Category: Basic Grammar
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Basic Grammar
Imperfect Tense Spanish: Uses and Conjugations
It’s normal for the imperfect tense to cause confusion for anyone learning Spanish. After all, there are several different ways to speak about the...Keep reading
Cuyo and Cuanto: Understanding Relative Adjectives in Spanish
When learning Spanish, mastering the various parts of speech is essential for building a strong grammatical foundation. The relative adjectives in Spanish are among the...Keep reading
To in Spanish: All the possible translations, use by use
The English word to serves a variety of functions in sentences, from indicating direction to expressing purpose. As such, there’s no single translation of to in Spanish....Keep reading
Expressions of courtesy: How to be polite in Spanish
One of the most common challenges for Spanish learners is knowing the right vocabulary and expressions to be polite in Spanish. We are here to help our...Keep reading
The 44 Most Important AR Verbs in Spanish
As you probably know by now, learning Spanish requires you to memorize a lot of verbs. There are over 37,000 Spanish verbs, to be (somewhat)...Keep reading
Reflexive verbs In Spanish: The only guide you need
Reflexive verbs in Spanish are used all the time, and can take several forms. Mastering them is an important step in becoming a competent...Keep reading
Spanish Possessive Pronouns: A Complete Guide
You’re surely familiar with your English possessive pronouns: mine, yours, his, hers, ours, theirs. But do you know the equivalent Spanish possessive pronouns? We’ve...Keep reading
All Spanish Possessive Adjectives: A detailed guide
Are you ready for a full introduction to all the possessive adjectives in Spanish? We’ve already covered the easiest forms in our simple guide...Keep reading
How to Express Possession in Spanish: A Simple Guide
What are the words to express possession in Spanish? That’s my dog. It’s her house. Is that your food? And so on. Luckily, we have a set of...Keep reading
Reflexive Pronouns in Spanish: An easy guide
Reflexive pronouns in Spanish are used in a variety of grammatical contexts. The most common use of reflexive pronouns in Spanish is when the subject...Keep reading
Se in Spanish: A comprehensive guide to all the uses of Se in Spanish
The pronoun se is a complex and versatile element of Spanish grammar, taking on various grammatical functions. Mastering the diverse uses of se in Spanish is essential...Keep reading
A Guide to the Differences Between the Spanish Verbs Ser and Estar
To be or to be? That is the question. In this post, we explain the difference between the two Spanish verbs for to be:...Keep reading
List: Over 100 Basic Spanish Adjectives, in every form
Are you looking for a list of Spanish adjectives? Well, you’ve come to the right place, because in this post we present more than...Keep reading
Adjectives in Spanish: When and how to use them
Are you ready to learn all the essentials about adjectives in Spanish? You’re in the right place! We’ll start by introducing the two main...Keep reading
Spanish Articles 101: How to say The and A in Spanish
How do you say the in Spanish? And what’s Spanish for a? Spanish articles may not be quite as simple as in English, but the rules...Keep reading
Subject Pronouns in Spanish: Explained for beginners
Subject pronouns in Spanish, or los pronombres personales, are used as the subject of a sentence. Their main function is to replace the noun that...Keep reading
Filler Words in Spanish: Essential Muletillas You Need to Know
Maybe you’re wondering what are muletillas in Spanish or which are the most common filler words Spanish-speakers use. Today’s post will answer all those questions...Keep reading
Que vs Qué in Spanish: Every use of these two fundamental words
The Spanish word que may appear small and insignificant, but don’t be fooled by appearances! If you read or listen to anything in Spanish, we...Keep reading
Gender-Neutral Spanish: Options and Alternatives
Whether you find yourself at the outset of your Spanish language journey or consider yourself an advanced learner, you’ve likely observed that gender distinctions...Keep reading
Spanish Sentence Structure: The Big 6 Explained
Why is it so important to fully understand Spanish sentence structure? Well, a common mistake many beginner Spanish students make early on is translating...Keep reading
Spanish AR verb conjugation: All endings for regular AR verbs
Are you looking for a quick reference to Spanish -ar verb conjugation? In this post, we’ll provide the -ar conjugation chart for every single tense....Keep reading
Formal Commands in Spanish: Using usted in the imperative mood
Using the right level of politeness is one of the fundamentals in the Spanish language, so learners generally start off with a pretty good...Keep reading
Informal Commands in Spanish: How and when to use tú commands
As you probably know by now, you often need to choose between using formal vs informal language in Spanish, depending on who you’re speaking with....Keep reading
Spanish Contractions: How and when to combine words in Spanish
Mastering contractions in Spanish is fundamental to sounding like a native speaker. By knowing and using Spanish contractions correctly, you’ll be able to sound less...Keep reading
Apocopation in Spanish: Clipped Words like Buen vs Bueno
In Spanish, just as in English, some words are shortened in everyday speech just to make them easier to pronounce while speaking. Some words...Keep reading
The Ultimate Guide to the Spanish Verb Tener
The verb to have in Spanish, tener, is one of the most important and most commonly used among Spanish speakers. You’ve surely come across...Keep reading
Informal vs Formal You in Spanish: Tú vs Usted vs Vosotros vs Ustedes
The Spanish language is full of subtleties and linguistic nuances that learners encounter from the very beginning. One of the first such lessons is...Keep reading
Spanish Preterite: When and how to use this past tense
The Spanish preterite tense is likely to be your first exploration into past tense Spanish. Preterite Spanish is used to describe past actions that were already...Keep reading
Conmigo and Contigo: Meaning, Usage, and Examples
Whether you’ve been reading or watching videos in Spanish, we’re sure you’ve come across the words conmigo and contigo. These two words belong to a...Keep reading
Llevar or Llevarse: Different Uses For Each Verb
As a Spanish student, you will have almost certainly come across llevar or llevarse being used in a variety of ways. At first glance, the...Keep reading
A complete guide to Capitalization Rules in Spanish
In contrast to English where you tend to capitalize many words, capitalization in Spanish follows a much tighter set of rules. We see a...Keep reading
El vs La: Spanish nouns with dual personalities
In Spanish, nouns typically have a fixed gender, either masculine or feminine. Knowing a word’s gender is an essential part of learning Spanish nouns,...Keep reading
Muy vs Mucho in Spanish: A detailed guide
Mastering the differences between muy vs mucho is sometimes a challenge for Spanish learners, since they have similar meanings referring to degree and quantity. Muy and mucho...Keep reading
Como vs Cómo: A full guide to these Spanish homonyms
The Spanish language, just like in English, has many homonyms: words that sound the same but have different meanings. Given the similarities of homonyms...Keep reading
Pero vs Sino in Spanish: Differences and Usages
Pero and sino are generally confused because both can be translated as but. However, they are not interchangeable as they’re used in different contexts and with...Keep reading
Indicative Spanish: A full guide to the indicative mood
The indicative mood is the most common mood in the Spanish language, so logically it’s the first Spanish mood that learners encounter. Becoming familiar with...Keep reading
Infinitives in Spanish: How to recognize and use the Spanish infinitive verb form
Infinitives in Spanish are the unconjugated forms of verbs. In this post we’ll learn to easily recognize the different Spanish infinitives, and we’ll learn how...Keep reading
Spanish question words: Everything you need to know
As with any other language, mastering Spanish question words is key to becoming a proficient speaker, whether you wish to ask about basic things such...Keep reading
Spanish direct object pronouns: Explained for beginners
Knowing how to use Spanish direct object pronouns is essential to graduating from basic Spanish to becoming a decent conversational speaker. Let’s dive straight in with...Keep reading
Body Parts in Spanish 101: The Complete Guide
One of the most useful sets of nouns to know is body parts in Spanish. As humans, we spend a lot of time talking about...Keep reading
Present Progressive in Spanish: A Guide to the “-ing” Conjugation
What are you doing? What was she thinking? Why are they dancing? Indeed, you use the “-ing” form of verbs a lot in English....Keep reading
Spanish Subjunctive Simplified For Beginners
Hearing the two words “Spanish subjunctive” is something that strikes fear in many Spanish students. But mastering the subjunctive is not that hard. Once...Keep reading
Hay in Spanish: The Complete Guide to “There are”
In this guide, we explain the important word hay in Spanish. We use hay (there is / there are) to say that something exists. When we...Keep reading
Adonde vs Donde: Differences and Uses in Spanish
In Spanish, we have diverse words and expressions when referring to places or locations. In this post, we’ll see the difference between adonde vs donde and...Keep reading
Cuanto, Cuanta, Cuantos, and Cuantas: Without The Accent
In our last post we covered the various uses of the Spanish interrogatives cuánto, cuánta, cuántos, and cuántas, whose primary use is to express or ask...Keep reading
How Much in Spanish: Using the Spanish Interrogatives Cuánto, Cuánta, Cuántas, and Cuántos
When it comes time to ask or express phrases like “how many” or “how much” in Spanish, the words cuánto, cuánta, cuántos, and cuántas will get the...Keep reading
De vs Desde: All You Need to Know to Never Confuse Them Again
Knowing when to use de vs desde is often quite tricky, even for native speakers. Both de and desde in English can be translated as from, though there...Keep reading
Qué vs Cuál: How to Choose the Right Form of What and Which in Spanish
Choosing between qué vs cuál isn’t always so obvious. You’ve probably learned that qué translates to what and cuál translates to which, right? Then why do you...Keep reading
Here, There, and Over There in Spanish: Acá vs Aquí vs Ahí vs Allí vs Allá
When we want to express a location or where something takes place, we use adverbs of place or location. In today’s post we are...Keep reading
Demonstrative Adjectives in Spanish: A simple guide to Este, Ese, and Aquel
When we need a word that can help us point to a specific object, group of objects, person, place, etc., a demonstrative adjective is the solution....Keep reading
Gustar: Conjugation, and How to Use this “Reverse” Verb
Gustar in Spanish is a verb used to describe something that a subject likes, but this verb looks and acts differently than saying you like...Keep reading
All the Spanish Verb Tenses, Explained in One Big Post
One key to natural fluency in a new language is the proper use of its verb tenses. While it takes some time to learn...Keep reading
Stem Changing Verbs in Spanish: Explained For Beginners
As the name suggests, stem changing verbs in Spanish are verbs that when conjugated in the simple present tense, undergo a vowel change in...Keep reading
Lo in Spanish: 5 Different Meanings for 5 Different Scenarios
Lo in Spanish is most commonly used as a direct object pronoun, in order to replace the object of a sentence, and thus avoid...Keep reading
Si Clauses in Spanish: 5 minute Guide to The Hypothetical
You may have heard about this concept before, but what exactly are Spanish Si clauses? In this post, we’ll explore exactly what we mean...Keep reading
What is the personal A in Spanish?
You could argue that a is the most important vowel in the Spanish language, and anyone who has studied Spanish, even briefly, will know...Keep reading
What is Voseo in Spanish And How Can I Use It?
Voseo in Spanish (or vos) is simply, an alternative way to express the second person singular, in addition to tú & usted. That’s right...Keep reading
The Difference Between Olvidar vs Olvidarse?
Today we are talking about the differences between the Spanish verbs Olvidar vs Olvidarse, plus a form you might not have thought about: Olvidársele....Keep reading
Spanish Relative Pronouns: Explained For Beginners
You may have heard about the importance of relative pronouns in Spanish, even if you aren’t sure exactly what they mean. Quite simply, Spanish...Keep reading
Usted vs Tú: How To Avoid Confusing The Spanish “YOU”
It’s easy to see why Spanish students are commonly confused by usted vs tú. Both pronouns in Spanish mean you, whereas in English, you is...Keep reading
How To Use The Accidental SE in Spanish
In a separate post on reflexive pronouns in Spanish, we talked about the reflexive se and how it is used. Today, we’ll focus on a...Keep reading
Ago in Spanish: Using Hacer To Express Time
We could dedicate many blog posts to the verb hacer (to make or to do) due to its versatility, but in this post, we...Keep reading
To Become In Spanish: 5 Different Ways To Say It
Depending on what you want to say, there are 5 different ways that native speakers express “to become” in Spanish. In this post,...Keep reading
Ir vs Irse: How To Stop Confusing Both Spanish Verbs
Do you sometimes confuse the Spanish verbs Ir v Irse? The translation for each is actually very straight forward. Ir = to go Irse...Keep reading
Present Perfect Progressive Spanish: Explained in 2 minutes
We’re going to let you in on a little secret….the Present Perfect Progressive in Spanish is a tense that doesn’t *actually* exist. Or better...Keep reading
An Introduction To Spanish Superlatives
In this post, we are going to teach you how to form the best Spanish superlatives. (see what we did there?) So what we do...Keep reading
Por vs Para: The Only Explanation You Need
Por vs Para is a common point of confusion for Spanish learners. On a basic level, you probably know that both words mean “for” – however,...Keep reading
Escuchar vs Oír in Spanish: What is the Difference?
Escuchar vs Oír – what is the difference between both Spanish verbs? Can you use them interchangeably? This is something that many Spanish students tend...Keep reading
Spanish Grammar: How to use Recordar vs Acordarse?
Do you find it difficult to remember the difference between Spanish verbs Recordar v Acordarse. As a Spanish student, you’ll quickly notice that native speakers...Keep reading
Tocar in Spanish: 6 Different Meanings Explained
The verb Tocar in Spanish is one of those verbs that you’ll eventually notice is extremely versatile, as it can be used in multiple...Keep reading
Spanish Grammar: Preguntar vs Pedir vs Ordenar
As a Spanish student, you’ll come across certain verbs that when translated directly, look like they have the same meaning, but in reality, each...Keep reading
Poner In English: 8 Different Meanings for 1 Spanish Verb
When you Google translate the Spanish verb Poner in English, you’ll likely be told that this verb means “to put”, which is true. However,...Keep reading
Encontrar vs Encontrarse: Scenarios For Each Spanish Verb
Do you find yourself confusing the Spanish verbs Encontrar vs Encontrarse? (ok, no more puns) It’s fair to say that both verbs look almost identical,...Keep reading
GO Verbs In Spanish: What You Need To Know
You may or may not have heard the term “go verbs in Spanish”, or perhaps even “yo-go” verbs. So what exactly do you mean...Keep reading
Intermediate Spanish: 5 Common Mistakes To Avoid
Do you repeat the same old intermediate Spanish mistakes? Although the term “intermediate Spanish” is a little subjective, we define it as the stage...Keep reading
Future Perfect Tense Spanish: Simplified For Beginners
Although future perfect tense Spanish is probably the least common way to speak about the future, it is useful when used in a specific...Keep reading
Emotions In Spanish: Vocabulary And Verbs To Express Your Feelings
When it comes to expressing yourself in Spanish conversation, many students feel quite limited at the beginner stages, and this is often due to not...Keep reading
Commonly Used Spanish Verbs With Prepositions
In a separate post, we covered the most important Spanish prepositions that beginner students should know, and once you are familiar with these, then you...Keep reading
Spanish For Beginners: Top 10 Common Mistakes To Avoid
At BaseLang, we focus on communication above perfection. Making little mistakes is part of the process and over time, you will easily eradicate these...Keep reading
Spanish Verbs: Stop Confusing Ver vs Mirar
In Spanish, there are a couple of verbs that always seem to catch beginners students out, especially when translating directly from English. The most...Keep reading
Explained: 12 Ways You Can Say “To Get” In Spanish
In English, we tend to rely on the verb “to get” as an all-encompassing verb, that has a ton of different uses. You get...Keep reading
Spanish Past Participle: The Only Guide You Need To Read
The Spanish Past Participle (also known as Passive Participle or Perfect Participle) is one of the most important and helpful verb forms that you...Keep reading
Spanish Grammar: How To Stop Confusing Traer vs Llevar
Traer vs Llevar are two of those Spanish verbs that many beginner students easily confuse. The confusion normally comes when you try to directly...Keep reading
Beginner Friendly Guide To Spanish Adverbs
Spanish adverbs can be described simply as words that we use to modify or intensify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. Unlike adjectives, Spanish adverbs...Keep reading
Explained: How To Use The Spanish Verb Soler To Talk About Routine
In Spanish grammar, there are some simple tricks or “hacks” that you can use as a beginner to speak Spanish in a certain tense,...Keep reading
What Are Modal Verbs In Spanish And How To Use Them
Modal Verbs in Spanish are verbs that have a special characteristic, since they can work on their own, or with another “main” verb that...Keep reading
Shortcut To Spanish Subjunctive: 50 Scenarios To Know
The Spanish subjunctive is something that beginner students often avoid for as long as possible. The truth is that even if you never studied...Keep reading
Listed: The 30 Most Common IR Verbs In Spanish
As a beginner Spanish student, it makes sense to prioritize learning the most common verbs first, and in this post, we are going to...Keep reading
Intro To Spanish Direct And Indirect Object Pronouns
Learning how to use Spanish Direct and Indirect Object Pronouns is essential to graduating from sounding like a 5-year old, to a more competent Spanish speaker....Keep reading
Saber vs Conocer: Never Confuse The Spanish “To Know” Verbs Again
Let’s be honest. Spanish grammar can be a little confusing at times – especially when there are two verbs that, by definition, mean the...Keep reading
Guide To Mastering Indirect Object Pronouns In Spanish
In a previous post, we gave you the low-down on direct object pronouns, and in this post, we will concentrate on teaching you how...Keep reading
Spanish Grammar: 14 Ways To Use Quedar & Quedarse
Quedar is one of the most versatile verbs in the language, with several meanings depending on the context. In this post, we will cover...Keep reading
Past Perfect Subjunctive In Spanish: A Simple Guide
The past perfect subjunctive Spanish or pluperfect subjunctive (el pluscuamperfecto de subjuntivo) is a mood that us native speakers use to talk about hypothetical...Keep reading
27 ER Verbs In Spanish That Every Beginner Should Learn First
In this post, we will list the 27 most common and important ER verbs in Spanish that every student should learn first. As a...Keep reading
How To Master The Past Perfect Spanish Tense In 5 Minutes
In Spanish, there are five different ways to speak about the past, and in this post, you’ll learn how to master the Past Perfect Spanish...Keep reading
Past Tense Spanish: The Only Beginner Guide You Need
In this post, we aim to provide you with the ultimate guide to past tense Spanish, and show you how you can start using...Keep reading
Porque vs Por qué: How To Never Confuse Them Again
Mixing up porque vs por qué is something that happens to almost all beginners when they first start learning Spanish: In all languages, there are certain homophonous (similar...Keep reading
Ultimate List: The 45 Most Common Spanish Verbs You Need To Know
In a separate post about the 10 key principles for learning Spanish, we mentioned the 80/20 rule (or Pareto’s Principle, as it’s known) and how you...Keep reading