Final del Capítulo 5...

After Easter we'll quickly review the numbers, the days of the week and the months of the year and complete Capítulo 5. I asked you to read the Estructura from page 188 (Textbook) and review the Workbook page 84, reviewing the Spanish expressions with ¡Qué...!: ¡Qué sorpresa! ¡Qué lástima! ¡Qué triste! ¡Qué volcán! ¡Qué teatro! ¡Qué parque! ¡Qué playa! ¡Qué película! ¡Qué autobús! ¡Qué partido! ¡Qué fantástico! Etc. In Costa Rica they have expressions like "¡Qué chiva! (for "way cool" or just "cool" or "neat" or "awesome"), besides others like ¡Pura vida! (which really means "pure life") but ticos use it also for "cool." I also asked you to read page 193 (Texbook) to read a little more about Costa Rica.

We also have expressions like ¡Qué mala nota! (for "that's not cool" or "bummer"), and mae or maje for "dude" (it's a friendly expression). We also use chunche for "thing" or "thingamajig" and diay or idiay for "well?" We call blondes machos (macha - blonde girl and macho - blonde guy). And say "por dicha" a lot; which means "luckily." So as you can see, we have many typical and original expressions. 

Please review the months of the year in Spanish:

Write them down in your notebooks with their respective English translation. Check the links "Months of the Year 1" and "Months of the Year 2" under "Fave" Links. Also write the higher numbers in your notebooks (you should already know the numbers 1 - 100, if you forgot them, please review the link Numbers (click this link or go to "Fave" Links). You can also practice here: Números (con el señor Jordan).

Capítulo 5 - Continues... ("Continúa")

Direct Object Pronouns

Please copy the following in your notebooks (notes) or copy in a Word document or Pages and print for yourself. This will help you understand better the "Direct Object Pronouns." Also, for the test next Friday, March 22, 2013, review the handouts I gave you on Verbo Tener, pages 55, 56 and 57, and on Direct Object Pronouns, pages 61 - 64 (of the Grammar & Vocabulary Exercises workbook). You will receive other G & V pages next week: p. 66 and p. 67 (Verbo Venir). The following textbook exercises are important too: p. 186 # 7, p. 189 # 14 and p. 197 #29 (Verbo Tener); p. 195 # 24 ("a" personal), p. 196, # 26 and # 28 (Direct Object Pronouns). And from the Workbook: 82, 83, 86, 87, 88, 89, 94 and 95. Also: check this Direct Object Pronouns Video (by Señor Jordan) - more on "Fave" Links on the right.

First of all you must remember that a direct object in a sentence is the person, event or thing affected by the verb. The main difference between the use of the direct object pronouns in Spanish and English is their placement. While in English they substitute the direct object (and its article) and are placed where the original object was, in Spanish this pronoun is placed in front of the verb, replacing also any article used with the object previously.

Personal "a:" When the direct object is a place, the personal "a" is not required. Example (The direct object nouns are underlined): Susana visita el museo - Susana lo visita ("lo" is the Direct Object Pronoun). The personal "a" is required when the direct object is a person. Example: Susana visita a Cristina - Susana la visita ("la" is the Direct Object Pronoun or DOP). Also, when the DOP is a person (or persons) and includes a possessive adjective, like Yo llamo a mis primos, you use the personal "a." Other examples (Verbo Ver): Veo a mi amiga, veo a mi mamá, veo a mi prima, ¿ves a tus amigos hoy? and ¿comprendes al profesor? (el profesor) - "al" instead of "a el," remember? (Verbo Comprender) etc. But for "Tengo tres hermanos" you don't use the personal "a." With practice you'll see the difference. You very rarely use the "a personal" with the Verbo Tener. There are some examples that you don't need to learn at this time.

Direct object pronouns (DOP's) are words that replace direct object nouns (DON's). Like in English, Spanish sometimes uses a DOP to avoid repeating a noun already mentioned. Example: Felipe compra el sombrero ("el sombrero" is the direct object noun or DON) - Felipe lo compra ("lo" is the DOP). Another example: Vicky tiene el libro - Vicky lo tiene (which is the DON and which is the DOP?). You must be able to recognize which is which, which is a direct object noun (DON) and which is a direct object pronoun (DOP).

Note: In affirmative sentences the DOP's generally appear before the conjugated verb, like in: Adela practica el tenis ("el tenis" is the DON) - Adela lo practica ("lo" is the DOP). Carmen compra los tiquetes ("los tiquetes" is the DON) - Carmen los compra ("los" is the DOP).

In negative sentences, the pronoun is placed between the word NO and the verb. Examples: Pablo no tiene los zapatos - Pablo no los tiene; Diego no tiene las llaves - Diego no las tiene.

When the verb is an "infinitive construction," like "van a escribir" or "van a mirar," the DOP can be placed before the conjugated form. Examples: Ellos van a escribir unas cartas - Ellos las van a escribir. Lidia va a ver una película - Lidia la va a ver. You can also say: Ellos van a escribirlas (notice how the DOP "las" moves to the end of the verb) and Lidia va a verla ("la" moves to the end of the verb too).

To understand the personal "a" and the "DOP's" better, I need you to work on the following exercises: Workbook page 86 - for No. 9, I also want you to create sentences with the DOP's. Example: Todos los días llevo el perro al parque ("llevo" from "llevar" is the verb, "el perro" is the DON) - Todos los días lo llevo al parque ("lo" is the DOP). And pages 87 and 88.

As you can see below, the indirect object pronouns agree in number with the corresponding direct object pronouns me, te, nos and os, but not in gender.

This material will be included in the test of March 22nd,as well as all the Workbook exercises for Lección A and some of Lección B, including the Verbo Venir, Workbook pages 94 and 95 (and whatever we cover up to that date). You must also review the -er verbs like Verbo Ver. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask Mrs. Feld.

The months/dates and the numbers 101-999,999 will not be included.

"Verbos Tener" and "Venir:" 

Notice that all the endings are the same except for "nosotros/as" and "vosotros/as."

Reviewing "Ser y Estar" & Capítulo 5

"Una Semana Típica" (A Typical Week) - this is the new chapter's title.

Please start reviewing the new vocabulary from this chapter. I don't expect you to memorize all the expressions on page 182, but need you to recognize them, in order to be able to do the textbook exercises and to do well on a test or quiz. You can start working on the textbook exercises and listen to the Internet Resource Center Textbook Audio Program's mp3's (from the Aventura textbook). Write these new words and expressions in your notebooks and write the Diálogo I. Check page 223 for the translations.

You should be able to easily answer or complete the exercises from Vocabulario I. If you check the exercises online you will understand them better.

On Thursday, March 7, 2013 you will have a Quiz on "Ser y Estar." You must be able to know when to use "Ser" and when to use "Estar." Review the PowerPoint in Edmodo (about these two irregular verbs). Review previous blog entries too. Remember to complete pages 76 - 79 from your Workbook.

TEST on Capítulo 5 (whole chapter): Friday, March 22nd, 2013.

You must memorize the "verbo Tener" (another irregular verb) and learn how to use it in sentences. Study page 186, and the handouts I gave you (to work in groups). In this chapter you will also learn about Costa Rica, and since this is my country, I can tell you a lot about it, so I need you to come prepared to ask me questions. We will read pages 185 and 193. Several chapter exercises make references to Costa Rica. Read more about Costa Rica on this CIA link: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/cs.html.

Verbo Tener

(click to enlarge)

(notice how the endings of this verb are the same as the endings of 
the Verbo Comer for "nosotros" and "vosotros")

Examples:  

¿Cuántos años tienes? Yo tengo 15 años. ¿Cuántos libros tienes en tu mochila? Tengo seis libros grandes. ¿Qué tiene el profesor en la clase de español? Tiene un mapa de Costa Rica. ¿Qué tiene tu hermano en su mochila? Tiene dos cuadernos, tres libros y seis CDs. Daniel tiene una revista. Tu abuela tiene una casa muy bonita. Tus padres tienen un equipo de sonido muy bueno. Mi mamá tiene tres hermanas. ¿Cuántos hermanos tienes tú? Yo tengo un hermano y dos hermanas. Nosotros tenemos frío. Tenéis dinero? Mis tías tienen muchas revistas. Try to come up with more sentences (this will be a question on your next test, sometime this month).

Notice the word "muchas" above, which means many. Depending on the noun and gender and whether it's singular or plural, you use mucho, mucha, muchos, muchas. Examples: Tu hermano tiene mucho dinero. Ella tiene muchos libros. La profesora tiene mucha ropa. Tu prima tiene muchas revistas. Remember that you can also say "mucho gusto." 

Also remember what you saw in the video about the "Verbo Tener:" (You should have this in your notes!) And ORGANIZE yourself, put the handouts in a folder, like I said before: you should have a folder for each Chapter! Organization is the key to success!

1. tener + [noun] - "to be + adjective." Examples: Tengo razón - I am right. Tengo hambre - I am hungry. Tengo sed - I am thirsty. No tiene hambre, tiene sed. He is not hungry, he is thirsty. No tienen calor, tienen frío - They are not hot, they are cold. 
2. tener que + [infinitive] - "to have to + [infinitive]." Examples: Tengo que trabajar el sábado - I have to work on Saturday. Tengo que ir de compras. Tengo que ir al colegio. Tengo que hacer ejercicio. Tengo que leer. Tengo que estudiar. (You should be able to translate the ones that I didn't translate)
3. tener ganas de + [infinitive] - to feel like + [infinitive). Examples: ¿Tienes ganas de estudiar biología? Do you feel like studying biology? Response: No, tengo ganas de escuchar música. No, I feel like listening to music. (Escuchar = to listen; oír = to hear)

Also check these two videos, from el señor Jordan: Verbo Tener 1 and Verbo Tener 2.

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask señora Feld. Sorry about the different "fonts" - Blogger is giving me a little problem and changing the font I'm trying to use (Trebuchet) for some reason.

Capítulo 4 – Lección B

On Monday, February 11, 2013 we will start learning Lección B from Capítulo 4. Your Computer and Textbook Assignments are the following (use your Aventura Textbook and the Textbook Audio Program):

1.  Page 154 - Vocabulario I: A mí me gusta... Listen and follow this new vocabulary on page 154. Write it down in your notebooks and learn how to use the expression: "A mí me gusta..." (I like...). Example: A mí me gusta patinar (I like to roller skate).Translate all these new words and expressions. At the end, repeat: ¿Dónde vives? Vivo en la República Dominicana.
2. Page 155 - Activity 1: ¿Quién es…? Look at this page on your textbook and answer before
   they do. 1) Me gusta nadar (who likes to swim?), etc. Translate numbers 1 - 6.
3. Page 156 - Diálogo I: Me gusta mucho (check the textbook). Read the conversation and translate it. Repeat and learn to pronounce this dialogue.
4. Page 156 - Activity 3: Understand this exercise answer ¿Qué recuerdas? - What do you remember?, answer the questions from the textbook.
5. Page 156 - Activity 4: Algo Personal (¿Qué te gusta hacer?) - What do you like to do? Write everything in your notebooks and translate please! Answer the question ¿Qué te gusta hacer?
6. Page 156 - Activity 5: ¿Qué les gusta? Me gusta... In your notebooks make two columns, titles: Natalia and Andrés and under their names write what you hear (what they like to do) and circle the things they both like, make sure you enter the numbers too. Example: Me gusta tocar el piano (just write: tocar el piano and the other vocabulary words - you don't have to write the complete sentences). Translate too!
7. Page 158 - Activity 7: Te gusta/Te gustan. Answer the following questions. Write everything down and learn how to answer these questions in a positive and negative way (very important). Translate too!
8. Page 161 - Activity 11: Do this exercise. Listen and answer before they do. Try to understand this exercise. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask Mrs. Feld.
9. Page 161 - Activity 12: ¿Qué les gusta? Complete this exercise. Follow the model. They give you the answers here, try to answer before they do. Also translate.
10. Page 162 - Activity 13:  ¿Les gusta a todos en tu familia? Translate and answer all the questions about what everyone in your family likes to do.
11. If you complete all of the above, you may continue with Vocabulario II, page 164 (Characteristics of People) - write all these new vocabulary in your notebooks and translate. 
12. Continue with Activity 18, page 164 ¿Es morena? ¿Es calvo? ¿Es bajo? ¿Es delgado? ¿Son guapas? ¿Es fácil? ¿Es pelirroja? ¿Son canosos? Answer with complete sentences.
13. Page 166 - Diálogo 2: ¿Cómo es ella? Check the textbook, read this dialogue with your book. Repeat and learn to pronounce this dialogue. Translate too. 
14. Page 166: ¿Qué recuerdas?  Answer these questions (they answer them for you, see if you can answer them before they do, and if you understand what they're asking). ¿Cómo es Natalia? ¿De dónde es Natalia? ¿A quiénes les gusta bailar? ¿Con quién está Natalia? Learn how to answer these questions.
15. Page 166 - Activity 21: Algo Personal ¿Cómo eres tú? ¿Cómo es tu amigo favorito o amiga favorita? Dónde estás ahora? Can you answer these questions?
16. Page 166 - Activity 22: ¿Cuál es el opuesto...? (the opposite). They give you the answers, see if you can answer before they do. Learn the opposites of all these adjectives. Write them all down in your notebooks. (8 answers)
17. Page 169 - Activity 26: ¿Cómo son? Describe your relatives, your friends and yourself using the appropriate form of "verbo ser" and one or two adjectives. Modelo: El profesor de inglés es calvo y muy divertido. 1) Yo... (what would you say here?). 2) Mi madre 3) Mis abuelos 4) Mi dentista 5) Mi amiga favorita 6) Los otros estudiantes de la clase de español y yo. 

Homework: Continue working on the above assignments and complete the handouts I gave you, pages 48, 50 and 52 of the Grammar & Vocabulary Workbook on "Using gustar to state likes and dislikes" (I will collect them on Wednesday, February 13, 2013). Make sure you copy in your notebooks the "Estructuras" from pages 158 and 159. Workbook pages (that you need to study for next quiz and test: pages 72, 73 (#4), 74 and 75. Check the vocabulary on pages 173 and 179 and create index cards for all these new vocabulary. We will be done Chapter 4 the end of February. Some of you didn't give me the "Family Tree" assignment, if I don't get it by Wednesday you will get an F (0) on this assignment.

Videos to watch: Me gusta 1 and Me gusta 2 (also on "Favorite Links"). 

Possessive adjectives	Personal pronouns
mi (my)	mí (me)
tu (your)	tú (you)

Examples: (Yo) A mí me gusta cantar (I like to sing) - note: mí has 'tilde' because it's used as a Personal Pronoun here. (Tú) A ti te gusta bailar (You like to dance). A él le gusta patinar (He likes to roller skate). A ella le gusta ir de compras (She likes to go shopping). A usted le gusta leer (You like to read - formal). A nosotros nos gustan las playas de Costa Rica (We like the beaches in Costa Rica or Costa Rica's beaches). A vosotros os gusta ir de compras (You like to go shopping - plural form). A ellas les gusta estudiar español (They like to study Spanish - girls). A ellos les gusta jugar al béisbol (They like to play baseball). A ustedes les gusta tocar el piano (You like to play the piano - plural/formal).

Learn to use gusta and gustan (when do you use one or the other?)