IdeaWazaWiki - User contributions [en]

Spanish/The household

2009-04-22T20:56:02Z

64.253.214.48: /* Affirmative tú commands */

==Chapter 13 (The Household)==
===Location===
*'''cerca''' - close, near
*'''lejos''' - far
*'''vivir''' - to live

===Rooms in a house===
*'''apartamento''' - apartment
*'''baño''' - bathroom
*'''cocina''' - kitchen
*'''comedor''' - dining room
*'''cuarto''' - room
*'''despacho''' - home office
*'''escalera''' - stairway
*'''garaje''' - garage
*'''piso''' - story, floor
*'''planta baja''' - first floor
*'''primer piso''' - second floor
*'''sala''' - living room
*'''segundo piso''' - third floor
*'''sótano''' - basement

===Chores===
*'''arreglar el cuarto''' - to straighten up the room
*'''ayudar''' - to help
*'''cocinar''' - to cook
*'''cortar el césped''' - to cut the lawn
*'''dar''' - to give
*'''dar de comer al perro''' - to feed the dog
*'''hacer la cama''' - to make the bed
*'''lavar''' - to wash
*'''limpiar el baño''' - to clean the bathroom
*'''pasar la aspiradora''' - to vaccum
*'''poner''' - to put, place
*'''pongo''' - I place
*'''pones''' - you place (singular)
*'''poner la mesa''' - to set the table
*'''quehaceres''' - chores
*'''quitar el polvo''' - to dust
*'''sacar la basura''' - to take out the trash

'''Note''': The first person conjugation for ''dar'' is ''doy''.

===Clean or dirty===
*'''limpio(a)''' - clean
*'''sucio(a)''' - dirty

===Other words===
*'''bastante''' - enough
*'''¿Cúales?''' - Which? (plural)
*'''dinero''' - money
*'''un momento''' - a moment

===Useful expressions===
*'''¿Qué estás haciendo?''' - What are you doing?
*'''recibir''' - to receive
*'''si''' - if, whether

===Affirmative ''tú'' commands===
In Spanish, their are two ways to tell someone to do something, the ''tú'' form is used in the same way the word is used, with friends, family, younger people, and people you know. The ''tú'' commands use the ''Ud./él/ella'' conjugations. Below is the list of ending for the affirmative ''tú'' commands, the same as the ''Ud./él/ella'' conjugations.

-ar: -a

-er: -e

-ir: -e

Examples:
*'''habla''' - talk
*'''lee''' - read
*'''escribe''' - write

There are also two irregular affirmative ''tú'' command conjugations for these words:
*'''hacer''' - to do, to make
*'''poner''' - to put, place

Their conjugations for affirmative ''tú'' commands are:
*'''haz''' - do
*'''pon''' - put

'''Note''': The first person conjugation for ''dar'' is ''doy''.

===Present progressive tense===
The present progressive tense tells what is happening right now, and when conjugated in Spanish, the equivalent in English is ''-ing''. Below is the list of conjugations for the present progressive tense in Spanish:

-ar: -ando

-er: -iendo

-ir: -iendo

Examples:
*'''lavando''' - washing
*'''comiendo''' - eating
*'''escribiendo''' - writing

There is one irregular present progressive conjugation in Spanish, ''leer''.
*'''leyando''' - reading

===Etc.===
*'''coche''' - car

'''Note''': In the United States and in northern Mexico, ''carro'' is usually used side-by-side with ''coche''.

===Vocabulario adicional===
*'''balcón''' - balcony
*'''estufa''' - stove
*'''jardín''' - garden
*'''lavadero''' - laundry room
*'''lavadora''' - washing machine
*'''lavaplatos''' - dishwasher
*'''muebles''' - furniture
*'''patio''' - patio
*'''refrigerador''' - refrigerador
*'''secadora''' - clothes dryer
*'''sillón''' - armchair
*'''sofá''' - sofa
*'''tocador''' - dressing table
*'''quitar''' - to remove
*'''quitar la nieve con la pala''' - to shovel snow
*'''quitar los platos de la mesa''' - to clear the table
*'''rastrillar las hojas''' - to rake leaves

===Cultural Insight (Houses in Spanish-speaking countries)===
In Spanish-speaking countries, houses tend to be viewed as more private than in the most parts of the world. Bars will usually be placed on the first floor of the house and a patio would be located at the center of the house or apartment buliding. Usually, the patio would be decorated with plants and a fountain. A gate would separate the driveway from sidewalk and fence would separate the house from a neighbor's.

===Country Focus (Venezuela)===
[[Image:Flag of Venezuela.svg|150px|right]]
[[Image:LocationVenezuela.png|noframe|150px|right]]
'''Venezuela''' (Spanish: Venezuela) is a country on the northern coast of South America.

The country comprises a continental mainland and numerous islands located off the Venezuelan coastline in the Caribbean Sea. The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela possesses borders with Guyana to the east, Brazil to the south, and Colombia to the west. Trinidad and Tobago, Grenada, St. Lucia, Barbados, Curaçao, Bonaire, Aruba, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and the Leeward Antilles lie just north, off the Venezuelan coast. Falling within the tropics, Venezuela sits close to the equator, in the Northern Hemisphere.

A former Spanish colony, which has been an independent republic since 1821, Venezuela holds territorial disputes with Guyana, largely concerning the Essequibo area, and with Colombia concerning the Gulf of Venezuela. In 1895, after the dispute over the Guyana border flared up, it was submitted to a neutral commission, which in 1899 decided it mostly in Guyana's favour. Today, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is known widely for its petroleum industry, the environmental diversity of its territory, and its natural features.

[[Image:Caracas from El Calvario.jpg|150px|left|thumb|Caracas is home to 3,140,076 people and is the the largest city in Venezuela.]]

Venezuela is among the most urbanized countries in Latin America; the vast majority of Venezuelans live in the cities of the north, especially in the capital Caracas which is also the largest city. Other major cities include Maracaibo, Valencia, Maracay, Barquisimeto, Ciudad Guayana and the popular tourist city of Mérida. Venezuela is also home to a diversity of wildlife in a variety of protected habitats.

Venezuela's heritage, art, and culture have been heavily influenced by its Latin American context. These elements extend to its historic buildings, architecture, art, landscape, boundaries, and monuments. Venezuelan culture has been shaped by indigenous, Spanish and African influences. Before this period, indigenous culture was expressed in art (petroglyphs), crafts, architecture (shabonos), and social organization. Aboriginal culture was subsequently assimilated by Spaniards; over the years, the hybrid culture had diversified by region.

[[Image:Espejo Acuático - Los Próceres.jpg|150px|thumb|right|Los Próceres monument in Caracas.]]

'''Factbox''':

-Official Languages: Spanish

-Other Languages: Native American languages

-Capital: Caracas

-Government: Democracy

-Area: 912,050 sq km (353,841 sq mi) (33rd)

[[Image:Bolívar usgs.jpg|150px|left|thumb|Pico Bolívar in Venezuela is where the Andes Mountains begin their southward route to Argentina.]]

-Population: 27,953,701 (42nd)

-Religion: Christianity (Catholic 96%, Protestant 2%) 98%, Buddhism 0.2%, other (Traditional beliefs, Judaism) 1.8%

-Human Development: 0.792 (74th, MEDIUM)

-Independence: July 5, 1811

-Currency: Venezuela bolívar

{{sp1}}

Archive:Spanish/The bedroom

2009-04-22T20:54:26Z

64.253.214.48: /* Dormir (to sleep) */

==Chapter 12 (The Bedroom)==
===Bedroom objects===
*'''alfombra''' - rug
*'''armario''' - closet
*'''cama''' - bed
*'''cómoda''' - dresser
*'''cortinas''' - curtains
*'''cuadro''' - painting
*'''despertador''' - alarm clock
*'''dormitorio''' - bedroom
*'''espejo''' - mirror
*'''estante''' - shelf
*'''lámpara''' - lamp
*'''mesita''' - nighttable
*'''pared''' - wall

===Electronics===
*'''disco compacto''' - compact disc
*'''equipo de sonido''' - sound (stereo) system
*'''lector DVD''' - DVD player
*'''televisor''' - television
*'''video''' - videocassette
*'''videocasetera''' - VCR

===Colors===
*'''¿De qué color...?''' - What color...?
*'''colores''' - colors
*'''amarillo(a)''' - yellow
*'''anaranjado(a)''' - orange
*'''azul''' - blue
*'''blanco(a)''' - white
*'''gris''' - gray
*'''marrón''' - brown
*'''morado(a)''' - purple
*'''negro(a)''' - black
*'''rojo(a)''' - red
*'''rosado(a)''' - pink
*'''verde''' - green

===Adjectives===
*'''bonito(a)''' - beautiful
*'''feo(a)''' - ugly
*'''grande''' - large
*'''importante''' - important
*'''mismo(a)''' - same
*'''pequeño(a)''' - small
*'''propio(a)''' - own

===Location===
*'''a la derecha''' - to the right
*'''a la izquierda''' - to the left
*'''delante de'''- in front of

===Comparisions===
*'''mejor que''' - better than
*'''el/la mejor''' - the best (singular)
*'''los/las mejores''' - the best (plural)
*'''menos...que''' - less, fewer...than
*'''peor que''' - worse than
*'''el/la peor''' - the worse (singular)
*'''los/las peores''' - the worse (plural)

===Other words===
*'''cosa''' - thing
*'''para mí''' - in my opinion, for me
*'''para tí''' - in your opinion, for you
*'''posesión''' - pocession

===Dormir (to sleep)===
''Dormir'' is another one of the handful of irregular Spanish verbs; however, unlike ''tener'' and ''venir'', its ''yo'' form is not irregular. Also, like other irregular verbs, with the exception of ''ir'', the ''nosotros(as)'' and ''vosotros(as)'' form conjugate under normal rules. In ''dormir'', ''o'' turns into ''ue''.

*'''duermo''' - I sleep
*'''duermes''' - you sleep (singular)
*'''duerme''' - he/she sleeps
*'''dormimos''' - we sleep
*'''dormís''' - you sleep (plural)
*'''duermen''' - they sleep

'''Note''': Always remember that usted (Ud.) and ustedes (Uds.) conjugate into the 3rd person form.

===Poder (to be able)===
''Poder'' is yet another one of the handful of irregular Spanish verbs, it shares the same rule as ''dormir'' with the ''o'' changing to ''ue'' except in the ''nosotros(as)'' and ''vosotros(as)'' forms.

*'''puedo''' - I can
*'''puedes''' - you can (singular)
*'''puede''' - he/she can
*'''podemos''' - we can
*'''podéis''' - you can (plural)
*'''pueden''' - they can

'''Note''': Remember the usted (Ud.) and usteded (Uds.) rule yet?

===Vocabulario adicional===
*'''azul claro''' - light blue
*'''azul marino''' - navy blue
*'''azul oscuro''' - dark blue
*'''blues''' - blues
*'''música clásica''' - classical music
*'''música folklorica''' - folk music
*'''música hip-hop''' - hip-hop
*'''música rock''' - rock music

===Cultural Insight (Music)===
Music is the common way of expressing culture in Spanish-speaking countries. In most countries, such as Cuba, musicians line the streets, playing traditional tunes and giving the streets flavor, rhythm, and vibrant life. Music in Latin America has been influenced by Spanish, Native American, African, and more recently, American styles. Spanish music was influenced by Arabic and Roman styles.

===Country Focus (Colombia)===
[[Image:Flag of Colombia.svg|150px|right]]
[[Image:LocationColombia.png|noframe|150px|right]]
'''Colombia''' (Spanish: Colombia) is a country located in northwestern South America. Colombia is bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Atlantic Ocean, through the Caribbean Sea; to the north-west by Panama; and to the west by the Pacific Ocean. Colombia also shares maritime borders with the Caribbean countries of Jamaica, Haiti and the Dominican Republic and the Central American countries of Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica.

Colombia is the 26th largest nation in the world and the fourth-largest in South America (after Brazil, Argentina, and Peru), with an area more than twice that of France. It also has the second largest population in South America after Brazil.

The territory of what is now Colombia was originally inhabited by indigenous tribes which had migrated from North and Central America, including the Muisca, Quimbaya, and Tairona. To the south lay the Inca Empire. The Spanish arrived in 1499, and initiated a period of conquest and colonisation which ultimately led to the creation of the Viceroyalty of New Granada (comprising what is now Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador and Panama) with its capital at Bogotá. Independence from Spain was won in 1819, but by 1830 "Gran Colombia" had collapsed with the secession of Venezuela and Ecuador. Modern day Colombia, with Panama, emerged as the Republic of New Granada. The new nation experimented with federalism as the Granadine Confederation (1858), and then the United States of Colombia (1863), before the Republic of Colombia was finally declared in 1886. Panama seceded in 1903.

[[Image:Salitre 2007 (8).jpg|150px|left|thumb|Bogotá skyline, the city is the largest in Colombia, home to 7,033,914 people.]]

Colombia has a long tradition of constitutional government, and the Conservative and Liberal parties, founded in 1843 and 1848 respectively, are two of the oldest surviving political parties in the Americas. However, tensions between the two have frequently erupted into violence, most notably in the Thousand Days War (1899-1902) and La Violencia, beginning in 1948. Since the 1960s, government forces have been engaged in conflict with left-wing insurgents and illegal right-wing paramilitaries. Fuelled by the cocaine trade, this escalated dramatically in the 1990s. However, the insurgents lack the military or popular support necessary to overthrow the government, and in recent years the violence has been decreasing. Insurgents continue attacks against civilians, and large swathes of the countryside remain under guerrilla influence, but the Colombian government has stepped up efforts to reassert government control throughout the country, and now has a presence in every one of its municipalities.

[[Image:Pacífico colombiano.jpg|150px|thumb|The humid Colombian Pacific coast.]]

Colombia is a standing middle power with the second largest Spanish-speaking population in the world after Mexico. Colombian culture lies at the crossroads of Latin America, and is distinguished by having a very multicultural society. European, African, Native American, American, Middle Eastern, and other Latin American cultural influences such as Mexico and the Caribbean are all felt in Colombia's modern culture.

'''Factbox''':

-Official Languages: Spanish

-Other Languages: English, Native American languages, French

-Capital: Bogotá

-Government: Democracy

[[Image:Cafe Quimbaya 2005-08-27.jpg|150px|thumb|left|Coffee is Colombia's main export.]]

-Area: 1,138,914 sq km (440,839 sq mi) (26th)

-Population: 44,482,751 (29th)

-Religion: Christianity (90% Catholic, other Christian 5%) 95%, Non-religious 1.9%, Traditional beliefs 1%, other (Islam, Buddhism, Judaism) 2.1%

-Human Development: 0.791 (75th, MEDIUM)

-Independence: August 7, 1819

-Currency: Colombian peso

{{sp1}}

Spanish/Family & Celebrations

2009-04-22T20:46:47Z

64.253.214.48: /* Tener (to have) */

==Chapter 10 (Family & Celebrations)==
===Family members===
*'''abuelos''' - grandparents
*'''abuelo''' - grandfather
*'''abuela''' - grandmother
*'''esposo''' - husband
*'''esposa''' - wife
*'''hermanos''' - siblings, brothers
*'''hermano''' - brother
*'''hermana''' - sister
*'''hermanastro''' - stepbrother
*'''hermanastra''' - stepsister
*'''hijos''' - children, sons
*'''hijo''' - son
*'''hija''' - daughter
*'''padres''' - parents
*'''padre (papá)''' - father
*'''madre (mamá)''' - mother
*'''padrastro''' - stepfather
*'''madrastra''' - stepmother
*'''primos''' - cousins
*'''primo''' - male cousin
*'''prima''' - female cousin
*'''tíos''' - uncles & aunts, uncles
*'''tío''' - uncle
*'''tía''' - aunts

'''Note''': Spanish-speaking use ''papá'' and ''mamá'' when calling their own parents.
Spanish-speakers also use the suffixes ''-ito'' or ''ita'' to show affection, for example almost all Spanish-speakers call their grandparents, abuel''ito'' and abuel''ita'' to show affection.

===To talk about one's age===
*'''¿Cuántos años tiene(n)...?''' - How old is/are...?
*'''Tiene(n)...años.''' - He/She is/They are...(years old)
*'''mayor''' - older
*'''menor''' - younger

===To talk about people===
*'''persona''' - person

===To talk about pets===
*'''gato''' - cat
*'''perro''' - dog

===To talk about what someone enjoys===
*'''(a + person) le gusta(n)''' - he/she likes
*'''(a + person) le encanta(n)''' - he/she loves

'''Note''': The ''a'' placed before the person's name is called the ''personal a'' and is used to respect that person when talking.

===Verbs to describe parties===
*'''abrir''' - to open
*'''celebrar''' - to celebrate
*'''decorar''' - to decorate
*'''decoraciones''' - decorations
*'''hacer un video''' - to videotape
*'''video''' - video
*'''preparar''' - to prepare
*'''romper''' - to break
*'''sacar fotos''' - to take pictures
*'''foto''' - photo

===Items at a party===
*'''cámara''' - camera
*'''cumpleaños''' - birthday
*'''¡Feliz cumpleaños!''' - Happy birthday!
*'''dulces''' - candy
*'''flor''' - flower
*'''globo''' - balloon
*'''luz''' - light
*'''papel picado''' - cut-paper decorations
*'''pastel''' - cake
*'''piñata''' - piñata
*'''regalo''' - gift, present

===Other words===
*'''que''' - who, that
*'''sólo''' - only

===Tener (to have)===
In Spanish, the word ''tener'' means ''to have''. Like ''ir'' and ''jugar'' it conjugates irregularly, and like ''jugar'', its stem changes when conjugated except in the ''nosotros(as)'' and ''vosotros(as)'' forms, ''e'' becomes ''ie''. ''Tener'' is also unique because the ''yo'' conjugation is irregular from all the others (Tener is not unique in this respect, i.e poner - yo pongo).

*'''tengo''' - I have
*'''tienes''' - you have (singular)
*'''tiene''' - he/she has
*'''tenemos''' - we have
*'''tenéis''' - you have (plural)
*'''tienen''' - they have

'''Note''': Did you remember that usted (Ud.) and ustedes (Uds.) use the 3rd person conjugation form?

===Possessive adjectives===
Possessive adjectives talk about the ownership of something. They are similar to other adjectives in Spanish that must agree with number and gender.

*'''mi(s)''' - my
*'''tu(s)''' - your
*'''su(s)''' - your (formal), his, her, its
*'''nuestro(s), -a(s)''' - our
*'''vuestro(s), -a(s)''' - your (plural)
*'''su(s)''' - your (plural/formal), their

===Vocabulario adicional===
*'''bisabuelo''' - great-grandfather
*'''bisabuela''' - great-grandmother
*'''nieto''' - grandson
*'''nieta''' - granddaughter
*'''sobrino''' - nephew
*'''sobrina''' - niece
*'''conejillo de Indias''' - guinea pig
*'''conejo''' - rabbit
*'''gerbo''' - gerbil
*'''hámster''' - hamster
*'''húron''' - ferret
*'''loro''' - parrot
*'''pez''' - fish
*'''serpiente''' - snake
*'''tortuga''' - turtle
*'''hijo(a) único(a)''' - only child

'''Note''': Use ''pez'' to refer to a ''pet'' fish and ''pescado'' to refer to other fish.

===Cultural Insight (Papel picado)===
Papel picado is the Mexican art of papercutting into elaborate designs. The designs are commonly cut from tissue paper using a guide and small chisels, creating as many as forty banners at a time. Common themes includes birds, floral designs, and skeletons. They are commonly displayed for Easter, Christmas, and the Day of the Dead, as well as during weddings, quinceañeras and christenings. Papel picado can also be made by folding the tissue paper and using small, sharp scissors.

===Country Focus (Costa Rica)===
[[Image:Flag of Costa Rica (state).svg|150px|right]]
[[Image:LocationCostaRica.png|noframe|150px|right]]
'''Costa Rica''' (Spanish: Costa Rica) is a republic in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the east-southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, and the Caribbean Sea to the east. Costa Rica was the first country in the world to constitutionally abolish its army. Among Latin American countries, Costa Rica ranks 4th in terms of the 2007 Human Development Index, and 48th worldwide. Costa Rica is ranked 5th in the world in terms of the 2008 Environmental Performance Index, up from the 15th place in 2006. In 2007 the government of Costa Rica stated that they want to be the first country to become carbon neutral by 2021. Costa Rica is home to a rich variety of plants and animals. While the country has only about 0.1% of the world's landmass, it contains 5% of the world's biodiversity.

[[Image:Cataract on the Rio Savegre.jpg|150px|thumb|left|Costa Rica is well known for its preserved rainforests.]]

Costa Rica boasts a varied history. Costa Rica was the point where the Mesoamerican and South American native cultures met. The northwest of the country, the Nicoya peninsula, was the southernmost point of Nahuatl cultural influence when the Spanish conquerors (conquistadores) came in the sixteenth century. The center and southern portions of the country had Chibcha influences.

'''Factbox''':

-Official Languages: Spanish

-Other Languages: English, Native American languages, English Creole languages

-Capital: San José

-Government: Democracy

[[Image:DirkvdM orosi valley bird.jpg|150px|thumb|Costa Rica's economy relies on its coffee production.]]

-Area: 51,100 sq km (19,730 sq mi) (129th)

-Population: 4,468,000 (118th)

-Religion: Christianity (Catholic 76.3%, Protestant 14.4%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.3%) 92.4%, Non-religious 3.2%, Buddhism 2.34%, other (Judaism, Islam, Animism, Bahá'i, Hindu) 2.06%

-Human Development: 0.846 (48th, HIGH)

-Independence: September 15, 1821

-Currency: Costa Rican colón

{{sp1}}

Spanish/School

2009-04-22T20:26:02Z

64.253.214.48: /* Words to talk about order */

==Chapter 4 (School)==
===Schedule===
*'''almuerzo''' - lunch
*'''clase''' - class
*'''clase de...''' - ...class
*'''matemáticas''' - math (mathematics)
*'''ciencias sociales''' - social studies
*'''banda''' - band
*'''educación física''' - PE (physical education)
*'''inglés''' - English
*'''arte''' - art
*'''tecnología''' - computers (technology)
*'''drama''' - drama
*'''ciencias naturales''' - science
*'''español''' - Spanish
*'''historia''' - history
*'''álgebra''' - algebra
*'''horario''' - schedule
*'''en la...hora''' - in the...hour (class period)
*'''tarea''' - homework

===School verbs===
*'''enseñar''' - to teach
*'''estudiar''' - to study
*'''hablar''' - to talk

===Ordinal Words===
*'''primero(a)''' - first
*'''segundo(a)''' - second
*'''tercero(a)''' - third
*'''cuarto(a)''' - fourth
*'''quinto(a)''' - fifth
*'''sexto(a)''' - sixth
*'''séptimo(a)''' - seventh
*'''octavo(a)''' - eighth
*'''noveno(a)''' - ninth
*'''décimo(a)''' - tenth

===School supplies===
*'''calculadora''' - calculator
*'''carpeta de argollas''' - three-ring binder
*'''diccionario''' - dictionary
*'''necesito''' - I need
*'''necesitas''' - you need

===Words to describe classes===
*'''aburrido(a)''' - boring
*'''difícil''' - difficult
*'''divertido(a)''' - amusing
*'''fácil''' - easy
*'''favorito(a)''' - favorite
*'''interesante''' - interesting
*'''práctico(a)''' - practical
*'''más...que''' - more...than

===Other words===
*'''a ver...''' - Let's see
*'''¿Quién?''' - Who?
*'''para''' - for
*'''mucho''' - a lot, much
*'''tengo''' - I have
*'''tienes''' - you have

===Pronouns===
Pronouns are essential to the Spanish language and mastering them will be very useful in the language. In Spanish, there are 6 types of pronouns.

*'''yo''' - I
*'''tú''' - you (familiar)
*'''usted (Ud.)''' - you (formal)
*'''él''' - he
*'''ella''' - she
*'''nosotros''' - we (masculine)
*'''nosotras''' - we (feminine)
*'''vosotros''' - you (plural, familiar, masculine)
*'''vosotras''' - you (plural, familiar, feminine)
*'''ustedes (Uds.)''' - you (plural, formal)
*'''ellos''' - they (masculine)
*'''ellas''' - they (feminine)

The 6 types of pronouns in Spanish are:

1st person singular: yo

2nd person singular: tú, usted (Ud.)

3rd person singular: él, ella

1st person plural: nosotros, nosotras

2nd person plural: vosotros, vosotras, ustedes (Uds.)

3rd person plural: ellos, ellas

====Notes====
- The masculine form of the plural pronouns is always used if there is a masculine object, for example, even they're 100 females and only 1 male, ''ellos'' is used when talking about the crowd.

- ''Vosotros'' and ''Vosotras'', the English equivalent of "y'all" are mainly used in Spain, but they are also used in Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay at a lesser extant and rarely in the United States. For the rest of the Spanish-speaking world, use ''Ustedes (Uds.)'', which is the formal way of saying you (plural) in all Spanish-speaking countries.

===Conjugating -ar verbs===
The majority of verbs in Spanish end in ''-ar'', such as ''bailar'', ''cantar'', and ''hablar''. Conjugating verbs replaces the ''to'' part of the word and adds the pronouns in.

Below is the list of endings for conjugating -ar verbs.

-yo: -o

-tú: -as

-usted (Ud.), él, ella: -a

-nosotros, nosotras: -amos

-vosotros, vosotras: -áis

-ustedes (Uds.), ellos, ellas: - an

Note: Usted and ustedes use the 3rd person form of conjugation.

An example of conjugating -ar verbs, using ''hablar'':
*'''hablo''' - I talk
*'''hablas''' - you talk (singular)
*'''habla''' - he/she talks
*'''hablamos''' - we talk
*'''habláis''' - you talk (plural)
*'''hablan''' - they talk

Remember that when talking to a person you don't know well or a respected person, use the usted (Ud.) form and ustedes (Uds.) form when talking to a group of people where there is at least one person you call usted individually.

===Vocabulario adicional===
*'''biología''' - biology
*'''geografía''' - geography
*'''geometría''' - geometry
*'''química''' - chemistry
*'''trigonometría''' - trigonometry
*'''francés''' - French
*'''cálculo''' - calculus
*'''economía''' - economics
*'''alemán''' - German
*'''latín''' - Latin
*'''anuario''' - yearbook
*'''fotografía''' - photography

===Cultural Insight (Schoolife in Spanish-speaking countries)===
In Spanish-speaking countries, schoolife is very different from that in North American English-speaking countries. Schools in Spanish-speaking countries require students to wear uniforms and teachers usually lecture more than having students participate in the classroom. Also, children in Spanish-speaking countries go to school more often than those in North - American English-speaking countries, children in Spain attend school for 190 days, Argentina for 185 days, while the United States schoolyear lasts 180 days. Schooldays in Spanish-speaking countries also last longer than those in other countries, usually having at least 6-7 periods a day, the former common in the USA as well.

===Country focus (República Dominicana)===
[[Image:Flag of the Dominican Republic.svg|150px|right]]
The '''Dominican Republic''' (Spanish: República Dominicana) is a nation located in the Caribbean region's island of Hispaniola. Part of the Greater Antilles archipelago, Hispaniola lies west of Puerto Rico and east of Cuba and Jamaica. Its western third is the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are occupied by two countries, Saint Martin being the other.

The Dominican Republic is the site of the first permanent European settlement in the Americas, its capital Santo Domingo, which was also the first colonial capital in the Americas. It is the site of the first cathedral, university, European-built road, European-built fortress, and more.

For most of its independent history, the nation experienced political turmoil and unrest, suffering through many non-representative and tyrannical governments. Since the death of military dictator Rafael Leonidas Trujillo Molina in 1961, the Dominican Republic has moved toward a liberal economic model which has made it the largest economy in the region and a representative democracy.

[[Image:LocationDominicanRepublic.png|noframe|150px|right]]

The culture of the Dominican Republic, like its Caribbean neighbors, is a blend of the European colonists, Taínos and Africans, and their cultural legacies and like nearby Cuba, it's culture is usually expressed through music and cuisine.

[[Image:Fortalesa.jpg|thumb|150px|left|Fortaleza Ozama, one of the historic destinations in Santo Domingo]]

'''Factbox''':

-Official Language: Spanish

-Other Languages: French, Haitian Creole, English

-Capital: Santo Domingo (Santo Domingo de Guzmán)

-Government: Democracy

-Area: 48,730 sq km (18,815 sq mi) (130th)

-Population: 9,760,000 (July 2008) (82nd)

-Religion: Christianity (mostly Catholic) 96%, Animism 2.18%, Buddhism 0.1%, other (Bahá'í, Islam, Judaism, Non-religious) 1.72%

-Human Development: 0.779 (79th, MEDIUM)

[[Image:07-05-11LagoEnriquilloDR.jpg|150px|thumb|View of rural Dominican Republic.]]

-Independence: February 27, 1844

-Currency: Dominican Peso

{{sp1}}