Year 8 - Spanish
Exercise and fitness: 'este' and 'esta'
What is happening now: present continuous, 'este' and 'esta'
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
In this unit, pupils learn how to form the present continuous of -ar, -er, and -ir verbs to talk about what is happening now. Demonstratives 'esta' and 'estas' and modal verb 'querer' are revisited. In phonics, pupils revisit ante-penultimate syllable stress.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to distinguish between singular forms of 'estar' and demonstrative adjectives when using the present continuous to describe exercise.
Key Notes
- To say what is happening right now, Spanish uses the present continuous which is 'estar' + present participle.
- For -ar verbs the present participle is formed by removing -ar from the verb infinitive and adding -ando.
- Demonstrative adjectives distinguish one thing from another. For masculine nouns use 'este' (this) or 'estos' (these).
- For feminine nouns it's 'esta' (this) or 'estas' (these), which are similar to 'está' (he, she is), 'estás' (you are).
- Accents avoid confusion in writing; stress on the final syllable distinguishes them in speaking.
Vocabulary To Learn
- present continuous: describes events happening right now, e.g. 'I am doing'
- estar: Spanish verb meaning 'to be', also the auxiliary verb for the present continuous
- demonstrative adjective: specifies a particular noun, indicating 'this', 'that', 'these' or 'those'
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Some singular forms of 'estar' and feminine demonstrative adjectives look and sound the same.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain what you can now say or understand in this lesson.
To say what is happening right now, Spanish uses the present continuous which is 'estar' + present participle. For -ar verbs the present participle is formed by removing -ar from the verb infinitive and adding -ando.
2. Define this key language word and use it in context. 'present continuous'
describes events happening right now, e.g. 'I am doing'. Say or write it in a short sentence so you use the word actively.
3. Correct this common language-learning mistake.
Mistake: Some singular forms of 'estar' and feminine demonstrative adjectives look and sound the same. Correction: The feminine demonstrative adjectives 'esta' (this) and 'estas' (these) have no accent. The 2nd and 3rd person singular forms of 'estar' have an accent on the -a: 'estás' (you are) and 'está' (she, he is). They are pronounced with stress on the -a.
More Lessons In This Unit
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