist in plural form, sometimes meaning “a”, or “a pair”.

Unas vacaciones en Italia – a holiday in Italy

Unas trejas – a pair of scissors

The indefinite article with qualified abstract or mass nouns

The article is regularly used before an abstract or mass noun qualified by a following descriptive adjective or relative clause

De aquella fuente sale un agua purism

That spring has very pure water

Por la ventana entraba una luz que cegaba

A blinding light came in through the window

Ommision of the indefinite article

These are a number of circumstances in which the indefinite article is omitted. If this omission results in a noun on its own appearing as the verb;s subject, then this noun must follow the verb –

Caian gotas de lluvia en el tejado – Rain drops were falling on the roof.

Sale humo del motor – Smoke is coming from the engine

Omission of the indefinite article before unqualified mass nouns

The singular indefinite article cannot be used to translate “some” before unqualified mass nouns

Traigame pan, vino y una botella de agua sin gas.

Bring me some bread, some red win and a bottle of still water

Unos – Unas omitied

Although in theory the plural forms unos and unas can be omitted in similar circulations to English “some”, in practice they tend to be omitted only in cases in which the noun does not refer to particular persons or things (especially in sentences that describe habitual actions)

Por aqui pasan trenes cada cinco minutos

Trains pass through here every five minutes

Jorge repara televisiones

Jorge repairs televisions

The omission of unos / unas before a noun that is the subject of the verb is uncommon. Compare English “Scientists have identified the gene that determines eye colour with Spanish – Unos cientificos han identificado el gen guw dtermina el color de ojos.

Unos / Unas replaced by algunos – algunas

Unos and unas are sometimes replaced by the plural forms of the indefitine adjective “alguno” “some”

Algunas madres se preocupan pore so

Some mothers worry about that

Depending on the context, unos / unas may also be replaced by ciertos / ciertas as “certain” varios – variosa “several”, unos / unas, cuantos / cuantas “a number of”, or unos – unas, pocos – pocas (a few)

Omission of the indefinite article with nouns classifying people, animals and things

Sometimes the indefinite article is not used before nouns that indicate profession, occupation, or religious and political affiliation.

This occurs after verbs like ser “to be”, elegir “to elect”, hacerse “to become”, llamar “to call”, nombrar “to name”, calificar de “to describe as”.

Ella es doctora y el es amo de casa

She is doctor and he is a househusband

Lo callificaron de dictador

They described him as a dictactor

Exceptions to this are cases where the noun is qualified

Es conservador y ademas un conservador Intransigente

He is a Conservative and moreover a diehard Conservative

Omission of the indefinite article with nouns in apposition

Like the definite article, the indefinite article is often not used in formal Spanish before a second noun which offers merely exoplanatory information about another one immediately preceding it.

Pasamos la nonce en Medinacel, aldea ahora casi deslerta

We spent the night in Medinaceli, now an almost deserted village

Trabaja como televendedora, empleo que odia

She works as a telesales person, a job she jates

Omission of the indefinite article with certain indefinite adjectives and numerals

The indefinite article is omitted with otro “another”, tal / semajante “such as”, medio “half a”, mil “a thousand”, cien (to) a hundred, “que” (what ) and cierto “a ceratain”.

Hoy la vi con otro chico – Today I saw her with another boy

Que imbecile s Paco – What an idiot Paco is

Omission of the indefinite article after certain prepositions and phases

The indefinite article is almost always omitted before nouns that follow sin “without”, and often after con “with”, “wearing”

Sallo sin chaqueta – He went out without a jacket

Nunca se le ve con sombrero – You never see him wearing a hat

Exceptions are cases where the article is required specifically to emphasize “one” – me dejaron sin un (solo) peso – They left me without a single peso.

When we place someone or something into a category or type, the indefinite article is also omitted after como “as”, like, “por”, for, “as” a modo / manera de, “as” by way of

Como persona liberal no puedo appoyar esto

As a liberal I can’t support this

Ella pasa por Buena directora – She passes for a good director.    

The following video is about the famous Spanish tourist destination Ibiza 

               

Learn Spanish Part No 5

Learn Spanish Part No 5

Spanish Grammar

Definitive Article Part No 2           

  

The forms el and los are used with days of the week (often corresponding to English “on”. El is used for single occasions and los for habitual practices:

Es el lunes cuando vamos – It’s on Monday that we are going

No abren los sabados – They don’t open on Saturdays

Vienen del sabado al lynes – They are coming from Saturday until Monday

However, the article is dropped after ser in sentences that merely identify what day of the week it is, or after de in sentences that refer to routine practices.

Hoy es viernes – Today id Friday

Trabajo de lunes a viermes – I work from Monday to Friday

The definitine article is also used with names of seasons, except when de and a season cmbine to form an adjective phase. After the preposition en the definite article is optional before a season name:

El verano es la major epoca del ano – Summer is the best time of the year

Ya ponen a la venta ropa de otono – They are already selling autumn clothes

No vamos a la playa en el Invierno – We do not go to the beach in winter

The de3finite article is usually not used in dating letters –

Domingo, 16 de enero de 1943 – Sunday, 16 January 1943

The definitive article with parts of the body, clothing and personal possessions

The definitive article is used in situation where English would have a possessive adjective.

In place of a noun

The definite article occurs before adjectives, past participles, prepositions and relative clauses, to refer to a noun understood from the context. It agrees with the unexpressed noun 8in number and gender

The article translates English “the one (s)” or “that”, “those”;

El rubo me cae mal – I don’t like the blond one

Estos asyntos y los discutidos ayer – These matters and those discussed yesterday

La de tu casa es major – The one at your house is better

Las que se vendian en Espana eran mas sabrosas – The ones they were selling in Spain were tastler

Definitive article with numbers and numerical e3xpressions

The definitive article is used with numbered nouns and with certain expressions of rate, weight, measure and quantity

A los 60 anos – at 60 years old

En la casa no 3 – in house number 3

El 60 por ciento de la poblacion – 60 per cent of the population

Dos veces al mes – twice a month

Mil dolares la consulta – a thousand dollars per consultation

With percentages the indefinite article is an alternative

The definitive article is omitted before the cardinal or ordinal number that follows a title

Alfonso XIII -  Alfonso the third

The definite article with certain nouns

Unlike in English, the definite article is required in fixed combination of noun and preposition

En la cama / el espacio – in bed / space

Ir a la escuela / a la Inglesia / al hospital – to go to school / church / hospital

The definite article with titles

The definite article is used with most titles unless the bearer of the title is being spoken to directly

Les present al commandate y a la senora de Paredes

May I introduce Commander and Mrs Paredes?

Buenos dias doctor Sanches

Good morning Mr Sanchez

The article is not generally used with don, dona, fray (religious term for brother), san(to), santa “saint”, sor (religious term used for sister), pertenece a don Miguel “it belongs to don Miguel”

Informally, the definite article may be used with common nouns referring to relatives .(but never in direct address)

La abuela esta sentada en el jardin

Granny is sitting in the garden

The definite article with names of geographical features and locations

This includes unique features such as rivers, mountains, lakes, seas, occeans, straits, currents, volcanos and deserts.

El tajo (the Tagus)

El golfo de Vizcaya (The bay of Biscay)

El Telde (Mt Telde)

El mar Adriatico (The Adriatic Sea)

El Cotopaxi (Mountain Cotopaxi)

El Atacama (The Atacama Desert)

We may also include el cielo (Heaven), el inferno (hell), la tierra (earth). Streets and other forms of location are preceded by the definite article – la calle Alcala (Alcala Street), el Parque Maria Luisa “Maria Luisa Park”.

Names of teams

The definite article (usually masculine) is used before the names of sports teams

El Betis , El Sporting, El Barca,

Context in which omission of the definite article is predominant

Names of countries

The majority of countries do not take the definite article, unless the name is qualified by an adjective or adjective phrase.

Millions de turistas visitan Espana

Milions of touristas visit Spain

Hay muchos vestigios de la Espana romana

There are many remain from Roman Spain

If the qualifier forms part of a country’s name the article is not used :Irlanda del Norte (Northern Ireland)

In addition, there is a tendency nowadays, especially amongst journalists, to drop the definite article before the names of countries that previously were preceded by it. This is particularly the case with the masculine names

(el) Brasil

(el) Canada

(el) Ecuador

(el) Irak

(el) Japon

(el) Pakistan

(el) Paraguay

(el) Uraguay

Still bucking this trend are – el Peru (used inside the country of Peru), El Congo, el Libano (Lenano) and la India

In general, countries whose names is a descriptive title still remain the article

Los paises Bajos (the Netherland)

El Reino Unido (The United Kingdom)

El Salvador (El Salvador)

La Republica Argentina (Argentina)

On the other hand, Gran Bretana (Great Britain) and Arabia Saudi “Saudi Arabia” appear to have lost the article

With los Estados Unidos “the United States – EEUU” the article is generally omitted. When this is done an accomopanying verb is used in the singular – Estados Unidos apoya la ultima decision “The USA supports the latest decision”

Omission of the definite article with names of cities, regions and contents

As with countries in general the article is not used unless the name is qualified

Vive en Barcelona – She lives in Barcelona

La Barcelona de Gaudi – Gaqudi’s Barcelona

Some place names, however, contain a definite article that forms an integral part of the name, written with a capital letter in the case of towns and cities.

La Habana – Havana

El Callao – Callao

La Coruna – Coruna

La Mancha – La Mancha

Omission of the definine article with nouns in apposition

In formal Spanish, the definine article is often omitted before a second noun which offers merely explanary information about another one immediately preceding it

Bogota, capital de Colombia – Bogota, the capital of Colombia

Raul, marcador del go – Raul, the scorer of the goal

The articol is however always retained before comparative and superlative phrases

La Paz, la capital mas alta del mundo

La Paz, the highest capital in the world

Fixed phases

In many set phases like the following the article is not used

A orillas de – on the banks of

En manos de – in the hands of

A corto / largo plazo – in the short / long term

En nombre de – in the name of 

                        

Learn Spanish Part No 4

Learn Spanish Pt No 4

Spanish Grammar

 Definitive and in definitive articles

Articles in Spanish may be categorized as definite, indefinite and neuter. Definite articles are used before nouns to designate what is already known or specific, corresponding to English “the”. The indefinite forms are used when the noun does not refer to a specific person, place or thing. English “a’ and “an” in the singular, and “some” in the plural.

a.Forms of the articles

The definite and indefinite articles vary in form to indicate gender and number. The forms are as follows.

		Masculine	Feminine
	Singular	Plural	Singular	Plural
Definite article	el	los	la	Las
Indefinite article	un	unos	una	unas

The neutral article is lo.

b. El used with a and de

When proceeded by a or a, the e of the masculine singular form el is usually dropped, so that a + el > al and de + el > del.

Al banco (to the bank) del Puerto (from the port)

When the article is an integral part of a title this contraction in not made, in writing at least.

Es reportera de El Universo – she is a reporter on El Universo

Deja + el => There is no contraction before the subject pronoun : Esta copa es de el (This glass is his) 

c. El and un before feminine nouns

Immediately before singular feminine nouns beginning with a stressed a or ha, the forms el and un are used. This does not change the gender of the noun and the plural form of the noun still demands las or unas.

El ancia oxidada - the rusty anchor

Un agulla blanca – a white eagle

El aula nueva y unas Viejas (the new classroom and some old classrooms)

Common words which fall into this category are agua (water), alma (soul), area “area”, arma (weapon), asma (asthma), haba (bean), habla (language), hambre (hunger).

Exceptions include La Haya (The Hague), la, a and “la hache” the letter, “a” and “the letter “h”, la arabe, “the Arab woman”.

When not to use el / un before feminine words

1. El and un are not if the article is not immediately before the noun - el arpa “the harp”, but la bella arpa del siglo XVI “the beautiful sixteenth – century harp”
2. El and un are not used if initial a or ha are not stressed una alerta “alert”, la hamburguessa “hamburger”.
3. El and un are not used before other words such as adjectives or women’s names beginning with stressed a una alta galleria “a high gallery”, la ana que conozco “the Ana I know”.

2. The definitive article

Although there are very important differences in usage between English and Spanish, in general termas the use of the definite article to refer to someone or something specific is predictable from English.

Esto es jerez pero no el perez que me gusta

This is sherry but not the Sherry that I like.

Juan trajo rosas y Maria tiro las flores que compro ayer.

Juan brought roses and Maria threw away the flowers she bought yesterday.

Contexts in which the use of the definite article is predominant

• The definite article with generic nouns

In common with other Romance languages, Spanish requires the definite article before a noun used to refer to an entire category of people or things in general.

El plomo es una metal muy blando (Lead is a very soft metal)

Los vinos de Chile son magnificos (Chlean wines are splendid)

English does this only when a singular noun is used with a general meaning –

La jirafa es un animal extrano

The gerrafe is a strange animal

a. The definitive article with abstract nouns

The article is used with abstract nouns when they have a general sense

Hay que reducer la pobreza en este pais – We have to reduce poverty in this country

Un aumento de la dellcuencia – an increase in crime

But after verbs such as “tener” (to have) and “faltar” “to lack” – the article is not used

Hay que tener paciencia para hcer esto – You need patience to do this.

Also articles can be omitted when nouns occur in the form of a list such as Sinceridad, franqueza, y honradez, son cualidades que le faltan “sincerity, openness and honestly are qualities that he lacks”.

b. The definite article with terms for general concepts and practices

Unlike in English, the article in Spanish is used for any noun that refers to a general idea, phenomenon or practice. This category includes colors, diseases, games, fields of activity and even meals.

No me gusta el rojo como color – I don’t like red as a color

Casi se ha erradicado la viruela – Smallpox has almost been eradicated

Estan jugando al belsol – They are playing baseball

No sigo la politica – I don’t follow politics

A que hora es la cena – What time is dinner

The article is not used with colours after the prepositions de and en – El cuanto esta pintado de verde “the room is painted green”.

c. The definite article with days, seasons and years

The forms el and los are used with days of the week (often corresponding to English. El is used for single occasions and los for habitual practices

Es el lunes cuando vamos – it’s on Monday that we are going.

No abren los sabados – they don’t open on Saturdays.