Spanish Language Core Grammar Syllabus

Core Grammar syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for Core Grammar in Spanish Language, not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Nouns and Articles

   5 topics

   • Grammatical Gender
   • Singular and Plural Formation
   • Definite Articles (el, la, los, las)
   • Indefinite Articles (un, una, unos, unas)
   • Contractions al and del
2. 2

   Adjectives

   5 topics

   • Agreement in Gender and Number
   • Position of Adjectives
   • Comparatives and Superlatives
   • Possessive Adjectives
   • Demonstrative Adjectives
3. 3

   Pronouns

   6 topics

   • Subject Pronouns
   • Direct Object Pronouns
   • Indirect Object Pronouns
   • Combining Double Object Pronouns
   • Reflexive Pronouns
   • Prepositional Pronouns
4. 4

   Ser, Estar, and Hay

   4 topics

   • Uses of Ser
   • Uses of Estar
   • Ser vs Estar Contrast
   • Existential Hay
5. 5

   Prepositions and Connectors

   4 topics

   • Por vs Para
   • A, En, De, Con
   • Personal A
   • Conjunctions and Connectors (y, o, pero, porque)
6. 6

   Adverbs and Negation

   3 topics

   • Adverbs of Manner, Time, and Place
   • Adverbs Ending in -mente
   • Negation and Double Negatives

Core Grammar flashcards for Spanish Language

20 of 50 cards from the Core Grammar deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. What is grammatical gender in Spanish, and what are the two genders?

   Every Spanish noun has a grammatical gender: masculine or feminine. Gender affects the articles, adjectives, and pronouns that accompany the noun.

2. What ending do most masculine nouns have, and what ending do most feminine nouns have?

   Most masculine nouns end in -o (el libro), and most feminine nouns end in -a (la casa). This is a general tendency, not an absolute rule.

3. Name three noun endings (besides -a) that are typically feminine.

   -ción, -sión, -dad, -tad, -tud, and -umbre are typically feminine (e.g., la nación, la ciudad, la virtud, la costumbre).

4. Give two common exceptions where a noun ending in -a is masculine.

   El día (day), el mapa (map), el problema, el tema, el idioma, el sistema. Many words ending in -ma of Greek origin are masculine.

5. How do you form the plural of a Spanish noun that ends in a vowel?

   Add -s to the singular form (e.g., libro → libros, casa → casas).

6. How do you form the plural of a Spanish noun that ends in a consonant?

   Add -es to the singular form (e.g., papel → papeles, ciudad → ciudades).

7. How do you pluralize a noun ending in -z, such as 'lápiz'?

   Change the -z to -c and add -es: lápiz → lápices, luz → luces, vez → veces.

8. What are the four Spanish definite articles and which noun each accompanies?

   el (masculine singular), la (feminine singular), los (masculine plural), las (feminine plural). All translate as 'the'.

9. Which definite article is used before a feminine singular noun beginning with a stressed 'a' or 'ha' sound, and why?

   The article el is used (el agua, el águila, el hambre) to avoid the awkward a-a sound, even though the noun stays feminine (el agua fría). The plural returns to las (las aguas).

10. What are the four Spanish indefinite articles and their meanings?

    un (masculine singular, 'a/an'), una (feminine singular, 'a/an'), unos (masculine plural, 'some/a few'), unas (feminine plural, 'some/a few').

11. What are the only two contractions in Spanish, and how are they formed?

    al = a + el (to the), and del = de + el (of/from the). Contraction is mandatory.

12. Do the contractions 'al' and 'del' occur with the articles la, los, or las?

    No. Contraction only happens with the masculine singular article el. With la, los, and las the words stay separate (a la, de los, a las).

13. Is the contraction 'al' or 'del' used when el is part of a proper name, e.g., 'El Salvador'?

    No, contraction is not made with capitalized el in proper names: 'Vengo de El Salvador' (not 'del Salvador').

14. What is the rule of agreement in gender and number in Spanish?

    Articles and adjectives must match the noun they modify in both gender (masculine/feminine) and number (singular/plural): las casas blancas, los libros rojos.

15. How does an adjective ending in -e or a consonant agree in gender?

    Adjectives ending in -e (inteligente) or most consonants (azul) do not change for gender; they change only for number (inteligentes, azules).

16. How does an adjective ending in -o form its four agreement forms?

    -o adjectives have four forms: rojo (m.sg), roja (f.sg), rojos (m.pl), rojas (f.pl).

17. What is the default position of a descriptive adjective relative to the noun in Spanish?

    Descriptive adjectives normally follow the noun: 'la casa blanca', 'un coche rápido'.

18. Which types of adjectives are typically placed before the noun in Spanish?

    Adjectives of quantity/number (mucho, tres, primer), possessives (mi, tu), and demonstratives (este, ese) go before the noun.

19. How can placing an adjective before vs. after the noun change meaning, using 'grande' as an example?

    After the noun 'grande' means big (una casa grande = a big house); before the noun it means great/important (una gran casa = a great house). Grande shortens to 'gran' before any singular noun.

20. How do you form a comparison of superiority (more...than) in Spanish?

    Use más + adjective + que: 'María es más alta que Juan' (María is taller than Juan).

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