Elements of a Sentence in Spanish

Nouns, Articles and Adjectives The Gender of Nouns and the Definite Article What is a nouns? The Gender of Nouns and the Definite Article What is a nouns?

Noun = sustantivo / A noun is a person, animal, place thing or idea

/ In Spanish, all nouns are either masculine or feminine.

/ In Spanish, the definite article (English the) agrees with the noun in gender (masculine or feminine) and in number (singular or plural).

La (the)Las (the) El (the)Los (the) Singular Plural Femenino Masculino

Singular Nouns Masculine Most nouns that end in –o are masculine. Feminine Most nouns that end up in –a are feminine. Masculine Most nouns that end in –o are masculine. Feminine Most nouns that end up in –a are feminine.

All together as a class Pronounce the following words

(the friend) el amigo

(the bank) el banco

(the car) el carro

(the cat) el gato

(the brother) el hermano

(the book) el libro

(the guy) el muchacho

(the boy) el niño

(the dog) el perro

(the phone) el télefono

(the wine) el vino

Many masculine nouns do not end in – o; therefore, it is necessary to learn each noun with its article. / el animal / el café / el doctor / el hombre / el hospital / el hotel / el tomate / el tren / el animal / el café / el doctor / el hombre / el hospital / el hotel / el tomate / el tren

Some masculine nouns end in –a or -ma / el clima / el día / el drama / el idioma / el mapa / el planeta / el poema / el problema / el programa / el sistema / el clima / el día / el drama / el idioma / el mapa / el planeta / el poema / el problema / el programa / el sistema

Feminine The feminine singular noun takes the defite article La. Most nouns end in –a are feminine. / La amiga / La blusa / La cama / La casa / La comida / la hermana / La amiga / La blusa / La cama / La casa / La comida / la hermana

Nouns that end in –ción, -sión, -dad, or -tud / La canción / La conversación / La ciudad / La verdad / La amistad / La actitud / La canción / La conversación / La ciudad / La verdad / La amistad / La actitud

A few nouns that end in -o are feminine. / La foto / La mano / La radio / La foto / La mano / La radio

Many feminine nouns do not follow these patterns; therefore, it is important to learn each noun with the article. / La clase / La flor / La luz / La mujer / La piel / La suerte

A noun ending in –ista can be masculine or feminine, depending on whether it refers to a male or female. The article indicates the gender of the noun. / El artista the (male) artist / La artista the (female) artist / El dentista the (male) dentist / La dentista the (female) dentist / El pianista / La pianista / El taxista / La taxista / El artista the (male) artist / La artista the (female) artist / El dentista the (male) dentist / La dentista the (female) dentist / El pianista / La pianista / El taxista / La taxista

A noun ending in –nte can be masculine or feminine, depending on whether it refers to a male or female. The article indicates the gender of the noun. / El cantante the (male) singer / La cantante the (female) singer / El estudiante the (male) student / La estudiante the (female) student / El presidente / La presidente / El cantante the (male) singer / La cantante the (female) singer / El estudiante the (male) student / La estudiante the (female) student / El presidente / La presidente

Plural Nouns: Masculine A masculine noun that end in a vowel adds –s to form the plural, it takes the definite article los. / El día los días / El hermano los hermanos / El librolos libros

If the noun ends in a consonant, el changes to los and the noun adds –es. / El animallos animales / El doctorlos doctores / El trenlos trenes

Plural Nouns: Feminine A feminine noun that end in a vowel adds –s to form the plural, it takes the definite article las. / La bolsalas bolsas / La personalas personas / La tiendalas tiendas

If the noun ends in a consonant, la changes to las and the noun adds –es. / La ciudadlas ciudades / La mujerlas mujeres

The indefinite article The Spanish singular indefinite article (English a, an) is un before a masculine noun and una before a feminine noun.

Plural indefinite articles / The Spanishplural indefinite article (English some) is unos before a masculine plural noun and unas before a plural feminine noun.

una (a, an)unas (some) un (a, an)unos (some) Singular Plural Femenino Masculino

/ Una artista an artist / Unas artistas some (female) artist / Un gato a cat / Unos gatos some cats

Adjectives = adjetivos / An adjective is a word that describes a noun. / A Spanish adjective agrees in gender and in number with the noun it describes. / In Spanish, an adjective almost always follows the noun it describes. / An adjective is a word that describes a noun. / A Spanish adjective agrees in gender and in number with the noun it describes. / In Spanish, an adjective almost always follows the noun it describes.

/ Adjectives describe physical characteristics. / Adjectives describe emotions and personality traits. / Colors and the nationality of a person are both consider adjectives. / Adjectives describe physical characteristics. / Adjectives describe emotions and personality traits. / Colors and the nationality of a person are both consider adjectives.

/ Colors: amarillo, verde, azul, rojo, morado, and so on. / Nationalities: mexicano, guatemalteco, estadounidense, salvadoreño / Physical characteristic: alto, bonita, bajito, corto largo,suave, duro, frió, caliente. / Personality and emotions: buena, enojada, triste, feliz, alegre / Colors: amarillo, verde, azul, rojo, morado, and so on. / Nationalities: mexicano, guatemalteco, estadounidense, salvadoreño / Physical characteristic: alto, bonita, bajito, corto largo,suave, duro, frió, caliente. / Personality and emotions: buena, enojada, triste, feliz, alegre

Subject Pronouns, Estar, and Ser

suject pronouns = pronombres / Singular / Yo (I) / tú (you) informal / él (he) / ella (she) / usted (you) formal / Singular / Yo (I) / tú (you) informal / él (he) / ella (she) / usted (you) formal

/ plural / nosotros (we) / vosotros (you) use in Spain / ellos (they) / ellas (they) / ustedes (you) Note: There is no subject pronoun it in Spanish. Él and ella refer to people and sometimes animals. but not to things. / plural / nosotros (we) / vosotros (you) use in Spain / ellos (they) / ellas (they) / ustedes (you) Note: There is no subject pronoun it in Spanish. Él and ella refer to people and sometimes animals. but not to things.

Estar (to be) / Spanish has two verbs that are equivalent to English to be. Begin with the conjugation of the verb estar.

/ yo estoy I am / tú estás you are / él está he is / ella está she is / usted está you are / yo estoy I am / tú estás you are / él está he is / ella está she is / usted está you are / nosotros estamos we are / vosotros estamos you are / ellos están they are / ellas esta they are / ustedes están you are Estar

/ Estar is use to express four basic concepts: / location / health / changing mood or condition / and personal opinion of taste or appearence / Estar is use to express four basic concepts: / location / health / changing mood or condition / and personal opinion of taste or appearence

Location Estar is to describe where something or someone is physically located. / Yo estoy en la clase. / Nosotros estamos en el carro. / El restaurante está en la ciudad. / ellas están en el baño. / ¿Estás tú en el hospital? / Yo estoy en la clase. / Nosotros estamos en el carro. / El restaurante está en la ciudad. / ellas están en el baño. / ¿Estás tú en el hospital? / I am in class. / We are i the car. / The restaurant is in the city. / They ae in the bathrom. / Are you in th hospital?

Health / Yo estoy bien, gracias. / Ella está enferma. / Los doctores están enfermos. / ¿Cómo están ustedes? / Estamos bien. / Yo estoy bien, gracias. / Ella está enferma. / Los doctores están enfermos. / ¿Cómo están ustedes? / Estamos bien. / I am fine, thanks. / She is sick. / The doctors are sick. / How are you? / We are well.

Changing Mood or Condition / La muchacha está contenta. / Estoy feliz. / Los hombres están cansados. / Estamos alegres. / ¿Estás enojado? / La muchacha está contenta. / Estoy feliz. / Los hombres están cansados. / Estamos alegres. / ¿Estás enojado? / The girl is happy. / I am happy. / The men are tired. / We are happy. / Are you angry?

/ Often the pronouns yo, tú, and nosotros are omitted. This is possible because estoy can only mean I am, estás means you are whether tú is includedor not, and estamos carries the meaning we are.

Personal opinion in terms of taste or appearance / La comida está buena. / El pescado está delicioso. / La sopa está sabrosa. / Ella está hermosa hoy. / Él está guapo. / La comida está buena. / El pescado está delicioso. / La sopa está sabrosa. / Ella está hermosa hoy. / Él está guapo. / The meal is (taste) good. / The fish is (taste) delicious. / The soup is (taste) delicious. / She is (looks) pretty today. / He is (looks) handsome.

A Word About Word Order / A you begin learning the basic structures of the Spanish language, you will discover that the word order of English and Spanish is essentially the same for the material covered in the Part 1 of the notes, which includes the basic elements of a sentence.