Wednesday 30 September 2015

Tell Me, Who Would Not Be Able To Attend In The Morning?

Introduction


This post is about verb conjugation -the conditional tense, indicative mood of irregular verb poder.





SCENARIO

Imagine you are taking to a relative, friend or colleague about an event due to take place tomorrow afternoon. When speculating about changing it to the morning, it transpires that, if you do so, some of the invitees would not be able to attend. At that point the other person says: "tell me, who would not be able to attend in the morning?".

In Spanish, the other person could choose to be less formal and say:
Dime, ¿quién no podría asistir por la mañana?

On the other hand, he/ she could choose to be more formal and say:
Dígame, ¿quién no podría asistir por la mañana?


OUR TIP

Making a sentence which answers that question should be straightforward, but remember:


  • Make sure that you conjugate your verb correctly
  • Choose between formal or familiar options to suit the occasion -see examples below.

Typical answers could be:
  • Yo no podría* asistir por la mañana (I would not be able to attend in the morning);
  • podrías* asistir por la mañana, ¿no? (you -familiar would be able to attend in the morning, wouldn't you?);
  • Usted podría* asistir por la mañana, ¿no? (you -formal would be able to attend in the morning, wouldn't you?);
  • Pedro no podría* asistir por la mañana (Pedro would not be able to attend in the morning);
  • María no podría* asistir por la mañana (Maria would not be able to attend in the morning);
  • Mis amigos y yo no podríamos* asistir por la mañana (my friends and I would not be able to attend in the morning);
  • Vosotros podríais* asistir por la mañana, ¿no? (you people -familiar/ plural would be able to attend in the morning, wouldn't you?);
  • Ustedes podrían* asistir por la mañana, ¿no? (you people -formal/ plural would be able to attend in the morning, wouldn't you?);
  • Pedro y María no podrían* asistir por la mañana (Pedro and María would not be able to attend in the morning);

Now you should practise replying to someone who says to you:
Dime, ¿quién no podría asistir por la mañana?

*Please see grammar topic below, Verbs

Verbs
A verb is a 'doing' word which conveys:
  • What action takes place in a sentence
  • Who does that action
  • When that action occurs.
In addition, the verb may also convey the mood or feelings of the speaker toward the action which takes place. The verb may, for example, indicate whether the speaker is stating a fact, expressing a wish or indeed giving an order.

Irregular Verbs
Verb: poder
The Spanish verb poder is irregular* in some tenses, as shown in the table below:

Tense
Mood
Regular
Irregular
Present
Indicative

Imperfect
Indicative

Preterite
Indicative

Future
Indicative

Conditional
Indicative

Perfect
Indicative

Pluperfect
Indicative

Future Perfect
Indicative

Conditional Perfect
Indicative

Present
Subjunctive

Imperfect
Subjunctive

Perfect
Subjunctive

Pluperfect
Subjunctive


* NB:
  • Conjugate tenses in the regular column the same as other regular verbs ending in -er
  • The conditional tense conjugation/ indicative mood is shown below

Indicative Mood/ Conditional Tense - Conjugation
    Verb: poder
Subject
PODER
(TO BE ABLE)
I
Yo
PODRÍA
You
PODRÍAS
You Usted*

PODRÍA
He Él
She
Ella
We
Nosotros
PODRÍAMOS
You
Vosotros**
PODRÍAIS
You
Ustedes***
PODRÍAN
They
Ellos
They
Ellas

*NB More courteous/ polite form of 'you'
**NB 'You' plural
*** NB More courteous/ polite form of 'you' plural

Verb Conjugation Notes
It is worth remembering once more that in its basic form (infinitive), a Spanish verb is just a general 'doing' word. In that form, a verb simply indicates an action and nothing else. If we want a verb to be more specific about the action in a sentence, we need to conjugate it. It is only when conjugated that the verb indicates:
  • Who does the action
  • When the action takes place
  • The mood/ attitude of the speaker towards the action

The conjugation tables above refer to using conjugation to establish who does the action. What follows below are some notes on establishing when the action takes place and the mood/ attitude of the speaker towards the action.

Subjunctive Mood
The use of subjunctive mood is disappearing English. Nowadays is often viewed as an old and unfashionable form of the language.

In contrast, the use of subjunctive mood is very much alive and in everyday use in Spanish. This widespread use of subjunctive mood tends to be the bane of many a learner of Spanish from the English speaking world.

The concept of subjunctive mood is perhaps best illustrated by contrasting its use against the use of indicative mood with examples in English. The following are a couple of examples which should serve that purpose:
  • Indicative mood (“Peter eats an apple”).- Indicative mood is commonly used to make statements of facts or positive beliefs such as this one. As can be seen in the sample sentence (in quotes above), the speaker makes a clear and unambiguous statement of a fact (Peter eats an apple).
  • Subjunctive mood (“Peter would eat an apple if he were hungry”).- In contrast with indicative mood, subjunctive mood is commonly used to make statements indicating hypothetical or non-fact actions. As can be seen in the sample sentence (in quotes), in this case the speaker sees the action of eating an apple as something hypothetical, something which may or may not happen (Peter would eat an apple... if he were hungry).
Verb Tenses
Verb tenses relate to setting the time period (when) during which the action of the verb takes place. Basic times (periods) for Spanish verb actions are:
  • The past (before now)
  • The present (now)
  • The future (after now)
Each Spanish verb tense corresponds to one of those basic time periods. In other words choosing a verb tense places the action of the verb in one of those basic periods and determines when the action takes place.


Now you should practise the use of the conditional tense of the irregular verb poder with some examples of your own.

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© Copyright 2015 Love-Spanish.com by Jose M González. All Rights Reserved.

Tuesday 29 September 2015

Maleta

Today's word is: Maleta
Clase: sustantivo (noun)
Género: femenino (feminine)
Origen: francés (French)

In Spanish, “maleta” is a feminine noun of French origin which means suitcase and is used as in:
  • Mi maleta es la más pequeña de las dos (my suitcase is the smaller of the two)



The masculine noun “maletero” is a related word which means porter or boot/ trunk, and is used as in:
  • Lo metimos todo en el maletero del coche (we put everything in the car boot/ trunk*)

The word “maleta” is often used colloquially to refer to someone as 'useless', 'a waste of space' or even a 'lazy good-for-nothing', as in:
  • Tu vecino es un maleta (your neighbour is a lazy good-for-nothing)

Some Spanish expressions with the word “maleta” are:
  • Facturar la maleta (to check in the suitcase)
  • Hacer la maleta (to pack)
  • Hacer las maletas (to pack)
    • Estamos haciendo las maletas (we are packing)

Notes


*In some parts of the Spanish speaking world the boot/ trunk of a car is known as a “baúl





Love-Spanish.com loves the word "maleta" in the YouTube clip: Luis Fonsi - Corazón En La Maleta

For more on the word "maleta", visit: Wordreference.com/es/en/ Maleta

*NB 'Click' on the speaker icon next to the word maleta”in the link to hear the word pronounced.

Spanish lessons online
Skype/ Google+ Hangout/ Facetime
Great lessons

© Copyright 2015 Love-Spanish.com by Jose M González. All Rights Reserved.

Friday 25 September 2015

Tell Me, Who Will Not Be Able To Attend Tomorrow?

Introduction


This post is about verb conjugation -the future tense, indicative mood of irregular verb poder.





SCENARIO


Imagine you are taking to a relative, friend or colleague about an event due to take place tomorrow. When it transpires that some of the invitees will not be able to attend, the other person says: "tell me, who will not be able to attend tomorrow?".

In Spanish, the other person could choose to be less formal and say:
Dime, ¿quién no podrá asistir mañana?

On the other hand, he/ she could choose to be more formal and say:
Dígame, ¿quién no podrá asistir mañana?


OUR TIP

Making a sentence which answers that question should be straightforward, but remember:


  • Make sure that you conjugate your verb correctly
  • Choose between formal or familiar options to suit the occasion -see examples below.

Typical answers could be:
  • Yo no podré* asistir mañana (I will not be able to attend tomorrow);
  • podrás* asistir mañana, ¿no? (you -familiar will be able to attend tomorrow, will you not?);
  • Usted podrá* asistir mañana, ¿no? (you -formal will be able to attend tomorrow, will you not?);
  • Pedro no podrá* asistir mañana (Pedro will not be able to attend tomorrow);
  • María no podrá* asistir mañana (Maria will not be able to attend tomorrow);
  • Mis amigos y yo no podremos* asistir mañana (my friends and I will not be able to attend tomorrow);
  • Vosotros podréis* asistir mañana, ¿no? (you people -familiar/ plural will be able to attend tomorrow, will you not?);
  • Ustedes podrán* asistir mañana, ¿no? (you people -formal/ plural will be able to attend tomorrow, will you not?);
  • Pedro y María no podrán* asistir mañana (Pedro and María will not be able to attend tomorrow);

Now you should practise replying to someone who says to you:
Dime, ¿quién no podrá asistir mañana?

*Please see grammar topic below, Verbs

Verbs
A verb is a 'doing' word which conveys:
  • What action takes place in a sentence
  • Who does that action
  • When that action occurs.
In addition, the verb may also convey the mood or feelings of the speaker toward the action which takes place. The verb may, for example, indicate whether the speaker is stating a fact, expressing a wish or indeed giving an order.

Irregular Verbs
Verb: poder
The Spanish verb poder is irregular* in some tenses, as shown in the table below:

Tense
Mood
Regular
Irregular
Present
Indicative

Imperfect
Indicative

Preterite
Indicative

Future
Indicative

Conditional
Indicative

Perfect
Indicative

Pluperfect
Indicative

Future Perfect
Indicative

Conditional Perfect
Indicative

Present
Subjunctive

Imperfect
Subjunctive

Perfect
Subjunctive

Pluperfect
Subjunctive


* NB:
  • Conjugate tenses in the regular column the same as other regular verbs ending in -er
  • The future tense conjugation/ indicative mood is shown below

Indicative Mood/ Future Tense - Conjugation
    Verb: poder
Subject
PODER
(TO BE ABLE)
I
Yo
PODRÉ
You
PODRÁS
You Usted*

PODRÁ
He Él
She
Ella
We
Nosotros
PODREMOS
You
Vosotros**
PODRÉIS
You
Ustedes***
PODRÁN
They
Ellos
They
Ellas

*NB More courteous/ polite form of 'you'
**NB 'You' plural
*** NB More courteous/ polite form of 'you' plural

Verb Conjugation Notes
It is worth remembering once more that in its basic form (infinitive), a Spanish verb is just a general 'doing' word. In that form, a verb simply indicates an action and nothing else. If we want a verb to be more specific about the action in a sentence, we need to conjugate it. It is only when conjugated that the verb indicates:
  • Who does the action
  • When the action takes place
  • The mood/ attitude of the speaker towards the action

The conjugation tables above refer to using conjugation to establish who does the action. What follows below are some notes on establishing when the action takes place and the mood/ attitude of the speaker towards the action.

Subjunctive Mood
The use of subjunctive mood is disappearing English. Nowadays is often viewed as an old and unfashionable form of the language.

In contrast, the use of subjunctive mood is very much alive and in everyday use in Spanish. This widespread use of subjunctive mood tends to be the bane of many a learner of Spanish from the English speaking world.

The concept of subjunctive mood is perhaps best illustrated by contrasting its use against the use of indicative mood with examples in English. The following are a couple of examples which should serve that purpose:
  • Indicative mood (“Peter eats an apple”).- Indicative mood is commonly used to make statements of facts or positive beliefs such as this one. As can be seen in the sample sentence (in quotes above), the speaker makes a clear and unambiguous statement of a fact (Peter eats an apple).
  • Subjunctive mood (“Peter would eat an apple if he were hungry”).- In contrast with indicative mood, subjunctive mood is commonly used to make statements indicating hypothetical or non-fact actions. As can be seen in the sample sentence (in quotes), in this case the speaker sees the action of eating an apple as something hypothetical, something which may or may not happen (Peter would eat an apple... if he were hungry).
Verb Tenses
Verb tenses relate to setting the time period (when) during which the action of the verb takes place. Basic times (periods) for Spanish verb actions are:
  • The past (before now)
  • The present (now)
  • The future (after now)
Each Spanish verb tense corresponds to one of those basic time periods. In other words choosing a verb tense places the action of the verb in one of those basic periods and determines when the action takes place.


Now you should practise the use of the future tense of the irregular verb poder with some examples of your own.

Spanish lessons online
Skype/ Google+ Hangout/ Facetime
Great lessons

© Copyright 2015 Love-Spanish.com by Jose M González. All Rights Reserved.