La familia

Over the past few days I've been talking about family with my practice partners and realized that beyond the basics, there were a lot I didn't know. So here's what looks to be an extensive list. It at least includes all the new ones I came across this week.

Ir vs Irse

I attended Jackie's Duolingo class again, albeit late. Joyce was there, but so was Cheriz! That was a nice surprise. I find Jackie's classes very different. I suppose that some of that has to do with her being an anthropologist. In my experience I've found that scientists have a unique perspective on everything. Perhaps because they've put so much time into one subject that it colors everything else. At any rate, I find Jackie very likable and the fact that her daughter enjoys spending time with her says a lot too.

I missed the first part of class but the second part was very interesting. She went into great detail about the difference between the verbs ir and irse. Here are her notes, which I also find extremely helpful.

The Verb Ir vs. Irse

•By itself, without the reflexive form,irmeans “to go”

•In the reflexive form of the verb,irsemeans “to leave”, “to go away”, “to take oneself somewhere else”, also implying “to be gone away from here”

-Using the pronoun tú(you informal):

•tú vas- “you (informal) go” (loosely translates also as you’re going)

•tú te vas- “you (informal) leave”, or “you go away”, that is, you take yourself somewhere (else), or you’re going to be gone (away from here)

-¡Te vas de vacaciones todo el mes!- You're going on vacation all month!•You’re going to be gone on vacation all month! As in away (from here or me)! and thathas a whole different emotionalflavor than saying:

-Vas de vacaciones por un mes.- You’re going on vacation for a month. That’s pretty neutral in emotional terms, which doesn’t necessarily have an emotional impact on me, and I don’t necessarily feel you’re leaving me behind.

Another student asked Jackie the question about using Duolingo and YouTube and getting confused as a beginner student. Jackie's answer was to stick with Duolingo for now as she's seen improvement with students who have and if she were to recommend a YouTube channel it would be SuperHolly. She said she thought she was an excellent Spanish teacher. So I end with a video from her that I was actually already watching earlier. I had a conversation with someone about words or expressions that don't translate well to Spanish, like 'bucket list'.

Verbos Reflexivos

Today I went over reflexive verbs. It's not a new topic but I'm still not confident enough with them to used them in conversation. So as Azren suggests, learn the grammar point. 

Then practice the grammar point using exercises and making your own sentences. Pay attention to how people use them in conversation, then try to integrate it into your own conversation. So at this point, I need to find some exercises to work on. 

Setting up homework reminders

Part of today's homework was to practice using the closed captioning tool in Google Meet. It was really as easy as starting a new meeting and clicking the CC button. Select Spanish as your language and it would just start typing out whatever you said. It was like magic! I'm still trying to figure out how I would use this tool though. Ismar suggested practice speaking and see if the A.I. can recognize or understand you. I blog about it today so I can remember it at a later date in case I come up with another use for it.

I chatted with Iris again today. Sometimes it's easier than others and today I struggled. There were so many things I had a hard time trying to work my way around words I didn't know. But I persevered. We have another call set up for Friday. Afterwards, Ismar sent me a message saying he'd spoken w/ Iris about Friday and asked if that was going to be my final exam for the Desafio. I didn't see why it shouldn't be. I confirmed it should be a videocall and that it should last 30 minutes or so, but it was only necessary to record 5 to 10 minutes. Which is more than enough, in my opinion.

I 'm thinking about setting up daily homework reminders, like reading day, or series watching day. Mondays have become choose your Duolingo events for the week day. I've noticed there are a lot of new hosts so I'm trying not to get too used to the same ones and try to step outside of the box once in a while. Iris said that she's a Duolingo host also, but hasn't yet had very many events. She promised to let me know when she has the next one. And I promised I would try to attend.

My added content is a little eye candy and a very cute video. How cool is the teacher?!

Numero trece

Hoy fue nuestro ultima clase del Desafio. Estoy feliz que puedo unir aunque mi wifi no funciona bien en la airbnb. En este momento estoy en Shelter Cove, Oregon con los amigos de mi esposo y sus esposas. Pero también está un poco triste porque acostumbro verlas mis compañeros cada domingo. Ismar dicho no cerrar el grupo de Tandem. Tal vez todavia mantener la conexión.

Today's introduction was to talk about what we're going to continue doing to keep learning. For me it's important to maintain the daily routine. So this is my plan. Cada día:

• Mantener mi racha en Duolingo
• Escribir en mi blog 
• Leer y comentar en los blogs de mis compañeros.

Cada semana:

• Leer Harry Potter
• Asistir la reunión de la club de Harry Potter
• Mirar Con Olor de las Fresas
• Mirar videos de Dreaming Spanish y Spanish After Hours 
• Llamar y hablar con mis amigas de Sud America
• Tomar clases con Gerald, el maestro de Joyce.
• Encontrar con Karen de Columbia para estudiar
• Escuchar los podcasts de Duolingo
• Asistir eventos de Duolingo

It sounds like a lot but I feel like in order to maintain my motivation I have to maintain my progress. So I might as well keep the pace I've gotten used to with the 90 day challenge. 

Black Sands Beach
Shelter Cove, CA

Pa' qué

Continuing with Track #74

Another need for the mood tense is after para que, which means so that. For example,

• We have cooked so that (in order that) they eat. - Hemos cocinado para que coman.

Volver means to go back or to return (related to revolve). 

• I return - vuelvo
• You return (informal) - vuelves
• So that you return - para que vuelvas (using the mood tense)

If you want to say I have done it so that you return. The version of hacer after haber is hecho (which als means fact).

• I have done it so that you return - Lo he hecho para que vuelvas
• They have done it so that we come back - Lo han hecho para que volvamos

Sometimes you will hear para que abbreviated to pa' que

Finally, Mihalis reminds us that the word for so is tan. The word for also is tambien, which includes tan, though the 'n' changed to an 'm'. Literally tambien is so well, or as well. Which will help me remember tan, because I don't have a problem remembering tambien. Likely because I use it a lot in conversation.

• so that you also return - para que vuelvas tu tambien or para que tambien vuelvas

This video I include so I can remember the song my friend Karen told me about. She suggested it after I told her about how cute the video was for La Melodía and the story about the childhood friends meeting up again as adults. This video is literally the story of childhood friends falling in love and growing old together. It's very sweet. 

Encontrar vs Encontrarse

Track #74 of Language Transfer Review. Mihalis introduces us to the verb elegir which means to choose (related to election). I choose is eligo, and if you notice, instead of splitting when it's stressed the 'e' changes to an 'i'.

• We choose - elegimos (not stressed, so the 'e' stays as an 'e')
• You choose (informal) - eliges

So if we were to say - I don't want you to choose for me. or I don't want you to choose on behalf of me. We would use the mood tense - No quiero que eligas por mi.

Romper means to break (related to rupture, corrupt, disrupt). Romperse means it breaks or it breaks itself. 

• No quiero que rompa - you're waiting to hear what you don't want broken
• No quiero que lo rompa - I don't want him to break it.
• No quiero que se rompa - I don't want it to break.

Encontrar means to find, whereas encontrarse means to meet up. Which is a word I need to try to use more often, since I'm always trying to use conocer. During conversation it still doesn't come to mind to use the reflexive form of this verb. If we want to say:

• We have met up in order to speak. - Nos hemos encontrado para hablar.

Finally, I include this video of the song I sang for the homework last Saturday. La Melodía by Joey Montana

Helen Brown

Hoy regresa a Duolingo podcast en YouTube. Este episodio se llama Helen Brown. Esta una historia sobre una actriz de Chile se llama Trinidad Piriz. Ella había viajado a Berlin y fue una victima de fraude. 

The name of the person that committed the fraud was Helen Brown. But instead of remaining a victim, she turned her story into a play. And in the end instead of being angry at Helen Brown, she was grateful to her for providing her with material to make her successful play.

This is a trailer of her play.

And this is the video of the podcast. I've listened to this one before last year sometime and I remember having trouble following it. Definitely seeing the text while listening helps, but I believe my listening comprehension has improved also. Yay!

Arepas Y Ajiaco

The other day I was chatting with Karen when I got a message from Sergio inviting me to a new Duolingo event on how to prepare arepas, Columbian style. Karen LOVES arepas! She went on to tell me about the white corn flour, harina de maiz blanca and the different types of arepas. Her favorite is with cheese for breakfast. 

I found this video that shows how to make cheese arepas, in Spanish. They look delicious, I mean who wouldn't love fried corn and cheese?

I told Karen about the Heygo tour to the marketplace in Lima, Peru. I mentioned the purple corn and she had never heard of them. She said that wasn't unusual because even though the countries in South America are very close, they are all very different. For example in Columbia, they have papa criolla (Andean potato), which are basically tiny potatoes. She said you can use them like regular potatoes, but they are more delicious than the big ones. One of her favorite recipes is a soup called ajiaco.

Ajiaco Columbiano Receta 

There's a Columbian restaurant in my city. I've never been, but I feel like I need to now!

El Supermercado de Magdalena

Mi segundo tour de Heygo está en Lima, Peru en el Supermercado de Magdalena con Vanessa y su esposo. Joyce and Anouska from the Desafío joined also. It was an outdoor market including kioskos which were fixed stores and puestos ambulantes which were street vendors and not stationary. 

Below are some of the fruits available at a fruit stand: papayas, grapes (uvas), plantains (platanos),  custard apples (chirimoyas) and maca (Andean Viagra or Peruvian Ginseng). Not pictured here but she also gave us the name for blueberries (arandanos). There was also purple corn which is only used for flavoring after boiling.

En la papeleria puedes comprar productos de limpieza. Note the Jr. on the sign, this is an abbreviation for jirón or street.

In one of the stores, Vanessa pointed out the things used to make ponytails and asked the group what did we call these? Like the trifecta, Anouska, Joyce and fired back with hairband, elastic and ponytail holder. As Anouska said, how international are we?

I really enjoyed this tour. I found it interesting to walk through the market. I signed up for another one of her tours on October 23rd to Lima's Chinatown.

Vaya Con Dios

El segundo parte de Track #73 tambien sobre el tiempo mood. Mihalis says we use the mood tense after cuando when you are refering to the future. 

• When we speak (generally) - Cuando hablamos
• When we speak (later on) - Cuando hablemos

The use of the mood tense highlights a superstition about referring to something in the future as a fact. 

• When we eat together, we speak (generally) - Cuando comemos juntos, hablamos.
• When we eat together, we speak (in the future) - Cuando comamos juntos, hablamos.

We still use hablamos, since we are using the mood tense earlier in the sentence.

Voy - I go or I am going

Vaya is the root of the mood tense

• We see her, when we go (generally) - La vemos, cuando vamos.
• We see her, when we go (in the future) - La vemos, cuando vayamos.

Which brings me to the multi-media portion of today's posting. I grew up listening to my dad singing this song. It was one of his favorites.

Fiesta de Juegos entre Amigos

Hoy asistir un otro evento de Ismar, se llama Fiesta de Juegos entre Amigos. La mayoria de los estudiantes es mejor en español que mi pero es bueno. La primer juego se llama "Simon dice", es un juego viejo para mi, pero hay muchas personas no saben. Para jugar, necesitas recordar los partes de cara o rosto.

Un otro palabra por cabello esta pelo, pero Ismar dice cabello esta para humano. Otros partes:

• eyelashes - pestaña
• chin - mentón
• face - cara
• jaw - quijada
• cheek - cachete

Fue divertido. Despues, Ismar envié un texto para preguntar como me sientes porque los estudiantes son avanzados. Pienso que esta bien. Entendí suficiente para jugar y tenía practicar para escuchar. 

No Te Preocupes

Track #73 de Language Transfer, continuamos con el tiempo subjuntivo. Otra vez:

• esperar - to wait
• esperas - you wait (informal)
• espera - wait (informal you command)
• esperemos - let's wait (command using mood tense)
• esperamos - shall we wait (sounds less like an order, not using mood tense)

Sin embargo, si quieres dar un imperativo a el, ella o ellos usa que + el presente subjuntivo. Por ejemplo:

• If someone tells you that David is waiting for you.
• Puedes responder: Que espere - That he waits - Let him wait.
• If you're ready for the program to finish.
• Puedes responder: Que termine - Let it finish
• O: Que termine ya - Let it finish already - Enough already.

Otros ejemplos:

• Que pase usted una Navidad estupenda! - Have a wonderful Christmas!
• Que disfruten la comida. - Enjoy your meal!
• Que seas feliz. - Be happy!

Asi que esta el video para hoy: Don't Worry, Be Happy. Pero este video es para el grupo Playing for Change. Y los niños me hacen sonrir.

Amigo Secreto

Hoy yo Skyped con mi amiga Isabel en Columbia. Me dice sobre El Día del Amor y la Amistad. Es un celebración en su país por esposos, novios y amigos tambien. Es el tercera sabado en septiembre cada año, pero la gente celebrar por todo el mes. Hay un juego, se llama Amigo Secreto, y en el primero del mes todos los amigos y amores escribe su nombre y pone en una bolsa. Cada persona toma un nombre y en secreto, se dan regalos a su amigo secreto, desde El Día del Amor y la Amistad. Entonces pueden dicen o describen que es su amigo secreto.

After our call I looked it up and found more information. During the two weeks when you're secretly leaving gifts for your secret friend (candies or snacks), this action is called “endulzar al amigo secreto” or “to sweeten your secret friend.” The participants should have very creative strategies to give these candies to their secret friends without being caught. At the end of these two weeks, there’s a big party to reveal the secret friend’s identity. There are several ways to reveal your identity. Sometimes people don’t say the names of their secret friends but instead they describe them or even draw them, which is really funny. All participants bring a special present to their secret friends. The present shouldn’t be expensive since sharing with people and having fun are the main goals in this game.

Happy love and friendship month!!!

El Verbo Gustar

I have already blogged about this verb before, back when I reviewed Track #42 of Language Transfer, but I still find it confusing. Sin embargo, hoy asistí un evento de Duolingo con Jackie. She is an anthropologist. Su clase es in inglés y respuesta las preguntas del estudiantes. Su explicación del verbo gustar is bueno.

She explained that the verb gustar comes from Latin and is based on the senses. Maybe related to gastronomy? That's a guess. Anyways here is here explanation of gustar.

First, it means 'to please' or 'to be pleasing' or metaphorically speaking 'to be tasty' especially as in giving pleasure to one's senses.

• The subject of the verb is what gives pleasure. usually that's food, a hobby, a place or something that's not a person
• Like any verb it must agree in person and in number with its subject. So because we're usually talking about a food or a hobby or a place, we usually see 'gustar' in the third person
• Then you either talking about a hobby (singular) - gusta or hobbies (plural) gustan

Second, somebody has to receive the pleasure that gustar gives

• The person who receives the benefit or effect of an action is the indirect object versus the direct object which is the person who receives the direct action of the verb. For example: I kicked the ball to him. The direct object is ball and the indirect object is him
• In Spanish we use indirect object pronouns with the verb gustar to indicate to whom does the thing give pleasure.

Unos ejemplos:

• La comida mexicana me gusto mucho. I like Mexican food a lot.
• A ella le gusta caminar en el parque. She likes to walk in the park.
• Nos gustan las peliculas cubanas. We like Cuban movies.

Vin Diesel has ten weapons, eh!

So I went back to listen to Track #72 again, since I was having trouble with Affirmative Informal Tú Commands. Pienso que entiendo ahora. I found these two slides to illustrate.

So according to Mihalis we use the mood tense to make commands with one exception: Positive Informal Tú Commands. You take the informal you conjugation of the present tense, drop the -s and you end up with the affirmative command. This also happens to be the same as the he/she/you formal version, but shouldn't cause confusion because of the tone of the voice and the small words that will come after like lo and me. Remember we still use the mood tense for the negative command.

For the irregular verbs I found this slide to help remember the Affirmative Tú Command shortcuts.

Este es un video de Vin Diesel hablando Español.

Regresar a Casa

Pues, he regresado a mi casa de Nueva York. He habia estado por el espectaculo de Bonsai Nacional. Esta fue mi primero vez a este espectaculo. Hay muchos bonsai hermosas. Y fue divertido estar un parte del equipo de nuestro maestro de bonsai. Fue genial!

Tambien, conocí dos personas para conversar en español. El primero fue el condujero de Uber y el segundo fue la madre de mi compañero. Ha vivido en Mexico por más de cuatro años. Hablamos por un tiempo largo, fue muy divertido!

Para mi, durante los conversaciones, es mejor que uso el tiempo perfecto (Pienso que). Es más facil recordar 'he' más el verbo con 'ado' o 'ido'. Algun día recordaré los tiempos diferentes, pero por ahora, estoy feliz.

Este bonsai está de un estudiante de nuestro maestro de bonsai. Ha ganado un premio.

Gambito de Dama

I came across this video and for many reasons, I was 'forced' to watch it.

1. SuperHolly is very entertaining
2. I loved the Queen's Gambit (if you haven't seen it, I recommend it!)
3. Anya Taylor-Joy learned English from the Harry Potter books

What?! Her first language is Spanish but her uncle taught her English using the books. How fun!

Clearly SuperHolly is a fan. I understood about 65-70%, which, in my opinion, is pretty darn good considering how freakin' fast she speaks. I post it so I can go back to it later and note my improvement. SuperHolly is Super Fun 😃😄 which is what learning a new language is all about, right?

La Octava Maravilla del Mundo

Me disfrutalos mucho los videos de Laura en su canal de YouTube Spanish After Hours. Hoy vi este video y hice la brownie. La receta es muy facil y ya habia tenido todos los ingredientes en mi casa. Me acuerdo a Laura que esta es bueno cuando tengo hambre por chocolate.

Ingredientes:

4 cucharadas    harina

4 cucharadas    azucar

2 cucharadas    chocolate de polvo

1 pizca             sal

2 cucharadas    agua

2 cucharadas    aceite

Direcciones:

Pon todos los ingredientes secos en la taza y mezcla.

Entonces, pon el resto de los ingredientes y mezcla bien.

Cocine en el microonda por 50-75 segundos depende en la fuerza de tu microonda. Y coman 😄

Gracias Laura!

Aprovechar el Momento

Un verbo que veo todo el tiempo es aprovechar. Voy a hablar hoy sobre los usos de este verbo y la diferencia de aprovechar y aprovecharse.

Simplemente, aprovechar tiene sentimientos buenos, como

• to take advantage of 
• If you want to take advantage of the day, wake up earlier.
• Si quieres aprovechar el día, levántate más temprano.  
• to make the most of
• I like to make the most of my vacation.
• Me gusta aprovechar el tiempo que tengo de vacaciones.     

Estes ejemplos necesitan un objetivo directo.

• to make the most of it
• The baby is asleep. Make the most of it and take a shower.
• El bebé está durmiendo; aprovecha y tómate una ducha.    
• to take the opportunity to
• Take the opportunity to travel the world while you're young.
• Aprovecha para viajar el mundo mientras seas joven.

No necesito un objetivo directo.

Aprovecharse tiene sentimientos malos, como

• to take advantage of
• Don't take advantage of me.
• No te aproveches de mi.
• The boss took advantage of his employees.
• El jefe se ha aprovechado de sus trabajadores.

This is another video of Laura's, one that I've chosen to watch several times, per her advice. En este video 'Va a aprovechar y enseñaros lo que tengo en tu maleta.'

And finally I leave you with a quote:

No Duda

I came across the verb in my studies and felt it warranted additional investigation. En general, el verbo caber significa to fit pero es un verbo muy irregular. Por ejemplo:

• XS es una talla muy pequeña. Entonces, no me cabe la camiseta. o No quepo en la camiseta.
• XS is a very small size. So, the shirt doesn't fit me. Or I don't fit in the shirt.
• Tú no cabes en una talla XL, es demasiado grande.
• You don't fit in a size XL, it's too big.
• Mi coche caben cuatro personas, como máximo

Frases comunes usan el verbo caber son:

• No me cabe en la cabeza. Literally it means 'It does not fit in my head' but it's used when you can't believe something, usually something bad.
• Por ejemplo: Que quieren poner un impuesto al pan del 50%. Es loco, demasiado grande. Puedes decir: No me cabe en la cabeza. To me it's like saying something doesn't register in your head.
• No me cabe duda. Means 'I have no doubt'. This is a good one for me. I say this all the time! Though I usually leave off the 'I have'
• Cabe la posibilidad. Means 'There's a chance' Another useful phrase.

So I end with this video by Gwen Stefani who is in the band 'No Doubt'. Get it?  I loved this song when it first came out. I'm not saying when. 😉😄

El Sombrero Seleccionador

Yesterday was my day of learning Spanish with Harry Potter. It was also homework reading day so I took advantage of killing two birds with one stone. Homework plus Chapter 7 for Sunday's book club. Capitulo 7 de la Piedra Filosofal es El Sombrero Seleccionador, The Sorting Hat. I watched part of the movie in Spanish with Spanish subtitles and then listened to the audiobook while reading. I certainly didn't understand every word, but I did understand what was going on. And it was fun and that's what's important. 

Here are a few words I learned in Chapter 7

• aterrorizados - terrified
• susurraba - whispered
• ligeramente - slightly
• deslizaban - they slid
• salpicado - splashed
• puntiagudo - pointed
• caballerosidad - chivalrous
• sabiduría- wisdom
• pergamino - parchment 
• se agacharon - they crouched

There are others, but these were the new words that tickled my fancy today. 

And finally a video using a scene from la Piedra Filosofal to learn Spanish. I find him entertaining. 

Vende! Vende! Vende!

Track #72. We use the mood tense to make commands with one exception: positive informal commands. When we are speaking informally and we are telling someone to do something, rather than telling them not to do something. According to Mihalis the reason why we don't use the mood tense here is because these commands are the most used they needed a short cut. (because all day people are telling people informally to 'wait here', 'buy this', 'call me later' etc.) It's such common speech and it seemed 'heavy' to use the mood tense. 

So to build it you start with the informal tú version in the present tense and drop the 's'. It ends up looking like the he/she/you formal but it won't be ambiguous from the context.

• You buy - compras (informal)
• Buy - compra (informal)
• Buy it - compralo
• Buy me it - compramelo; but
• Don't buy it - no lo compres (using the mood tense)

In my business you also need to know:

• You sell - vendes
• Sell - vende
• Sell it - vendelo; but
• Don't sell it - no lo vendas (using the mood tense)

I Command You

Track #72 Language Transfer: Giving orders informally using the mood tense.

• Don't speak - You don't speak - No hables
• Don't stay - You don't stay - No te quedas
• Don't give - You don't give - No des
• Don't eat - You don't eat - No comas

If you're giving the command to more than one person:

• Eat - Coman
• Wait - Esperen

Against the normal rule, for positive or affirmative commands, the small words (me, lo etc.) can follow the changed verb. For example.

• Eat it - Comanlo
• Wait for me - Wait me - Esperenme
• Wait for him - Wait him - Esperenlo
• Wait for them - Wait them - Esperenlos

This isn't the case for negative commands, they must still follow the rule and go before the changed verb. For example:

• Don't wait for them - No los esperen
• Don't eat it - No lo coman

The Personal A

Continuar con el Track #71 de Language Transfer. Sobre la preposición 'a' con los verbos subjunctivos. Por ejemplo:

• I hope that you understand David.
• Espero que comprendas a David

Necesita la preposición para mostrar la acción es a David. Si no usa 'a' la significado cambia.

• I hope that David understands. 
• Espero que comprendas David. o Espero que David comprendas.

Porque la posición de 'David' es flexíble.

Un otro ejemplo: hombre, el hombre, a el hombre = al hombre

• I want him to see the man.
• I want that he sees the man.
• Quiero que vea al hombre.

Si no usa 'al'

• I want that the man sees.
• Quero que vea el hombre. o Quiero que el hombre vea.

Uno mas

• I like that the teacher visits.
• Me gusta que visite la profesora

Y con 'a'

• I like that she visits the teacher
• Me gusta que visite a la profesora

Una ultima nota, solo usa 'a' con una persona especifica.

• a la profesora
• a una profesora

I include this video about 'a'. At first I found him a little abrupt and off putting, but he grew on me when he made me laugh.

Cuenta Conmigo

Well now that we've finished Language Transfer once all the way through my reviews of the tracks the second time through have slowed down. But I'm giving myself a break, because it isn't a race! 

Asi que hoy empezó la revisión de Track #71 y el verbo contar. El significado es to tell or to count. El sustantivo es cuento, el significado es story. On a side note, the word for story in Tagalog is 'kuwento' (thank you to Cheriz for confirming) which is basically the same word when you take into account the differences in the alphabets. But the verb to count in Tagalog is not at all related to any of those words, it's bilangin. 

So if I'm channeling my inner Mihalis, I guess storytelling has been around for a lot longer than counting. I can picture generations of storytelling and language sharing happening around the fire, but maybe not so much with the counting. Otras ideas? Otros cuentos?

Well I've already digressed, too late to keep 'on Track' 😁 See what I did there?  LOL 😆 Continuing on with the subjunctive tense.

• I want you to tell me - Quiero que me cuentes
• I want you to count on me - Quiero que cuentes conmigo  (notice it's 'with me' not 'on me')
• I hope that you can count on me - Espero que cuentes conmigo

And to finish off, a Spanish cover of Bruno Mars song - Count on Me, Cuenta Conmigo.

W.E.I.R.D.O.

My peer coach Joyce shared the WEIRD acronym to help me with the subjunctive tense. It's meant to remind you of the verbs that would give you the clue that you should use that verb tense. I'm adding the weird alien to remind me of the sentence construction. 

No Me Falta o Falta?

Second time through Track #70 and Mihalis begins by explaining that the word for 'what' if it's a question is 'que' but 'what' when not used as a question is 'lo que'. I had watched videos before about 'lo que' but this is a much simpler way to think about it. 

Back to the mood tense, it's used with verbs that imply subjectivity like 'quiero' and 'necesito' together with the 'que' that translates to 'that '.

• I need you to prepare it. 
• I need that you prepare it. 
• Necesito que lo preparé 

The verb 'faltar ' means 'to be missing' or 'to be short of'. 

• I need you to prepare what's missing. 
• Necesito que prepare lo que falta

The noun is 'falta' which means 'lack'.

• lack of consideration - falta de consideración
• it makes lack/it's necessary - hace falta
• lack of respect - falta de respeto

Using the mood tense:

• It's necessary that we eat soon
• Hace falta que comamos pronto

It was harder to choose which videos to include versus finding them today. You can choose, the one is No Me Falta

Or this one is Falta Amor

Mood Tense

Here we go, I've finished all the tracks one time through. But my reviews are only at Track #69 of Language Transfer and the introduction of the subjunctive or mood tense. Mihalis says we have this tense in English, but it's not used nearly as much as it is used in Spanish. To find the conjugation, we look to the present tense endings of the -AR verbs, switch them with the endings of -ER and -IR verbs and vice versa.

This video actually demonstrates what the tense is used for and the switching of the verb endings quite clearly. Tengo que decir, no me recuerdo aprender el tiempo subjuntivo en escuela, pero lo parece es muy util en español!

Also, I attended a Duolingo event today, the language exchange with Marcela and Sergio. I had a great time and got a lot of practice speaking. In the first round I was in a group with 2 guys from Mexico and the fourth person was from Brazil. I talked a lot about my recent trip to Mexico. I learned the word for border is 'frontera'. The second round I was in a group with Marcela and Sergio's mom Sandra. She is so fun and great to speak with. We talked about the two meanings of extraño. And she asked us about the word milk being both a noun and a verb. LOL

Tan Enamorados

Today's homework will complete the 90th and final Track of the Language Transfer series, whew! But I'm only on Track #68 for my reviews and blogs. This one wasn't too complicated. He mentioned the different words for 'this'

• este hombre - this man
• esta mujer - this woman
• no creo esto - I don't believe this

Mihalis refers to 'esto' as the neuter version.

He also introduces the word 'tan' which means 'so' as in 'estaba tan cansada' which is 'I am so tired'. Not to be confused with 'asi que' which also means 'so'. But I believe that's used more as a connector?? rather than a modifier.  I know those aren't the correct grammatical terms, but it makes sense in my head!

Finally he reminds us that 'cuando' means 'when' and 'cuanto' means 'how many' so another use for 'vez' or 'veces' is 'cuantos veces' which is 'how many times'.

Asi que, el video hoy es Tan Enamoradas de CNCO. Sí, esta es un bande de niños. No estoy avergonzada. 😁