Christmas preparations: simple present and continuous with -ar verbs | Spanish

Starter quiz

Match the Spanish and English.
- botella (f)
  
  ⇔
  
  bottle ✓
- carne (f)
  
  ⇔
  
  meat ✓
- comida (f)
  
  ⇔
  
  food ✓
- bebida (f)
  
  ⇔
  
  drink ✓
- pena (f)
  
  ⇔
  
  pity ✓
- risa (f)
  
  ⇔
  
  laughter ✓
Match the Spanish and English.
- buscar
  
  ⇔
  
  to look for, looking for ✓
- comprar
  
  ⇔
  
  to buy, buying ✓
- empezar
  
  ⇔
  
  to start, starting ✓
- llegar
  
  ⇔
  
  to arrive, arriving ✓
- terminar
  
  ⇔
  
  to finish, finishing ✓
- usar
  
  ⇔
  
  to use, using ✓
'¿______ te llamas?' - Which is the correct missing word?
- cómo ✓
- como
- qué
- que
- dónde
Order the words to say: 'she prepares the food but you prepare the drinks'.
- 1
  
  ⇔
  
  prepara
- 2
  
  ⇔
  
  la
- 3
  
  ⇔
  
  comida
- 4
  
  ⇔
  
  pero
- 5
  
  ⇔
  
  preparas
- 6
  
  ⇔
  
  las
- 7
  
  ⇔
  
  bebidas
Write in English: 'eschucho música todos los días'.
- 'I listen to music every day.' ✓
Write in Spanish: 'normally I dance'.
- 'Normalmente bailo.' ✓

Exit quiz

Which words include the [ci] sound?
- __ne ✓
- __ntro
- di__embre
- do__ ✓
- ne__sario
Which adverbs of time indicate the present continuous?
- ahora ✓
- a veces
- en este momento ✓
- hoy ✓
- normalmente
Which sentence is in the simple present?
- Hablar con mis amigos.
- Hablo con mis amigos. ✓
- Estoy hablando con mis amigos.
- Hablé con mis amigos.
- Voy a hablar con mis amigos.
Order the words to say: 'Normally I work but today I am organising a party'.
- 1
  
  ⇔
  
  normalmente
- 2
  
  ⇔
  
  trabajo
- 3
  
  ⇔
  
  pero
- 4
  
  ⇔
  
  hoy
- 5
  
  ⇔
  
  estoy
- 6
  
  ⇔
  
  organizando
- 7
  
  ⇔
  
  una fiesta
Write in Spanish: 'I am washing the dishes'.
- 'Estoy lavando los platos.' ✓
Write in Spanish: 'she is carrying the cups'.
- 'Está llevando los vasos.' ✓

Worksheet

Presentation

Video

Lesson Details

Key learning points

The sound symbol correspondence [ce] is pronounced as in the word 'centro' and [ci] as in the word 'decir'.
The simple present of -ar verbs is used to talk about habits and routines, e.g. 'trabajo', 'trabajas', 'trabaja'.
The present continuous is used to talk about actions happening now.
The present continuous of -ar verbs is formed with the verb 'estar' ('estoy', 'está', 'está') + -ando.
Sometimes we use adverbs of time to indicate clearly if the action we refer to is a habit or it is happening now.

Common misconception

In Spanish, the simple present can be used for routine as well as for ongoing events.

The simple present is used to describe routine actions, and also immediate plans for today, but the present continuous is used to describe ongoing events.

Keywords

Simple present - 1-verb form that describes habitual actions and routines, e.g. 'I read'
Present continuous - 2-verb structure that describes actions happening at this moment, e.g. 'I’m reading'
Present participle - verb form that forms the present continuous, together with the auxiliary verb 'estar'
Adverb of time - word that describes when an action takes place, e.g. 'normally', 'now'