Today we are going to cover some characteristics of some indefinite adjectives and pronouns in Spanish. Are you familiar with any of them! ? Click here to read this post in Spanish. Let’s go for it!

Algún, alguno

They both express an undefined quantity somehow relatable to the speaker or an indeterminate fact.

1. Algún, as well as alguna/algunos/algunas, is a determiner (in this case masculine and singular). It refers to someone or to something and it precedes a noun that must be masculine and singular as well. It occupies the first position in the sentence.

¿Algún huevo para hacer la tortilla?

(Do you have) any egg to make a Spanish omelet?

 Algún año viajaré a Chile.

One day I will travel to Chile.

2. Alguno (not algún) is a masculine, singular pronoun that refers to someone and specifies the gender and number of the word that follows.

En Andalucía no todo el mundo pronuncia la “z” como una “s”. Yo sé de alguno que lo hace con el sonido “z” también.

In Andalusia, not everyone pronounces the letter “z” as an “s”. I know some people who do use the sound “z” as well.

3. Besides, alguno can also have the same role as algún + [pronoun]. It can be used this way when the speaker does not want to repeat the name.

- ¿Tienes algún libro de gramática?

- Aquí no, pero creo que tengo alguno (= algún libro de gramática) en casa.

- Do you have any grammar books?

- Not here, but I believe I have some (=grammar books) at home.

Ningún, ninguno

They are both indefinite adjectives. However, these two words have different meanings and they can’t be used in the same way. Let’s find out why:

1. Ningún and ninguna mean not one, and therefore they must be used in plural. You’ll find them always placed before a masculine, singular noun.

No queda ningún bombón en la caja. (There is not even one chocolate left in the box)

No hay ningún cliente en la tienda. (There are no customers in the store)

2. Ninguno has the same meaning as ningún + [nombre], but we use it when we don’t want to repeat the name we are referring to.

- ¿Tienes algún libro de gramática?

- No, aquí no tengo ninguno (= ningún libro de gramática).

3. When talking about people, we use nadie instead of ninguno. But we’ll get deeper into that in our next blog post.

We thank Lucas, Head of Studies at our Spanish school in Seville, for his contribution to our blog. Keep on learning with don Quijote!

This week we would like to give you the last details you need to get a full overview of the Spanish adjective placement. Let us refresh your memory! We encourage you to go back to our first article on the topic and keep on reading this post in English or in Spanish to upgrade the way you use adjectives.

Before or after the noun?

Usually, we place adjectives that express order before the noun. These include primero (first), segundo (second), último (last), próximo (next), siguiente (following), nuevo (new), antiguo (old). For example:

Espero hacerlo mejor en el próximo examen. (I hope to do better on the next exam.)

However, when we talk about the chapters of a book, the episodes of a TV series or the floors of a building, these adjectives can also be placed after the noun. For example:

El segundo capítulo es mejor que el primero. = El capítulo segundo es mejor que el primero. (The second episode is better than the first one.)

La ropa de deporte está en la tercera planta. = La ropa de deporte está en la planta tercera. (Sports clothes are on the third floor.)

Changing form and meaning

We must consider that some adjectives change their form regarding their position before or after the noun. Grande (big), bueno (good), malo (bad), primero (first) and tercero (third) do so. Let’s have a look at how some of them vary in form:

Un chico bueno = un buen chico (A good boy)

Un consejo malo = un mal consejo (A bad piece of advice)

El capítulo primero = el primer capítulo (The first episode)

El tercer piso = el piso tercero (The third floor)

In all the cases above, adjectives keep the same meaning regardless their position in the sentence. However, the adjective grande (big) has different meanings depending on whether it goes before or after the noun:

Barcelona es una ciudad grande. (Barcelona is a big city.)

Barcelona es una gran ciudad. (Barcelona is great city.)

In the first sentence, grande describes the city’s dimensions, i. e., its size, while in the second example gran talks more about its character: a great, wonderful city. In this case, it talks about the quality of Barcelona, not about its size.

Please note that all the adjectives above change their form to agree with masculine singular nouns, but the word grande has also a different spelling for feminine singular nouns, as we have seen in the example Barcelona es una gran ciudad. The reason behind is that grande is built in the same way both for masculine and feminine nouns, so if the form changes in masculine it must also do it in feminine.

Thanks to Ignacio Sellés from our school in Alicante for bringing some extra light to the topic.

If you want to improve your knowledge about specific topics such as adjectives, we encourage you to try our don Quijote private Spanish lessons. With them, you’ll have the opportunity to focus on the topics that most interest you.

In our last few academic posts, we studied how to spot the difference between masculine and feminine nouns and adjectives. That probably wasn’t completely new to you, but today we’re going to cover a topic that students are always asking about. It usually doesn’t get the attention it deserves in the classroom.

Now that we know when an adjective is masculine or feminine, where do we put it? There’s no easy answer because in Spanish, adjectives can go before or after the noun.

Read this post in Spanish.

Some adjectives always go after the noun. These adjectives express:

• Color: ¿Te gusta mi vestido azul? (Do you like my blue dress?)
• Form: Me he comprado una mesa redonda. (I bought myself a round table.)
• State or condition: En esta casa hay muchas cosas rotas. (In this house there are many broken things.)
• Type: Quiero un teléfono móvil. (I want a mobile phone.)
• Origin: Me gusta la música española. (I like Spanish music.)

However, there’s an exception: in poetic language, these types of adjectives can go before the noun.

• Me enamoré de sus rojos labios (I fell in love with his/her red lips).

All other adjectives (the ones that don’t fit into the categories listed above) can be placed before or after the noun, depending on the situation.

• When a Spanish adjective comes after the noun, it is usually being used to distinguish the thing we’re talking about from something else.
  •  Vamos por el camino grande. Parece más seguro que el camino pequeño.

(Let’s take the big road. It looks safer than the small road.)

• When a Spanish adjective comes before the noun, it’s not being used to distinguish the noun from other nouns. Instead, the adjective is being used to highlight a quality of the noun.
  •  El pequeño camino que lleva a la cima de la montaña es peligroso.

(The small road that leads to the top of the mountain is dangerous.)

In this case, there is only one road. The adjective pequeño is being used to describe a characteristic of the road. We don’t need to distinguish between a big road and a small road because there is only one.

These adjectives that can be used before the noun usually describe a characteristic whose meaning is relative. That is to say, the characteristic they describe depends on making a comparison. For example, grande-pequeño (big-small), rápido-lento (fast-slow), bonito-feo (pretty-ugly), fuerte-débil (strong-weak), largo-corto (long-short), cercano-lejano (near-far), etc. Something is big or small, pretty or ugly, fast or slow, etc., depending on what we compare it to.

Usually, you will see these adjectives with relative meanings placed before a noun in formal writing. For example, Los testigos dicen que se asustaron porque escucharon una fuerte explosión (The witnesses say they were frightened because they heard a loud explosión).

To learn more, sign up for one of the Spanish courses we offer at our schools.

Thanks to Ignacio Sellés from our school in Alicante for teaching us where to put our Spanish adjectives.

Have you ever ventured to use a word in another language without making sure of its meaning first? The answer is probably yes. And it’s also very likely that you have felt embarrassed at least once because you accidently said something completely different or even nonsense.

In today's post, we bring you a compilation of 20 false friends (also called “cognates”) so that next time, appearances won’t fool you. Ready?

Click here to read the post in Spanish.

What are false friends?

False friends are words in another language that sound similar to a word in our language but have a different meaning. As the term indicates, false friends can play dirty tricks on us if we trust them blindly just because they sound or look familiar. While it is true that these words often have a common etymology, they evolved differently, giving rise to distinct meanings.

The term “false friend” comes from the French faux-ami and was introduced by Koessler and Derocquigny in their book Les faux-amis ou les trahisons du vocabulaire anglais (False Friends, or, the Treacheries of English Vocabulary) published in 1928.

List of 20 English - Spanish false friends

1. Actualmente does not mean “actually” (never mind how much we insist):

• Actualmente: currently

• Actually: en realidad

2. In Spanish, if someone gives you an aviso, they are not giving a piece of advice:

• Aviso: notice, warning

• Advice: consejo, recomendación

3. Atender does not mean "attend" (although they are similar):

• Atender: pay attention, help

• Attend: asistir, estar presente

4. In Spanish, when they say that somebody is bizarro, it does not mean that they are strange nor bizarre:

• Bizarro: brave, courageous

• Bizarre: raro, extraño

5. Moreover, Spanish speakers don’t use carpetas to make the floor warmer in winter:

• Carpeta: folder

• Carpet: alfombra, moqueta

6. The term comodidad does not really have anything to do with commodity:

• Comodidad: amenity, comfort

• Commodity: product, mercancía

7. In addition, a complemento is not something to say thank you for:

• Complemento: accessory

• Compliment: cumplido, halago

8. If a Spanish speaker says that they are constipado, they are not being too honest:

• Constipado: have a cold

• Constipated: extreñido

9. In Spanish, discutir is a bit stronger than “discuss”:

• Discutir: argue, have an argument

• Discuss: hablar, exponer, debatir

10. An embarazada has nothing to be ashamed of:

• Embarazada: pregnant

• Embarrassed: avergonzado/-ada

11. Eventualmente is a frequency adverb for Spanish speakers:

• Eventualmente: occasionally

• Eventually: al final, después de todo

12. Éxito is not a way nor passage out, but something to be proud of:

• Éxito: success

• Exit: salida

13. Although it also refers to size, largo is not the same as “large”:

• Largo: long

• Large: grande

14. Spanish people don’t go to the librería to study:

• Librería: bookstore

• Library: biblioteca

15. In Spanish, when somebody pretende something, you can usually trust them:

• Pretender: hope, expect

• Pretend: fingir, simular

16. Realizar has a lot to do with dreaming for Spanish speakers:

• Realizar: make, fulfill

•Realize: darse cuenta

17. If somebody tells you they’re sensible in Spanish, you’d probably need to be tactful:

• Sensible (Spanish): sensitive

• Sensible (English): sensato

18. In Spain, a suburbio is not a nice place to live in:

• Suburbio: slum, ghetto

• Suburb: barrio residencial, afueras

19. When a Spanish speaker says something is terrorífico, they are not normally very happy:

• Terrorífico: terrifying, horrific

• Terrific: genial, espectacular

20. And finally, a tópico is not a subject of discussion, but a word related to stereotypes:

• Tópico: cliché

• Topic: tema

Perhaps this short list of Spanish false friends has given you a new appreciation for professional translators. Think of the disastrous consequences of telling a client you’ve found a new property that’s ideally located in a suburbio! Let this be a reminder (or a warning!) that if you ever need language translation services, it’s important to work with professionals to avoid embarrassing mistakes that may ruin your reputation!

At don Quijote, we hope not only that you’ve enjoyed today’s post, but also that you find it useful and are spared some awkward situations. We encourage you to share this post with your true friends to save them from falling into the trap of false friends when speaking a different language.

Today’s Spanish grammar topic is gender and number agreement. Let’s jump right in!

Read this grammar guide in Spanish.

Gender and Adjective Agreement in Spanish

Examples:

• La escuela [femenino singular] es bonita [femenino singular]
• Los manuales [masculino plural] son prácticos [masculino plural]
• Los estudiantes [masculino plural] son simpáticos [masculino plural]
• El café [masculino singular] es barato [masculino singular]

Examples:

• Mi compañero es muy amable
• Nuestro profesor es budista
• Mozart fue un músico precoz
• El animal salvaje más peligroso de África es el búfalo

Variable adjectives: these adjectives become female by adding -a. They can be divided into two groups:

1. Masculine adjectives that end in -o, -ete, or -ote

Examples:

• Ending in -o: bonito/-a; feo/-a; cansado/-a
• Ending in -ete: regordete/-a; guapete/-a;
• Ending in -ote: grandote/-a; malote/-a

1. Masculine adjectives that end in a consonant

Examples:

• Trabajador/-a; andaluz/-a; chillón/-a

Number and Adjective Agreement in Spanish

• Examples: precoz/(c)-es; azul/-es

• By adding  -s: for adjectives that end in a vowel, when the last syllable is unstressed
  • Examples: bueno/-s; bonito/-s; barato/-s
• By adding -es: for adjectives that end in a vowel when the last syllable is stressed, or adjectives that end in a consonant
  • Examples: ceutí/-es; ideal/-es

Need some practice? Travel to Spain and Latin America to learn Spanish and see the world.

Thanks to Lucas from our school in Seville for teaching us how adjectives work in Spanish.

When our students use a dictionary — whether it’s a physical one or an application installed on their phone — to look up the Spanish verbs saber and conocer, they usually find the same translation for both words: in English, to know. As a result, in addition to realizing their search was pretty useless, they start to feel a bit stressed as they remember other classic Spanish grammar issues they’ve studied, like the differences between ser and estar or por vs. para.

Today we aim to ease your mind by explaining the differences between saber and conocer. If you want to read this post in Spanish, click here.

Since both verbs have very similar meanings, and in many languages a single verb is used to translate both of them, we recommend you keep the following cheat sheet in mind:

When to use SABER

We use the verb saber to talk about knowledge we have acquired through instruction, training, study, or any other means.

• Sabemos cuál es la capital de Bolivia, sabemos las reglas de juego del baloncesto, sabemos los verbos irregulares o sabemos el significado de una palabra.
  •  (We know what the capital of Bolivia is, we know the rules of the game of basketball, we know irregular verbs, and we know the meaning of a word.)

We also use saber to talk about abilities.

• Sabemos hablar español, sabemos nadar, sabemos dibujar o sabemos preparar una paella.
  •  (We know how to speak Spanish, we know how to swim, we know how to draw, and we know how to make a paella.)

When to use CONOCER

We use the verb conocer to talk about knowledge we have gained through experience (or perception).  

• Conocemos a los padres de mi novia, conocemos el norte de España o conocemos el mejor sitio para comer paella en la ciudad. 
  •  (We know my girlfriend’s parents, we have been to* the north of Spain, or we know the best place to eat paella in the city.)

*Note that conocer + a place means that you have been there

SABER vs. CONOCER

Take a look at these pairs of sentences:

1. Sé el calor que hace en Málaga en verano.
   • (I know how hot it gets in Malaga in summer.)
2. Conozco el calor que hace en Málaga en verano.
   • (I know how hot it gets in Malaga in summer.)

In the first case (a), we are referring to knowledge that we have acquired through studying or reading about the weather in Malaga.

In the second case (b), we are talking about a lived experience we have had. We have personally enjoyed/suffered the summer heat in Malaga.

1. Sé quién es el jefe de estudios.
   • (I know who the director of studies is.)
2. Conozco al jefe de estudios.
   • (I know the director of studies.)

In the latter case (b) we know the director of studies personally (we have talked to him, said hi to him, or asked him a question at some point or another).

In the former case (a) we know his identity (who he is, what his name is, where his office is) but haven’t actually had the pleasure of meeting him in person.

Now that you know the difference between saber and conocer, we invite you to put what you’ve learned into practice on the ground. Visit one of our 32 destinations in Spain and Latin America!

Thanks to Ramón from our school in Malaga for writing this post.

Welcome to the second part of our por vs. para guide. Last week, we went over the common uses of por and para (cause and purpose, respectively). So, this time around we’ll focus on the different ways to use por and para. Let’s begin!

Click here to read this grammar guide in Spanishs.

Uses of por

• FREQUENCY
  • Voy a clase cinco veces por semana
    • (I go to class five times per week)
• APPROXIMATE PLACE
  • don Quijote está por el centro de la ciudad
    • (don Quijote is around the downtown area)
• WAY OR MEANS OF DOING SOMETHING
  • Me ha enviado la tarea por correo electrónico
    • (The homework was sent to me via email)
• PRICE
  • Te vendo este manual de español por 35 €
    • (I’ll sell you this Spanish guide for €35)
• DISTRIBUTION
  • Hay un máximo de 8 estudiantes por clase
    • (There’s a maximum of 8 students per class)
• = IN EXCHANGE FOR
  • Te doy este bolígrafo por tu goma de borrar
    • (I’ll trade you this pen for your eraser)

Uses of para

• = TO A PLACE
  • Si vas para Barcelona este fin de semana avísame y vamos juntos
    • (If you’re going to Barcelona this weekend, let me know and we can go together)
• SPECIFIC DEADLINE
  • La tarea debe estar lista para este viernes como fecha límite
    • (The homework must be ready by this Friday at the latest)
• RECIPIENT
  • Esta carpeta es para ti, se la damos a todos los estudiantes de don Quijote
    • (This folder is for you, we give one to all don Quijote students)
• OPINION
  • Para mí el subjuntivo no es tan difícil como dicen
    • In my opinion, the subjective isn’t as difficult as it’s made out to be
• = “ALTHOUGH”
  • Para llevar estudiando español solo un año, hablas muy bien
    • For only have studied Spanish for a year, you speak very well

As you can see, there are lots of different ways to use por and para! The best way to really get the hang of how to use por and para in different contexts is by spending time with native Spanish speakers. We have Spanish schools in Spain and 12 different Latin American countries. So you can choose your dream destination and come learn Spanish with us to get all the por and para practice you need!

Thanks to Lucas from our Spanish school in Seville for writing this week’s post.

Along with ser and estar, one of the most common Spanish grammar difficulties that drive students crazy is knowing how to tell the difference between por and para.

In our experience, the trouble arises due to two main problems:

1. As with other prepositions, translating the Spanish into students’ native language doesn’t always work
2. In many languages, there’s only one preposition for the main uses of both por and para

We’ll help you overcome these common stumbling blocks so you can clearly understand when to use por and para and how your choice can change the meaning of the sentence. Click here to read this post in Spanish.

Por indicates the cause

The preposition por is used to point to the cause, motive, or reason of an action, the “why” behind it. Let’s see some examples:

[ por + noun ] Luis se ha mudado a Barcelona por trabajo.

(Luis moved to Barcelona for work.)

[ por + pronoun ] He preparado una paella por ti.

                (He prepared a paella for you.)

[ por + infinitive ] Ha perdido el trabajo por llegar tarde.

                (He lost his job because he arrived late.)

Para indicates the purpose

Para is used to indicate the purpose or objective of an action. For example:

[ para + infinitive ] Me he levantado más temprano para llegar a tiempo.

                I got up earlier in order to arrive on time.

[ para que + subjunctive ] He comprado arroz para que prepares una paella.

                I bought rice for you to make a paella.

[ para + noun ] Ya tengo las entradas para la película.

                I already have the tickets for the movie.

Comparing por and para

It can get complicated when we have an action that can be both the cause and the purpose of another main action. In these cases, it’s important that we clearly understand the meaning we want to give our sentence before we decide whether to use por or para. Here are some examples:

Ana ha ido a Madrid por trabajo. (Ana went to Madrid for work).

Work was the cause of Ana’s trip to Madrid. For example, she had a meeting there.

Ana ha ido a Madrid para trabajar. (Ana went to Madrid to work.)

Work was the objective of Ana’s trip to Madrid. For example, she went to look for a job there.

He hecho gazpacho por ti. (I made gazpacho for you.)

I made the food because I know you like it. You are the reason, the cause.

He hecho gazpacho para ti. (I made gazpacho for you.)

I made the food so that you will eat it. You are the recipient of the action.

Questions

When we ask a question, we have to know if we’re asking about the cause (por qué or why) or the purpose (para qué or for what). Often, when we ask por qué (cause), the answer can refer to the cause (por, porque) or the objective (para), and vice versa. For example:

¿Por qué vas a estudiar español en don Quijote?

(Why are you going to study Spanish at don Quijote?)

(Cause) Porque tengo un examen en mi país y necesito ayuda.

                (Because I have an exam in my home country and I need help.)

(Purpose) Para hacer el DELE la próxima convocatoria.

                (In order to take the upcoming DELE exam.)

¿Para qué vas a hacer el DELE?

                (What are you taking the DELE for?)

(Cause) Porque quiero obtener la nacionalidad española.

                (Because I want to get Spanish nationality.)

(Purpose) Para matricularme en un máster en una universidad española.

                (To enroll in a master’s program at a Spanish university.)

Por, backwards. Para, forwards.

From a cognitive perspective, we can say that the cause (por) is behind the main action (it pushes or motivates the action from behind), while the purpose (para) is in front of the action, like the dangling carrot that makes the donkey walk forward.

por + cause >>>>>>>>>> main action

main action >>>>>>>>>> para + purpose

That pretty much sums it up! To get more por and para practice, sign up for one of our Spanish courses in Spain and Latin America. Between getting help from our experienced teachers and listening to how people talk as you experience everyday life in Spanish, you’ll be an expert on por and para before you know it.

A special thanks to Jose Ramón from our school in Malaga for writing this quick and easy por vs. para guide. 

One of the classic questions we’re often asked by our Spanish students is when to use ser and when to use estar. In today’s post, we’ll try to answer the main questions about ser vs. estar by looking at each verb separately to see how it’s used. In a future post, we will go over cases in which we can choose to use either ser or estar and see how the meaning of the sentence changes. Click here to read this post in Spanish. Let’s get into it!

We use ser in the following situations:

To identify:

• Our identity: “Soy Mandi” (I am Mandi)
• Our nationality: “Soy china/soy de China” (I am Chinese/I’m from China)
• Our profession or hobby: “Soy estudiante/Soy abogado/Soy deportista” (I am a student/I am a lawyer/I am an athlete)
• Our beliefs: “Soy musulmán/judío/católico/budista/…” (I am Muslim/Jewish/Catholic/Buddhist/etc.)

To describe:

• Our physical characteristics: “Soy alto/bajo/delgado/grueso/fuerte…” (I am tall/short/thin/heavy/strong/etc.)
• Our abilities: “Soy inteligente/listo/tonto/...” (I am intelligent/smart/dumb/etc.)
• Our personality: “Soy alegre/abierto/extrovertido/tímido/…” (I am cheerful/receptive/extroverted/shy/etc.)
• Our relationships: “Sophie es mi hermana/Soy primo de Tomoyo/Soy novia de Giovanni” (Sophie is my sister/I am Tomoyo’s cousin/I am Giovanni’s girlfriend)
• The material something is made of: “La mesa es de madera/metal/plástico…” (The table is made of wood/metal/plastic/etc.)

To locate events:

• In a place: “El concierto es en el estadio de fútbol” (The concert is in the soccer stadium)
• On a specific date: “La clase sobre ser y estar es el martes/en abril/la semana próxima…” (The class about ser and estar is on Tuesday/in April/next week/etc.)
• In a period of time: “Las rebajas son en primavera/verano/otoño/invierno” (The sales are in spring/summer/fall/winter)
• At a specific time: “La conferencia es a la una de la tarde” (The conference is at 1 p.m.)

To talk about the price of something when the cost is stable: ¿Cuánto es el café? Es 1,20€ (How much is the coffee? It is €1.20)

We use estar in the following contexts:

To describe:

• Our mood: Hoy estoy contento porque he aprobado el DELE (Today I am happy because I passed the DELE exam)
• Our physical characteristics that can change: “Zoe ha ido a la playa y ahora está muy morena”/Katie ha hecho dieta y ahora está más delgada” (Zoe went to the beach and now she is very tan/Katie has been dieting and now she is thinner)
• Our marital status: “Tatiana está casada/soltera/divorciada” (Tatiana is married/single/divorced)
• The way in which something has been made/built: “El anillo está hecho en plata/con oro/a mano” (The ring is made in silver/with gold/by hand)

To locate physical spaces: “Nuestra escuela de español en Sevilla está en el centro de la ciudad, muy cerca del mercado” (Our Spanish school in Seville is downtown, very close to the market)

When using the preposition a or en to indicate:

• A date: “Estamos a 24 de julio del 2019” (Today is July 24, 2019)
• A season: “Estamos en primavera/verano/otoño/invierno” (We are in spring/summer/fall/winter)

To talk about the price of something when the value is not stable: “La gasolina está a casi cinco euros el litro”/Los tomates están a unos cuatro euros el kilo” (Gas is at almost five euros a liter/Tomatoes are at about four euros a kilo)

Esperamos que estéis contentos con la explicación, aunque como sois muy listos con un poco de práctica no vais a tener ningún problema para entenderla. (We hope you are happy with the explanation, although since you are very smart, with a bit of practice you will have no problem understanding it.)

A special thanks to Lucas, our Director of Studies in Seville, for this detailed explanation of when to use ser vs. estar.

The Spanish verb haber is a common source of confusion for many Spanish learners, but it’s easy to use once you get the hang of it. The best part is that haber has only one form in each verb tense: you don’t have to conjugate it! Today’s quick Spanish grammar lesson will teach you how to use haber and how it’s different from the verb estar. Read on in English or click here for the Spanish version of this post.

A Step-by-Step Guide to Understanding the Differences Between Haber and Estar

1. Haber is an impersonal verb. This means that it doesn’t have the six usual forms for each person (yo, tú, él, nosotros, vosotros, ellos). It has only one form, which is hay in the present tense.
2. We use haber to indicate the location of people, objects, or places in a general way when we don’t know the people, objects, or places we’re talking about.
   • For example, in the sentence Hay un teléfono en la mesa (There is a telephone on the table), we don’t know what telephone it is or who owns it, and in the sentence Hay cuatro alumnos en la clase (There are four students in the class), we don’t know who the students are.
3. Estar can also be used to refer to the location of people, objects, and places, but in a concrete way, when we know the things we are talking about
   • For example, in the sentence Mi teléfono está en la mesa (My phone is on the table), we’re talking about a specific phone, my phone. In the sentence Pierre, Elena, Mohammed y Jennifer están en la clase (Pierre, Elena, Mohammed, and Jennifer are in the class), we’re referring not to four students in general but to these specific four students.

4. If we look at the examples above (2 and 3), we can see that haber doesn’t change (hay + singular subject; hay + plural subject), while estar does (está or están, depending on the subject).
5. We also use haber to talk about things that do or do not exist, especially when referring to abstract nouns: No hay tiempo, tenemos que salir ya (There is no time, we have to leave now) or uncountable nouns: ¿Hay café? (Is there any coffee?).
6. Up to this point, we have only used examples in the present tense. Hay is the impersonal form of the verb haber in the present. In other verb tenses, the third person singular is used to express the impersonal form: Hubo un acccidente en el centro (There was an accident downtown) or No había nadie en la clase (There was nobody in the class).

Si no hay preguntas (If there aren’t any questions), that brings us to the end of today’s Spanish grammar review. A special thanks to José Ramón Rodríguez, one of our teachers in Malaga, for sharing his expertise.