Mastering A1 Level Spanish: A Complete Guide to Basic Grammar & Vocabulary
Learning Spanish can be an exciting journey, especially when you have a clear roadmap. If you’re aiming to reach A1 level in Spanish, this guide will provide you with essential grammar concepts and vocabulary, helping you build a strong foundation.
📖 Basic Grammar Concepts for A1 Level
1. Nouns & Gender (Masculine/Feminine)
Spanish nouns have genders—they are either masculine or feminine. This affects articles and adjectives that accompany them.
- Masculine nouns: el libro (the book), el perro (the dog), el chico (the boy)
- Feminine nouns: la mesa (the table), la casa (the house), la chica (the girl)
💡 Tip: Generally, nouns ending in -o are masculine, and those ending in -a are feminine.
2. Articles: Definite & Indefinite
Definite Articles (“the”)
- el (masculine singular) – el coche (the car)
- la (feminine singular) – la escuela (the school)
- los (masculine plural) – los niños (the boys)
- las (feminine plural) – las manzanas (the apples)
Indefinite Articles (“a/an/some”)
- un (masculine singular) – un perro (a dog)
- una (feminine singular) – una silla (a chair)
- unos (masculine plural) – unos libros (some books)
- unas (feminine plural) – unas flores (some flowers)
3. Subject Pronouns
Spanish subject pronouns replace the subject in a sentence.
- Yo (I)
- Tú (You – informal)
- Él / Ella (He / She)
- Nosotros/as (We)
- Vosotros/as (You all – informal, Spain)
- Ellos / Ellas (They – masculine/feminine)
Example:
- Yo hablo español. (I speak Spanish.)
- Ella tiene un coche. (She has a car.)
4. Common Verbs & Their Conjugations
Mastering these essential verbs is key to forming basic sentences.
A. Essential Irregular Verbs
- Ser (To be – permanent)
- Yo soy
- Tú eres
- Él/Ella es
- Nosotros/as somos
- Vosotros/as sois
- Ellos/Ellas son
- Estar (To be – temporary)
- Yo estoy
- Tú estás
- Él/Ella está
- Nosotros/as estamos
- Vosotros/as estáis
- Ellos/Ellas están
- Tener (To have)
- Yo tengo
- Tú tienes
- Él/Ella tiene
- Nosotros/as tenemos
- Vosotros/as tenéis
- Ellos/Ellas tienen
- Ir (To go)
- Yo voy
- Tú vas
- Él/Ella va
- Nosotros/as vamos
- Vosotros/as vais
- Ellos/Ellas van
B. Regular Verb Conjugation Patterns
- -AR verbs (e.g., hablar – to speak)
- Yo hablo
- Tú hablas
- Él/Ella habla
- Nosotros/as hablamos
- Vosotros/as habláis
- Ellos/Ellas hablan
- -ER verbs (e.g., comer – to eat)
- Yo como
- Tú comes
- Él/Ella come
- Nosotros/as comemos
- Vosotros/as coméis
- Ellos/Ellas comen
- -IR verbs (e.g., vivir – to live)
- Yo vivo
- Tú vives
- Él/Ella vive
- Nosotros/as vivimos
- Vosotros/as vivís
- Ellos/Ellas viven
5. Negation (No)
To make a sentence negative, place “no” before the verb.
- Yo no hablo inglés. (I do not speak English.)
- Él no tiene coche. (He does not have a car.)
6. Question Formation
- Using “¿…?”
- ¿Hablas español? (Do you speak Spanish?)
- ¿Dónde vives? (Where do you live?)
- Using inversion
- ¿Tiene ella un coche? (Does she have a car?)
7. Prepositions
- en (in/on)
- sobre (on/over)
- debajo de (under)
- delante de (in front of)
- detrás de (behind)
- entre (between)
- a (at/to)
- con (with)
Example:
- El libro está sobre la mesa. (The book is on the table.)
8. Possessive & Demonstrative Adjectives
Possessive Adjectives
- Mi / Mis (My)
- Tu / Tus (Your)
- Su / Sus (His/Her/Their)
Example:
- Este es mi hermano. (This is my brother.)
Demonstrative Adjectives
- Este (this, masculine)
- Esta (this, feminine)
- Estos (these, masculine)
- Estas (these, feminine)
Example:
- Este coche es rojo. (This car is red.)
📚 Essential Vocabulary
✔️ Greetings & Basic Phrases
- Hola (Hello)
- Gracias (Thank you)
- Por favor (Please)
- Perdón (Excuse me)
✔️ Numbers, Colors, Days, Months
- Uno, dos, tres… (One, two, three…)
- Rojo (Red), Azul (Blue)
- Lunes (Monday), Febrero (February)
✔️ Family Members
- Padre (Father), Madre (Mother), Hermano (Brother), Hermana (Sister)
✔️ Common Verbs & Adjectives
- Grande (Big), Pequeño (Small), Feliz (Happy)
✔️ Food, Places, and Objects
- Manzana (Apple), Escuela (School), Silla (Chair)
✔️ Travel & Directions Vocabulary
- Aeropuerto (Airport), Calle (Street), Izquierda (Left), Derecha (Right)
Final Thoughts
This guide provides a strong foundation in A1-level Spanish grammar and vocabulary. Regular practice, listening to Spanish conversations, and speaking aloud will accelerate your progress. ¡Buena suerte!
