Activities — Leo, escucho música, veo películas y juego al tenis mean I read, listen to music, watch films and play tennis. Tocar is used for playing an instrument: toco la guitarra. Jugar is used for games/sports. Choose the Spanish construction rather than translating every English play with one verb.
Gustar and infinitives — Me gusta bailar means I like dancing; me gustan los videojuegos means I like video games. The infinitive behaves as a singular subject. A mi hermana le gusta leer identifies another person's preference, with le as well as the name. No me gusta is dislike, not never do.
Opinions and reasons — Creo que es divertido means I think it is fun; prefiero leer porque es relajante means I prefer reading because it is relaxing. Aburrido means boring as a description with ser; estoy aburrido means I am bored as a state. The verb changes the meaning.
Frequency — Todos los días, los fines de semana, una vez al mes and casi nunca mean every day, at weekends, once a month and hardly ever. A menudo means often. Preserve limiting words such as casi and solo when interpreting a routine.
Sport and ability — Hago natación means I do swimming; sé nadar means I know how to swim; puedo nadar hoy means I can swim today. Saber + infinitive expresses a learned skill; poder expresses possibility or permission. Hacer has irregular hago in the first person.
Arrangements and experiences
Invitations — ¿Quieres ir al cine? means Do you want to go to the cinema? Quiero ir, pero no puedo hoy accepts the idea but rejects today's timing. ¿Quedamos a las seis? suggests meeting at six. Read the final agreement, especially when someone changes a time.
Tickets and places — Una entrada can mean an admission ticket or entry; una salida is an exit or outing in context. Cuesta cinco euros is singular; cuestan diez euros refers to several items. El partido empieza a las siete means The match starts at seven. Do not confuse opening time and meeting time.
Past events — Ayer fui al cine y vi una película means Yesterday I went to the cinema and saw a film. Fui is ir here; vi is preterite ver. Fue emocionante evaluates the completed experience. Era emocionante can describe an ongoing past quality in a different context.
What was happening — Leía cuando sonó el teléfono means I was reading when the phone rang. The imperfect presents background; the preterite presents the interrupting event. Estaba leyendo can also express I was reading. Learn the difference through meaning, not a rule that all long actions are imperfect.
Future and wishes — Voy a tocar en un concierto means I am going to play in a concert. Me gustaría aprender a bailar means I would like to learn to dance. Aprender a needs a before the next infinitive; voy a already includes the future construction's a.
Developing responses
Comparing entertainment — El cine es más caro que la piscina means The cinema is more expensive than the swimming pool. Prefiero la película porque los personajes son interesantes gives a reason. Mejor/peor replace más bueno/más malo for better/worse; choose a comparison grounded in the information.
Reading opinions — Me encanta el grupo, aunque el último concierto fue demasiado largo means I love the group, although the last concert was too long. A negative detail does not cancel the overall positive opinion. Aunque signals a concession; demasiado indicates excess.
Translation method — Translate I am going to play football with my friends as Voy a jugar al fútbol con mis amigos. Keep ir + a + infinitive, jugar a and a + el = al. Then check that amigos matches the intended people rather than silently inventing a group.
Spoken and written practice — Arrange an outing with a partner, including price, place and time; respond to an unexpected change. Write a review with an opinion, supporting detail, past event and future intention. Listener/teacher feedback assesses communication beyond the quiz's short checks.
Stories and reviews — Una novela is a novel; un cuento a short story; un personaje a story character. La película cuenta la historia de una familia means The film tells the story of a family. El final es triste, pero los personajes son divertidos gives different judgements about ending and characters. An actor plays a character; do not assign a fictional action to the performer's real biography.
Training and results — Entreno en el polideportivo means I train at the sports centre; mi equipo ganó el partido means My team won the match. Ganar is win/earn, perder is lose; un gol is a goal. Entreno dos veces por semana describes a habit, not a result. Follow the verb and time frame when deciding whether a text reports preparation, participation or victory.
Access and arrangements — La entrada es gratis, pero hay que reservar means Entry is free, but you have to book. Está cerrado los lunes means It is closed on Mondays; abre a las diez means It opens at ten. No quedan entradas means No tickets remain. A free activity may still need a reservation, and an opening time is not the same as the time friends agree to meet.
Making an alternative suggestion — No puedo ir al cine; prefiero ir al parque means I cannot go to the cinema; I prefer to go to the park. ¿Y si vamos mañana? means What if we go tomorrow? The present vamos has a future interpretation in this suggestion. Identify whether a reply accepts the new day, changes the activity, or declines altogether before reporting the final arrangement.
Test yourself
30 questions · Random sets of 10. These quick checks support revision; practise longer explanations and justified judgements too.
Mind map
Use the branches to recall the ideas and explain their connections. Check the revision notes for the full detail.
ES4 · 1
View ES4 · 1 mind mapOpen the full-size map to zoom. Use the printable view for A4 landscape or enlarge to A3.
Mr Kidman's Classroom
