Module 5: Building Complex Sentences and Advanced Vocabulary

In this module, we’ll take your Spanish skills to the next level by focusing on sentence structure, conjunctions, and a more diverse range of vocabulary. This will enable you to create more complex sentences and speak in a variety of contexts.

Lesson 1: Sentence Structure – Building Complex Sentences

Independent vs. Dependent Clauses:

Independent Clause: A sentence that can stand alone.
Example: Voy al mercado. – I’m going to the market.
Dependent Clause: A sentence that cannot stand alone and depends on an independent clause.
Example: Porque tengo que comprar frutas. – Because I have to buy fruits.

Combining Sentences with Conjunctions:

Y – And
Example: Voy al mercado y compro frutas. – I’m going to the market and buying fruits.
Pero – But
Example: Me gusta el café, pero prefiero el té. – I like coffee, but I prefer tea.
Porque – Because
Example: Voy al mercado porque necesito comida. – I’m going to the market because I need food.

Using Subordinate Clauses:

A subordinate clause gives more information about the main clause.

Que – That
Example: El libro que leí es interesante. – The book that I read is interesting.
Aunque – Although
Example: Aunque está lloviendo, voy a caminar. – Although it’s raining, I’m going to walk.

Lesson 2: Expressing Emotions and Reactions

Expressing Happiness and Joy:

Estoy contento/a – I am happy.
Me alegra verte – I’m happy to see you.
Qué alegría – How nice!

Expressing Sadness and Disappointment:

Estoy triste – I am sad.
Me siento decepcionado/a – I feel disappointed.
Qué pena – What a pity.

Expressing Surprise and Shock:

¡Qué sorpresa! – What a surprise!
No me lo puedo creer. – I can’t believe it.
¡Increíble! – Incredible!

Expressing Anger or Frustration:

Estoy enojado/a. – I am angry.
Me molesta. – It bothers me.
¡Qué rabia! – How frustrating!

Lesson 3: Conditional Sentences and Hypothetical Situations

The Conditional Tense:

The conditional tense is used to talk about things that would happen under certain conditions.

Yo comería – I would eat
Tú viajarías – You would travel
Él/Ella estudiaría – He/She would study
Nosotros/Nosotras hablaríamos – We would speak
Ellos/Ellas vivirían – They would live

Example:

Si tuviera dinero, viajaría más. – If I had money, I would travel more.
Me gustaría comer pizza. – I would like to eat pizza.

Using Conditional Sentences:

Conditional sentences often use the phrase “Si + [present] + [conditional].”

Si hace buen tiempo, iremos al parque. – If the weather is good, we will go to the park.
Si supiera la respuesta, te la diría. – If I knew the answer, I would tell you.

Lesson 4: Expressing Future Plans and Intentions

Using the Simple Future Tense (Again):

Yo iré – I will go
Tú comerás – You will eat
Ellos/Ellas hablarán – They will speak

Example:

Mañana iré al cine. – Tomorrow I will go to the movies.
Ellos viajarán a México. – They will travel to Mexico.

Using “Ir a + Infinitive” for Near Future:

This expression is commonly used to indicate immediate future plans.

Voy a estudiar. – I’m going to study.
Vas a salir. – You are going to go out.
Ella va a comprar comida. – She is going to buy food.

Expressing Future Intention with “Pensar” and “Esperar”:

Pienso viajar pronto. – I plan to travel soon.
Espero ver a mis amigos. – I hope to see my friends.

Lesson 5: Giving and Following Directions

Common Directional Vocabulary:

Derecha – Right
Izquierda – Left
Recto – Straight
Cerca – Close
Lejos – Far
A la derecha de – To the right of
A la izquierda de – To the left of

Example:

La tienda está a la derecha. – The store is to the right.
Mi casa está cerca de la plaza. – My house is close to the square.

Asking for Directions:

¿Dónde está el parque? – Where is the park?
¿Cómo llego a la estación de tren? – How do I get to the train station?
¿Hay un banco cerca de aquí? – Is there a bank near here?

End of Module 5: Review

By the end of this module, you will have mastered complex sentence structures, conditional and future expressions, and learned useful vocabulary for talking about health, directions, and daily life. You’ll be able to engage in more advanced conversations and describe various scenarios with confidence.