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Guidebook · Unit 2 · A1

First Words

Articles, gender, and counting to twenty

  1. 1

    El and la: every noun has a gender

    The words for “the” and “a”, and how to tell a masculine noun from a feminine one.

    • Every noun is masculine or feminine — learn each one with its article.
    • the: el, la, los, las · a / some: un, una, unos, unas.
    • -o is usually masculine; -a, -ción and -dad are usually feminine.
    • Early exceptions: el día, el mapa, el problema · la mano, la foto, la moto.
    • Plurals: add -s after a vowel (los platos), -es after a consonant (los bares).
    Open lesson
  2. 2

    Describing things: adjectives that agree

    Make adjectives match their nouns — bonito, bonita, bonitos, bonitas — and put them in the right place.

    • Adjectives agree in gender and number: bonito, bonita, bonitos, bonitas.
    • They normally come after the noun: una casa pequeña, los coches nuevos.
    • Most adjectives in -e or a consonant don't change for gender: grande, feliz, azul — plural grandes, felices, azules.
    • Before a masculine singular noun, bueno → buen and malo → mal: un buen cocinero.
    • A mixed group takes the masculine plural: Marcos y Luana son simpáticos.
    Open lesson
  3. 3

    Numbers: uno to veinte

    Count from one to twenty — and use numbers with tener to talk about family and age.

    • 1–10: uno (un/una), dos, tres, cuatro, cinco, seis, siete, ocho, nueve, diez.
    • 11–20: once, doce, trece, catorce, quince, dieciséis, diecisiete, dieciocho, diecinueve, veinte.
    • Up to twenty, only one agrees with the noun: un plato, una mesa; the others stay the same.
    • Family and age use tener: Tengo dos hermanos. Ella tiene veinte años.
    • Cuántos / cuántas agrees: ¿Cuántos años tienes? ¿Cuántas hermanas?
    • Hermanos can mean brothers and sisters together.
    Open lesson
  4. 4

    Please, thank you — and a welcome dinner

    The courtesy phrases you'll use every day, then Marina's welcome dinner at Marcos's flat.

    • Por favor (please), gracias (thank you), de nada (you're welcome).
    • Perdón to get past or for a small slip; disculpa / disculpe to get attention; lo siento for a real apology.
    • Gracias never changes; bienvenido / bienvenida / bienvenidos / bienvenidas agrees with whoever is welcomed.
    • Estás en tu casa — make yourself at home; ¡No pasa nada! — don't worry about it.
    • Say goodbye with adiós or, very often, hasta luego.
    Open lesson
Unit review