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Year 5 - Spanish

El Día de los Muertos: describe an 'altar'

Me and others: plural 'estar' (for states) and 'ser' (for traits)

Unit Summary

This unit requires pupils to use 'estar' and 'ser' effectively to communicate about how others are today and what they are like in general. When using the new plural forms 'están' and 'son' in the context of the festival 'El Día de los Muertos', pupils also use plural forms of familiar adjectives.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to understand and write a description of an 'altar' in the context of the Mexican tradition, El Día de los Muertos.

Key Notes

  • Numbers 1-31 and months of the year can be combined to give dates.
  • 'Son' means 'they are'. It is often followed by an adjective to describe people or things.
  • 'Hay' means 'there is' or 'there are'. 'It is often used to identify or locate people or things.
  • To describe plural nouns, add - s to adjectives ending in -a, -e and -o. For those ending in -l , -s, or z. add -es.
  • On the Day of the Dead, Mexican families make special tables called 'altares' to remember their loved ones.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • son: part of the verb 'ser' meaning 'they are'
  • hay: verb meaning 'there is' or 'there are' depending whether it comes before singular or plural nouns

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • I can use 'son' to talk about what there are where, e.g. 'son tres libros en la mesa'.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Explain what you can now say or understand in this lesson.

Numbers 1-31 and months of the year can be combined to give dates. 'Son' means 'they are'. It is often followed by an adjective to describe people or things.

2. Define this key language word and use it in context. 'son'

part of the verb 'ser' meaning 'they are'. Say or write it in a short sentence so you use the word actively.

3. Correct this common language-learning mistake.

Mistake: I can use 'son' to talk about what there are where, e.g. 'son tres libros en la mesa'. Correction: 'Son' means 'they are', is a form of the verb 'ser' ('to be') and is used to describe things, people or places. 'Hay' means 'there is' or 'there are' and it is often used to identify or locate people or things, e.g. 'hay dos libros y son grandes'.

More Lessons In This Unit

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