Lesson 30 · Lección trigésima - Lección treinta
The word mismo and the verb ir in the Preterite in Spanish
Juan y Juana
(ending)
“Al correr de años”
Vocablos
| el | fin | end |
| prevenido, -a | forewarned, prudent, cautious | |
| cauto, -a | cautious, careful | |
| el | descuido | carelessness, negligence |
| guardar | to keep, to save | |
| la | cartera | wallet; briefcase |
| tembloroso, -a | trembling, shaking | |
| los | celos | jealousy |
| la | compasión | compassion |
| el | miedo | fear |
| la | vergüenza | shame, embarrassment |
| echar mano | to take hold, to reach for | |
| allí | there | |
| sí | yes | |
| aquel, aquella | that | |
| el | mismo | same; (emphasis) very, oneself |
| recordar | to remember | |
| detenerse | to stop | |
| ir | to go; here: to approach | |
| el | rato | minute, while |
| agarrar | to grab | |
| la | vuelta | turn, back |
| clavar | to fix, to stare (at smb.) | |
| quedar | to remain, to stay; to become | |
| atónito, -a | astonished, stunned | |
| primero | at first | |
| primero, -a | first | |
| pálido, -a | pale | |
| el | rubor | blush, flush (from embarrassment) |
| encendido, -a (de rubor) | flushed (with embarrassment) | |
| grueso, -a | thick, large | |
| rodar | to roll |
Explanations
The meaning of words and expressions:
primero
Juana quedó pálida primero ...
Juana became pale at first ...
él es el primero
he is the first
Primero without an article is used in the meaning first, at first.
The verb quedar + an adjective
quedar pálido to turn pale
quedar atónito to be astonished
The verb quedar to remain, to stay in combination with an adjective still means to remain, to stay (in this condition) but is translated into English using the words to become, to turn, to be etc. depending on the context.
Thus:
quedar en casa
to stay at home
but:
quedar pálido
to turn pale
quedar atónito
to be astonished
Remember the expressions:
al descuido
carelessly
echar mano
to take hold, to reach for
dar vuelta
to turn around/over
clavar en él los ojos
to fix the eyes on smb./smth., to stare
quedar atónito
to be astonished, to be stunned
quedar pálido
to turn pale
primero
at first
quedar encendido
to blush, to flush
Grammar
1. Usage of the word mismo
el mismo
the same
él mismo
he himself
la misma
the same
ella misma
she herself
In Spanish, the word mismo is used as an adjective intensifying the meaning of the noun, the pronoun, or the adverb that precedes it.
When used with a noun or a pronoun, it can mean (oneself) personally, the very, the same, the same thing etc. For example:
Juan mismo lo ha dicho.
Juan himself has said it.
Yo mismo lo hago.
I do it myself.
Era ella misma.
It was she herself.
No es lo mismo.
It’s not the same thing.
When used with an adverb, mismo means the same or emphasizes time and place, for example:
allí mismo
right there
Tengo que hablar con Juana hoy mismo.
I have to talk to Juana this very day.
Sometimes the definite article goes before mismo; in this case, mismo translates as the same, for example:
Es el mismo lápiz que yo tengo.
It is the same pencil I have.
or:
Es la misma lámpara que tenía antes.
It is the same lamp I had before.
If an indefinite article precedes mismo, it translates as one and the same.
Compare:
Todo se lo llevó el mismo diablo.
The very same devil took everything.
Todo se llevó un mismo diablo.
One and the same devil took everything.
Mismo in the meaning oneself is usually used without an article and always goes after a proper noun, a noun or a pronoun, for example:
Juan mismo
Juan himself
él mismo
he himself
nosotros mismos
we ourselves
In the meaning the same, mismo is used with an article and usually goes before a noun, for example:
el mismo lápiz
the same pencil
las mismas lámparas
the same lamps
Don’t forget that, as an adjective, mismo changes in gender (masculine and feminine) and number (singular and plural).
(el, él) mismo
the same, himself
(la, ella) misma
the same, herself
(los, ellos) mismos
the same, themselves
If mismo acts with a personal pronoun and doesn't precede a noun, it translates as (oneself) personally.
Compare:
Juan mismo escribe.
Juan himself writes.
Juan escribe él mismo.
Juan writes himself.
2. The verb ir in the Past Simple tense (Pretérito simple)
Ella fue a la puerta.
She went to the door.
The verb ir is conjugated as the verb ser (Lesson 27) in the past simple tense.
| ir — to go | ||||
| singular | plural | |||
| 1. | fui | I went | fuimos | we went |
| 2. | fuiste | you went | fuisteis | you went |
| 3. | fue | he went | fueron | they went |
Exercises
I. Fill in mismo, el mismo etc.:
Juana habló con Juan. Carmencita lee sus libros. Mi padre ha comprado libros que yo. José y Juan estudian en universidad. Juana y María llevan sombreros y vestidos. Estos vestidos los ha hecho costurera. Mamá prepara la comida, es comida que ayer. Él hace que yo.
II. Rewrite the story “Juan y Juana” (of this lesson) using the present tense instead of the past tense of the verbs:
Example: Por fin un día aquel hombre prevenido y cauto deja ...
III. Translate into English:
El fotógrafo ha hecho un retrato de Juana. He entrado cantando en la habitación. Han llamado a la puerta. Ha sido el fotógrafo. Cuando hemos comprado un libro, Juan lo ha leído en seguida. He dado la vuelta al libro. He echado mano al libro para leerlo el mismo día. ¿Ha estado Vd. hoy en el cine? Antes he vivido en Madrid.
IV. Rewrite the text of exercise III using the Past Imperfect tense (Pretérito imperfecto de indicativo) instead of the Present Perfect tense (Pretérito perfecto compuesto).
V. Translate into Spanish:
I always get up at seven o’clock in the morning. I used to always get up early. Today I also got up at seven o’clock, washed myself and left the house at once. Yesterday when I left the house I met Jose. We were walking and talking about many interesting things. After work we met again, we went to the park and then we went back home. At home we met Miguel. He told us a Russian tale.