Spanish Proficiency Exercises
Describe yourself to others.


Simplified and native speakers:

• Simplified Example
• José A.
• Sol P.
• Andrés V.
• José G.

.m4v (iPod) downloads
Click red links to download .m4v files for use in iPod:

• Simplified Example
• José A.
• Sol P.
• Andrés V.
• José G.

Subscribe to iTunes podcast: beg09
Subscribe to podcast: beg09


Key vocabulary for this task


Example phrases for this task


Grammar points for this task

Simplified Example
"Mi nombre es María Maybery..."
José A.
México, D.F.
"Mido 1.75. Soy pelón..."
Sol P.
México, Mexicali, Baja California
"Hola, buenas tardes. Mi nombre es Sol P...."
Andrés V.
Perú, Lima
"Soy Alberto Vargas y tengo 40 años..."
José G.
México, Delicias, Chihuahua
"Mi nombre es José G., tengo 24 años..."
agradable (adj)   pleasant
amigable (adj)   friendly
bigote (m)   mustache
cariñoso (adj)   kind
delgado (adj)   thin
estatura mediana (f)   medium height
estrategia (f)   strategy
faltar   to be missing
generoso (adj)   generous
hablador (adj)   talkative
ingeniero agrónomo (m/f)   agronomic engineer
nacer   to be born
paciente (adj)   patient
tez blanca   fair complexion
tímido   timid, shy
Me estoy quedando pelón. I'm going bald.
Soy bajito. Mido un metro y 20. I'm short. I'm 1 meter and 20 cm. tall.
Soy muy puntual. Siempre llego a tiempo a todas partes. I'm very punctual. I always arrive on time everywhere.
Me gusta bailar y leer mucho. I like to dance and read a lot.
Me interesan las artes y los viajes. I'm interested in the arts and travels.
Ella es muy ordenada. She is very organized.
Te puedes confiar en él, es muy cumplidor. You can trust him, he's very reliable.
Special meanings to "TENER"

The verb "TENER" is used in several phrases that do not translate directly into Engilsh. These are related to physical needs that a person may have. In English we say, "I am hungry, I am thirsty, I am cold, I am tired, I am afraid, I am right." In Spanish, however, each of these sentences is made with the verb TENER. Notice that this means that each of the phrases is spoken with nouns in Spanish, "I have hunger, I have thirst, etc.).

Yo tengo hambre. I am hungry.
  Juan tiene sed. Juan is thirsty.
  Nosotros tenemos frío. We are cold.
  Marcos tiene sueño. Marcos is sleepy.
  Ellos tienen miedo. They are afraid.
  José tiene calor. Jose is hot.
  Ana tiene prisa. Ana is in a hurry.
  Susana tiene razón. Susana is right.