Beginning Spanish for School Educators

As you begin to learn Spanish, there are some expressions that are key to greeting, introducing yourself, getting to know the parents, students, and support staff in your school. While you are studying these expressions, please note that Spanish has both a formal and an informal way to address a person (you). If you are talking to someone older, someone you are meeting for the first time, or someone in a higher position like a boss or a supervisor, you should use usted (Ud.) [OOS-TEHD]. After knowing the person for a while, or after they ask you to address them informally, family and friends you may use the tú [too] form. Keep in mind that Spanish-speaking countries, parents and children use usted [OOS-TEHD] to address their teachers and in some countries, parents use the usted [OOS-TEHD] form to make an authorative statement. When you address a student, you will normally use the tú [too] form, but at times—such as to emphasize the serious nature of what you are saying—you may use the usted [OOS-TEHD] form when addressing him or her.

GREETINGS

To start off a conversation you can always start with the most basics of greetings.

If you want to introduce yourself and others, there are a couple of ways to do this in Spanish.

If you are the person being introduced, you may respond with any of the following expressions.

A pleasure. Mucho gusto

It's a pleasure meeting you Es un placer

In Spanish, when you are talking about a teacher or other person with a title, you use the definite article (el, la, los, las [ehl, lah, lohs, lahs]) with the title,For example, if I wanted to say ¨She is Mrs Ruiz the Spanish teacher.” It would be “ Ella esla Señora Ruiz la maestra de español.”

To ask “How are you”  there are 2 ways to learn

How are you?     ¿Cómo estás? ( koh-moh ehs-tahs) (Informal)

How are you?     ¿Cómo está? ( koh-moh ehs-tah) (formal)

Responses

I’m fine thank you, and yourself?  ¿Estoy bien gracias, y usted? ehs-toi bee-ehn grah-see-ahs)

I’m great!    ¡Muy bien! (Mooi bee-ehn)

I’m worried    Estoy muy preocupada.

To say goodbye, there are various ways of doing this besides saying ADIOS (ah-dee-ohs)- goodbye

Have a great day! Que le vaya bien (keh leh vah-yah bee-ehn)

To say goodbye to your students, colleagues and parents for when there is an event that you know you will see them again.

Other expressions you can use with “hasta” are

Next week La semana próxima

Next Month El mes próximo

Next Year El año próximo

Let’s do some exercises!

What would you say in Spanish? Use the expressions that we went over!

1. You have just met the parents of one of your students, and you want them to meet your student teacher. Introduce him/her. _________________________

2. You have met the mother of one of your students. During Parents' Night you are introduced to the father. What do you say? _________________________

3. At the end of Parents' Night, you want to say good-bye to the parents. What do you say? _________________________

4. Introduce yourself to the mother of one of your students. _________________________

5. It is Friday, and one of your students is leaving the classroom. Tell him/her that you will see him/her on Monday. _________________________

6. You have made an appointment with the parents of one of your students. They are supposed to come back next week. Tell them that you will see them then. _________________________