Study Hub

Study Guides

This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.

Back to Study HubBrowse Year 9 Spanish Guides

Year 9 - Spanish

The history of Peru: -ar verbs 1st and 3rd person (preterite)

Countries: 'hacer', -ar verbs

Unit Summary

This unit revisits singular present and preterite forms of 'hacer', and introduces the use of 'hacer' with the weather. Pupils learn plural forms '-amos' and '-aron' for -ar verbs in the preterite, and contrast these with their singular counterparts and '-amos' in the present tense.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to understand and write a summary of the Spanish conquest of Peru using a range of -ar verbs in the 3rd person of the preterite tense.

Key Notes

  • The 1st person singular -ar verb ending in the present tense is -o, e.g. 'actaco' (I attack).
  • The 3rd person singular ending in the preterite tense is very similar: -ó, e.g. 'atacó' (he, she, it attacked).
  • The 3rd person plural ending in the preterite is -aron, e.g. 'atacaron' (they attacked).
  • When the Incas and the Spanish invaders first met there were communication problems which led to bloodshed.
  • Thousands of indigenous people were killed, as well as the last king Atahualpa, and the Incan empire was destroyed.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • preterite: tense used for events completed in the past
  • 1st person singular: form of pronouns and verbs used to refer to 'I'
  • 3rd person singular: form of pronouns and verbs used to refer to 'she', 'he', 'it'
  • 3rd person plural: form of pronouns and verbs used to refer to 'they'

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • The 3rd person singular preterite verb ending for -ar verbs is the same as the present tense 1st person singular verb ending: -o.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

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

The 1st person singular -ar verb ending in the present tense is -o, e.g. 'actaco' (I attack). The 3rd person singular ending in the preterite tense is very similar: -ó, e.g. 'atacó' (he, she, it attacked).

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

tense used for events completed in the past. Say or write it in a short sentence so you use the word actively.

3. Correct this common language-learning mistake.

Mistake: The 3rd person singular preterite verb ending for -ar verbs is the same as the present tense 1st person singular verb ending: -o. Correction: The 3rd person singular preterite verb ending - ó has a very important accent which distinguishes it from the 1st person present tense. Compare 'hablo' - I talk, am talking and 'habló' - he, she, it talked. Without the accent it is a different tense!

More Lessons In This Unit

Browse all guides in the Year 9 Spanish guide library.