SPANISH III for Everyday Life (Tuesdays): Winter 2015-Outline1
Instructor: Emilia Chuquin (PhD.) / Email: [email protected]
Reg#: 252389
DATE
CLASS ACTIVITY
SEMANA 1 Refrán: Persevera y triunfarás; ‘If at first you don’t succeeded, try again.’ Or, ‘Never give up.’
Jan. 13
Introduction to the present subjunctive: Expressing expectations (wants) and hopes.
a) (Yo) Quiero aprender bien el subjuntivo vs. (Yo) Quiero que Rita aprenda bien el
subjuntivo. Use yo form indicative & drop the final –o; change –ar to –e; -er/-ir to –a
b) The present subjunctive of the following verbs with irregular indicative yo: conocer,
decir, hacer, oír, poner. Other irregular verbs in present subjunctive: 1) dar, estar, ir;
2) Stem-changing –ar and –er verbs follow the same pattern as the present indicative:
pensar, volver; 3) Stem-changing –ir verbs the same pattern as the present indicative
but have an additional change in the nosotros/as and vosotros/as: preferir, dormir
c) Verbs ending in –car, -gar, -zar, and –guir have spelling changes such as sacar,
jugar, recoger, almorzar, seguir.
d) ¡Ojalá! This expression ojalá (que) (I/we hope [that]), which comes from Arabicoriginally means May Allah Grant that…, is always followed by the subjunctive.
SEMANA 2 Subjunctive the verbs that express an intention to influence the action of others
Jan. 20
a) (aconsejar, pedir, permitir, prohibir, recomendar), also require the subjunctive in
the dependent clause. With these verbs Spanish speakers often use an indirect object.
b) To express your influence, wishes, and hopes through some impersonal expressions
such as es necesario, es importante, es bueno and es mejor. But, if you are not
addressing or speaking about someone in particular, use the infinitive. Es mejor comer
pescado y pollo.
c) Use subjunctive when you are expressing emotions, opinions, and attitude (fear,
happiness, sorrow). Some common verbs that express emotion are alegrarse (de),
estar contento/a (de), sentir, gustar, encantar, molestar, and temer (to fear).
Impersonal expressions and other expressions that show emotion are also followed by
que + subjunctive (Es triste que el niño esté enfermo “It is sad the child is sick.”).
SEMANA 3 Subjunctive in adjective clauses: Talking about things that may not exist.
Jan. 27
a) Exist + the indicative vs. situations that do not exist, or that possible exist + the
subjunctive.
b) Both adjectives and adjective clauses provide descriptive information about a noun
in the independent clause (Vamos a ir a una playa muy bonita. / Vamos a ir a una
playa que es muy bonita.). Use the indicative in an adjective clause that refers to a
person, place, or thing (antecedent) that exists or is known BUT, use subjunctive in an
adjective clause that refers to a person, place, or thing that does not exist or whose
existence is unknown or in question.
c) When the antecedent is a specific person and functions as a direct object, use the
indicative and the personal a. If the antecedent is not a specific person, use the
subjunctive and do not use the personal a. Example: Busco al profesor que enseña
español (specific) vs. Busco un profesor que enseñe español (no specific).
d) In questions you may use the indicative or the subjunctive according to the “degree”
or certainty you have about the matter. Example: ¿Hay viajeros aquí que salen en el
vuelo 820? “Are there any travelers here who are leaving on flight 820?” (I do not
know, but I assume there are.) ¿Hay viajeros aquí que salgan en el vuelo 820? “ Are
there any travelers here who are leaving on flight 820?” (I do not know, but I doubt
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SEMANA 4
Feb. 3
SEMANA 5
Feb. 10
SEMANA 6
Feb. 17
SEMANA 7
Feb. 24
SEMANA 8
March 3
it.)
e) Refrán o proverbio: Mas vale tarde que nunca. ‘Better late than never.’
Subjunctive with expressions of doubt or uncertainty.
a) Use the subjunctive with impersonal expressions that denote doubt or uncertainty,
such as es dudoso que, es difícil que, es probable que, and es posible que.
b) Use the indicative with impersonal expressions that denote certainty: es cierto/verdad
que, es seguro que, and es obvio que. Note, when these expressions are negative, the
following verb is in the subjunctive.
Hypothesizing: The conditional (would + verb).
a) The conditional is easy to recognize. It is formed by adding the endings –ía, -ías, -ía,
íamos, íais, ían to the infinitive.
b) It is used to hypothesize about a situation that is not part of the speaker’s present
reality. When English would implies used to, the imperfect is used in Spanish.
c) Verbs that have an irregular stem in the future have the same that same stem in the
conditional: haber, poder, querer, saber, poder, salir, tener, venir, decir, hacer.
Expressing conjecture: Adverbial conjunctions that require the subjunctive:
a) Conjunctions are words or phrases that function as “connector” in sentences. Some
conjunctions introduce dependent clauses known as adverbial clauses, which
communicate how, why, when, and where an action takes place such as a menos que
(unless), antes (de) que (before), con tal (de) que (provided that), para que (so that),
sin que (without), en caso (de) que (in case as), hasta que (until), etc.
b) Use an infinitive after the prepositions antes de, para, and sin when there is no
change of subject. Refrán: El saber no ocupa lugar. ‘One can never know too much.’
Conjecture or certainty: Adverbial conjunctions: Subjunctive or indicative.
a) Here you will practice using “conjunctions” that are followed by a verb in either the
subjunctive or indicative, depending on whether the event in the adverbial clause has
occurred or not, or whether it is factual or unknown (aunque, cuando, después (de)
que, donde, en cuanto, hasta que, mientras, según, tan pronto (como). These
conjunctions require the subjunctive when the event in the adverbial clause has not yet
taken place (expresses future time).
b) These conjunctions require the indicative when the event in the adverbial clause has
already taken place, is taking place, or usually takes place (después de que, tan
pronto, hasta que).
c) Donde and según require indicative when they refer to something definite or known,
and subjunctive when they refer to something indefinite or unknown. Aunque also
requires the subjunctive when it introduces a condition not regarded as fact (Lo
compro aunque es caro “I will buy it, although it is expensive.” / Lo compro
aunque sea caro “I will buy it, although it may (turn out to) be expensive.”
The past perfect. Form the past perfect with the imperfect tense of haber and the past
participle of the main verb.
a) Use the past perfect to refer to a past event, action or condition that occurred “prior”
to another past event, action or state.
b) Expressing wishes and recommendations in the past: The imperfect subjunctive.
Drop the –on preterit ending and substitute the past subjunctive endings –ra, etc.
c) Refrán: Cada uno sabe donde le aprieta el zapato. ‘Each one knows where problems lie.’