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This is the Spanish 3 Mid-Term Review Guide by Nicholas Mavrelis. The exam is on Monday,
January 9th 2012 at 12 P.M. All of the information below answers what Mr. Salvador told his
classes. Remember to bring pens and pencils!
Topics That Will Appear in Order on the Exam
Part I – 100 Multiple Choice Questions that are worth 50 points.
35 Questions on Vocabulary
Two small paragraphs on readings
Imperfect Questions
Subjunctive Questions
Preterite vs. Imperfect
Ser vs. Estar
Direct and Indirect Objects
Demonstrative Adjectives and Pronouns
Comparisons
Part II – Short Answers that are worth 40 points.
Two Readings – Ten Questions Total
Writing
Subjunctive – Five Questions
Imperfect vs. Preterite – Five Questions
Situation
Present Tense
AR Verbs
o
as
a
amos
2
an
ER Verbs
o
es
e
emos
en
IR Verbs
o
es
e
imos
en
Example: Yo estudio historia.
I study history.
Preterite Tense
AR Verbs
é
aste
ó
amos
aron
ER/IR Verbs
í
iste
3
ió
imos
ieron
Irregular Verbs
One type of irregular verbs are the -CAR, -GAR, and -ZAR verbs.

Only used in the yo form.
-CAR: C -> QU
-GAR: G -> GU
-ZAR: Z -> C
Common -CAR, -GAR, and -ZAR Verbs
Buscar- to look for
Tocar- to touch, to play an instrument
Practicar- to practice
Sacar- to take out
Jugar- to play
Pagar- to pay
Llegar- to arrive
Empezar- to start, to begin
Comenzar- to start, to begin
Almorzar- to have lunch
Irregular Preterite Verbs
Ser- to be
fui
fuiste
fue
fuimos
fueron
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Ir- to go
fui
fuiste
fue
fuimos
fueron
Dar- to give
di
diste
dio
dimos
dieron
Querer- to want
quise
quisiste
quiso
quisimos
quisieron
Hacer- to do, to make
hice
hiciste
hizo
hicimos
hicieron
Estar- to be
estuve
estuviste
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estuvo
estuvimos
estuvieron
Imperfect Tense
AR Verbs
aba
abas
aba
ábamos
aban
ER/IR Verbs
ía
ías
ía
íamos
ían
Irregular Verbs
Ser- to be
era
eras
era
éramos
eran
Ir- to go
iba
ibas
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iba
íbamos
iban
Ver- to see
veía
veías
veía
veíamos
veían
Preterite vs. Imperfect
Preterite Tense

A specific action at a specific time
Common Expressions with the Preterite
Ayer- yesterday
Anoche- last night
La semana pasada- last week
El mes pasado- last month
El año pasado- last year
En el momento- in the moment
Imperfect Tense

What was happening

Used to happen

Happened repeatedly in the past

To describe what things were like

Weather

Description
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
It is often like putting was, would, or were before the verb. For example: almorzábamos
juntos todos los días. It is translated to: we would eat lunch together every day.
Common Expressions with the Imperfect
Siempre- always
Todos los días- every day
Todas las semanas- every week
A menudo- often
A veces- sometimes
Tip: The imperfect often comes before the preterite in a sentence.
Ser vs. Estar
Present Tense
Ser- to be
soy
eres
es
somos
sois
son
Estar- to be
estoy
estás
está
estamos
estáis
están
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Ser

Origin of a place or thing

Identification

Characteristics (Description)

Telling the time and date

Time and place to meet for an event

Ser comes before the preposition "de"
Estar

Location of a place or thing

Conditions

Impressions or opinions

Words ending in -ado; however, this is not guaranteed

Estar comes before the preposition "en"
Subjunctive I
Verbal Forms
Indicative (In our case, mostly Present Tense)
Imperative Form (Commands)
Subjunctive Form
The subjunctive often expresses: uncertainty, doubt, wishes, commands, conjecture, supposition,
and conditions that are unreal or contrary to fact.
Elements of a Subjunctive Sentence
1. A special verb (more on this below)
2. Two Clauses
3. Two different subjects
4. Put together by the word "que". Que can be defined as "that"
Example: Ellos quieren que tú estudies.
They want that you study.
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The bold is the indicative, the italics are the linking word "que", and the underlined is the
subjunctive.
Notice how the translation does not make sense. That is because a subjunctive sentence in
Spanish does not have a direct translation in English.
Rule: The indicative comes first, then the subjunctive.
Special Verbs
Esperar- to hope
Desear- to wish
Querer- to want
Aconsejar- to advise
Sugerir- to suggest (e -> ie)
Recomendar- to recommend (e -> ie)
Pedir- to ask (e -> i)
AR Verbs
e
es
e
emos
en
ER/IR Verbs
a
as
a
amos
an
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Summary of the Subjunctive I
Main Clause

Indicative

Special Verb
+
Que
+
Subordinate Clause

Different subject

Subjunctive
Demonstrative Adjectives

Points out persons, places, or things relative to the position of the speaker.

They always agree in number and gender with the noun that they modify.

Always come in front of the noun.
Singular: Este/Esta-this
Ese/Esa- that
Aquel/Aquella- that (over there)
Plural: Estos/Estas- these
Esos/Esas- those
Aquellos/Aquellas- those (over there)
Words to Indicate if it's "over there" or not
Over There: Lejano, Lejos, Ahí, Allí
This/These: Cercano, Cerca, Aquí
Pero vs. Sino/Sino Que
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Pero

is more general and may also mean "but" and "however".

Example: Me gusta la pizza, pero me hace enfermo.

Translation: I like the pizza, but it makes me sick.
Sino

is used after a negative statement; to contrast meaning

But the contrary; but rather; instead

Example: El no habla italiano, sino frances.

Translation: He doesn't speak Italian, but rather French.

The comparison is always between two parts of the speech.

Noun vs. Noun

Adjective vs. Adjective

Verb vs. Verb
Sino Que

If contradicting verbs are not infinitive, then use sino que.

Example: Ella no estudia, sino que juega.

Translation: She doesn't study, but rather plays.
Summary

Pero- but

Sino- but, but rather, instead; used with negative expressions and nouns, adjectives, and
infinitive verbs

Sino Que- but, but rather, instead; used with negative expressions and conjugated verbs
Demonstrative Pronouns

Pronouns take the place of nouns.

Demonstrative pronouns have an accent mark over the first "e" in the word.

If there is a noun after the demonstrative, then this is an adjective; if there is nothing, then
it's a pronoun.

Neuter Pronouns- these pronouns refer to an idea; no identification of masculine or
feminine.
Neuter Pronouns
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
Esto- this

Eso- that

Aquello- that (over there)
Comparative and Superlative Forms
Key Words:

Más- More

Menos- less

Que- than
Comparisons of Inequality

Formula: Más/Menos + Adjective + Que

El hombre es más alto que el niño.

This is for adjectives.
Comparisons of Equality

Formula: Tan + Adjective + Como

Formula: Tanto/Tanta/Tantos/Tantas + Noun + Como

Tanto/Tanta/Tantos/Tantas must agree in gender and number.

El hombre tan alto como el niño.

This is for adjectives.

Nueva York tiene tantos edificios como Tokyo.

This is for nouns.
Comparisons with Numerical Forms

Formula: Más/Menos + de

Yo tomo menos de seis clases.
Superlative Forms

Formula: Article + Más/Menos + Adjective

Este edificio es el más alto de todos.
Irregular Adjectives of Comparison
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Adjective/Adverb/Comprative/Superlative

Bueno (Good)/Bien (Well)/Mejor (Better)/Óptimo (Best)

Malo (Bad)/Mal (Badly)/Peor (Worse)/Pésimo (Worst)

Pequeño (Small)/N/A/ Más pequeño/Dimunuto (Smallest)

Grande (Big)/N/A/Más grande/Enorme (Biggest)

Viejo (Old)/N/A/Mayor (Older)/El mayor (Oldest)

Jóven (Young)/N/A/Menor (Younger)/El Menor (Youngest)
Adverbs

Adverbs modify verbs and adjectives and adverbs.

Example: Yo hablo bien.

Adverbs explain how, in what way, when, where, or why.

Adverbs are generally formed by adding -mente- to the feminine singular form of the
adjective.

Example: Rápido -> Rápida -> Rápidamente

Add -mente- to the adjectives ending with consonants.
Irregulars

Bueno (Good) -> Bien (Well)

Malo (Bad) -> Mal (Badly)

Bonito (Pretty) -> Bonito (Nicely)

Mucho (A lot) -> Demasiado (A lot)
When you list Adverbs, all of the adverbs, except the last one, is just put in the feminine
form. Irregular adverbs do not count toward this.

Example: Él escribe rápida, correctamente, y bien.
Expressions of Affirmatives ad Negatives

Sí- used to emphasize or to agree

No- used to make a sentence negative
Affirmative Expressions

Alguien- somebody
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
Algo- something

Alguno(a)- someone; it's a pronoun and can be plural

Algún(a)- some; it's an adjective and can be plural

Siempre- always

También- also

They go before the verb.
Negative Expressions

Nadie- nobody

Nada- nothing

Ninguno(a)- none; it's a pronoun and can be plural. It's placed before the noun.

Ningún(a)- none; it's an adjective and can be plural. It's placed before the noun.

Nunca- never

Tampoco- neither

Examples: El estudiante también tiene la tarea.

Nadie va a la fiesta.

No va nadie a la fiesta. (This sentence provides emphasis)
Everything is conjugated in the él form, except if the expression is plural.
No always goes before the verb.
Ninguno

Ninguno(a)- none, not one, not any - appears in the beginning or end with no
nouns/pronouns in front/behind it.

Example: ¿Miras el edificio?

Yo no veo ninguno.
Ningún

Ningún- none, not one, not any

Example: ¿Miras la casa?

Yo no veo ninguna edifico.
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Direct and Indirect Objects

Some verbs have Direct and Indirect Objects.

Direct Objects- Answers who or what

Indirect Objects- Answers to/for who/whom
Verbs that will Nearly Always have a Direct and/or Indirect Object(s)

Enviar- to send

Dar- to give

Comprar- to buy

Servir- to serve

Traer- to bring

Llevar- to carry/to wear

Pedir- to ask for
Example: Ella compra flores para su abuela.
Translation: She buys flowers for her grandmother.
The Direct Object is "flores" because it answers the question "What?"
The Indirect Object is "abuela" because it answers the question "For who?"
Direct Objects

Yo- me

Tú- te

Él- lo/la

Nosotros- nos

Ellos- los/las
Indirect Objects

Yo- me

Tú- te

Él- le

Nosotros- nos

Ellos- les
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If the sentence has a Direct Object and an Indirect Object, then the Indirect Object goes
before the Direct Object.
If both the Direct and Indirect Objects are the third person, replace the Indirect Object
Pronoun with "se".
For Indirect Objects, lo/la and los/las are interchangable with le/les.
Commands

To command someone to do something.
Tú Commands

Make them like the regular usted form of the verb.

Examples: Hablar -> Habla; Comer -> Come; Escribir -> Escribe
Formal Usted

The verbs go in their opposite usted forms.

Examples: Hablar -> Hable; Comer -> Coma -> Escribir -> Escriba
Direct and Indirect Objects

The pronouns are exactly the same as they were.

If the command is affirmative, attach the Indirect Object Pronoun to the end of the vern
first, then attach the Direct Object Pronoun to it.

Count three vowels from the right, starting with the Indirect Object, to place an accent
mark.

Example: Hablar -> Háblaselos
Informal Tú – Nosotros – Commands

Indicative Form – Tú trabajas en la clase.

Imperative Form – ¡Trabaja en la clase!

Subjunctive Form - ¡Yo quiero que tú trabajes en la clase.
Nosotros Form

First person plural

Vamas a + infinitive
o Vamis a salir

Also used for “Let us” or “Let’s”
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o Esperemos un momento.
o Switch the endings to ar  er/ir ; er/ir  ar
Irregular
1. Decir -> Digamos (to say)
2. Hacer -> Hagamos (to make)
3. Ir -> Vayamos (to go)
4. Poner -> Pongamos (to put)
5. Salir -> Salgamos (to leave)
6. Ser -> Seamos ( to be)
7. Tener -> Tengamos (to have)
8. Venir -> Vengamos (to come)
Key Vocabulary
1. Dar una caminata- to take a walk
2. El relámpago- lightning
3. Pasear de película- to have fun
4. Crucigrama- crossword puzzle
5. Quemar un CD- to burn a CD
6. Llover a cántaros- to rain a lot
7. El deporte- sport
8. La esgrima- fencing
9. Confiable- reliable
10. Tener celos- to be jealous
11. Escalada deportiva- rock climbing
12. Apoyar- to support
13. La costa- coast
14. La tormenta- storm
15. Pasear- to go for a walk
Expressions
1. Hace buen tiempo- it’s good weather
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2. Hace frío- it’s cold
3. Hace calor- it’s hot
4. Hace sol- it’s sunny
5. Hace viento- it’s windy
6. Tener calor- to be warm
7. Tener frío- to be cold
8. Tener hambre- to be hungry
9. Tener sed- to be thirsty
10. Tener sueño- to be sleepy
11. Tener prisa- to be in a hurry
12. Tener suerte- to be lucky
13. Tener ganas de- to be like/to want
14. Tener miedo- to be afraid
15. Tener razón- to be right
This is the end of the Spanish 3 Mid-Term Review Guide. I highly suggest that you study the
vocabulary on pages 45 and 87, as I just listed the main vocabulary. Remember to bring pens and
pencils and that the exam is at 12! Good luck!