Spanish L. 6-8 Grammar

Front 1

pluperfect subjunctive

Back 1

is used in dependent clauses under the same conditions as the present perfect subjunctive. However, its used to refer to an event prior to another past event.

Hint 1

examples:
(Deseaba) que su novio (hubiera vestido) mejor para la fiesta. "She wished that her boyfriend had dressed better for the party."

(Sentíamos) que el desfile de moda (hubiera sido) tan malo. "We were sorry that the fashion show had been so bad."

Front 2

pluperfect subjunctive conjugation

Back 2

formed with the imperfect subjunctive of haber + the past participle

Hint 2

yo: hubiera tomado
tú: hubieras comido
él: hubiera vivido
nos: hubiéramos tomado
vos: hubierais comido
ellos: hubieran vivido

Front 3

conditional perfect and pluperfect subjunctive used in si clauses

Back 3

they express contrary to fact information that occurred before another point in the past

Hint 3

Si me (hubieras explicado) el problema con las entradas, (habría buscado) otras.

If you had explained to me the problem with the tickets, I would have looked for others.

Front 4

Pluperfect subjunctive used with ojalá

Back 4

Expresses a contrary-to-fact situation that has already happened.

Hint 4

(Ojalá hubieras conocido) al cantante después del concierto. "I wish you had met the singer after the concert."

(Ojalá) no (hubieran cancelado) el baile. "I wish they hadn't cancelled the dance."

Front 5

Adjective
Adjective Clause

Back 5

Adjective describes, limits, or modifies a noun.
A clause that modifies a noun is an adjective clause.

Hint 5

Adjective:
Admiramos a un político (honrado).
"We admire an honest politician."

Adjective Clause:
Oscar Arias es un político (que es honrado).
"Oscar Arias is a politician who is honest."

Front 6

Indefinite Antecedent
Non-Existent Antecedent

Back 6

The subjunctive is used in an adjective clause when it refers to a person or object that is indefinite or does not exist.

Hint 6

Indefinite Antecedent:
Buscamos una paz que (sea) duradera.
"We are looking for a peace that is lasting."

Necesitan un ejército que (respete) los derechos de los ciudadanos.
"They need an army taht respects the rights of the citizens."

Non-Existent Antecedent:
No hay ningún candidato que me (guste).
"There is no candidate that I like."

No hay nadie que yo (conozca) en esta reunión.
"There is no one that I know at this meeting."

Front 7

Extra Adjective Rules:

Indicative is used

Back 7

When the dependent clause refers to a person or thing that is certain or definite, the indicative is used.

Hint 7

Hay alguien aquí (que conozco).
"There is someone here that I know."

Ése es el político (que me gusta).
"That's the politician that I like."

Necesitamos al activista (que se expresa) bien.
"We need the activist who expresses himself well. (We know him.)"

Buscan la Fundación (que está en esta calle.) "They are looking for the Foundation that is on this street."

Front 8

Extra Adjective Rules:

Questions & Subjunctive

Back 8

In questions where it is precisely the existence of the person or oject that is being asked about, the subjunctive is used.

Hint 8

¿Conoce usted a alguien que (sea) soldado?
"Do you know anyone who is a soldier?"

¿Hay algún joven que no (quiera) más libertad?
"Is there any young person who doesn't want more freedom?"

Front 9

Relative Pronouns

Back 9

Used to join two sentences that have a noun or a pronoun in common.

Hint 9

La Fundación escribió el código. El código prohíbe la venta de armas a ciertos países.
"The foundation wrote the code. The code prohibits the sale of arms to certain countries."

La Fundación escribióo el código (que) prohíbe la venta de armas a ciertos países.
"The foundation wrote the code that prohibits the sale of arms to certain countries."

Front 10

Relative Pronoun: que

Back 10

The relative pronoun que, meaning that, which, who, and whom, is used for both persons and objects.

Hint 10

El folleto (que) te di está en la mesa.
"The brochure (that) I gave you is on the table."

Esa chica (que) ves allí es activista de los derechos humanos.
"That girl (who) you see there is a human rights activist."

Front 11

Relative Pronoun: quien(es)

Back 11

The relative pronoun quien(es) meaning who and whom, refers only to persons and is most commonly used as an indirect object or after a preposition. Use que to express who or whom unless the phrase is set off by commas or introduced by a preposition. (Note that you will never end a sentence with a preposition in Spanish.)

Hint 11

José María Aznar, (quien) es del Partido Popular de España, fue elegido presidente por segunda vez en 2000.
"José María Aznar, who is from the Popular Party of Spain, was elected president again in 2000."

Ésa es la pacifica (con quien) te vi.
"That's the pacifist with whom I saw you (who I saw you with)."

Ése es el profesor (a quien) buscabas.
"That's the professor for whom you were looking (who you were looking for)."

Front 12

Relative Pronoun: lo que

Back 12

The relative pronoun lo que, meaning what or that which, is neuter form, and refers to a previous idea, event, or situation.

Hint 12

(Lo que) quiero es la paz y la libertad en mi país.
"What I want is peace and liberty in my country."

No me gustó (lo que) hiciste.
"I didn't like what you did."

¿Entiendes (lo que) dice el presidente?
"Do you understand what the president is saying?"

Front 13

Use of relative pronoun que

Back 13

In Spanish, the use of the relative pronoun que is never optional.

Hint 13

Estoy buscando el arma (que) compraste.
"I'm looking for the weapon (that) you bought."

La Comisión (que) formó el presidente terminó el trabajo.
"The Commission (that) the president formed finished its work."

Front 14

Se + third person singular or plural of verb.

Back 14

To describe an involuntary or unplanned event, Spanish frequently uses se in conjunction with the third-person singular or plural of the verb. The action is not viewed as being carried out by someone but rather as happening tosomeone. Hence, that somone is an indirect object, and an indirect object pronoun is used.

Hint 14

(Se me perdió) el discurso.
"My speech got lost."

(Se les quedaron) las estadísticas en casa.
"Their statistics were left behind at home."

Front 15

a + noun or pronoun + se + + indirect object pronoun + third person singular or plural of verb that agrees w/ object of sentence.

Back 15

Se for unplanned occurrences:

Where english uses the possessive adjective, Spanish uses the definite article since possession is indicated by the indirect object pronoun. The preposition a + noun or pronoun may be added for clarity or emphasis.

Hint 15

¿(A ustedes se les olvidó) la tarea otra vez?
"You forgot your homework again?"

(Al senador se le perdieron) los papeles.
"The senator lost his papers."

Front 16

Pero vs. Sino

Back 16

The conjunction but is usually expressed in Spanished by pero.

When but means "on the contrary" or "but rather", use sino. Sino always follows a negative statement and introduces the correction (an affirmative statement) or contradiction. If the correction is a word of phrase, simply use sino. If the correction includes a subject and verb, use sino que.

Hint 16

Pero examples:
Quiero ser representante, pero un buen representante. "I want to be a representative, but a good representative."

Los impuestos son necesarios, pero no me gustan. "Taxes are necessary, but I don't like them."

Sino:
No quiero hablar con el juez, sino con el senador. "I don't want to speak with the judge but (rather) with the senator."

El candidato no va a dar un discurso, sino que prefiere tener una mesa redonda con varios ciudadanos. "The candidate is not going to give a speech, but rather he prefers to have a round table with several citizens."

Front 17

Active Voice vs. Passive Voice

Back 17

Active voice construction, the subject of the sentence is the doer of the action.

ex: Oscar Arias fundó el Centro para la Paz. "Oscar Arias founded the center for Peace."
Los dos bandos hicieron la guerra. "The two sides waged war."

Passive voice, the agent of the action can be expressed in a prepositional phrase most often introduced by por.

ex: El Centro para la Paz fue fundado por Oscar Arias. "the center for Peace was founded by Oscar Arias."
La guerra fue hecha por los dos bandos. "The ware was waged by the two sides."

Passive voice construction: the direct object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the verb (ser). Ser is followed by the past participle of the active verb. The past participle agrees in gender & number w/ the subject b/c it is used as an adjective.

Hint 17

ACTIVE VOICE:
El congreso (aprobó la abolición) del ejército panameño en 1994. "The congress approved the abolition of the Panamanian army in 1994."
PASSIVE VOICE:
(La abolición) del ejército panameño (fue aprobada) por el Congreso en 1994. "The abolition of the Panamanian army was approved by their congress in 1994."

ACTIVE VOICE:
La sociedad civil (ha tratado) muy mal a (las mujeres) centroamericanas. "Civil society has treated Central American women poorly."
PASSIVE VOICE:
(Las mujeres) centroamericanas (han sido tratadas) muy mal por la sociedad civil. "Central American women have been treated poorly by civil society."