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Lección 4.2

Daily Routines and Reflexive Verbs and Reflexive Pronouns

A reflexive verb is a verb that expresses that the subject does the action to itself. In English, we express this concept with the words, ‘myself’, ‘herself’, ‘ourselves’ etc. In the dictionary, reflexive verbs are presented with an infinitive verb that ends with the reflexive pronoun ‘se’. Below is a list of reflexive verbs.

Common reflexive verbs related to daily routines
Verbs Verbs Verbs Verbs Verbs
Despertarse (e:ie): to wake up Levantarse: to get up Ducharse: to shower Bañarse: to bathe Lavarse: to wash (oneself)

  • La cara
  • Las manos
  • El pelo
Cepillarse: to brush

  • Los dientes
  • El pelo
 Peinarse: to comb one’s hair Estirarse: to stretch Afeitarse: to shave

  • La cara
  • Las piernas (whatever body part you shave)
 Maquillarse: to put on makeup
Secarse: to dry oneself

  • Las manos
  • El pelo (any part of the body that you dry)
 Vestirse (e:i): to dress oneself Ponerse: to put on (oneself)

  • La ropa
  • El gorro (anything that you put on your body)
 Acostarse (o:ue): to go to bed Dormirse (o:ue): to fall asleep
Quitarse: to take something off (oneself)

  • La ropa
  • Los zapatos (anything that you take off your body)
 Relajarse: to relax Sentarse (e:ie): to sit down Divertirse (e:ie): to have fun/to enjoy oneself Sentirse (e:ie): to feel (emotionally, physically)
Preocuparse: to worry Enojarse: to get angry Enfadarse: to get angry Aburrirse: to get bored Irse: to leave
Quedarse: to stay Apresurarse: to hurry Despedirse: to say goodbye

Reflexive Pronouns

Below are the forms of reflexive pronouns:

Reflexive pronouns with examples
Singular Plural
Yo — me
Yo me despierto a las nueve de la mañana.		 Nosotros — nos
Marisa y yo nos cepillamos los dientes por la mañana y por la noche.
Tú — te
¿Te levantas temprano?		 Vosotros — os
¿Os peináis el pelo por la mañana?
Usted — se
¿Usted se ducha por la mañana o por la noche?		 Ustedes — se
¿Ustedes se estiran cuando se despiertan?
Él — se
José se baña por la noche.		 Ellos — se
Esteban y Rudolfo se afeitan la cara.
Ella — se
Isabel se lava la cara todas las mañanas.		 Ellas — se
Marisol y Sandra se maquillan la cara.

It is important to remember that in order for the verb to be reflexive, the subject and the direct object have to be the same person/thing. If the subject and direct object in the sentence are different, then the verb is not reflexive. Below is an example of how a verb can be reflexive in one sentence and not reflexive in another.

Examples of reflexive and non-reflexive use
Sentence with a reflexive verb Sentence without a reflexive verb
Yo me levanto a las nueve de la mañana. Yo levanto a mis hijas a las nueve y media de la mañana.
Ella se peina el pelo. Ella peina el pelo de sus hijas.

Many reflexive verbs have to do with a daily routine. Below is list of vocabulary that is useful when talking about daily routines.

Useful daily routine vocabulary
Vocab Vocab Vocab Vocab Vocab Vocab
La escuela — school El trabajo — work El amigo — friend La amiga — friend La tarea — homework La rutina diaria — daily routine
Todos los días — every day Por la mañana — in the morning Por la tarde — in the afternoon Por la noche — at night Temprano — early Tarde — late
A veces — sometimes Siempre — always Nunca — never Primero — first Después — then/after Luego — later
Finalmente — finally Por último — lastly

Actividad 4.1 — Matching (Drag and Drop)

Actividad 4.2 — Daily Routine (Writing)

Write your daily routine using the vocabulary that you have had up to this point. Please include an introduction and include as many family members as you can when expressing your daily routine.

Actividad 4.3 — Partner Share

With a partner, read your daily routine and have your partner read their daily routine to you. Then present your partner’s daily routine to the class. This should be done in the third person since you are presenting your partner’s routine.

Reciprocal Reflexives

There are also Reciprocal Reflexives in Spanish. Reciprocal reflexives are reflexive verbs that express an action that two or more people do to ‘each other’ or ‘one another’ in English. Below is a list of common reciprocal verbs.

Common reciprocal reflexive verbs
Verbs Verbs Verbs Verbs Verbs
Abrazarse — to hug each other Besarse — to kiss each other Verse — to see each other Saludarse — to greet each other Llamarse — to call each other
Escribirse — to write each other Encontrarse (o:ue) — to meet each other Ayudarse — to help each other Pelearse — to fight each other Conocerse — to know/to meet each other

They use the plural reflexive pronouns because at least two people are involved.

Pronombres reflexivos con ejemplos
Sujeto Pronombre Ejemplo
Nosotros Nos Mi abuela y yo nos vemos los lunes.
Vosotros Os ¿Tú y tu hermana os ayudáis?
Ustedes Se ¿Usted y su hermano se escriben textos por el teléfono?
Ellos Se Valentina y Nicolás se besan.
Ellas Se Paula y Camila se encuentran en el restaurante.

Actividad 4.4 — Drag and Drop

Activity 1- Drag and Drop

Question Image to drop
Maria y Pablo se encuentran en el restaurante. A woman and a man meeting at a restaurant.
Mi abuela y yo nos abrazamos cuando nos vemos. A younger man and his grandmother hugging.
Mi hermana y yo nos llamamos todos los días. Two women talking on the phone to each other.
Mis hijos se pelean siempre. Siblings fighting.
Los amigos de mis padres se besan cuando se saludan. Friends kissing each other on the cheek to say ‘hi’.

Direct Object Pronouns

A direct object is the person or thing that receives the action of the verb in a sentence. It is often helpful to ask the verb in the sentence ‘who’ or ‘what’ in order to find the direct object.

For example, in the sentence

  • My dad cooks rice. The verb is cooks. Cooks what? The rice. So, rice is the direct object.
  • In Spanish, the direct object functions in the same way.
  • Mi padre cocina el arroz. ¿Cocina qué? El arroz.
  • Once the context is created and in order to avoid repetition, a direct object pronoun is used.

For example:

  • Who cooks the rice? My dad cooks it. In this case ‘it’ is the direct object pronoun.
  • In Spanish, there are direct object pronouns that are used. Below are the direct object pronouns used in Spanish.

In Spanish, there are direct object pronouns that are used. Below are the direct object pronouns used in Spanish.

Direct objects, pronouns, and examples
Direct object Direct object pronoun Example
When the direct object is ‘me’ The direct object pronoun is ‘me’ My dad calls me.
Mi padre me llama.
When the direct object is ‘you’ and you are addressing someone informally. The direct object pronoun is ‘te’ Manuel sees you.
Manuel te ve.
When the direct object is ‘you’ and you are addressing someone formally. The direct object pronoun is ‘lo’ or ‘la’ depending if you are referring to a woman or a man. Manuel sees you, Amanda. Manuel la ve, Amanda.
Manuel sees you, Daniel. Manuel lo ve, Daniel.
When the direct object is ‘him’ The direct object pronoun is ‘lo’. Please be aware that in Spanish an object such as a book is also considered masculine. My cousin reads the book. Mi primo lee el libro.
My cousin reads it. Mi primo lo lee.
When the direct object is ‘her’ The direct object pronoun is ‘la’. Please be aware that in Spanish, an object such as a chair is also considered feminine. I paint the chair green. Yo pinto la silla verde.
I paint it green. Yo la pinto verde.
When the direct object is us The direct object pronoun is ‘nos’. My grandmother talks to us. Mi abuela nos habla.
When the direct object is ‘y’all’ and you speak to a group of people informally The direct object pronoun is ‘os’ Does my sister talk to y’all? ¿Mi hermana os habla?
When the direct object is ‘y’all’ and you speak to a group of people formally The direct object pronoun for a group of males or a mixed group is ‘los’. The direct object pronoun for a group of females is ‘las’ Gentlemen, I’ll call y’all later. Señores, los llamo luego.
Ladies, I’ll call y’all later. Señoras, las llamo luego.
When the direct object pronoun is ‘them’ referring to a group of men or a mixed group. The direct object pronoun is ‘los’. Please note that objects such as books are also considered masculine or mixed I see your cousins. Yo veo a tus primos.
I see them. Yo los veo.
I read books. Yo leo libros.
I read them. Yo los leo.
When the direct object pronoun is ‘them’ referring to a group of girls The direct object pronoun is ‘las’. Please note that objects such as chairs are also considered feminine. My sister-in-law does not have the green chairs. Mi cuñada no tiene las sillas verdes.
My sister-in-law does not have them. Mi cuñada no las tiene.

Please note that direct object pronouns go before the conjugated verb. However, in the case of the infinitive form or the present progressive form of the verbs, the direct object pronoun can be added as an ending to the verb.

Placement of direct object pronouns with infinitives and present progressive
Form Examples
Infinitive Example Yo puedo leer los libros.
Yo los puedo leer.
Yo puedo leerlos.
Present Progressive Example Yo estoy leyendo los libros.
Yo los estoy leyendo.
Yo estoy leyéndolos.
Note that when you add the direct object pronoun to the present progressive form, you must add an accent.

Using direct object pronouns makes speech and writing natural and fluent because it helps avoid repetition.

Actividad 4.5 — Replace With Direct Object Pronoun

The Personal ‘a’

The personal ‘a’ does not exist in English. In Spanish, when a verb acts directly on a person (or a pet), you must add the word ‘a’ before the person. It is called the personal ‘a’ for a reason. If you ask the verb, ‘what’ or ‘who’ and the answer is ‘who’, you must use the personal ‘a’.

I call my mother. The verb is ‘call’. Calls who? My mother.

Yo llamo a mi madre.

Let’s look at a few more examples of when to use the personal ‘a’ and when to omit it.

Using (or omitting) the personal ‘a’
Sentence Explanation Example
He believes the news. The verb is ‘believes’. Ask the verb: ‘Believes what?’ or ‘Believes who?’ In this case the answer is: ‘Believes what’ (the news). So, there is no need for the personal ‘a’. Él cree las noticias.
He believes his father. The verb is ‘believes’. Ask the verb: ‘Believes what?’ or ‘Believes who?’ In this case the answer is ‘Believes who’ (his father). So, in this sentence, the personal ‘a’ must be used. Él cree a su padre.
Elena calls a taxi. The verb is ‘calls’. Ask the verb: ‘Calls what?’ or ‘Calls who?’ In this case the answer is: ‘Calls what’ (a taxi). So, there is no need for the personal ‘a’. Elena llama un taxi.
Elena calls her sister. The verb is ‘calls’. Ask the verb: ‘Calls what?’ or ‘Calls who?’ In this case the answer is ‘Calls who’ (her sister). So, in this sentence, the personal ‘a’ must be used. Elena llama a su hermana.
Marisa takes the books and the computer to school. The verb is ‘takes’. Ask the verb: ‘Takes what?’ or ‘Takes who?’ In this case the answer is: ‘Takes what’ (the books and the computer). So, there is no need for the personal ‘a’. Marisa lleva los libros y la computadora a la escuela.
Marisa takes Luz María and Loli to school. The verb is ‘takes’. Ask the verb: ‘Takes what?’ or ‘Takes who?’ In this case the answer is ‘Takes who’ (Luz María and Loli). So, in this sentence, the personal ‘a’ must be used. Marisa lleva a Luz María y a Loli a la escuela.

There is an exception. When using the verb ‘tener’, the personal ‘a’ is not used.

Exception: personal ‘a’ with tener (not used)
Sentence Example
Pablo has a grey car. Pablo tiene un coche gris.
Pablo has a gorgeous cousin. Pablo tiene un primo guapo.
Andrés y José have a big house. Andrés y José tienen una casa grande.
Andrés and José have a friend from Colombia. Andrés y José tienen un amigo de Colombia.

Actividad 4.6 — Fill in the Blanks

Actividad 4.7 — Fill in the Blanks

Actividad 4.8 — Conversation

With a partner, take turns asking and answering the following questions. Be sure to use direct object pronouns in your responses.

  1. ¿Visitas a tu abuela los fines de semana?
  2. ¿Llamas a tus padres todos los días?
  3. ¿Ayudas a tus hermanos con la tarea?
  4. ¿Escuchas a tu mamá cuando te habla?
  5. ¿Invitas a tus primos a tu casa?
  6. ¿Ves a tu papá por las mañanas?
  7. ¿Llevas a tu hermano a la escuela?
  8. ¿Conoces a tus tíos?
  9. ¿Abrazas a tu familia cuando llegas a casa?
  10. ¿Saludas a tus abuelos con un beso?

Comparisons

Comparisons are important because they help us describe differences and similarities between people, places, or things. They allow us to express ideas like who is taller, what is better and how two things are alike.

Comparisons of Inequality

Comparisons of inequality are used to express when things are not equal. In the case of comparisons of inequality something will either be better or worse than what it is being compared to.

For example:

  • Roberto is taller than Ethan.

In Spanish, there is a set structure for comparisons of inequality:

Subject + verb + más/menos + adjective/adverb/noun + que

  • Example using an adjective — Saúl es más guapo que José.
  • Example using an adverb — Ursula es menos rápida que María.
  • Example using a noun — Alfredo tiene más libros que Leonardo.

Comparisons of Equality

Comparisons of equality are used to express when things are equal. In the case of comparisons of equality something will be the same as what it is being compared to.

For example:

  • She is as nice as her friend.

In Spanish there is a set structure for comparisons of equality:

Subject + verb + tan + adjective/adverb + como

  • Example using an adjective: Saúl es tan guapo como José.
  • Example using an adverb: Ursula es tan rápida como María.

Subject + verb + tanto + noun + como

Subject + verb + tanta + noun + como

Subject + verb + tantos + noun + como

Subject + verb + tantas + noun + como

Example using a noun:

  • Alfredo tiene tantos libros como Leonardo.

Superlative comparison

A superlative comparison is used to express the highest or lowest degree of quality. In the case of a superlative comparison, something will be the very best or the very worst. For example: Mark is the kindest student in the class. In Spanish there is a set structure for a superlative comparison:

Subject + verb + el + noun + más/menos + adjective/adverb + de + group/place

Subject + verb + la + noun + más/menos + adjective/adverb + de + group/place

Subject + verb + los + noun + más/menos + adjective/adverb + de + group/place

Subject + verb + las + noun + más/menos + adjective/adverb + de + group/place

Example using an adjective:

  • Saúl es el hombre más guapo del mundo.

Example using an adverb:

  • Ursula es la mujer menos rápida de la clase.

There are irregular comparison words that do not follow the más/menos pattern. Below is a list of these words and how they are to be used in statements of comparison:

Irregular comparative forms
Adjective Comparative Example
Bueno — good Mejor — better El café es mejor que el té. El café es la mejor bebida del mundo.
Malo — bad Peor — worse El té es peor que el café. El té es la peor bebida del mundo.
Viejo — old Mayor — older Luz María es mayor que Loli. Luz María es la prima mayor de la familia.
Joven — young Menor — younger Loli es menor que Luz María. Loli es la prima menor de la familia.

When using comparisons with numbers use ‘de’ instead of ‘que’.

  • Tengo más de cinco primos.
  • Tengo menos de cinco tíos.

Actividad 4.9 — Multiple Choice

Please choose the correct comparison of inequality.

Actividad 4.10 — Multiple Choice

Please choose the correct comparison of equality.

Actividad 4.11 — Multiple Choice

Please choose the correct superlative comparison.

Actividad 4.12

Absolute Superlatives

Unlike comparative superlatives (the most, the least) absolute superlatives express something to a very high degree without comparing it to anything else. Absolute superlatives emphasize a quality without needing to compare. To express a very high degree or absolute superlatives, adverbs like ‘very’, ‘extremely’ or ‘super’ are used. In Spanish, however, the ending of the adjective is changed.

In order to form absolute superlatives in Spanish, add to the root of an adjective.

  • -ísimo
  • -ísima
  • -ísimos
  • -ísimas
Examples of absolute superlatives
Regular adjective/adverb Absolute superlative Sentence Meaning
Guapo Guapísimo Mis sobrinos son guapísimos. My nephews are very handsome.
Inteligente Inteligentísimo Mis hijas son inteligentísimas. My daughters are very intelligent.
Tranquilo Tranquilísimo Mi padre es tranquilísimo. My dad is very tranquil.
Rápido Rapidísimo Mi tío es rapidísimo. My uncle is very fast.

Some adjectives and adverbs take a spelling change when the absolute superlative endings are added in order to keep the correct pronunciation of the word. For example, in order to keep the hard /k/ sound in rico, the normal rules of making rico an absolute superlative would not work since ‘ricísimo’ would not maintain the hard /k/ sound since ‘ci’ have a soft /c/ sound. In order to keep the hard /k/ sound, the ‘cí’ must be replaced by a ‘quí’ in order to maintain the hard /k/ sound.

Below are a few more examples of how spelling changes are necesary in order to keep the correct pronunciation of the words:

Spelling changes with absolute superlatives
Adjectives/Adverbs Spelling Change
Rico Riquísimo
Largo Larguísimo
Feliz Felicísimo

Actividad 4.13 — Fill in the Blanks (Absolute Sup

erlatives)

Be sure to agree the absolute superlative in gender and number.

Actividad 4.14 — Writing

Write five sentences using absolute superlatives about your family members or friends using the adjectives presented early in the lesson.

Numbers from 100 on

Learning how to use numbers from 100 and up in Spanish helps to talk about real-world situations like describing when special family events took place like births, marriages, deaths, number of people in the family and important parts of daily routines like income and spending. Luckily, numbers in Spanish are very logical and build off one another. Below is a chart of the numbers from 100 and up. Because of space, all of the numbers are not listed but the numbers are presented in a logical order in order to get to the millions.

Hundreds, thousands, and millions (samples)
100’s 1.000’s 1.000’s cont.
100 — cien 1.000 — mil
  • 101 — ciento uno
  • 102 — ciento dos
  • 110 — ciento diez
  • 115 — ciento quince
  • 119 — ciento diecinueve
  • 120 — ciento veinte
  • 130 — ciento treinta
  • 142 — ciento cuarenta y dos
  • 146 — ciento cuarenta y seis
  • 158 — ciento cincuenta y ocho
  • 160 — ciento sesenta
  • 190 — ciento noventa
  • 200 — doscientos
  • 1.002 — mil dos
  • 1.010 — mil diez
  • 1.020 — mil veinte
  • 1.055 — mil cincuenta y cinco
  • 1.100 — mil cien
  • 1.103 — mil ciento tres
  • 1.118 — mil ciento dieciocho
  • 1.170 — mil ciento setenta
  • 1.200 — mil doscientos
  • 1.379 — mil trescientos setenta y nueve
  • 1.500 — mil quinientos
  • 1.690 — mil seiscientos noventa
  • 500.000 — quinientos mil
  • 518.695 — quinientos dieciocho mil seiscientos noventa y cinco
  • 550.555 — quinientos cincuenta mil quinientos cincuenta y cinco
  • 600.000 — seiscientos mil
  • 700.000 — setecientos mil
  • 778.216 — setecientos setenta y ocho mil doscientos dieciséis
  • 800.000 — ochocientos mil
  • 847.745 — ochocientos cuarenta y siete mil setecientos cuarenta y cinco
  • 210 — doscientos diez
  • 218 — doscientos dieciocho
  • 234 — doscientos treinta y cuatro
  • 250 — doscientos cincuenta
  • 299 — doscientos noventa y nueve
  • 300 — trescientos
  • 400 — cuatrocientos
  • 500 — quinientos
  • 600 — seiscientos
  • 700 — setecientos
  • 800 — ochocientos
  • 900 — novecientos
  • 1.765 — mil setecientos sesenta y cinco
  • 1.900 — mil novecientos
  • 2.000 — dos mil
  • 3.000 — tres mil
  • 10.000 — diez mil
  • 11.567 — once mil quinientos sesenta y siete
  • 20.000 — veinte mil
  • 50.000 — cincuenta mil
  • 100.000 — cien mil
  • 200.000 — doscientos mil
  • 247.589 — doscientos cuarenta y siete mil quinientos ochenta y nueve
  • 300.000 — trescientos mil
  • 387.321 — trescientos ochenta y siete mil trescientos veintiuno
  • 884.379 — ochocientos ochenta y cuatro mil trescientos setenta y nueve
  • 900.000 — novecientos mil
  • 964.723 — novecientos sesenta y cuatro mil setecientos veintitrés
  • 999.999 — novecientos noventa y nueve mil novecientos noventa y nueve
  • 1.000.000 — un millón
  • 1.376.867 — un millón trescientos setenta y seis mil ochocientos sesenta y siete
  • 1.567.876 — un millón quinientos sesenta y siete mil ochocientos setenta y seis
  • 2.000.000 — dos millones

Please note that in some Hispanic countries a period is used where in the United States there is a comma.

It is also important to note when dealing with numbers having 200 and above, the number must agree in number and gender to the item being counted.

For example

Agreement with numbers below/above 200
Below 200’s 200 and above
  • 123 — Ciento veintitrés llaves
  • Ciento veintitrés taxis
  • 223 — Doscientas veintitrés llaves
  • Doscientos veintitrés taxis
  • 1.170 — Mil ciento setenta llaves
  • Mil ciento setenta taxis
  • 1.340 — Mil trescientas cuarenta llaves
  • Mil trescientos cuarenta taxis
  • 2.120 — Dos mil ciento veinte llaves
  • Dos mil ciento veinte taxis
  • 2.455 — Dos mil cuatrocientas cincuenta y cinco llaves
  • Dos mil cuatrocientos cincuenta y cinco taxis

Actividad 4.15 — Match the Correct Number

Actividad 4.16 — Fill in the Blanks

Write the number that completes the sentence.

Actividad 4.17

Write 10 sentences about your daily routine and the cost of living.

Cultura — Colombia

Colombia has a long and rich history. It was home to many Indigenous peoples like the Muisca, the Tayrona, the Quimbaya and the Zenú. These groups had their own languages and organized ways of life and were experts in agriculture, astronomy and goldworking. Colombia was a colony of Spain for 300 years from the conquest of Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada in 1536 to 1819. In 1810, Colombia began its fight for Independence and in 1819, with the victory of Simón Bolívar in the Batalla de Boyacá, Colombia became independent.

Colombia is known for its beautiful inland cities like Bogotá, Medellín, and Cali. It is also known for its beautiful port cities like Cartagena and Barranquilla that are on the Caribbean coast. Also famous for its beaches is the city of Santa Marta and San Andrés Island which is in the Caribbean Sea. On the Pacific side, the cities of Bahía Solano and Nuquí are unique in that the rainforest meets the ocean. In the southeastern part of the country, thirty-five percent of the total land area of Colombia is the Amazon region with the city of Leticia being the main gateway to the rainforest.

Today, Colombia is one of the top coffee exporters in the world. Although, coffee is not native to Colombia, it is one of the best places in the world to grow coffee and it is a big part of the country’s identity and economy. People all over the world drink Colombian coffee every day. Colombia is also home to world-famous rhythms like cumbia, vallenato, and salsa. Global artists like Shakira, and Karol G have helped bring Colombian music to the rest of the world. Colombia has also contributed literature and art to the rest of the world. Gabriel García Márquez, one of the most famous writers in the world, introduced magical realism to literature, is a native of Colombia. Also, artists like Fernando Botero are known for their unique styles and global exhibitions. Presently, Colombia is a leader in eco-tourism and environmental protection and influences science and conservation through its plants, animals and ecosystems especially in the Amazon region. Colombia also exports more flowers than almost any other country in the world especially roses and carnations. Finally, Colombia is famous for Wayuu Mochila Bags (Bolsos Wayuu) that are handmade by the Wayuu people in La Guajira, a desert region in northern Colombia. They are sold and worn all over the world and fashion designers have embraced the bags as a symbol of Colombian Indigenous identity. For all these reasons, Colombia is a country with global influence on many levels. By learning about Colombia, it is easier to understand the Spanish language and the diversity of the Spanish-speaking world.

Running Vocabulary

La casa-house

El coche/El carro-car

La cara-face

Las manos-hands

El pelo-hair

Los dientes-teeth

Las piernas-legs

La ropa-clothes

El gorro-hat

Los zapatos-shoes

El teléfono-telefone

El examen-test

Las notas-grades

El perro-dog

Las llaves-keys

La bandera-flag

La biología-biology

Las arepas-traditional Colombian food that are round flat cakes sometimes filled with cheese, eggs, meat or other ingredients made from corn dough.

El mapa-map

El lápiz- pencil

La cocina-kitchen

El colegio-school

License

Introduction to Spanish Copyright © by druizfebrega; Alex Sousa; and jeremyrobinson. All Rights Reserved.

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