Caring for a Small Plant | Learn Spanish in English

About This Lesson

Use Caring for a Small Plant to practice Spanish conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

Compré una planta pequeña para mi habitación.

kohm-PREH OO-nah PLAHN-tah peh-KEH-nyah PAH-rah mee ah-bee-tah-SYOHN I bought a small plant for my room.

¿Necesita mucha luz solar?

neh-seh-SEE-tah MOO-chah loos soh-LAHR Does it need much sunlight?

La etiqueta dice que le gusta la luz indirecta.

lah eh-tee-KEH-tah DEE-seh keh leh GOOS-tah lah loos een-dee-REHK-tah The label says it likes indirect light.

Entonces, déjala cerca de la ventana, no afuera.

ehn-TOHN-sehs DEH-hah-lah SEHR-kah deh lah behn-TAH-nah no ah-FWEH-rah Then keep it near the window, not outside.

¿Cada cuánto debo regar la tierra?

KAH-dah KWAHN-toh DEH-boh reh-GAR lah TYEH-rrah How often should I water the soil?

Revisa la tierra dos veces por semana antes de regar la planta.

reh-BEE-sah lah TYEH-rrah dohs BEH-sehs pohr seh-MAH-nah AHN-tehs deh reh-GAR lah PLAHN-tah Check it twice a week before watering.

Espero que crezca bien aquí.

ehs-PEH-roh keh KREHS-kah byen ah-KEE I hope it grows well here.

Debería crecer bien, siempre que no la riegues demasiado.

deh-beh-REE-ah kreh-SEHR byen SYEHM-preh keh noh lah RYEH-gehs deh-mah-SYAH-doh It should, as long as you do not water it too much.

Word by Word

Compré “Compré” means “I bought” in this dialogue and refers to a completed purchase. It is the past form related to the citation form comprar. A reusable pattern is Compré + noun when talking about something you purchased.

una “una” means “a” or “one” before “planta pequeña,” identifying one non-specific feminine noun. It agrees with the feminine singular noun it accompanies. A reusable pattern is una + singular feminine noun.

planta “planta” means “plant,” the living object bought for the room. In “una planta pequeña,” it is the noun described by pequeña. A reusable pattern is una planta when referring to one plant.

pequeña “pequeña” means “small” and describes the plant in “planta pequeña.” Its form matches the feminine singular noun planta. A reusable pattern is noun + adjective when adding a description.

para “para” means “for” and shows the intended place or purpose in “para mi habitación.” It connects the purchased plant with the room it is intended for. A reusable pattern is para + noun for an intended destination or purpose.

mi “mi” means “my” and shows that the room belongs to or is associated with the speaker. In “mi habitación,” it comes directly before the singular noun. A reusable pattern is mi + singular noun when identifying something connected to the speaker.

habitación “habitación” means “room” and is the place for which the plant was bought. It appears in “mi habitación” with the possessive mi. A useful pattern is referring to a place with mi habitación when talking about the speaker’s room.

Necesita “Necesita” means “needs” in the question about the plant’s sunlight. The form is used for the singular subject, the plant, and is related to the citation form necesitar. A reusable pattern is necesita + noun when asking or stating what something requires.

mucha “mucha” means “much” or “a lot of” in “mucha luz solar.” It describes a large amount of the feminine singular noun luz. A reusable pattern is mucha + singular feminine noun when describing a large amount.

luz “luz” means “light,” specifically the light being considered for the plant. In “luz solar,” it is specified as sunlight. A reusable pattern is luz + adjective when describing the type of light.

solar “solar” means “solar” or “sunlight-related” and specifies the kind of luz in “luz solar.” It follows the noun it describes here. A reusable pattern is luz solar when discussing light from the sun.

La “La” means “the” before the feminine singular noun etiqueta in “La etiqueta.” It identifies a specific label, namely the plant’s label. A reusable pattern is La + singular feminine noun.

etiqueta “etiqueta” means “label,” which is presented as the source of the plant-care information. In “La etiqueta dice,” the label communicates what the plant likes. A useful pattern is referring to information on a label with La etiqueta.

dice “dice” means “says” and describes what the label communicates. It is the present form related to the citation form decir. A reusable pattern is dice que + clause when reporting information.

que “que” means “that” and connects “dice” with the information reported afterward. In “dice que le gusta la luz indirecta,” it introduces the label’s statement. A reusable pattern is dice que + clause for reporting what something says.

le “le” refers to the plant as the one for which the light is pleasing in the construction “le gusta la luz indirecta.” Together with gusta, it helps express the plant’s preference rather than simply placing the plant as the subject. A reusable pattern is le gusta + thing when saying that something is pleasing to it.

gusta “gusta” means “is pleasing to” and, in “le gusta la luz indirecta,” expresses that the plant likes indirect light. The construction uses le for the plant and the liked thing as its complement. A reusable pattern is le gusta + singular thing.

indirecta “indirecta” means “indirect” and describes the light in “luz indirecta.” Its form matches the feminine singular noun luz. A reusable pattern is noun + adjective when specifying a type of light.

Entonces “Entonces” means “then” or “so” and introduces the advice that follows from the label’s information. It links the stated preference for indirect light with the suggested location. A useful pattern is starting advice with Entonces when it follows a conclusion.

déjala “déjala” tells the listener to leave or keep the feminine object, the plant, in a certain place. It combines the command form related to dejar with the object pronoun la. In “déjala cerca de la ventana,” it is used to give practical care instructions.

cerca “cerca” means “near” and describes the plant’s location in “cerca de la ventana.” It is normally completed by de plus the place used as the reference point. A reusable pattern is cerca de + place.

de “de” links cerca with the reference place in “cerca de la ventana.” Here it is part of the location pattern rather than expressing possession. A reusable pattern is cerca de + place when describing something’s proximity.

ventana “ventana” means “window,” the reference point for where the plant should stay. It appears in “la ventana,” referring to a specific window. A useful pattern is la ventana when identifying a particular window in the setting.

no “no” means “not” and negates the alternative location in “no afuera.” It makes clear that the plant should not be outside. A reusable pattern is no + location when rejecting a place.

afuera “afuera” means “outside” and is the location rejected in “no afuera.” It contrasts with keeping the plant near the window indoors. A useful pattern is using afuera to describe a place outside.

Cada “Cada” means “each” or “every” and contributes the repeated-interval idea in the question “Cada cuánto.” Together with cuánto, it asks about frequency rather than identifying one particular time. A reusable pattern is cada + time unit for a recurring schedule.

cuánto “cuánto” means “how much” in general, but in “Cada cuánto” it asks how often an action should happen. The phrase refers to the length of the interval between watering actions. A reusable question pattern is Cada cuánto + verb when asking about frequency.

debo “debo” means “should” or “must” and asks what the speaker is expected to do. It is the first-person form related to the citation form deber. A reusable pattern is debo + infinitive, as in “debo regar.”

regar “regar” means “to water” and is the infinitive used after debo in “debo regar la tierra.” It names the care action the speaker is asking about. A reusable pattern is debo regar + object when stating that the speaker needs to water something.

tierra “tierra” means “soil” in “regar la tierra” and “Revisa la tierra.” It is the material whose condition should be checked before watering. A useful pattern is referring to plant soil with la tierra.

Revisa “Revisa” means “check” and gives the listener an instruction to inspect the soil. It is the command form related to the citation form revisar. A reusable pattern is Revisa + object, as in “Revisa la tierra.”

veces “veces” means “times” and counts how often the soil should be checked in “dos veces por semana.” It is used after a number to express repeated occurrences. A reusable pattern is number + veces for counting actions.

por “por” means “per” in “dos veces por semana” and sets the rate over a time period. It connects the number of checks with the week. A reusable pattern is veces por + time period when expressing frequency.

semana “semana” means “week” and provides the time period in “dos veces por semana.” The phrase describes a weekly checking schedule. A useful pattern is por semana when stating a rate per week.

antes “antes” means “before” and places the checking action earlier than watering in “antes de regar la planta.” It introduces a time relationship between two actions. A reusable pattern is antes de + infinitive for saying that one action happens before another.

Espero “Espero” means “I hope” and expresses the speaker’s hope about the plant’s growth. It is the first-person form related to the citation form esperar. A reusable pattern is Espero que + clause when expressing a hope.

crezca “crezca” expresses the hoped-for growth of the plant after “Espero que.” It is the verb form related to the citation form crecer used inside that dependent clause. A reusable pattern is Espero que + verb when stating what the speaker hopes will happen.

bien “bien” means “well” and describes the hoped-for quality of the plant’s growth in “crezca bien.” It modifies the growth action rather than naming another object. A reusable pattern is verb + bien when describing an action or result as going well.

aquí “aquí” means “here” and identifies the current location where the plant is expected to grow well. It completes the meaning of “crezca bien aquí.” A useful pattern is verb + aquí when saying that something happens in the current place.

Debería “Debería” means “should” and expresses an expected result in “Debería crecer bien.” It is the conditional form related to deber and presents the result as likely under the situation described. A reusable pattern is debería + infinitive when stating an expectation.

crecer “crecer” means “to grow” and is the infinitive after debería in “Debería crecer bien.” It names the expected development of the plant. A reusable pattern is modal expression + crecer when discussing expected growth.

siempre “siempre” means “always,” but in “siempre que” it helps form the condition “as long as.” The complete expression introduces the requirement for the expected growth. A useful pattern is siempre que + clause for stating a condition.

riegues “riegues” means “you water” within the condition “no la riegues demasiado.” It is the form related to the citation form regar used in this conditional instruction. A reusable pattern is no la riegues demasiado when warning someone not to overwater the plant.

demasiado “demasiado” means “too much” or “excessively” and describes the amount of watering in “riegues demasiado.” It marks an amount beyond what is appropriate for the plant. A reusable pattern is verb + demasiado when saying that an action is done excessively.

Grammar Points

esperar que + subjuntivo

Espero que crezca bien.

ehs-PEH-roh keh KREHS-kah byen

I hope it grows well.

After espero que, Spanish uses the subjunctive: crezca, not the infinitive.

siempre que + subjuntivo

Siempre que riegues la planta, crecerá bien.

SYEHM-preh keh RYEH-gehs lah PLAHN-tah kreh-seh-RAH byen

As long as you water the plant, it will grow well.

Siempre que meaning “as long as” introduces a condition with the subjunctive, such as riegues.

Spanish Vocabulary

comprar verb

kohm-PRAR to buy Compré

Compré una planta pequeña para mi habitación.

decir verb

deh-SEER to say dice

La etiqueta dice que le gusta la luz indirecta.

dejar verb

deh-HAR to leave; to keep déjala

Entonces, déjala cerca de la ventana, no afuera.

entonces adv

ehn-TOHN-sehs then

Entonces, déjala cerca de la ventana, no afuera.

etiqueta noun

eh-tee-KEH-tah label

La etiqueta dice que le gusta la luz indirecta.

gustar verb

goos-TAR to like gusta

La etiqueta dice que le gusta la luz indirecta.

habitación noun

ah-bee-tah-SYOHN room

Compré una planta pequeña para mi habitación.

indirecto adj

een-dee-REHK-toh indirect indirecta

La etiqueta dice que le gusta la luz indirecta.

luz solar phrase

loos soh-LAHR sunlight

¿Necesita mucha luz solar?

necesitar verb

neh-seh-see-TAR to need Necesita

¿Necesita mucha luz solar?

pequeño adj

peh-KEH-nyoh small pequeña

Compré una planta pequeña para mi habitación.

planta noun

PLAHN-tah plant

Compré una planta pequeña para mi habitación.

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

Does it need much sunlight?

Show Answer

¿Necesita mucha luz solar?

How often should I water the soil?

Show Answer

¿Cada cuánto debo regar la tierra?

I hope it grows well here.

Show Answer

Espero que crezca bien aquí.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

plant

Show Answer

planta

to need

Show Answer

Necesita

small

Show Answer

pequeña

to say

Show Answer

dice