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Verde Homework Class 1
Verde Homework Class 2
Verde Homework Class 3
Verde Homework Class 4
Verde Homework Class 5
Verde Homework Class 6
Verde Homework Class 7

Verde Homework Class 1

Prepositional Phrases

The use of prepositions is very idiomatic and is not always logical. In some cases, there is a general rule or  meaning. In others, you just have to learn in association with a particular verb.

Some uses of the preposition "A"
1. ir a + infinitive: future action
Example: Voy a comer a las dos. (I'm going to eat at 2:00.)
2. asistir a: to attend an event
Example: Los viernes asistimos a la clase de baile. (On Fridays we attend dance class.)
3. enseñar a + infinitive: to teach an action
Example: El profesor me enseña a escribir mejor. (The professor teaches me to write better.)
4. aprender a + infinitive: to learn an action
Example: Quiero aprender a esquiar. (I learn to ski.)
5. ayudar a + infinitive: to help an action take place
Example: Los anteojos nos ayudan a ver. (Glasses help us see.)
6. La "a personal:" Used whenever a person, or personified nonhuman, is the direct object of a verb.
Example 1: Conozco a muchas personas de California. (I know a lot of people from California.)
Example 2: El abogado representa al acusado. (The lawyer represents the accused.)

Some uses of the preposition EN
1. hablar en voz alta: to speak out loud
2. pensar en: to think ABOUT something
Example: Cuando escucho esa canción, pienso en mi juventud. (When I hear that song, I think about my youth.)

Assignment
Use all 8 these phrases creatively in a story or essay. Please DOUBLE SPACE. Let the phrases inspire you. It can be truth or fiction.

Verde Homework Class 2

More Prepositional Phrases

Some uses of the preposition DE
1. pensar de: to "think of" in the sense of having an opinion (usually used in questions)
Example: No sé qué pienso del vino. ¿Qué piensa usted del vino? (I don't know what I think of this wine. What do you think of the wine?)

2. dejar de + infinitive: to stop doing something
Example: Dejó de llover. Deje de quejarse. (It stopped raining. Stop complaining.)

3. estar lleno de: to be full of
Example: El sótano está lleno de agua. (The basement's full of water.)

4. tratar de: to try to do something
Example: El vendedor trata de convencerme pero no puede. (The salesman tries to convince me but he can't.)

Some uses of the preposition CON
5. soñar con: to dream about
Example: Anoche soñé con zapatos que hablaban. (Last night I dreamt about shoes that talked.)

6. hacer algo con dificultad: to do something with difficulty

Some uses of the preposition POR
7. hablar por teléfono: to talk on the phone

8. estar por + infinitive: to be about to happen
Example: Venga adentro: está por llover. (Come inside: it's about to rain.)


Assignment
Use all 8 these phrases creatively in a story or essay. Please DOUBLE SPACE. Let the phrases inspire you. It can be truth or fiction.

Verde Homework Class 3

Practice with Stem-Changing -AR Verbs (O to UE)

The verb CONTAR is part of a group of irregular verbs in which, in the present tense, a stressed "o" changes to "ue."

cuento     contamos
cuentas
cuenta     cuentan

Note that the form of the second person plural (contamos) is regular because it's the "a that's stressed, not the "o."

Other verbs in this group include:
acostarse	encontrar
almorzar	mostrar
recordar         soñar

Assignment
1. Write out the conjugation of each of these verbs until you can do it without referring to another sheet of paper.
2. Practice each verb orally until you can do it from memory (or at least with your eyes closed).
3. Write a one-page story, double spaced, using all seven of these verbs in the PRESENT tense. 

Verde Homework Class 4

More Practice with Stem-Changing -AR Verbs (E to IE)

The verb PENSAR is part of a group of irregular verbs in which, in the present tense, a stressed "e" changes to "ie."

pienso     pensamos
piensas
piensa     piensan

Note that the form of the second person plural (pensamos) is regular because it's the "a that's stressed, not the "e."

Other verbs in this group include:
calentar	cerrar
comenzar	despertarse
sentarse	negar

Assignment
1. Write out the conjugation of each of these seven verbs until you can do it without referring to another sheet of paper.
2. Practice each verb orally until you can do it from memory (or at least with your eyes closed).
3. Write a one-page story, double spaced, using all seven of these verbs in the present tense.

Verde Homework Class 5

More on Stem-Changing -IR Verbs (E to I)

The verb PEDIR is part of a group of irregular -IR verbs in which, in the present tense, a stressed "e" changes to "i."

pido     pedimos
pides
pide     piden

Others:
seguir, conseguir, competir, despedir(se), medir, repetir, servir, vestir(se)

Assignment
1. Write out the conjugation of each of these verbs until you can do it without referring to another sheet of paper.
2. Practice each verb orally until you can do it from memory (or at least with your eyes closed).
3. Write a one-page story, double spaced, using as many of these verbs in the present tense as you can.

Verde Homework Class 6

The Conditional Tense

For most verbs, this tense is formed merely by adding on the following endings to the infinitive:

ía	íamos
ías 
ía	ían

So for example HABLAR is conjugated like this:
hablaría	hablaríamos
hablarías 
hablaría	hablarían

The conditional tense has the following uses:
1. An action dependent on another
Yo iría contigo, pero no puedo. (I'd go with you, but I can't.)
Si tuviera más dinero, comería más caviar. (If I had more money, I'd eat more caviar.)
(In the second sentence, the verb "tuviera" is the verb "tener" in the past subjunctive. It sets up the hypothetical condition for the conditional tense in the other clause of the sentence. Do not worry about understanding or using the subjunctive yet.)
2. A conditional request
Me gustaría un plato de mondongo. (I would like a plate of stewed tripe.)
¿Usted me prestaría un lapicero? (Would you loan me a pen?)
(This makes requests much gentler, just like in English.)
3. An indirect quote about a proposed action.
Mario dijo que visitaría mañana. (Mario said he would visit tomorrow.)
(This is just like in English too.)
4. Conjecture about the past
Cuando yo estaba en el sótano, sonó el teléfono. ¿Quién sería? (When I was in the basement, the phone rang. Who could it have been?)
5. A statement of probability/an estimation regarding the past
El ladrón se metería a las 3:00 de la madrugada. (The burglar probably broke in at 3:00 AM.)

Assignment:
Think up a situation related to the unit we're studying right now, one in which someone is complaining about goods or services or something. It could be in a store, or complaining to the cops about the neighbors' loud party, or whatever. Try to use expressions from page 5 of the unit. Also try to employ all 5 of the uses of the conditional tense listed above.

Verde Homework Class 7

Write a poem that incorporates everything we've studied up to this point. Don't forget to double space!

 

Questions?

Last updated 6 January 2018