School and Future Work: Vocabulary and the Personal A

School and work in Spanish

This topic covers school and work in Spanish. Some words carry an accent, like matematicas, so read each one carefully. You will also learn the personal a, a small but important word that Spanish adds before a person who is the object of a verb.

Job and study words in Spanish

Four Spanish words for school. Learn the meaning of each.

School or work?

Sort the vocabulary into school words and work words.

Match the word

Which is maths?

Which Spanish word means maths?

• matemáticas
• colegio
• ciencias
• profesor

The personal a

When the direct object of a verb is a specific person, Spanish puts the word a before it. For example, veo a mi profesor means I see my teacher. You do not use it before a thing: veo el colegio means I see the school.

Match the work word

Personal a needed?

The personal a is used when the object is a PERSON. In which TWO of these is the object a person? Choose all that apply.

• You see your teacher
• You greet your boss
• You see the company
• You study science

Build a sentence

Put the words in order to say: I see my teacher. Remember the personal a.

• veo
• a
• mi
• profesor

School and work words in Spanish

The Spanish for school is _____. The Spanish for a teacher is _____. The Spanish for a job is _____. The Spanish for a company is _____. Before a person who is the object of a verb, you add the personal _____.

Spot the school subjects

Tap the TWO words that are school subjects.

• matemáticas
• ciencias
• profesor
• empleo

The one thing Spanish does that English never does

The school words become sentences with me gusta (I like) and es (is). Spanish also does one thing English never does - it puts a small a in front of a person who is the object of a verb: - Me gusta el colegio = "I like school". Spanish keeps el in front of colegio where English drops it. Me gusta is literally "it is pleasing to me". - Veo a mi profesor porque es simpático = "I see my teacher because he is nice". The a before mi profesor is the personal a: Spanish marks a person who is on the receiving end of the verb. porque then joins the reason.

Spanish puts a personal a before a person who is the object

Spanish puts a personal a before a person who is the object. Which of these says "I see my teacher because he is nice"?

• Veo a mi profesor porque es simpático
• Veo mi profesor porque es simpático
• Veo a mi profesor
• Me gusta el colegio

Which is the boss?

Which Spanish word means a boss?

• jefe
• empresa
• empleo
• carrera

Use the personal a?

For each object, decide whether the sentence needs the personal a.

• The object of the verb is your teacher, who is a person. Do you use the personal a?
• The object of the verb is the school, which is a thing. Do you use the personal a?
• The object of the verb is your boss, who is a person. Do you use the personal a?

Your studies and work

Write two or three sentences in Spanish about your studies and future work, using the personal a at least once.

• Name a school subject and a job in Spanish
• Use the personal a before a person at least once
• Write two or three sentences