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Spanish / Unit 15: Yesterday (A2) / lesson 1

Yesterday words

Welcome to Spanish A2. In A1 you talked about today and about plans. Now the past: what you did yesterday. First the words that point back in time: ayer, anteayer, anoche, esta mañana. Then the first verbs in the past, the way you say them most: trabajé, I worked; cociné, I cooked. Press Play and say every word out loud.

Yesterday and last night, with Lupe

Yesterday

ayer

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SpanishEnglishNote
ayeryesterday
ayer por la mañanayesterday morning
ayer por la tardeyesterday afternoon
anochelast nightalso ayer por la noche
anteayerthe day before yesterdaythe twin of pasado mañana
esta mañanathis morningin the past when the morning is over
Note.

In Mexico you will also hear antier for anteayer. It is everyday speech; anteayer is understood everywhere and is the one to write.

I worked, I cooked

What Pedro did, with Pedro

I work, I worked

trabajo · trabajé

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InfinitiveI did itEnglish
trabajartrabajéI worked
desayunardesayunéI had breakfast
cocinarcocinéI cooked
cenarcenéI had dinner
comprarcompréI bought
escuchar (música)escuchéI listened (to music)
limpiar to cleanlimpiéI cleaned
lavar to washlavéI washed
Note.

The accent mark matters. Trabajo, stress on ba, is I work. Trabajé, stress on the last é, is I worked. Lesson 3 gives all the persons.

Yesterday, in sentences

Ayer y anoche

Ayer por la mañana desayuné en casa.

Yesterday morning I had breakfast at home.

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Practice

Listen: question 1

Press Play and listen.

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Question

What did Lupe say?

Hint
A short word for the night that is over.
Solution

Lupe said anoche: last night. Tonight is esta noche.

Listen: question 2

Press Play and listen.

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Question

What did Pedro say?

Hint
Listen for the stress at the end: trabajé.
Solution

Pedro said Ayer trabajé: yesterday I worked.

Question

What does anteayer mean?

Hint
Ante: before.
Solution

Anteayer: the day before yesterday. Pasado mañana is the day after tomorrow.

Question

Which one is in the past?

Hint
The accent mark on the last letter.
Solution

Cociné: I cooked. Cocino is I cook; voy a cocinar, I am going to cook.

Listen: question 5

Press Play and listen.

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Question

When did Pedro have dinner with Max?

Hint
Anoche.
Solution

Pedro said Anoche cené con Max: last night.

Listen: question 6

Press Play and listen.

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Question

What did Lupe do this morning?

Hint
Limpiar: to clean.
Solution

Lupe said Esta mañana limpié la casa: this morning I cleaned the house.

Put them in order, from the longest ago to the nearest

Click the items in the correct order. Click an item in your answer to move it back.

Available items
Your order

Note.

Next: more time in the past: last week, last Saturday, two days ago.