• Present simple
  • Conversation
• Present progressive
  • Conversation
• Past simple
  • Conversation
• Past progressive
  • Conversation
• Used to / would
  • Conversation
• Present perfect
  • Conversation
• Future with will
  • Conversation
• Future with going to
  • Conversation
• First conditional
  • Conversation

Present simple

We use the present simple for habits, routines, and facts.

🔹 Usamos el present simple para hábitos, rutinas y verdades atemporales.

I work in an office. (Trabajo en una oficina).

She always eats breakfast at 8. (Ella siempre desayuna a las 8).

Water boils at 100 degrees. (El agua hierve a 100 grados).

Remember: third person singular adds -s or -es. Questions and negatives use do/does.

🔹 Recuerda: la tercera persona del singular añade -s o -es. Preguntas y negativos usan do/does.

Common time expressions:

always - siempre
usually - normalmente
sometimes - a veces
never - nunca
every day - cada día
on Mondays - los lunes

Conversation

Anna: What do you do for a living?

Tom: I work at a hospital ['hɑspɪtəl]. I'm a nurse [nɜrs] (enfermero). I usually work from 7 AM to 3 PM, but sometimes I work night shifts [ʃɪfts] (turnos). What about you?

A: I teach Spanish at a high school. I love my job. My students are great.

T: Do you speak any other languages?

A: Yes, I also speak French. My mother is from Paris.

T: That's amazing. I don't speak any languages other than English, unfortunately.

Present progressive

We use the present progressive for actions happening right now or for confirmed future plans.

🔹 Usamos el present progressive para acciones que ocurren ahora mismo o para planes futuros confirmados.

We form it with be + verb-ing.

🔹 Lo formamos con be + verbo-ing.

I am reading a book right now. (Estoy leyendo un libro ahora mismo).

She is working today. (Ella está trabajando hoy).

They are flying to London tomorrow. (Ellos vuelan a Londres mañana).

Common time expressions:

right now - ahora mismo
at the moment - en este momento
today - hoy
this week - esta semana
tomorrow (for plans) - mañana

Conversation

Laura: Hi Mark! What are you doing?

Mark: I'm cooking dinner. I'm making pasta.

L: Nice! I'm just walking home from work. What are you doing this weekend?

M: I'm visiting my parents on Saturday. They're expecting [ɪk'spɛktɪŋ] (esperando) me for lunch. And on Sunday I'm not doing anything. What about you?

L: I'm meeting Sarah for coffee on Saturday morning, and then I'm studying for my exam all afternoon.

Past simple

We use the past simple for completed actions at a specific time in the past.

🔹 Usamos el past simple para acciones completadas en un momento concreto del pasado.

I went to the gym yesterday. (Ayer fui al gimnasio).

She called me last Monday. (Ella me llamó el lunes pasado).

We moved to this house in 2015. (Nos mudamos a esta casa en 2015).

Remember: questions and negatives use did. Regular verbs add -ed. Irregular verbs have special past forms that must be memorized.

🔹 Recuerda: preguntas y negativos usan did. Los verbos regulares añaden -ed. Los verbos irregulares tienen formas especiales que hay que memorizar.

Common time expressions:

yesterday - ayer
last Monday / last week / last year - el lunes pasado / la semana pasada / el año pasado
two days ago - hace dos días
in 2015 - en 2015

Conversation

David: How was your weekend?

Emma: It was great! On Saturday I went to a concert. A friend invited me. The band was incredible [ɪn'krɛdɪbəl] (increíble).

D: What did you do on Sunday?

E: I slept until noon! Then I met my sister for lunch. We ate at a new Italian restaurant near the river. What about you?

D: I didn't do much. I stayed home and watched a movie. I also cooked a big meal for the week.

Past progressive

We use the past progressive for descriptions in the past, interrupted actions, and simultaneous actions.

🔹 Usamos el past progressive para descripciones en el pasado, acciones interrumpidas y acciones simultáneas.

We form it with was/were + verb-ing.

🔹 Lo formamos con was/were + verbo-ing.

It was raining and the wind was blowing. (Estaba lloviendo y el viento soplaba). => description

I was eating when the phone rang. (Estaba comiendo cuando sonó el teléfono). => interrupted action

I was reading while she was cooking. (Yo estaba leyendo mientras ella cocinaba). => simultaneous

Conversation

Mike: What happened last night? I heard there was a power cut [paʊər kʌt] (apagón).

Julia: Yes! I was watching TV when suddenly everything went dark. My brother was taking a shower, and my mom was cooking dinner.

M: What did you do?

J: We just waited. The lights came back after about twenty minutes. But my mom's dinner was ruined [ru:ɪnd] (arruinada) because the oven ['ʌvən] (horno) turned off.

Used to / would

We use used to for past habits or states that are no longer true. We use would for repeated past actions only (not for states).

🔹 Usamos used to para hábitos o estados pasados que ya no son ciertos. Usamos would solo para acciones pasadas repetidas (no para estados).

I used to live in Madrid. (Antes vivía en Madrid). => past state

She used to smoke. (Ella antes fumaba). => past habit

We would play soccer every Saturday when we were kids. (Jugábamos al fútbol cada sábado cuando éramos niños). => repeated past action

Would cannot be used for past states: I used to have a dog. Not: I would have a dog.

🔹 Would no puede usarse para estados pasados: I used to have a dog. No: I would have a dog.

Conversation

Peter: What was your life like when you were a child?

Sara: I used to live in a small village. I used to walk to school every day. After school, my friends and I would go to the river and play there for hours. My grandmother would always make us lemonade when we got home.

P: That sounds lovely. I used to live in the city. I didn't have a garden, so we would play in the street. I used to love video games. I would play for hours every evening.

Present perfect

We use the present perfect for life experiences (no specific time), for recent actions with present results, and for duration with for and since.

🔹 Usamos el present perfect para experiencias de vida (sin tiempo específico), para acciones recientes con resultado presente, y para duración con for y since.

We form it with have/has + past participle.

🔹 Lo formamos con have/has + participio pasado.

I have visited Paris three times. (He visitado París tres veces). => life experience

She has lost her keys. (Ha perdido sus llaves). => recent action, present result

We have lived here for five years. (Hemos vivido aquí durante cinco años). => duration

Key words:

ever - alguna vez (in questions)
never - nunca (in negatives)
already - ya
yet - todavía / aún (in questions and negatives)
just - acabar de
for - durante (+ period of time)
since - desde (+ point in time)

Have you ever been to Japan? (¿Has estado alguna vez en Japón?)

I have never eaten sushi. (Nunca he comido sushi).

She has already finished. (Ella ya ha terminado).

I haven't done it yet. (Todavía no lo he hecho).

He has just arrived. (Acaba de llegar).

I have known her for ten years. (La conozco desde hace diez años).

I have known her since 2014. (La conozco desde 2014).

Conversation

Carlos: Have you ever traveled outside of Europe?

Nina: Yes, I have been to the United States twice. I went to New York in 2018 and to San Francisco last year. Have you?

C: I've never left Europe, actually. But I've always wanted to visit Japan.

N: You should go! Have you already planned your summer holidays?

C: Not yet. I haven't decided where to go. I've just started looking at flights.

N: I've been a member of a travel group for three years. They organize great trips. You should join.

Future with will

We use will for predictions, spontaneous decisions, and promises.

🔹 Usamos will para predicciones, decisiones espontáneas y promesas.

It will rain tomorrow. (Lloverá mañana). => prediction

I'll help you with that. (Te ayudaré con eso). => spontaneous decision

I will always love you. (Siempre te querré). => promise

The negative is will not or won't.

🔹 El negativo es will not o won't.

Conversation

Raúl: I think it will be very hot this summer.

Megan: I agree [ə'gri:] (estoy de acuerdo). I'll probably spend a lot of time at the beach.

R: That sounds nice. Oh, I forgot to buy milk. I'll go to the shop after this.

M: Don't worry, I'll get it for you. I'm going out anyway.

R: Thank you! I promise I'll pay you back.

Future with going to

We use going to for plans already decided and for predictions based on evidence.

🔹 Usamos going to para planes ya decididos y para predicciones basadas en evidencia.

I'm going to visit my parents this weekend. (Voy a visitar a mis padres este fin de semana). => plan

Look at those clouds! It's going to rain. (¡Mira esas nubes! Va a llover). => evidence

Conversation

Pablo: What are your plans for next year?

Lisa: I'm going to start a new course in September. I'm going to study graphic design ['græfɪk dɪ'zaɪn] (diseño gráfico). What about you?

P: I'm going to change jobs. I've been thinking about it for a while. I'm going to send my CV [si: vi:] (currículum) to a few companies next month.

L: That's exciting. I'm sure you're going to find something great.

First conditional

If + present simple, will + infinitive. We use it for situations that are possible or probable in the future.

🔹 If + present simple, will + infinitivo. Lo usamos para situaciones posibles o probables en el futuro.

If it rains, I will stay home. (Si llueve, me quedaré en casa).

If you study hard, you will pass the exam. (Si estudias mucho, aprobarás el examen).

If she doesn't call, I'll send her a message. (Si no llama, le enviaré un mensaje).

Conversation

Rosa: If you finish work early, will you come to the cinema with me?

Leo: Maybe. If the movie starts after 7, I'll be able to come. What are we seeing?

R: A new thriller ['θrɪlər]. If you don't like it, we can leave early.

L: OK. If I can't make it, I'll call you. But I think I'll be there.