Rojo Homework Class 1
Grammar lesson: Adjectives Adjectives in Spanish agree in gender (usually) and number with the nouns they modify. They are also usually placed after the noun. Examples: el libro rojo (the red book)—masculine singular los libros rojos (the red books)—masculine plural la mesa roja (the red table)—feminine singular las mesas rojas (the red tables)—feminine plural NOTESNotice that the adjective "rojo" reflects the gender and number of the noun with different endings: "-o," "-os," "-a," "-as." Adjectives that end in "e" don't agree in gender, only number. (examples: grande/grandes, importante/importantes) Nouns that en in "o" are almost always masculine. Nouns that end in "a" are usually feminine, except most words ending in "-ma" (el problema), "-ta" (el artista—could also be "la artista), and "-pa" (el mapa). Feminine nouns also end in "-ción" (la educación), "-dad" (la comunidad). Check out this web page for detailed information about the gender of nouns in Spanish. Assignment: Write a list of 24 different nouns in Spanish (simple, concrete ones that you can easily explain to another student without using English) and describe each with a different adjective in Spanish (a simple, concrete one) in the appropriate form. Of the 24 nouns, make sure you have 6 masculine singular, 6 masculine plural, 6 feminine singular, and 6 feminine plural. ALSO: As every week, get a simple children's book from the public library, try to read it and bring it to class to share with another student.
Rojo Homework Class 2
Lesson 1: The irregular, but very important verb SER (to be) SER is used to identify and describe things. It is conjugated like this: yo soy (I am) tú eres (you are) (familiar) él es (he is) ella es (she is) usted es (you are) (formal) nosotros somos (we are) ellos son (they are) (masc.,mixed gender) ellas son (they are) (fem.) ustedes son (y’all are) (formal in Spain, universal in Am.)
As always, read a children’s book in Spanish and bring it to class to discuss.SER is used to express something’s IDENTITY. (SER means "to be" in the sense of EXISTING and being identified as
something.)
USES of SER
1. Identifying something as a noun. (Esto es un libro.)
2. Characteristics (El gato es negro.)
3. Profession (Ramón es doctor.)
4. Religion (Nosotros somos budistas.)
5. Ideology (Ellos son socialistas.)
6. Nationality (Tú eres italiano.)
7. Geographic origin (Soy de Wenatchee.)
8. Material origin (La silla es de metal.)
9. When telling time. (¿Qué hora es? Son las ocho.)Lesson 2: ESTAR ESTAR is used to express something’s CONDITION or LOCATION. (ESTAR means "to be" in the sense of being in a particular STATE.)
It is conjugated like this: yo estoy (I am) tú estás (you are) (familiar) él está (he is) ella está (she is)1. Physical condition (Estoy enfermo.)
usted está (you are) (formal)
nosotros estamos (we are) ellos están (they are) (masc.,mixed gender)
ellas están (they are) (fem.)
ustedes están (y’all are) (formal in Spain, universal in América.)
2. Mental condition (Ramón está aburrido.)
3. Emotional condition (Nosotros estamos tristes.)
4. Location (¿Dónde está Waldo? Waldo está en Puyallup.)
5. Temperature of things (La sopa está fría.)Some comparisons of SER & ESTAR
ESTAR
SER
¿Cómo está Roberto?
(This means "How is Roberto?" How is his mental/emotional/physical condition.)
¿Cómo es Roberto?
(This means "What is Roberto like?" It requests a description of his identity and characteristics.)
La casa está bonita.
(This means "The house looks pretty." It has been dolled up, adorned with Christmas lights or something. a condition)
La casa es bonita.
(This means "The house is pretty." a characteristic)
Simón está aburrido.
("Simón is bored." a condition)
Simón es aburrido.
("Simón is boring." a charactersitic)
ASSIGNMENT
Write one original example of your own for each use of each verb (SER: 9, ESTAR: 5) for a total of 14 sentences.
As always double space and use new vocabulary of your choosing.
Rojo Homework Class 3
Lesson: The Present Progressive TenseRojo Homework Class 4
Write a description of your house, outside, inside, and its contents using adjectives from the vocabulary if you can and any others you’d like (given that you think you’ll be able to explain them in class to another student without using English). Max 1 page. As always double space and use new vocabulary of your choosing.
Rojo Homework Class 5
Lesson 1 The irregular verbs IR and VER IR (to go) voy vamos vas va van Example Simón va a la casa. (Simón goes to the house.) NOTE the use of the preposition "a," meaning "to" here. VER (to see) veo vemos ves ve ven Examples: David ve la casa. (David sees the house.) Yo veo a David. (I see David.) La niña ve al niño. (The girl sees the boy.) NOTE 1. The use of the preposition "a" in the second and third examples. This is called the "personal a." It is used whenever a direct object is human. Note that it is not used in the first example: the direct object is not human. 2. "Al" is a contraction of the preposition "a" and the definite article "el." "a" + "el" = "al." Assignment A 1. Practice the conjugation of these verbs in writing until you can write them out from memory. 2. Practice the conjugation of these verbs orally until you can do it from memory. 3. Write 5 sentences with IR and a destination. 4. Write 5 sentences with VER and non-human objects. 5. Write 5 sentences with VER and human objects (using the "personal a".) Lesson 2 Using IR to Express Actions in the Future. The verb IR in combination with the prepostion A and ANOTHER VERB IN ITS INFINITIVE FORM are used to express future actions. The formula is IR + A + INFINITIVE Example: Juan va a comer a la 1:00. (Juan is going to eat at 1:00.) Assignment B Write 5 sentences using IR to express actions in the future. As always double space and use new vocabulary of your choosing.
Rojo Homework Class 6
The preposition PARA
PARA (represented by an arrow and an objective)
==>X
1. Destination/place: Salimos para Madrid. (We are leaving for Madrid.)
2. Destination/person: Esto es para Ud. (This is for you.)
3. A future time limit: Es para mañana. (It’s for tomorrow.)
4. Use/function: Es un cepillo para el pelo. ("It's a brush for the hair." Meaning, "It’s a hair brush.")
5. Comparison to a certain standard: Para su edad, lee bien. (For her age, she reads well.)
6. Perspective: Para mí es demasiado lento. (For me it’s too slow.)
7. Employer: Trabajo para el Departamento de Salud. (I work for the Department of Health.)
8. Purpose/goal (in order to): Nado para divertirme. (I swim to have fun.)
Assignment
Write an orignial sentence based on each use of PARA. (Total: 8 sentences.)
Always double space and use new vocabulary of your choosing.
Rojo Homework Class 7
The preposition POR POR: Part 1 (represented by an arrow going in opposite directions: Exchange/substitution) ==> <== 1. In exchange for: Usted tiene que pagar por la mazana, señor. (You have to pay for the apple, sir. 2. Giving thanks: Gracias por las galletas. (Thanks for the cookies.) 3. On behalf of: Trabajo por Roberto porque está enfermo. (I'm working for Robert because he's sick.) POR: Part 2 (represented by an arrow going through a tube) =)_____)=> 4. Duration of an action: Trabajo por una hora. (I’m working for an hour.) 5. Motion/place: El tren pasa por un túnel. (The train passes through a tunnel.) 6. Means/manner: Lo envío por correo aéreo. (I’m sending it by air-mail.) POR: Part 3 7. Proximity: El carro está por el árbol. (The car is by the tree.) 8. Indefinite time period: Duerme por la tarde. (He sleeps in the afternoon.) 9. Per: Me pagan por día. (They pay me per day.) Assignment Write an orignial sentence based on each use of POR. (Total: 9 sentences.) Always double space and use new vocabulary of your choosing.
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Last updated 25 March 2013