Topics & rules

Pronunciation, stress and spelling – the basics. Every rule with an example.

Ser describes what something essentially is (identity, origin, traits); estar describes location, temporary states and the progressive.

Por marks cause, exchange, duration and path; para marks goal, purpose, deadline and recipient.

In Spanish every noun has a gender (usually -o masculine, -a feminine) and forms its plural with -s or -es.

Spanish articles agree with the noun in gender and number and contract into 'al' and 'del'.

Spanish adjectives agree in gender and number and usually follow the noun, sometimes shortened or changing meaning depending on position.

Spanish comparisons and degrees using más/menos ... que, tan ... como, el más, and irregular forms.

Spanish possessives: unstressed forms before the noun (mi, tu, su...) and stressed pronouns (el mio, la tuya...) that must agree.

Demonstratives show how near a thing is: este (here), ese (by you), aquel (over there).

Spanish subject pronouns (yo, tú, usted ...) and when to drop them.

Object pronouns replace the direct or indirect object and usually go before the conjugated verb.

Reflexive and pronominal verbs with me/te/se/nos/os/se: the action reflects back on the subject itself.

With gustar-type verbs the person is the indirect object and the liked thing is the subject, which controls the verb form (3rd person sg./pl.).

The personal "a" goes before a specific person (or pet) used as a direct object.

Spanish prepositions link words and express place, direction, time and relation; many verbs require a fixed preposition.

Spanish negation: "no" before the verb, double negatives, and "ni ... ni".

Question words (qué, quién, cuál, cómo, cuándo, dónde, cuánto, por qué) always carry an accent in questions; ¡Qué…! forms exclamations.

Relative pronouns join two clauses and refer back to a previously mentioned person or thing.

Conjunctions link words and clauses; some change their form depending on the following sound.

Spanish adverbs are often formed from the feminine adjective + -mente; alongside there are fixed adverbs like bien, mal, mucho, poco.

Diminutives (-ito, -illo) make small or affectionate, augmentatives (-ón, -azo) make big or intense.

Verb periphrases combine a conjugated helper verb with the infinitive to express future, obligation, repetition, or habit.

"saber" is for facts and skills, "conocer" is for being acquainted with people, places, and things.

"hay" says THAT something exists; "estar" says WHERE a known thing is.