THE SYNOPSES! Danged, cursed synopses! Synopses are supposed to be QUICK,
PAINLESS checks to make sure that you know the verb forms you have learned
over the years, and that you keep them limber in your mind - not horrible,
incredibly complex compilations of immense amounts of material that is
impossible for any human mind this side of some parallel-universe denizens to
memorize.But, many of you seem to think they are ridiculously difficult verb
helices which should be shifted over to quantum physics rather than Spanish
3 or 4. GIMME A BREAK GUYS! GIMME MULTIPLE FRACTURES in fact!
ARE YOU A VICTIM OF "CRAM SCAM"? I.e., you thought that the short-term
memorizing of verb forms before expected quizzes (then forgetting them) would
keep all these endings and forms in your mind? Ha, ha. But you're not alone.
This phony baloney has crippled thousands, nay, hundreds of thousands of
students since time immemorial. But it does not hinder a true scholar.
HOW TO BE A SCHOLAR, NOT JUST A STUDENT? You have to constantly practice the
language (like the guitar, skateboarding, swimming, baseball or videogames)
or YOU LOSE THE ABILITY. You have to make time to go over these verbs
regularly.
Regular verbs, easy: one simple pass. You know the endings and boom, you can
do any regular verb in existence. The irregulars are very limited in number,
but need special study.
Step One) GET CARDS. You may want color-coded index cards, but plain ol'
white ones work as well.
Step Two) GET MARKERS. At least two colours. Dark, saturated, easy-to-read.
Especially if you're partial to hot pink or deep purple index cards.
Step Three) GET READY. Open text (both Ol' Rusty and Ven Conmigo have
irregular verb lists at ends, in the appendices). Pick an irregular verb that
gives you particular trouble, say, VENIR.
Step Four) GET SET. Take card. Write "VENIR = to come" on the front of it.
Step Five) GO! ON the reverse side, put one form - "he" is highly suggested -
in vertical rows...you can group the tenses as you like. Do regular forms in
one colour; every time a form is irregular, put it in Colour Number Two.
Limitations of this web site prevent me from being able to use two colors, so
I will use capitals: pretend that the lower case words are black and the
upper case words are, say, red, green, orange, magenta, fuschia (not be
confused with "fuisteis"!):
VIENE VENDRA VINIENDO VEN
VINO VENDRIA venido vengas
venia VENGA venga
vengan
Okay, see? Venir - not a very regular-friendly verb, in fact, regularity-
challenged. Let's try one that seems SOOOOO irregular, our favorite, SER.
ES sera siendo se
FUE seria sido seas
ERA SEA sea
sean
See? Not quite so bad. When you see those caps all in red (or green, fuschia,
whatever) they really stand out, and going over the card and quizzing
yourself for just a COUPLE OF MINUTES nightly will DO THE TRICK. Considering
that there are only about 20 of these sorts of irregular verbs, is that so
much work? Really, no.
A scholar will choose to do this. A student will wait for me to give up and
assign it to the entire class.
There ya go.
