Spanish Essentials For Dummies

Gail Stein, MA has more than 30 years’ experience teaching languages in New York City public junior and senior high schools. She is also the author of Spanish Workbook For Dummies. Cecie Kraynak, MA has taught and tutored Spanish for more than 30 years. She is the author of Spanish For Dummies, Spanish Verbs For Dummies, and Spanish All-In-One For Dummies.

• Introduction 1About This Book 1Foolish Assumptions 2Icons Used in This Book 2Where to Go from Here 3Chapter 1: Brushing Up on the Basics 5Pronouncing Properly 5Voicing vowels 6Practicing diphthongs and vowel combinations 6Verbalizing consonants 7Understanding stress and diacritical marks 8Counting Down 9Using cardinal numbers 10Using ordinal numbers 13Dealing with Dates 14Expressing the days of the week 14Naming the months of the year 15Making a date 16Telling Time 17Identifying Parts of Speech 20Using nouns 20Substituting pronouns 21Acting with verbs 21Describing with adjectives 22Clarifying with adverbs 22Joining with prepositions 23Chapter 2: Embracing the Gender Gap 25Being Specific with Definite Articles 25Identifying the definite articles 26Using definite articles 26Omitting the definite articles 28Contracting with definite articles 28Table of Contents iiiBeing General with Indefinite Articles 28Identifying the indefinite articles 29Omitting indefinite articles 29Being Demonstrative with Adjectives 30Explaining Gender 31Determining the gender of nouns 31Doing an about face with gender 32Using the same noun for both genders 33Changing the meaning of nouns 33Understanding special nouns 34Forming Plural Nouns 35Showing Possession 36Using de 37Employing possessive adjectives 37Substituting with Object Pronouns 39Dealing with direct object pronouns 39Understanding the personal a 40Coping with indirect object pronouns 41Choosing the proper pronoun 42Constructing sentences with gustar 44Positioning object pronouns 46Doing double duty 47Chapter 3: Living in the Present 49Identifying Types of Verbs 49Selecting Subject Pronouns 50Being inclusive 50Using subject pronouns 52Omitting subject pronouns 54Communicating in the Present Tense 55Recognizing regular verbs 56Changing verb stems 57Changing the spelling of verbs 62Modifying verbs with two changes 63Using irregular verbs 63Communicating with irregular verbs 65Spotting reflexive verbs 67Making Progress with the Present Progressive 71Using estar to form the present progressive 71Understanding present participles 72Chapter 4: Being Descriptive 75Adding Color with Adjectives 75Making adjectives agree 75Positioning adjectives 81Shortening certain adjectives 82Describing Actions with Adverbs 82Forming adverbs 82Positioning adverbs 85Making Comparisons 85Conveying equality 85Stating inequality 85Articulating the superlative 86Communicating irregular comparisons 86Expressing the absolute superlative 87Linking with Prepositions 88Selecting the correct one 89Using prepositions with verbs 92Using the right pronoun after a preposition 95Chapter 5: Making Inquiries 97Posing a Yes/No Question 97Using intonation 98Employing the tags “¿No? and ¿verdad?” 98Using inversion 99Responding to a Yes/No Question 99Staying positive 100Being negative 100Getting the Facts 103Using interrogative adjectives 103Getting information with interrogative adverbs 104Employing interrogative pronouns 105Providing Information 107Chapter 6: Reliving the Past 109Living in the Past 109Forming the preterit of regular verbs 110Forming the preterit of spelling change verbs 111Constructing the preterit with verbs with stem changes 112Forming the preterit of irregular verbs 113Using the preterit 116Reminiscing with the Imperfect 117Forming the imperfect of regular verbs 117Forming the imperfect of irregular verbs 118Using the imperfect 119Choosing the Preterit or the Imperfect 120Signaling the preterit 120Signaling the imperfect 121Creating the Present Perfect 122Forming the present perfect 122Using the present perfect 124Chapter 7: Looking to the Future 127Talking about the Future without Using the Future Tense 127Using the present to express the future 127Expressing the near future 128Mastering the Future Tense 128Forming the future of regular verbs 128Forming the future of irregular verbs 130Using the Future to Foretell, Predict, and Wonder 131Chapter 8: Understanding Verb Moods and the Conditional 133Giving Commands with the Imperative Mood 134Forming commands with Ud and Uds 134Forming commands with tú 135Forming the let’s command 136Forming the Present Subjunctive 137Creating the present subjunctive of regular verbs 137Working with verbs irregular in the yo form 138Tackling verbs with spelling changes 139Coping with stem changes 141Understanding verbs with both spelling and stem changes 143Conjugating irregular verbs 144Using the Present Subjunctive 144Expressing your desires, needs, or doubts 146Demonstrating feelings or emotions 148Employing impersonal expressions 149Using relative clauses 151Examining the Present Perfect Subjunctive 152Making Actions Conditional 153Forming the conditional of regular verbs 153Exploring verbs with irregular conditional forms 154Using the conditional 155Chapter 9: Ten Key Verb Distinctions 157Ser versus Estar 157Saber versus Conocer 159Tomar versus Llevar 159Deber versus Tener Que 160Preguntar versus Pedir 160Jugar versus Tocar 160Gastar versus Pasar 161Dejar versus Salir 161Volver versus Devolver 161Poder versus Saber 161Appendix: Verb Charts 163Index 177