Spanish Beginner V

Course Description: This course is the culmination of Tierra’s Beginner course series. After completing it, students will be able to express themselves effectively in the present tense and will be prepared to apply the structures studied to the next step in the process - learning new verb tenses. This course is recommended for those who have successfully completed Spanish Beginner IV, or who have previously studied Spanish and have a good understanding of how to conjugate regular and irregular verbs in the present tense, how to conjugate reflexive verbs, and how to use direct object pronouns properly.

In this level, students will consolidate knowledge gained in previous levels and deepen their understanding of the nuances of Spanish structure. One of the principal new structures will be the use of indirect object pronouns, often with verbs expressing communication and giving (to ask, answer, respond, gift, buy, offer, etc.), and how they are used in conjunction with direct object pronouns (I give it to her). Other structures studied include verbs that operate similarly to "gustar", negative expressions, comparatives and superlatives, and the differences between “por” and “para”, two key prepositions that are often confused by Spanish learners.

In addition to practicing these grammar structures, students will be invited to use their Spanish skills to engage in general conversational practice with their classmates with the goal of bolstering their confidence in speaking.

After having taken Beginner V, students should be able to respond to questions like:

¿Quién tiene más hijos, tu hermano o Matilde?
¿Por qué nunca vamos a comer con ellos?
¿A quién le vas a regalar esas flores?
¿Es cierto que por su casa hay muchos bares?
¿Cuándo piensas regresarle el libro?
¿Quieres visitar a tus tíos la semana entrante?
¿Qué te duele?

Prerequisite: Spanish Beginner IV or equivalent

Duration: Intensive series - 5 weeks (2 classes/week) or Regular series - 10 weeks (1 class/week)

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Course Outline:

Core Grammar Topics:

1. Comparative forms and superlatives
2. Negation - negative words
3. Uses of “Por” and “Para”
4. Indirect object pronouns "me, te, le, nos, les"
5. Common verbs of giving “dar, prestar, ofrecer, entregar, regalar, comprar, etc.”
6. Common verbs of communication “hablar, decir, preguntar, contestar, responder, contar, etc.”
7. Indirect object pronouns with “ir” and the present progressive
8. Double object pronouns (Indirect object + Direct object)
9. Double object pronouns with “ir” and the present progressive
10. Common verbs like “gustar”

Required Textbook: Bregstein, Barbara; Easy Spanish Step by Step; McGraw Hill ed. 2005