2.6 Grammar - Writing Sentences /Collective nouns
Completion requirements
Spanish Language and Culture 10-3Y
2.6 Writing Sentences
Now that you've learned how to conjugate —ar verbs, you are ready to put them into sentences.
If you need to review how they sound and what they mean, go back to 2.4 Vocabulario.
Now you need to practice saying them in their conjugated forms.
EG:
Trabajar = to work
Yo trabajo
Tú trabajas
Ella trabaja
Nosotros trabajamos
Vosotros trabajaÃs
Ellos trabajan
This verb was presented to you in Lesson 2.6
It may need some more practice. Try these aloud:
Necesitar = to need
Yo necesit__
Tú necesit__
Él necesit__
Nosotros necesit__
Ustedes necesit__
Read the important tips on writing sentences below. When using the preposition con below. Con means with - you will notice that it changes slightly when used with some pronouns: contigo = with you, conmigo = with me.
Click on the tabs below to see the examples.
First, here is an example of how is the verb hablar is conjugated for reference. Now that you know how to conjugate -ar verbs, let's practice writing some sentences.
Here are the forms / conjugations of Hablar. (Remember, all -ar verbs work the same way! So get very comfortable with putting these endings on to the stems, and you will be ready to make sentences. )
¿Quién escucha música?
Ella escucha la música.
¿Quién estudia en el parque?
La chica estudia inglés en el parque.
In Spanish, we use the preposition con when we are saying with. It is often used with the verb hablar because in Spanish you talk with a person as opposed to speaking to a person.
Look at the chart below. As you can see we use the preposition con followed by a subject pronoun with the exception of conmigo (with me) and contigo (with you) where two new words are needed.
Here are the forms / conjugations of Hablar. (Remember, all -ar verbs work the same way! So get very comfortable with putting these endings on to the stems, and you will be ready to make sentences. )
| Hablar → To speak | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Yo | Hablo |
Nosotros | Hablamos |
| Tú | Hablas |
Vosotros | Habláis |
| Él/Ella/Usted | Habla |
Ellos/Ellas/Uds | Hablan |
- Usted is always conjugated as third person to express respect.
Collective nouns are always conjugated in the singular.
A collective noun refers to a group of people, but it is used as a singular noun.
There are many people in the family, BUT, it is only ONE family, so we use the SINGULAR form of the verb.
Some examples are: la familia , la clase , y el equipo (the team)
A collective noun refers to a group of people, but it is used as a singular noun.
There are many people in the family, BUT, it is only ONE family, so we use the SINGULAR form of the verb.
Some examples are: la familia , la clase , y el equipo (the team)
La clase escucha la maestra.
El equipo espera el juego.
(esperar = to wait for)
(esperar = to wait for)
La familia celebra el cumpleaños.
(celebrar = to celebrate)
(celebrar = to celebrate)
When asking who, quién, we also use third person singular.
Who listens to music?
Who studies in the park?
Who listens to music?
Who studies in the park?
¿Quién escucha música?
Ella escucha la música.
¿Quién estudia en el parque?
La chica estudia inglés en el parque.
In Spanish, we use the preposition con when we are saying with. It is often used with the verb hablar because in Spanish you talk with a person as opposed to speaking to a person.
Look at the chart below. As you can see we use the preposition con followed by a subject pronoun with the exception of conmigo (with me) and contigo (with you) where two new words are needed.
| Hablar → To speak | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| conmigo |
with me | con nosotros
con nosotras |
with us
|
| contigo
con usted |
with you (familiar)
with you (formal) |
con vosotros
con vosotras |
with you
(plural, familiar) |
| con él
con ella |
with him
with her |
con ellos
con ellas |
with them
|