Monday 31 August 2015

Tell Me, Who Was Likely To Have Slept Here?

Introduction


This post is about verb conjugation -the imperfect tense, subjunctive mood of irregular verb dormir.





SCENARIO

Imagine you are with a relative, friend or colleague and other people with whom you are sharing accommodation temporarily. You are looking at a room where someone was likely to have slept. The other person says: "tell me, who was likely to have slept here?".

In Spanish, the other person could choose to be less formal and say:
Dime, ¿quién era probable que durmiera aquí?

On the other hand, he/ she could choose to be more formal and say:
Dígame, ¿quién era probable que durmiera aquí?


OUR TIP

Making a sentence which answers that question should be straightforward, but remember:

  • Make sure that you conjugate your verb correctly
  • Choose between formal or familiar options to suit the occasion -see examples below.

Typical answers could be:
  • Era probable que yo durmiera* aquí (it was likely that I slept here);
  • Era probable que tú durmieras* aquí, ¿no? (it was likely that you -familiar slept here, wasn't it?);
  • Era probable que usted durmiera* aquí, ¿no? (it was likely that you -formal slept here, wasn't it?);
  • Era probable que Pedro durmiera* aquí (it was likely that Pedro slept here);
  • Era probable que María durmiera* aquí (it was likely that Maria slept here);
  • Era probable que mis amigos y yo durmiéramos* aquí (it was likely that my friends and I slept here);
  • Era probable que vosotros durmierais* aquí, ¿no? (it was likely that you people -familiar/ plural slept here, wasn't it?);
  • Era probable que ustedes durmieran* aquí, ¿no? (it was likely that you people -formal/ plural slept here, wasn't it?);
  • Era probable que Pedro y María durmieran* aquí (it was likely that Pedro and María slept here);

Now you should practise replying to someone who says to you:
Dime, ¿quién era probable que durmiera aquí?

*Please see grammar topic below, Verbs

Verbs
A verb is a 'doing' word which conveys:
  • What action takes place in a sentence
  • Who does that action
  • When that action occurs.
In addition, the verb may also convey the mood or feelings of the speaker toward the action which takes place. The verb may, for example, indicate whether the speaker is stating a fact, expressing a wish or indeed giving an order.

Irregular Verbs
Verb: dormir
The Spanish verb dormir is irregular* in some tenses, as shown in the table below:

Tense
Mood
Regular
Irregular
Present
Indicative

Imperfect
Indicative

Preterite
Indicative

Future
Indicative

Conditional
Indicative

Perfect
Indicative

Pluperfect
Indicative

Future Perfect
Indicative

Conditional Perfect
Indicative

Present
Subjunctive

Imperfect
Subjunctive

Perfect
Subjunctive

Pluperfect
Subjunctive


* NB:
  • Conjugate tenses in the regular column the same as other regular verbs ending in -ir
  • The imperfect tense conjugation/ subjunctive mood is shown below

Subjunctive Mood/ Imperfect Tense - Conjugation
    Verb: dormir
Subject
DORMIR
(TO SLEEP)
I
Yo
DURMIERA o
DURMIESE
You
DURMIERAS o
DURMIESES
You Usted*

DURMIERA o
DURMIESE
He Él
She
Ella
We
Nosotros
DURMIÉRAMOS o
DURMIÉSEMOS
You
Vosotros**
DURMIERAIS o
DURMIESEIS
You
Ustedes***
DURMIERAN 0
DURMIESESN
They
Ellos
They
Ellas

*NB More courteous/ polite form of 'you'
**NB 'You' plural
*** NB More courteous/ polite form of 'you' plural


Verb Conjugation Notes
It is worth remembering once more that in its basic form (infinitive), a Spanish verb is just a general 'doing' word. In that form, a verb simply indicates an action and nothing else. If we want a verb to be more specific about the action in a sentence, we need to conjugate it. It is only when conjugated that the verb indicates:
  • Who does the action
  • When the action takes place
  • The mood/ attitude of the speaker towards the action

The conjugation tables above refer to using conjugation to establish who does the action. What follows below are some notes on establishing when the action takes place and the mood/ attitude of the speaker towards the action.

Subjunctive Mood
The use of subjunctive mood is disappearing English. Nowadays is often viewed as an old and unfashionable form of the language.

In contrast, the use of subjunctive mood is very much alive and in everyday use in Spanish. This widespread use of subjunctive mood tends to be the bane of many a learner of Spanish from the English speaking world.

The concept of subjunctive mood is perhaps best illustrated by contrasting its use against the use of indicative mood with examples in English. The following are a couple of examples which should serve that purpose:
  • Indicative mood (“Peter eats an apple”).- Indicative mood is commonly used to make statements of facts or positive beliefs such as this one. As can be seen in the sample sentence (in quotes above), the speaker makes a clear and unambiguous statement of a fact (Peter eats an apple).
  • Subjunctive mood (“Peter would eat an apple if he were hungry”).- In contrast with indicative mood, subjunctive mood is commonly used to make statements indicating hypothetical or non-fact actions. As can be seen in the sample sentence (in quotes), in this case the speaker sees the action of eating an apple as something hypothetical, something which may or may not happen (Peter would eat an apple... if he were hungry).
Verb Tenses
Verb tenses relate to setting the time period (when) during which the action of the verb takes place. Basic times (periods) for Spanish verb actions are:
  • The past (before now)
  • The present (now)
  • The future (after now)
Each Spanish verb tense corresponds to one of those basic time periods. In other words choosing a verb tense places the action of the verb in one of those basic periods and determines when the action takes place.


Now you should practise the use of the imperfect tense of the irregular verb dormir with some examples of your own.

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© Copyright 2015 Love-Spanish.com by Jose M González. All Rights Reserved.

Wednesday 26 August 2015

Tell Me, Is It Likely That Someone Sleeps Here?

Introduction


This post is about verb conjugation -the present tense, subjunctive mood of irregular verb dormir.





SCENARIO

Imagine you are with a relative, friend or colleague and other people with whom you are sharing accommodation temporarily. You are looking at a room where someone could sleep. The other person says: "tell me, is it likely that someone sleeps here?".

In Spanish, the other person could choose to be less formal and say:
Dime, ¿es probable que alguien duerma aquí?

On the other hand, he/ she could choose to be more formal and say:
Dígame, ¿es probable que alguien duerma aquí?


OUR TIP

Making a sentence which answers that question should be straightforward, but remember:

  • Make sure that you conjugate your verb correctly
  • Choose between formal or familiar options to suit the occasion -see examples below.

Typical answers could be:
  • Es probable que yo duerma* aquí (it is likely that I sleep here);
  • Es probable que tú duermas* aquí, ¿no? (it is likely that you -familiar sleep here, isn't it?);
  • Es probable que usted duerma* aquí, ¿no? (it is likely that you -formal sleep here, isn't it?);
  • Es probable que Pedro duerma* aquí (it is likely that Pedro sleeps here);
  • Es probable que María duerma* aquí (it is likely that Maria sleeps here);
  • Es probable que mis amigos y yo durmamos* aquí (it is likely that my friends and I sleep here);
  • Es probable que vosotros durmáis* aquí, ¿no? (it is likely that you people -familiar/ plural sleep here, isn't it?);
  • Es probable que ustedes duerman* aquí, ¿no? (it is likely that you people -formal/ plural sleep here, isn't it?);
  • Es probable que Pedro y María duerman* aquí (it is likely that Pedro and María sleep here);

Now you should practise replying to someone who says to you:
Dime, ¿es probable que alguien duerma aquí?

*Please see grammar topic below, Verbs

Verbs
A verb is a 'doing' word which conveys:
  • What action takes place in a sentence
  • Who does that action
  • When that action occurs.
In addition, the verb may also convey the mood or feelings of the speaker toward the action which takes place. The verb may, for example, indicate whether the speaker is stating a fact, expressing a wish or indeed giving an order.

Irregular Verbs
Verb: dormir
The Spanish verb dormir is irregular* in some tenses, as shown in the table below:

Tense
Mood
Regular
Irregular
Present
Indicative

Imperfect
Indicative

Preterite
Indicative

Future
Indicative

Conditional
Indicative

Perfect
Indicative

Pluperfect
Indicative

Future Perfect
Indicative

Conditional Perfect
Indicative

Present
Subjunctive

Imperfect
Subjunctive

Perfect
Subjunctive

Pluperfect
Subjunctive


* NB:
  • Conjugate tenses in the regular column the same as other regular verbs ending in -ir
  • The present tense conjugation/ subjunctive mood is shown below

Subjunctive Mood/ Present Tense - Conjugation
    Verb: dormir
Subject
DORMIR
(TO SLEEP)
I
Yo
DUERMA
You
DUERMAS
You Usted*

DUERMA
He Él
She
Ella
We
Nosotros
DURMAMOS
You
Vosotros**
DURMÁIS
You
Ustedes***
DUERMAN
They
Ellos
They
Ellas

*NB More courteous/ polite form of 'you'
**NB 'You' plural
*** NB More courteous/ polite form of 'you' plural


Verb Conjugation Notes
It is worth remembering once more that in its basic form (infinitive), a Spanish verb is just a general 'doing' word. In that form, a verb simply indicates an action and nothing else. If we want a verb to be more specific about the action in a sentence, we need to conjugate it. It is only when conjugated that the verb indicates:
  • Who does the action
  • When the action takes place
  • The mood/ attitude of the speaker towards the action

The conjugation tables above refer to using conjugation to establish who does the action. What follows below are some notes on establishing when the action takes place and the mood/ attitude of the speaker towards the action.

Subjunctive Mood
The use of subjunctive mood is disappearing English. Nowadays is often viewed as an old and unfashionable form of the language.

In contrast, the use of subjunctive mood is very much alive and in everyday use in Spanish. This widespread use of subjunctive mood tends to be the bane of many a learner of Spanish from the English speaking world.

The concept of subjunctive mood is perhaps best illustrated by contrasting its use against the use of indicative mood with examples in English. The following are a couple of examples which should serve that purpose:
  • Indicative mood (“Peter eats an apple”).- Indicative mood is commonly used to make statements of facts or positive beliefs such as this one. As can be seen in the sample sentence (in quotes above), the speaker makes a clear and unambiguous statement of a fact (Peter eats an apple).
  • Subjunctive mood (“Peter would eat an apple if he were hungry”).- In contrast with indicative mood, subjunctive mood is commonly used to make statements indicating hypothetical or non-fact actions. As can be seen in the sample sentence (in quotes), in this case the speaker sees the action of eating an apple as something hypothetical, something which may or may not happen (Peter would eat an apple... if he were hungry).
Verb Tenses
Verb tenses relate to setting the time period (when) during which the action of the verb takes place. Basic times (periods) for Spanish verb actions are:
  • The past (before now)
  • The present (now)
  • The future (after now)
Each Spanish verb tense corresponds to one of those basic time periods. In other words choosing a verb tense places the action of the verb in one of those basic periods and determines when the action takes place.


Now you should practise the use of the present tense of the irregular verb dormir with some examples of your own.

Spanish lessons online
Skype/ Google+ Hangout/ Facetime
Great lessons

© Copyright 2015 Love-Spanish.com by Jose M González. All Rights Reserved.