Learning Spanish @ 40-Something

Yes, today was a lesson on the "To Be Verbs". See the below examples.

SER (permanent characteristics)
Yo soy...
(ie name) Yo soy Kathryn. (I am Kathryn.)
(ie place of origin) Yo soy de Estados Unidos. (I am from United States.)
(ie adjectives) Yo soy preocupante. (I am worrisome.)
Tu eres...
(ie name) Tu eres Manda. (You are Manda.)
(ie place of origin) Tu eres de Mexico. (You are from Mexico.)
(ie adjectives) Tu erres relajnte. (You are relaxing.)
El es...
(ie name) El es Juan. (He is Juan.)
(ie events) El concierto es en Erwin Center. (The concert is in the Erwin Center.)
Ella es...
(ie name) Ella es Juanita. (She is Juanita.)
(ie events) Ellas tienda es en el mercado. (The shop is in the market.)
Eso es...
(ie physcial descriptions) Eso es alto. (It is tall.)
(ie possessions) Eso es el tuya. (It is yours.)
(ie time singular) Es la una. (It is one.)
(ie time plural) Son las dos. (It is two.)
Usted es...
(ie physical descriptions) Usted es esbelto. (You are shapely.)
(ie possessions) Usted es mio. (You are mine.)
Nosotros somos...
(ie nationalities) Nosotros somos Americanos. (We are Americans.)
(ie adjectives) Nosotros somos alucinante. (We are amazing.)
Ustedes son...
(ie nationalities) Ustedes son Mexicanos. (You are Mexicans.)
(ie adjectives) Ustedes son deprimente. (You are depressing.)
Ellos son...
(ie professions) Ellos son maestros. (They are teachers.)
(ie adjectives) Ellos son emocionate. (They are exciting.)
Ellas son...
(ie professions) Ellas son maestras. (They are teachers.)
(ie adjectives) Ellas son frustrante. (They are frustrating.)

o ESTAR (temporary characteristics)
Yo estoy...
(ie locations) Yo estoy en Austin. (I am in Austin.)
(ie -ando -iendo verbs) Yo estoy comiendo. (I am eating.)
Tu estas...
(ie locations) Tejas esta en Estados Unidos. (Texas is in the United States.)
El esta...
(ie temporary conditions - health/mental state) El esta alucinado. (He is amazed.)
Ella esta...
(ie temporary conditions - health/mental state) Ella esta deprimido. (She is depressed.)
Eso esta...
(ie temporary conditions - health/mental state) Eso esta emocionado. (It is excited.)
Usted esta...
(ie temporary conditions - health/mental state) Usted esta fasinado. (You are fascinated.)
Nosotros estamos...
(ie temporary conditions - health/mental state) Nostoros estamos frustrado. (We are frustrated.)
Ustedes estan...
(ie temporary conditions - health/mental state) Ustedes estan preocupado. (You are worried.)
Ellos estan...
(ie temporary conditions - health/mental state) Ellos estan relajado. (They are worried.)
Ellas estan...
(ie temporary conditions - health/mental state) Ellas estan relajado. (They are worried.)


The tutor also provided me with a list of verbs to practice and learn. (Next week she is going to share with me the power verbs.) In italics I am including some word assoiations that I have to remember the Spanish form of the word; if you can think of others to be able to remember some of these words, please submit in the comments section!

JALAR - pull
LLORAR - cry
BAILAR - dance
COMPRAR - buy (to compare to purchase/buy)
PINTAR - paint (small paint cans)
ENSENAR - teach
DIBUJAR - draw
HABLAR - talk, speak (actually, I know this one
ENCONTRAR - find
CANTAR - sing
JUGAR - play
AYUDAR - help
BEBER - drink (actually, I remember this from the donkey story)
CORRER - run
VENDER - sell (close to english, "vendor")
TENER - have (very close to tiene)
VER - see
DORMIR - sleep (close to dormant, which is when a bear is sleeping dormant)
VENIR - come (if I can remember see = "vir", I can remember this. What is the latin phrase for "I came, I saw, I conquered"? It seems that the spanish forms is derived from latin somehow.
IR - go
MONTAR - ride
LAVAR - wash (a simple derivative, similar to english laboratory where one washes the hands)
LIMPIAR - clean
AHORRAR - save
CARGAR - carry
MOSTRAR - show
ESCUCHAR - listen (seems like the latin form for ear is very similar)
DAR - give
AGARRAR - grab
TOCAR - play (okay, this makes two forms of "play" -- JUGAR and TOCAR)
CORTAR - cut
OLER - smell
LEER - read
TRAER - bring
COMER - eat (comer - eat; comida - food)
PERMANECER - way
OIR - hear, listen
ESCRIBIR - write (similar to latin encribe)
VIVIR - live (Viva - Vivar; long live - live)
SALTAR - jump
PENSAR - think (if someone is pensive, they are thinking)
ESTUDIAR - study (eSTUDIar)
VOLAR - fly
MANJEJAR - drive
NADAR - swim
PREGUNTAR - ask
CONTESTAR - answer (one in a contest should be able to provide an answer)
EMPUJAR - push
CAMINAR - walk
DESCANSAR - test
TRAVAJAR - work (This one I already knew.)
HACER - make, do (I also knew this one.
APRENDER - learn
VER - watch (If I can remember see=Ver & come=Venir, I should be able to remember this one too.)
DECIR - say, tell
SOBREVIVIR - survive

A review was had of of the articles (singular and plural) and adding adjectives (singular and plural). Also, we (or, rather, I) read the first story in the [u]First Spanish Reader[/u] book entitled, "El Burro De Buridan". In short this story was about Juan's donkey who was dying, while carrying oatmeal and water, by not being able to decide whether he was thirsty or hungry; hence the reason for his death. Because he was not so smart in making decisions, in the Spanish culture, they refer to a person as being "el burro" as if to say that that person isn't too intelligent.

NEXT LESSON: Complete the worksheets from last week, finish the paragraph about me in my work, work on lesson worksheets she'll email me, and read the next story in the reader entitled, "Padre, Hijo, o Caballo?". Stay tuned.