Key Idea: This topic covers small words that replace nouns, verbs you do to yourself, por or para, and how to compare things.
Object pronouns
- Direct: me, te, lo/la, nos, os, los/las. Indirect: me, te, le, nos, os, les.
- Before a conjugated verb ({{Lo veo.|I see it.}}) or attached to an infinitive, gerund or command ({{Voy a verlo. ¡Míralo!|I'm going to see it. Look at it!}})
- Indirect before direct, and le/les becomes se: {{se lo|it to him/her}}
Reflexive verbs
- The infinitive ends in -se: the subject acts on itself.
- The pronoun matches the subject: {{me levanto, se levanta|I get up, he/she gets up}}
- For daily routine, feelings and «each other»: {{me ducho, me siento bien, se quieren|I shower, I feel well, they love each other}}
- Attach it to the infinitive: acostarme, not «me acostar».
Para: Purpose: {{para aprender|in order to learn}}. Recipient: {{para ti|for you}}. Deadline: {{para el lunes|by Monday}}. Destination: {{para Madrid|to Madrid}}. Opinion: {{para mí|for me}}.
Por: Cause: {{por el tráfico|because of the traffic}}. Price: {{por diez euros|for ten euros}}. Duration: {{por dos horas|for two hours}}. Movement through: {{por el parque|through the park}}. Fixed phrases: {{gracias por, por eso|thanks for, that's why}}.
Comparatives
- More or less: más/menos + adjective + que: {{más alto que|taller than}}
- As … as: tan + adjective + como ({{tan alto como|as tall as}}); tanto/-a/-os/-as + noun + como.
- Irregular: {{mejor, peor, mayor, menor|better, worse, older, younger}}. Never «más bueno» or «más mejor».
- The most: {{el más alto de|the tallest in}}
Para points forward to a goal. Por points back to a reason, or along a route.
«Estudio ___ aprobar»: por or para? Para: it is a purpose.
Replace «el libro» and «a Ana» in «Doy el libro a Ana». «Se lo doy». Le becomes se before lo.
«Este coche es ___ que el otro» (bueno). «Mejor».
How do you say «we shower»? «Nos duchamos».
«Caminamos ___ el parque»: por or para? Por: movement through a place.