Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and problems for Spanish

Present Simple

Indicators: Always, often, usually, generally, sometimes, seldom, hardly ever, never, every..., once/twice a..., three times a..., on days of the week, by day, weekly, regularly, at first..., then.., Monday...

Past Simple

Indicators:

• Determined time: Last week, yesterday, six weeks ago...
• Indeterminate time: The other day, ages ago, a long time ago...
• The previous day, week...
• The day, week before...

Future Simple

Indicators: Tomorrow, next week, probably, maybe, perhaps, I (hope, think, believe, expect...), spontaneous decisions, predictions, favors, uncertain future.

Present Continuous

Indicators:

• Am + -ing
• At present, currently, now, right now, at the moment, at this moment
• "Today" (contrasting a habit)
• This afternoon, tonight, tomorrow,

    Don't let me down

Crashing, hit a wall
Right now I need a miracle
Hurry up now, I need a miracle
Stranded, reaching out
I call your name but you're not around
I say your name but you're not around

I need you, I need you, I need you right now
Yeah, I need you right now
So don't let me, don't let me, don't let me down
I think I'm losing my mind now
It's in my head, darling I hope
That you'll be here when I need you the most
So don't let me, don't let me, don't let me down
Don't let me down

Don't let me down
Don't let me down, down, down
Don't let me down, don't let me down, down, down

Running out of time
I really thought you were on my side
But now there's nobody by my side

I need you, I need you, I need you right now
Yeah, I need you right now
So don't let... Continue reading "Don't Let Me Down" »

Common Spanish Verb Tenses and Structures

• Yo había hablado: I had spoken
• Yo habré hablado: I will have spoken
• Estuve muy decepcionado: I was very disappointed
• Ella no sentiría: She wouldn't feel
• Quiero comer: I want to eat
• Me gusta comer: I like eating

Expressing Desires and the Subjunctive

• Quiero que él venga: I want him to come
• No quiero que ella viva sola: I don't want her to live alone
• Quiero que vivas aquí: I want you to live here
• ¿Intentarías...?: Would you try...?
• Cuando me haya ido: When I have gone

Time and Duration with 'Desde'

• Desde abril estoy trabajando de camarero: I have been working as a waiter since April
• Tengo amigos desde hace un mes: I have had friends for a month
• Vivo en Burgos desde 2003: I have lived in Burgos since 2003

Essential

Present Simple

Usage: Habits and facts (e.g., I eat, I dance).

• Affirmative: I eat, she sleeps.
• Negative: I don't, she doesn't sleep.
• Frequency Adverbs (before the verb): Always, usually, never, sometimes, often, hardly ever, seldom, rarely.
• Time Expressions: Every day/week/month, in the evening/morning/afternoon, at night, on Mondays, once/twice a year/month.

Present Continuous

Usage: Actions happening now (e.g., I am... -ing).

• Affirmative: I am watching.
• Negative: She is not watching.
• Time Expressions (Start): Now, at the moment, at present, just now, right now.
• Time Expressions (End): Tonight, tomorrow, next week/day, in two days, on Sunday, the day after tomorrow.

Past Simple

Usage: Completed actions (e.g., I walked, I was, I was).

• Affirmative: I ate,

Mastering English Vocabulary and Essay Writing

Essential Irregular Verbs for English Learners

• Become: Llegar a ser (become/became/become)
• Mean: Querer decir (mean/meant/meant)
• Begin: Empezar (begin/began/begun)
• Break: Romper (break/broke/broken)
• Bring: Traer (bring/brought/brought)
• Burst: Reventar/Estallar (burst/burst/burst)
• Choose: Elegir (choose/chose/chosen)
• Forget: Olvidar (forget/forgot/forgotten)
• Learn: Aprender (learn/learnt/learnt)
• Let: Permitir (let/let/let)
• Lose: Perder (lose/lost/lost)
• Ring: Llamar (ring/rang/rung)
• Say: Decir (say/said/said)
• Show: Mostrar (show/showed/shown)
• Shut: Cerrar (shut/shut/shut)
• Take: Coger (take/took/taken)
• Teach: Enseñar (teach/taught/taught)
• Encourage: Animar (regular verb)

Common English Connectors and Transition Words

• First

Subjunctive

Subjunctive

El subjuntivo se usa para dar mayor énfasis en una oración.

¿Y cómo es eso?

Por ejemplo, en español se dice: "Es importante que nosotros comamos sano".

Mientras que en inglés se dice: "It is important that we eat healthily".

Subjunctive Sentence Structure

El orden que se utiliza en este tipo de oraciones es el siguiente:

It is + adjective + that + subject + verb (base form) + complement (It's)

Common Adjectives Used with the Subjunctive

Los verbos/adjetivos que mayormente se usan en este tipo de oraciones son:

• Best
• Crucial
• Desirable
• Essential
• Imperative
• Important
• Recommended
• Urgent
• Vital

Examples with the Subjunctive

It's crucial that you pay attention to the teacher.

Es crucial que prestes atención al profesor.

It's essential that

Personality Adjectives (English and Spanish)

• Ambitious (ambicioso)
• Bossy (mandón)
• Communicative (comunicativo)
• Considerate (considerado)
• Faithful (fiel)
• Honest (honesto)
• Imaginative (imaginativo)
• Jealous (celoso)
• Logical (lógico)
• Mature (maduro)
• Organized (organizado)
• Patient (paciente)
• Possessive (posesivo)
• Reasonable (razonable)
• Responsible (responsable)
• Selfish (egoísta)
• Sensitive (sensible)
• Sociable (sociable)
• Tidy (ordenado)
• Vain (vano)

Extreme Adjectives (Standard vs. Intense)

Adjectives

Phrasal Verbs, Gerunds & Vocabulary (EN — ES)

Relationship Vocabulary (EN — ES)

• ask out: pedir salir
• be on the rebound: estar despechado
• be seeing: estar saliendo
• be through: romper
• break off: romper
• cheat on: engañar
• dump: romper (dejar a alguien)
• fancy: gustar
• have a crush on: tener un flechazo
• have a date with: tener una cita con
• have a row with: tener una discusión
• hurt: hacer daño
• on the rocks: en peligro
• split up with: separarse
• there are plenty more fish in the sea: hay más peces en el mar
• change your mind: cambiar de idea
• go stale: echarse a perder
• go through a rough patch: pasar un momento difícil
• long-term relationship: relación a largo plazo
• make a commitment: hacer una promesa / comprometerse
• run down: desprestigiar a alguien
• settle down:

Infinitives and Gerunds: Usage Rules

The Infinitive (to + Verb)

The infinitive form (to + verb) is typically used:

• After certain adjectives.
• To express purpose or explanation (e.g., to pay attention).
• With certain verbs.

The Gerund (Verb + -ing)

The gerund form (verb + -ing) is typically used:

• After prepositions.
• As the subject of a sentence.
• In fixed phrases.
• After the following verbs:

Verbs followed by the Gerund:

admit, avoid, can't help, can't stand, consider, delay, deny, detest, don't mind, enjoy, feel like, finish, give up, imagine, mention, mind, miss, practise, resent, resist, suggest, understand.

Modal Verbs: Expressing Ability, Obligation, and Possibility

Ability and Possibility

• Can: I can play the piano. (Ability)
• Be able to: Is he able to find

English Grammar Essentials

Modal Verbs and Semi-Modals

• Semi-Modals:
  • Have to (tener que): Expresses obligation.
  • Be able to (ser capaz de): Expresses ability.
• Modal Verbs:
  • Ability: Can / Could (podría, pude) / Will be able to (será capaz de).
  • Advice: Should (debería), Ought to (debería).
    • Present and Future: Should / Ought to.
    • Past (3rd form): Should have + past participle (deberías haber...).
  • Possibility:
    • Present: May (puede que...).
    • Future: Might (podría).
    • Past (3rd form): Might have + past participle (podría haber...).
  • Obligation:
    • Present and Future: Must (debes).
    • Present and Future: Have to (tienes que).

Verbs Followed by TO + Infinitive

Used after verbs expressing:

• Mental Actions: plan, forget, manage, agree, learn, promise, prepare, need, hope, decide,