Spanish-speaking cities: article use and 'ser' vs 'estar'
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can describe Spanish-speaking cities using definite and indefinite articles and the verbs 'ser' and 'estar'.
Vocabulary and transcripts for this lessons
Key learning points
- In the Canary Islands, Latin America and parts of Spain, the sounds [ci] and [si] are pronounced the same.
- The definite articles 'el', 'la', 'los' and 'las' translate as 'the' in English.
- The indefinite articles 'un', 'una', 'unos' and 'unas' translate as 'a/an' and 'some' in English.
- There are two ways to say 'they are': 'están' for location and temporary state/mood, and 'son' for permanent traits.
Keywords
Indefinite articles - the words 'un', 'una', 'unos' and 'unas', meaning 'a/an' and 'some'
Definite articles - the words 'el', 'la', 'los' and 'las', meaning 'the'
Son - part of the verb 'ser' that means they are used to talk about permanent traits
Están - part of the verb 'estar' that means they are used to talk about location, temporary states and mood
Common misconception
In Spanish, like in English, there is only one 'the' and that is 'el'.
In Spanish, there are four words for 'the' - 'el' that accompanies singular and masculine nouns; 'la' for singular and feminine nouns, 'los' for plural and masculine nouns, and 'las' for plural and feminine nouns.
Teacher tip
The teacher might want to ask pupils to research a Spanish-speaking city and to create a poster. The task would benefit from a clear framework; number of sentences, structures and vocabulary to include, and the notion of 80:20 or 90:10 ratio of 'previously-taught' to 'newly-researched' language.
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Complete the definition: A is a word for a person, place or thing.
Q2.Match the Spanish to the English.
the shop
the school
the park
the mountain
the church
the countryside
Q3.Complete the definition: An is a word that describes a noun.
Q4.Match the English to the Spanish.
barato
caro
grande
pequeño
aburrido
bueno
Q5.Which statements about adjectives in Spanish are correct?
Q6.Match the Spanish to the English.
in the morning
in the afternoon, evening
at night
always
sometimes
never
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Complete the statement: 'In Latin America, the Canary Island and parts of Spain, the sounds [ci] and [si] ...
Q2.Which words are adjectives?
Q3.Which words are adverbs?
Q4.Match the indefinite article with the correct noun.
banco
estación
edificios
tiendas
Q5.Write the correct definite article. 'En Buenos Aires hay unos restaurantes. restaurantes son muy buenos.'
Q6.Translate into Spanish: 'The cities are far.'
To help you plan your 7 Spanish lesson on: Spanish-speaking cities: article use and 'ser' vs 'estar', download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 7 Spanish lesson on: Spanish-speaking cities: article use and 'ser' vs 'estar', download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 3 Spanish lessons from the Describing people and possessions: 'mi' and 'tu' unit, dive into the full secondary Spanish curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.