Madrigals Magic Key to Spanish (15 page)
Read Madrigals Magic Key to Spanish Online
Authors: Margarita Madrigal
Tags: #Reference, #Language Arts & Disciplines
el fonógrafo
he best way to learn Spanish is through large concepts and ideas, not through memorizing little isolated words. One idea well established in your mind will give you two hundred verbs forever. And every time you use one of these two hundred verbs you become more automatic in the use of the other hundred ninety-nine!
Memorizing is dull and ineffectual. When you learn twenty verbs by rote you are apt to forget most of them and be bored by all of them. You are annoyed by the fact that you have to sit down and toil over them, and they become your enemies. But when you invent a verb it is your creation; you have made it, and you will always like it.
You are probably saying, “How can I invent a verb? Where do I start?”
Start with words that end in “tion” in English.
1. invitation
2. preparation
3. co-operation
4. imitation
5. continuation
6. recitation
Convert them into Spanish nouns by changing “t” to “c” as you learned in Lesson 2.
1. invitación
2. preparación
3. cooperación
4. imitación
5. continuación
6. recitación
Then remove “ación.”
1. invit — ación
2. prepar — ación
3. cooper — ación
4. imit — ación
5. continu — ación
6. recit — ación
Add “é” for me, “ó” for anybody else (third man).
1. invité, 
invitó
2. preparé, preparó
3. cooperé, cooperó
4. imité, imitó
5. continué, continuó
6. recité, recitó
Never let a word lie fallow in your mind. The minute you have learned it, try to use it. The mental process of using the word makes it stay with you. Now, let’s take the above words and put them into sentences.
Translate into Spanish:
1. I invited Mary to the party.
2. I prepared dinner last night.
3.The general co-operated with the president.
4.The monkey imitated Mary.
5.Robert recited a poem (un poema) in the class.
Check your sentences with those below to see if they are correct.
1. Invité a María a la fiesta.
2. Preparé la cena anoche.
3.El general cooperó con el presidente.
4.El mono imitó a María.
5.Roberto recitó un poema en la clase.