Definitions of grammar Definitions of grammar Definiciones de la Definiciones de la gramática gramática

Sra. Blanco

Adjectives [adjetivos]. Words to describe nouns: good movie, several issues, one flower.

Adverbs [adverbios]. Words to provide information about verbs, adjectives or other adverbs.He speaks well. It's very good. They performed incredibly well.

Articles [artículos]. Definite: the (el, la, los, las, lo); indefinite: a, an (un, una).

Conjunctions [conjunciones]. Words that connect two other words or phrases:and, or, however, although y, o, sin embargo, aunque

 Conjugation [conjugación].  Verbs may adopt different endings according to the tense (worked) or the person (he works). This process is called inflection or conjugation. In Spanish, a verb is conjugated whenever it is not in its infinitive, participle or gerund forms.

Demonstratives [demostrativos]. this, that, these, those

Gender [género]. This word is used to indicate whether something is masculine or feminine in Spanish:The gender of el libro is masculine, the gender of la casa is feminine.

Gerund [gerundio] (or present participle) . Verb form (-ing) that combines with to be in phrases such as:is sleeping, was studying. (hablando, comiendo, viviendo)In English, the gerund is often used as a noun: I like the book (noun) → I like studying (noun). BUT Spanish uses the infinite in this role: Me gusta el libro → me gusta estudiar

Imperative Mood [modo imperativo]. The form of the verb used for commands: Come! (ven, venga, vengan, venid)

Indicative Mood [modo indicativo]. Verb tenses that present actions or occurrences as factual:I lived here. He won't go.

Infinitive. The basic form of the verb, as found in the dictionary:   to speak (hablar), to eat (comer), to live (vivir). The infinitive is often used as the object of another verb: I hate to fry . Odio freír.

Nouns [sustantivos]. Words to name things or people: book (libro), liberty (libertad), author (autor).In sentences, nouns are generally the subject or the object of a verb: Authors write books.

Number [número]. This term is used to indicate whether something is singular or plural:house, casa (singular) houses, casas (plural)

Object [objeto o complemento]. Part of the sentence that undergoes the action expressed by the verb. Examples:She wrote a letter to Pedro. → the letter is the direct object (what did she write?) → Pedro is the indirect object (to whom did she write?)She told him the secret. → the secret is the direct object (what?)→ him is the indirect object (to whom?)She took him to a doctor. → him is the direct object (what?, whom?)→ the doctor is the indirect object (to whom?)

Person [persona]. In English, I is the first person singular, he/she/it are the third person singular,we is the first person plural, they is the third person plural, you is the second person singular or plural.

Phrase [frase]. Any group of words that make sense together: the big city    things generally kept in the refrigerator

Possessives [posesivos]. Words indicating ownership, such as my (mi), yours (tuyo), our (nuestro), etc.

Prepositions [preposiciones]. Words that convey a sense of position (spatial or conceptual):with (con), to (a, para), in, on, at (en), etc.

Pronouns [pronombres]. Words that stand in place of nouns or noun phrases already mentioned:she, it, him, etc.Martha loves her city. She loves it.

Reflexive [reflexivo]. A pronoun that indicates actions performed on oneself, in which the subject and the object of the verb are one and the same (me, te, se, nos, os, se): We see ourselves clearly. I washed myself.

Sentence [oración]. A group of words including at least one (conjugated) verb and conveying a complete thought (subject, verb, object): Martha loves the city.

Subject [sujeto]Generally, the person or thing that performs the action in a sentence. For example "New York grew rapidly." New York (who grew?) is the subject.

Subjunctive Mood [modo subjuntivo]. Verb tenses that indicate non-factual actions or occurrences.In the sentences If I were you, or I insist that he be here, the verb to be is in the subjunctive mood.

Tenses [tiempos]. Forms of the verb that indicate aspects of time, e.g. past, present, future.A perfect tense conveys a completed action: I will have written the letter by tomorrow.An imperfect tense describes ongoing actions: I was studying.

Verbs [verbos]. Generally, words that convey actions, such as to go (ir), to work (trabajar).Verbs that may take a direct object are called transitive: - John wrote the letters; he communicated the news to his family.Letters and the news are the direct objects of the transitive verbs to write and to communicate.

Verbs that may not take a direct object are called intransitive:- John works hard and communicates effectively. The verbs to work and to communicate are intransitive in this sentence because it is unnecessary for them to take a direct object.