Negative Tu Commands are direct commands used when addressing someone familiar to you, such as a close friend, family member or peer. They are typically preceded by the word “no” and followed by the verb. Examples of informal negative tu commands include “No hables” (Don’t speak), “No me mientas” (Don’t lie to me), “No discutas […]
Present and Past Subjunctive with Doubt Spanish Lesson Plans and Resource Sheet
The Spanish present and past subjunctive are used to express doubt, uncertainty, hypothetical situations, and feelings. In the present tense, the subjunctive is used when expressing doubt or uncertainty about the outcome of an action, as well as when making a suggestion or a recommendation. For example, “Espero que venga pronto” (I hope he/she comes […]
Preterite Stem-Changing -IR Verbs Spanish Lesson Plan and Resource Sheet
In Spanish, stem-changing verbs are those that undergo a vowel change in their stem when conjugated. When these verbs are in the preterite tense, they maintain the same stem change in the past. For verbs ending in -IR, the stem-changing occurs in the third person singular and plural forms (él/ella/usted, ellos/ellas/ustedes). The stem vowel changes […]
How to Include Poetry in Your Spanish Lesson Plans
Expand your students’ cultural knowledge by introducing them to Spanish-speaking poets and their poetry (National Poetry Month in April is a great time to begin). You’ll find a few activities at the end of this article to capture your students’ imaginations and who knows… your students just might find poetry more interesting than they expected! It’s a […]
Future Perfect Spanish Lesson Plan and Resource Sheet
The Future Perfect tense in Spanish, also known as “Futuro Perfecto,” is used to express actions that will have been completed by a certain point in the future. This tense is formed by using the future tense of the auxiliary verb “haber” followed by the past participle of the main verb. For example, “habré hablado” […]
Preterite of IR and SER Spanish Lesson Plan and Printable Poster
The preterite tense in Spanish is used to express past actions that are completed or finished. The verbs “IR” and “SER” have the same conjugation in the preterite, which can sometimes cause confusion. In the preterite, “IR” and “SER” are both conjugated as follows: fui, fuiste, fue, fuimos, fuisteis, fueron. This means that the context […]
Possessive Pronouns Spanish Lesson Plan and Resource Sheet
Possessive pronouns in Spanish are words that indicate possession or ownership of something. These pronouns agree in gender and number with the noun they refer to, and they replace the noun in the sentence. Some examples of possessive pronouns in Spanish are “mi” (my), “tu” (your), “su” (his/her/its/your – formal), “nuestro/nuestra” (our), and “suyo/suya” (theirs/yours […]
Personal A Spanish Lesson Plan and Resource Sheet
In Spanish, the Personal A is a preposition that is used before a direct object that refers to a person or an animal with a certain level of personal significance. It is not translatable into English and is a unique feature of the Spanish language. The Personal A is used to indicate that the direct […]
Verb DOLER Spanish Lesson Plan for Beginner Students
The Spanish verb “doler” is used to express physical pain or discomfort. In order to use “doler,” you need to know two things: the subject experiencing the pain, and the body part that is causing the pain. The verb is constructed as follows: “doler” + [body part] + “a” + [subject]. For example, “Me duele […]
Health & Body Parts Vocabulary Spanish Lesson Plans and Class Activities
When teaching Spanish as a second language, the introduction of body parts vocabulary typically occurs in the early stages of learning, usually in beginner or elementary-level classes. This is because the vocabulary related to body parts is relatively simple and frequently used, making it an essential part of basic Spanish language acquisition. Generally, students are […]
Foreign Language Week: 5 Activity Ideas from Monday to Friday
Want to bring the world and all of its languages closer to your classroom? Inspire your students to excite your school community and get everyone involved in National Foreign Language Week this March. What is National Foreign Language Week? Every March, schools around America celebrate National Foreign Language Week or World Language Week to discuss […]
7 Read Across America Day Spanish Class Activities (a.k.a. Dr. Seuss Day)
Remember those READ posters of movie stars and other celebrities? Though the appeal of posters is their retro look, the message is still very relevant today. So engage your students and talk about literacy with some fun activities on March 2nd for National Read Across America Day! What is National Read Across America Day? National […]
Preposition “A” Spanish Lesson Plan for Beginner Students
The preposition “a” is used to indicate direction or movement towards a person or a specific location. It is also used to mark the direct object of a sentence when it refers to a person, as in: “Voy a ver a mi amigo” (I am going to see my friend). It is also commonly used […]
School Subjects and After-School Themed Spanish Lesson Plans
As a Spanish teacher, it’s essential to equip your students with vocabulary they can use outside the classroom, especially when it comes to after-school activities and school-related topics. Here you will find suggested Spanish lesson plans and resources, with engaging activities and materials to help your students learn and practice vocabulary related to sports, hobbies, […]
4 Names in Spanish for SANTA CLAUS: Infographic
The legendary figure of Santa Claus is well recognized all over the world. The story around this character was inspired by the Christian Bishop Saint Nicholas from the 4th century that lived in Lycia (Turkey today). Legends said that he was recognized for his generosity as a secret gift-giver, putting coins in the shoes or […]
12 Popular English Songs in Spanish (Part 1)
There are many songs that become popular and then make a crossover to other languages. Some turn out to be good, but others are a complete disaster. I assume that translating a hit song to a different language is difficult. Think about the challenge of keeping the essence of the original lyrics yet finding the […]
6 Spanish Language Words for TURKEY: Infographic
Soon we will be celebrating Thanksgiving, one of my favorites holidays. The special thing about Thanksgiving is the true meaning of being grateful for what you have. This is not a holiday about Christians or any religion; you can be thankful to God, life, destiny or whatever you want. Even though this holiday is not […]
VIDEO: List of Spanish Slang Expressions About Money Used in Puerto Rico
Before you even step into a new country, money is one of the first topics you will become involved in. How much does my trip cost? How much money should I take? Will my ATM (otherwise known as ATH in Puerto Rico) card work? This video will have you prepped and ready to go for […]
Telling Time Spanish Class Activities
Telling Time Lesson Plan for Spanish 1 – Objectives By the end of this activity, the students will have learned and used the vocabulary and phrases to tell time in Spanish. Students can say the time in Spanish. Students can create an infographic using telling time vocabulary in Spanish. Students can create a daily routine […]
Verb SER Spanish Class Activities
Printable Poster and Handout – Verb SER in the Present – Decorate your classroom with this colorful poster of the verb SER in the Present tense. Then, print copies of the black and white handout for your students. The poster and handout version include the verb conjugation in singular and plural. Plus examples on […]
City Vocabulary Spanish Class Activities
Lesson Plan – Preterite IR, SER, TENER, ESTAR, and PODER – City Vocabulary – Students learn the city vocabulary with an authentic travel video about Mexico City. They will also be able to give directions to go from one place to another and use the verbs ir, ser, tener, estar and poder in the preterite. Lesson […]
Verb TENER Spanish Class Activities
Verb TENER and Body Parts Vocabulary Lesson Plan for Spanish 2 – In this lesson, students learn the body parts vocabulary the verb tener in the present tense and to express symptoms using the verb tener. Printable Poster and Handout – Verb TENER in the Present and Classroom Objects (School Supplies) – Decorate your classroom with […]
Ser vs Estar Spanish Class Activities
Ser and Estar are confusing for students learning Spanish because both words are translated as ‘to be’ in English. But the use and conjugation patterns of each verb are different. SER is used for permanent or long-lasting qualities, such as nationality, professions, physical characteristics, time, and dates. ESTAR is used for temporary states or conditions, […]
Physical and Personality Traits Spanish Class Activities
Lesson Plan – Family and Relatives Vocabulary – Physical Traits, Relationships, Age and Names – Using videos, students learn the vocabulary about family, adjectives to describe physical traits, how to ask and answer about name and age. Then they do an oral practice and, finally, they create their own family tree to present in class. Lesson […]
Preterite -CAR, -GAR, -ZAR Verbs Spanish Class Activities
Preterite of -car, -gar, -zar Verbs Shopping for Gifts-Lesson Plan for Spanish 2 – Students review the vocabulary with an infographic and a series of images. Then, the preterite of -AR, -CAR, -GAR verbs are discussed in class. Finally, students use situation cards to combine the vocabulary and verb tenses. Includes Powerpoint presentation. Spanish Preterite […]
Best Apps for Spanish Class
There’s never enough time in class to give your students all the practice they need. But what if each student could have a personal tutor? … And that’s exactly the promise of smartphone apps. You already know that there are ~~hundreds~~ thousands of apps available for practicing Spanish. But it can be time-consuming to find […]
Preterite Regular -AR -ER -IR Verbs Spanish Class Activities
Lesson Plan – Preterite Regular Verbs AR ER IR – Running Errands and Locations in Town – The vocabulary is presented using an authentic video in Spanish. They will learn about the preterite of regular verbs with a guided presentation and practice using a real errand service price guide from Spain. Song Activities: Spanish Song: Penélope […]
Adjective Agreement Spanish Class Activities
Lesson Plan – Adjective Agreement and Verbs LLEVAR, VESTIR, PONER – Clothing, Colors, Pricing [MEMBERS] – First, students learn the names for a significant number of colors and clothing through two videos. Later, they watch a third video in three parts: with the first part, they practice and expand their vocabulary about clothing; then, with the second […]
Present Indicative Regular -AR -ER -IR Verbs Spanish Class Activities
Lesson Plan – Present Indicative Regular -AR -ER -IR Verbs – Students learn verbs’ classification into three categories by trying to classify some verbs on their own. Later, they watch a video where conjugation of regular verbs in present indicative is explained. After preparing a cheat sheet, they practice conjugation in a team contest that […]
ESTAR + Participle Spanish Class Activities
Lesson Plan – ESTAR + Participle – Describing Art, Sculpture and Tools for Painting – Students will be exposed to the lesson vocabulary with an interactive infographic. Then, they will learn about the form estar + participio with a class discussion using an explainer chart. Finally, they will do an oral practice where they will describe art pieces […]