Scriven Rob - Collins Easy Learning Spanish Verbs

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Second Edition 2011

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HarperCollins Publishers 2005, 2007, 2011

EPUB Edition July 2011 ISBN 978-0-00-744472-4

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Acknowledgements
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SERIES EDITOR
Rob Scriven

MANAGING EDITOR
Galle Amiot-Cadey

EDITORIAL COORDINATION
Susanne Reichert
Rachel Smith

CONTRIBUTORS
Cordelia Lilly
Victoria Romero Cerro
Jos Mara Ruiz Vaca
Fernando Len Sols
Jeremy Butterfield

Introduction

The Easy Learning Spanish Verbs is designed for both young and adult learners. Whether you are starting to learn Spanish for the very first time, brushing up your language skills or revising for exams, the Easy Learning Spanish Verbs and its companion volume, the Easy Learning Spanish Grammar, are here to help.

Newcomers can sometimes struggle with the technical terms they come across when they start to explore the grammar of a new language. The Easy Learning Spanish Verbs contains a glossary which explains verb grammar terms using simple language and cutting out jargon.

The text is divided into sections to help you become confident in using and understanding Spanish verbs. The first section looks at verb formation. Written in clear language, with numerous examples in real Spanish, this section helps you to understand the rules which are used to form verb tenses.

The next section of text looks at certain common prepositions which are used with a number of verbs. Each combination of verb plus preposition is shown with a simple example of real Spanish to show exactly how it is used.

The Verb Tables contain 120 important Spanish verbs (both regular and irregular) which are given in full for various tenses. Examples show how to use these verbs in your own work. If you are unsure how a verb goes in Spanish, you can look up the Verb Index at the back of the book to find either the conjugation of the verb itself, or a cross-reference to a model verb, which will show you the patterns that the verb follows.

The Easy Learning Spanish Grammar takes you a step further in your language learning. It supplements the information given in the Easy Learning Spanish Verbs by offering even more guidance on the usage and meaning of verbs, as well as looking at the most important aspects of Spanish grammar. Together, or individually, the Easy Learning titles offer you all the help you need when learning Spanish.

Glossary of Verb Grammar Terms

ACTIVE a form of the verb that is used when the subject of the verb is the person or thing doing the action, for example, I wrote a letter. Compare with passive .

AFFIRMATIVE an affirmative sentence or instruction is one that does not contain a negative word such as not. Compare with negative .

AGREE (to) in the case of verbs, to have the form which goes with the person or thing carrying out the action.

AUXILIARY VERB a verb such as be, have or do used with a main verb to form tenses.

BASE FORM the form of the verb without any endings added to it, for example, walk, have, be, go.

CLAUSE a group of words containing a verb.

CONDITIONAL a verb form used to talk about things that would happen or would be true under certain conditions, for example, I would help you if I could. It is also used to say what you would like or need, for example, Could you give me the bill?

CONJUGATE (to) to give a verb different endings according to whether you are referring to I, you, they and so on, and according to whether you are referring to the present, past or future, for example, I have, she had, they will have.

CONJUGATION a group of verbs which have the same endings as each other or change according to the same pattern.

CONTINUOUS TENSE a verb tense formed using to be and the -ing form of the main verb, for example, Theyre swimming (present continuous); He was eating (past continuous).

DIRECT OBJECT a noun or pronoun used with verbs to show who or what is acted on by the verb. For example, in He wrote a letter and He wrote me a letter, letter is the direct object. Compare indirect object .

DIRECT OBJECT PRONOUN a word such as me, him, us and them which is used instead of a noun to stand in for the person or thing most directly affected by the action expressed by the verb. Compare with indirect object pronoun .

ENDING a form added to something such as a verb, for example, go > go es .

FUTURE a verb tense used to talk about something that will happen or will be true.

GERUND a verb form in English ending in -ing, for example, eating, sleeping.

IMPERATIVE the form of a verb used when giving orders and instructions, for example, Shut the door!; Sit down!; Dont go!; Lets eat.

IMPERFECT one of the verb tenses used to talk about the past in Spanish, especially in descriptions, and to say what was happening or used to happen, for example, It was sunny at the weekend; We were living in Spain at the time; I used to walk to school. Compare with preterite .

IMPERSONAL VERB a verb whose subject is it, but where the it does not refer to any specific thing, for example, Its raining; Its 10 oclock.

INDICATIVE ordinary verb forms that arent subjunctive, such as the present, preterite or future. Compare with subjunctive .

INDIRECT OBJECT a noun or pronoun used with verbs to show who benefits or is harmed by an action. For example, in I gave the carrot to the rabbit, the rabbit is the indirect object and the carrot