BrixBloks Grammar Apps

In most simple sentences you can think: who + does what + to what. Example: Eu bebo café. The subject (eu, ti, el/ela, nós, vós, eles/elas) normally appears, but in context it can be dropped because the verb ending already shows the person: Bebo café. Later you will see other orders for emphasis, but S–V–O is a safe pattern.

Memory tip: As a beginner, keep the order: subject + verb + the rest. You can start dropping the subject pronoun only when the context is very clear.

If the noun ends in a vowel, you normally add -s: casa → casas, libro → libros. If it ends in a consonant, you usually add -es: rapaz → rapaces, profesor → profesores. Articles change too: o/a → os/as, un/unha → uns/unhas.

Memory tip: Always learn nouns together with their article and one sample plural: a casa / as casas, o libro / os libros. This makes agreement feel more natural.

Use un (masc.) and unha (fem.) for 'a': un libro, unha casa. Their plurals are uns and unhas. Use o, a, os, as for 'the': o libro, a casa, os libros, as casas. With prepositions like a and de, these forms contract: ao (= a + o), á (= a + a), do (= de + o), da (= de + a), dos, das.

Memory tip: When you see a small word ending in -o/-a/-os/-as after a preposition (ao, da, nos, nas…), remember it is often a contraction with the article.

Possessive adjectives come before the noun and agree with it: o meu libro (my book), a túa chave (your key), o seu coche (his/her car). With names and nouns, de + noun shows possession: o libro de Pedro, a casa da profesora. De + article contracts: de + o = do, de + a = da, etc.

Memory tip: Learn the common possessive pairs early: meu/minha, teu/túa, seu/súa, noso/nosa, voso/vosa, seu/súa (plural owners). They appear all the time in simple talk.

To ask a yes/no question in speech, you can keep the statement word order and simply raise your intonation: Vives aquí? In writing, only a final question mark is used. Wh-questions start with a question word: onde (where), que (what), cando (when), por que (why), como (how), canto/a(s) (how much/many), cal (which).

Memory tip: For speaking, you can almost always use: pregunta word + normal sentence: Onde vives?, Cando chegas?, Por que estudas galego?

To say 'not', put non before the verb: Non bebo café, Non está canso. With pronouns or clitics, non normally comes first: Non o sei (I don’t know it). You can add nada (nothing) or ninguén (nobody): Non vexo nada, Non hai ninguén.

Memory tip: Think: say the positive sentence in your head, then simply drop non in front of the verb: falo galego → non falo galego.

Use ser for identity, origin and more permanent descriptions: Eu son estudante, Ela é médica, Nós somos de Vigo. Use estar for location and temporary states: Estou canso, Eles están na casa. The present forms of ser are: son, es, é, somos, sodes, son. For estar: estou, estás, está, estamos, estades, están.

Memory tip: Quick rule of thumb: ser for 'what something is' (job, origin, description), estar for 'how or where something is' (feeling, location).

Common ones: en (in, on, at), a (to), baixo (under), enriba de (on top of), diante de (in front of), detrás de (behind), ao lado de (next to). They appear before the noun: en casa, na habitación, enriba da mesa. Remember that a and de often contract with articles.

Memory tip: Learn place phrases as full chunks: na casa, no traballo, na escola, enriba da mesa, ao lado da xanela. They are more useful than isolated prepositions.

Many adjectives have masculine -o and feminine -a: piso pequeno / casa pequena; plural adds -s: pisos pequenos, casas pequenas. Adjectives usually follow the noun: unha casa grande, un coche novo, unha comida boa. Some very common ones can go before, but you can safely place them after at beginner level.

Memory tip: When you learn a new adjective, store it with a masculine and feminine example: coche novo / casa nova, amigo simpático / amiga simpática.

Regular -ar verbs like traballar form the past with -ei, -aches, -ou, -amos, -astes, -aron: traballei onte (I worked yesterday). Regular -er and -ir verbs like comer, vivir use endings like -ín, -iches, -eu/-iu, -emos, -estes, -eron: comín, viviches, viviu. You will also see compound forms later, but this is enough for many simple stories.

Memory tip: When you learn a new verb, try to learn one present and one past example together: hoxe traballo / onte traballei. The contrast helps the pattern stick.

Use the present of ir (vou, vas, vai, imos, ides, van) + a + infinitive: Mañá vou traballar (I am going to work tomorrow). This pattern is very common in everyday speech. You can also use the synthetic future later (traballarei), but ir a + infinitive is easier at A1–A2.

Memory tip: Attach a clear future time word when you mean the future: mañá, esta noite, a semana que vén. Then use vou/vas/vai + a + infinitive.

These verbs are conjugated and followed by an infinitive: Podo falar galego (I can speak Galician), Teño que traballar (I have to work), Quero descansar (I want to rest). In the negative, put non before the modal: Non podo ir.

Memory tip: Practise three starters: Podo…, Teño que…, Quero…. Then plug in useful verbs: comer, estudar, traballar, saír, descansar.

To compare two things, use máis (more), menos (less) or tan (as) with ca: Esta casa é máis grande ca outra, É menos caro ca ese, É tan interesante coma o outro. For 'the most', use o/a/os/as máis: É o mellor filme, a cidade máis bonita.

Memory tip: Keep three patterns in your head: máis … ca, menos … ca, tan … coma, and o/a máis …. With these you can already say a lot.

To tell someone to do something, use: Vén aquí! (Come here!), Abre a porta! (Open the door!), Espera un momento! (Wait a moment!). For vós, use the vós form without the pronoun: Vinde aquí!, Escoitade!, Senta­de, por favor. You can make it softer by adding por favor.

Memory tip: Learn a small set of everyday commands you really need: Vén!, Espera!, Mira!, Escoita!, Pecha a porta!, Senta, por favor.