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Year 8 - Spanish

In class and at home: modal verb 'podemos'

Comparing what people do: -ER and -IR verbs

Unit Summary

In this unit, pupils learn to form the first person plural form of -er and -ir verbs, and the third person plural 'hacen'. They learn English has two translations of the Spanish present tense - present simple and continuous. Spanish subject pronouns are introduced. Stressed syllables are introduced.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to use an expanding range of words to talk about everyday activities that you and others can do in class and at home.

Key Notes

  • Listening to words with final and penultimate syllable stress helps to develop the ability to identify the stress.
  • Making vocabulary links using antonyms or words with related meanings can enhance recall.
  • The verb 'poder' is a modal verb and means 'to be able to', 'can'.
  • Most present tense forms of 'poder' have a vowel change in the stem, ('puedo'); 'podemos' (we can) has no vowel change.
  • The verb 'poder' is always followed by an infinitive, e.g. 'Podemos participar en clase.'

Vocabulary To Learn

  • penultimate (syllable) stress: pronouncing the second-last syllable more heavily than other syllables in a word
  • antonym: word that has the opposite meaning of another word
  • modal verb: verb of necessity or possibility used with a 2nd verb in the infinitive, e.g. must, can, want
  • poder: modal verb that means to be able to/can

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • All present tense forms of the model verb 'poder' have the same vowel change in the stem, o-> ue.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

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

Listening to words with final and penultimate syllable stress helps to develop the ability to identify the stress. Making vocabulary links using antonyms or words with related meanings can enhance recall.

2. Define this key language word and use it in context. 'penultimate (syllable) stress'

pronouncing the second-last syllable more heavily than other syllables in a word. Say or write it in a short sentence so you use the word actively.

3. Correct this common language-learning mistake.

Mistake: All present tense forms of the model verb 'poder' have the same vowel change in the stem, o-> ue. Correction: The 1st, 2nd, 3rd persons singular ('puedo', 'puedes', 'puede') and 3rd person plural ('pueden') forms all have a stem change from 'o' to 'ue' but 1st person plural 'we' form is 'podemos'; it keeps the same vowel as the infinitive 'poder'.

More Lessons In This Unit

Browse all guides in the Year 8 Spanish guide library.