HOMEWORK: VERDE

VERDE HOMEWORK 1 (due at class 2)

Spanish Prepositions

The use of prepositions is very idiomatic and is not always logical. In some cases, there is a general rule or meaning. In others, you just have to learn in association with a particular verb.

Lesson 1: Some uses of the preposition “A”

1. ir a + infinitive: future action

Example: Voy a comer a las dos. (I'm going to eat at 2:00.)

2. asistir a: to attend an event

Example: Los viernes asistimos a la clase de baile. (On Fridays we attend dance class.)

3. enseñar a + infinitive: to teach an action

Example: El profesor me enseña a escribir mejor. (The professor teaches me to write better.)

4. aprender a + infinitive: to learn an action

Example: Quiero aprender a esquiar. (I learn to ski.)

5. ayudar a + infinitive: to help an action take place

Example: Los anteojos nos ayudan a ver. (Glasses help us to see.)

6. La "a personal:" Used whenever a person, or personified nonhuman, is the direct object of a verb.

  • Example 1: Conozco a muchas personas de California. (I know a lot of people from California.)

  • Example 2: El abogado representa al acusado. (The lawyer represents the accused.)

Lesson 2: Some uses of the preposition EN

1. hablar en voz alta (or baja): to speak out loud (or quietly)

Example: En la biblioteca, hay que hablar en voz baja. (In the library, it’s necessary to speak quietly.)

2. pensar en: to think ABOUT something

Example: Cuando escucho esa canción, pienso en mi juventud. (When I hear that song, I think about my youth.)

Assignment 1

Do reading of your choice in Spanish (a children’s book, a chapter book, an article) and bring it to class, prepared to tell a partner about it. (This assignment applies to Homework 1, 3, 5, and 7.)

Assignment 2

In a story or essay, write your own examples of each of these uses of the prepositions A and EN. Please DOUBLE SPACE. Let the phrases inspire you. It can be truth or fiction.

VERDE HOMEWORK 2 (due at class 3)

More Spanish Prepositions

Lesson 1: Some uses of the preposition “DE”

1. pensar de: to "think of" in the sense of having an OPINION (usually used in questions)

Example: No sé qué pienso del vino. ¿Qué piensa usted del vino? (I don't know what I think of this wine. What do you think of the wine?)

2. dejar de + infinitive: to stop doing something

Example: Dejó de llover. Deje de quejarse. (It stopped raining. Stop complaining.)

3. estar lleno de: to be full of

Example: El sótano está lleno de agua. (The basement's full of water.)

4. tratar de: to try to do something

Example: El vendedor trata de convencerme pero no puede. (The salesman tries to convince me but he can't.)

Lesson 2: Some uses of the preposition “CON”

1. soñar con: to dream about

Example: Anoche soñé con zapatos que hablaban. (Last night I dreamt about shoes that talked.)

2. hacer algo con dificultad: to do something with difficulty

Lesson 3: Some uses of the preposition “POR”

1. hablar por teléfono: to talk on the phone.

Example: A mi prima no le gusta hablar por teléfono. (My cousin doesn’t like to talk on the phone.)

2. estar por + infinitive: to be about to happen

Example: Venga adentro: está por llover. (Come inside: it's about to rain.)

Assignment

Use all 8 these phrases creatively in a story or essay. Please DOUBLE SPACE. Let the phrases inspire you. It can be truth or fiction.

VERDE HOMEWORK 3 (due at class 4)

Lesson: Stem-Changing -AR Verbs (O to UE)

The verb CONTAR is part of a group of irregular verbs in which, in the present tense, a stressed "o" changes to "ue."

cuento contamos

cuentas

cuenta cuentan

Note that the form of the second person plural (contamos) is regular because it's the “a” that's stressed, not the "o."

Other verbs in this group include: acostarse, encontrar, almorzar, mostrar, recordar, soñar

Assignment 1

Do reading of your choice in Spanish (a children’s book, a chapter book, an article) and bring it to class, prepared to tell a partner about it.

Assignment 2

Write out the conjugation of each of the 7 verbs above until you can do it without referring to another sheet of paper.

Assignment 3

Practice each verb orally until you can do it from memory.

Assignment 4

Write a one-page story, double spaced, using all seven of these verbs in the PRESENT tense.

VERDE HOMEWORK 4 (Due at class 5)

Lesson: Stem-Changing -AR Verbs (E to IE)

The verb PENSAR is part of a group of irregular verbs in which, in the present tense, a stressed "e" changes to "ie."

pienso pensamos

piensas

piensa piensan

Note that the form of the second person plural (pensamos) is regular because it's the “a” that's stressed, not the "e."

Other verbs in this group include: calentar, cerrar, comenzar, despertarse, sentarse, negar

Assignment 1

Write out the conjugation of each of these seven verbs until you can do it without referring to another sheet of paper.

Assignment 2

Practice each verb orally until you can do it from memory.

Assignment 3

Write a one-page story, double spaced, using all seven of these verbs in the present tense.

VERDE HOMEWORK 5 (due at class 6)

Lesson: Stem-Changing -IR Verbs (E to I)

The verb PEDIR is part of a group of irregular -IR verbs in which, in the present tense, a stressed "e" changes to "i."

pido pedimos

pides

pide piden

Others: seguir, conseguir, competir, despedirse, medir, repetir

Assignment 1

Do reading of your choice in Spanish (a children’s book, a chapter book, an article) and bring it to class, prepared to tell a partner about it.

Assignment 2

Write out the conjugation of each of these seven verbs until you can do it without referring to another sheet of paper.

Assignment 3

Practice each verb orally until you can do it from memory.

Assignment 4

Write a one-page story, double spaced, using all seven of these verbs in the present tense.

VERDE HOMEWORK 6 (due at class 7)

Lesson 1: The Conditional Tense

For most verbs, this tense is formed merely by adding on the following endings to the infinitive:

-ía -íamos

-ías

-ía -ían

So for example HABLAR in the conditional tense is conjugated like this:

hablaría hablaríamos

hablarías

hablaría hablarían

The conditional tense has the following uses:

1. An action dependent on another

  • Yo iría contigo, pero no puedo. (I'd go with you, but I can't.)

  • Si tuviera más dinero, comería más caviar. (If I had more money, I'd eat more caviar.)

(In the second sentence, the verb "tuviera" is the verb "tener" in the past subjunctive. It sets up the hypothetical condition for the conditional tense in the other clause of the sentence. Do not worry about understanding or using the subjunctive yet.)

2. A conditional request

  • Me gustaría un plato de mondongo. (I would like a plate of stewed tripe.)

  • ¿Usted me prestaría un lapicero? (Would you loan me a pen?)

(This makes requests much gentler, just like in English.)

3. An indirect quote about a proposed action.

  • Mario dijo que visitaría mañana. (Mario said he would visit tomorrow.)

(This is just like in English too.)

4. Conjecture about the past

  • Cuando yo estaba en el sótano, sonó el teléfono. ¿Quién sería? (When I was in the basement, the phone rang. Who could it have been?)

5. A statement of probability/an estimation regarding the past

  • El ladrón se metería a las 3:00 de la madrugada. (The burglar probably broke in at 3:00 AM.)

Assignment

Think up a situation related to the unit we're studying right now, one in which someone is complaining about goods or services or something. It could be in a store, or complaining to the cops about the neighbors' loud party, or whatever. Try to use expressions from page 5 of the unit. Also try to employ all 5 of the uses of the conditional tense listed above.

VERDE HOMEWORK 7 (due at class 8)

Assignment 1

Do reading of your choice in Spanish (a children’s book, a chapter book, an article) and bring it to class, prepared to tell a partner about it.

Assignment 2

Write a poem that incorporates everything we've studied up to this point. Make it rhyme, if you dare! Don't forget to double space!