New
New
Year 5

My friend Max: understand descriptions

I can understand descriptions of others.

New
New
Year 5

My friend Max: understand descriptions

I can understand descriptions of others.

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Lesson details

Vocabulary and transcripts for this lessons

Key learning points

  1. Practising and revisiting vocabulary reinforces learning and develops communication skills.
  2. 'Tener' means to have, having; to say she, he, it is, use 'tiene'.
  3. 'Tiene' combines with the definite article, nouns and adjectives to describe facial features.
  4. Definite articles are used when describing facial features in Spanish; they agree with the noun number and gender.
  5. Adjectives often come after the noun; they agree with the number and gender of the noun they describe.

Keywords

  • Definite article - words 'el', 'la', 'los' and 'las' meaning 'the'

  • Tiene - she, he, it has, part of the verb 'tener' meaning to have, having

Common misconception

Spanish doesn't use the definite article 'the' when describing facial features.

In Spanish, the definite article 'the' is needed when describing facial features, e.g. Tiene los ojos azules y la nariz pequeña. In English, with plural features the article is omitted, e.g. S/he has blue eyes, or replaced by a or an; a small nose.


To help you plan your year 5 Spanish lesson on: My friend Max: understand descriptions, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Pupils could create their own portraits of a secret agent and describe them to a partner.
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This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Prior knowledge starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which words means 'show'?

cumpleaños
fecha
Correct answer: exposición
espectáculo
deporte

Q2.
'El tiene los ojos azules y la cara __________.' Which word best completes this sentence?

redondo
moreno
Correct answer: redonda
rubio
especial

Q3.
Match the Spanish to the English.

Correct Answer:cantar,to sing, singing

to sing, singing

Correct Answer:jugar,to play, playing

to play, playing

Correct Answer:practicar,to practise, practising

to practise, practising

Correct Answer:leer,to read, reading

to read, reading

Correct Answer:ser,to be, being (permanent traits)

to be, being (permanent traits)

Correct Answer:tener,to have, having

to have, having

Q4.
Order the words to say the days of the week from the end of the week to the beginning.

1 - domingo
2 - sábado
3 - viernes
4 - jueves
5 - miércoles
6 - martes
7 - lunes

Q5.
'Tengo un sombrero bonito y una pelota.' Translate this sentence into English.

Correct Answer: I have a pretty hat and a ball

Q6.
'You have a small nose.' Translate this sentence into Spanish.

Correct Answer: Tienes la nariz pequeña

Assessment exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which word means 'hair'?

nariz
ojo
oreja
Correct answer: pelo
cara

Q2.
Match the Spanish to the English.

Correct Answer:viejo,old

old

Correct Answer:pequeño,small

small

Correct Answer:grande,big

big

Correct Answer:divertido,fun, funny

fun, funny

Correct Answer:corto,short

short

Correct Answer:largo,long

long

Q3.
Match the Spanish to the English.

Correct Answer:estar,to be, being (temporary states)

to be, being (temporary states)

Correct Answer:escribir,to write, writing

to write, writing

Correct Answer:escuchar,to listen, listening

to listen, listening

Correct Answer:llevar,to wear, wearing

to wear, wearing

Correct Answer:pronunciar,to pronounce, pronouncing

to pronounce, pronouncing

Correct Answer:necesitar,to need, needing

to need, needing

Q4.
Order the words to say 'I have a funny but rather ugly cat'.

1 - tengo
2 - un
3 - gato
4 - divertido
5 - pero
6 - bastante
7 - feo

Q5.
'Tiene el pelo largo y moreno.' Translate this sentence into English.

Correct Answer: She has long dark brown hair, she has long brown hair

Q6.
'She has big ears.' Translate this sentence into Spanish.

Correct Answer: Ella tiene las orejas grandes

Additional material

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