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Year 5 - Spanish

How are we? 'Somos' and 'estamos'

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

Unit Summary

This unit requires pupils to use 'estar' and 'ser' effectively to communicate about how they and others are today and what they are like in general. When using the new plural forms 'estamos' and 'somos', pupils need also to use plural adjective agreement, applied to familiar and new adjectives.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to say where we are and how we are today using 'estamos', and what we are like generally using 'somos'.

Key Notes

  • To read and say words accurately, it is important to practise the vowel sounds: [a], [e], [i], [o], [u].
  • There are two verbs to say 'to be, being' in Spanish: estar and ser.
  • To mean 'we are' with 'estar', we use 'estamos'. This means 'we are' for location and temporary states.
  • To mean 'we are' with 'ser', we use 'somos'. This means 'we are' for general traits.
  • When describing more than one, the adjective ends in -os with masculine nouns and -as with feminine nouns.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • estamos: 'we are' for location and temporary states, part of the verb 'estar'
  • somos: 'we are' for general traits, part of the verb 'ser'
  • adjective: word that gives information about a noun

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • There is only one to say 'we are' in Spanish as in English.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

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

To read and say words accurately, it is important to practise the vowel sounds: [a], [e], [i], [o], [u]. There are two verbs to say 'to be, being' in Spanish: estar and ser.

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

'we are' for location and temporary states, part of the verb 'estar'. Say or write it in a short sentence so you use the word actively.

3. Correct this common language-learning mistake.

Mistake: There is only one to say 'we are' in Spanish as in English. Correction: There are two verbs meaning 'to be, being' in Spanish. To say 'we are' for location and temporary state, we use estamos from the verb estar and to say 'we are' for general traits, we use somos from the verb ser.

More Lessons In This Unit

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