Spanish Practice Flashcards
6 cards from real Duolingo English Test practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Spanish Practice flashcards as text
What is the difference between the preterite and imperfect tenses in Spanish?
Answer: Preterite describes completed past actions; imperfect describes ongoing, habitual, or background past actions
The preterite (Fui al cine = I went to the movies) describes completed, one-time past actions. The imperfect (Iba al cine todos los sábados = I used to go to the movies every Saturday) describes ongoing, habitual, or background past situations.
In Duolingo Spanish, which reflexive construction is taught for daily routine activities?
Answer: Using reflexive verbs with 'se' pronouns: levantarse, ducharse, vestirse
Daily routines in Spanish use reflexive verbs: levantarse (to get up), ducharse (to shower), vestirse (to get dressed), acostarse (to go to bed). The reflexive pronoun (me, te, se, nos, os, se) must match the subject.
What is the difference between 'saber' and 'conocer' in Spanish?
Answer: 'Saber' means to know facts/skills and 'conocer' means to be familiar with people/places
'Saber' is for knowing facts, information, or skills (Sé nadar = I know how to swim). 'Conocer' is for being acquainted with people, places, or things (Conozco Madrid = I know/have been to Madrid). This parallels French savoir/connaître.
How does Spanish handle gender agreement in adjectives?
Answer: Adjectives agree with the noun in gender and number: alto/alta/altos/altas
Spanish adjectives must agree with their noun in both gender and number. 'Alto' (tall) has four forms: alto (masculine singular), alta (feminine singular), altos (masculine plural), altas (feminine plural). Some adjectives ending in '-e' or consonants have only two forms (singular/plural).
In the Duolingo Spanish course, what is the 'personal a' and when must it be used?
Answer: It is the preposition 'a' placed before a direct object that is a specific person
The 'personal a' is placed before a direct object when that object is a specific person: 'Veo a María' (I see María) vs 'Veo la casa' (I see the house). This grammatical feature has no English equivalent and is unique to Spanish and a few other Romance languages.
What are stem-changing verbs in Spanish and why are they challenging for learners?
Answer: Verbs whose stem vowel changes in certain conjugated forms (e→ie, o→ue, e→i)
Stem-changing verbs change their root vowel when stressed: pensar→pienso (e→ie), dormir→duermo (o→ue), pedir→pido (e→i). The change occurs in all present tense forms except nosotros and vosotros, creating an irregular pattern that must be memorized.