Using Example Sentences to Learn New Words | Learn Spanish in English

Spanish lesson set in a contemporary Madrid everyday setting: In a classroom, two adults discuss vocabulary study and decide to remember new words by writing practical example sentences from daily life..

EN → ES / Level: B1

About This Lesson

Use Using Example Sentences to Learn New Words to practice Spanish conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

Recuerdo las palabras nuevas mientras estudio.

reh-KWEHR-doh lahs pah-LAH-brahs NWEH-bahs MYEHN-trahs ehs-TOO-dyoh. I remember new words during study time.
A

Pero las olvido cuando intento hablar.

PEH-roh lahs ohl-BYEE-doh KWAHN-doh een-TEHN-toh ah-BLAHR. But I forget them when I try to speak.
B

Puede que esas palabras no estén relacionadas con situaciones en las que realmente las usarías.

PWEH-deh keh EH-sahs pah-LAH-brahs noh ehs-TEHN reh-lah-syoh-NAH-dahs kohn see-too-ah-SYOH-nehs ehn lahs keh reh-AHL-mehn-teh lahs oo-sah-REE-ahs. The words may not be connected to situations where you would actually use them.
A

Normalmente escribo la traducción y repaso la misma lista más tarde.

nohr-mahl-MEHN-teh ehs-KREE-boh lah trah-dook-SYOHN ee reh-PAH-soh lah MEE-smah LEE-stah mahs TAR-deh. I usually write the translation and review the same list later.
B

Intenta añadir una frase de ejemplo sencilla para cada palabra útil.

een-TEHN-tah ahn-yah-DEER oo-nah FRAH-seh deh eh-HEM-ploh sehn-SEE-yah pah-rah KAH-dah pah-LAH-brah oo-TEEL. Try adding one simple example sentence for each useful word.
A

Puedo escribir frases sobre el trabajo, las compras o los mensajes a mis amigos.

PWEH-doh ehs-kree-BEER FRAH-sehs SOH-breh ehl trah-BAH-hoh, lahs KOHM-prahs oh lohs mehn-SAH-hehs ah mees ah-MEE-gohs. I can write sentences about work, shopping, or messages to friends.
B

Esas situaciones harán que sea más fácil recordar el significado durante una conversación.

EH-sahs see-too-ah-SYOH-nehs ah-RAHN keh SEH-ah mahs fah-SEEL reh-kor-DAHR ehl seeg-nee-fee-KAH-doh doo-RAHN-teh oo-nah kohn-behr-sah-SYOHN. Those situations will make the meaning easier to recall during conversation.
A

Probablemente debería estudiar menos palabras y usarlas más a menudo.

proh-bah-bleh-MEHN-teh deh-beh-REE-ah ehs-too-DYAHR MEH-nohs pah-LAH-brahs ee oo-SAR-lahs mahs ah meh-NOO-doh. I should probably study fewer words and use them more often.
B

Usarlas repetidamente ayudará a que esas palabras formen parte de tu vocabulario activo.

oo-SAR-lahs reh-peh-tee-dah-MEHN-teh ah-yoo-dah-RAH ah keh EH-sahs pah-LAH-brahs FOR-mehn PAR-teh deh too boh-kah-boo-LAH-ryoh ahk-TEE-boh. Repeated use will help the words become part of your active vocabulary.
A

Elegiré un grupo pequeño y escribiré ejemplos personales después de clase.

eh-leh-hee-REH oon GROO-poh peh-KEH-nyoh ee ehs-kree-bee-REH eh-HEM-plohs pehr-soh-NAH-lehs dehs-PWEHS deh KLAH-seh. I will choose a small set and write personal examples after class.
B

Esa rutina debería hacer más práctica tu forma de estudiar vocabulario.

EH-sah roo-TEE-nah deh-beh-REE-ah ah-SEHR mahs PRAHK-tee-kah too FOR-mah deh ehs-too-DYAHR boh-kah-boo-LAH-ryoh. That routine should make your vocabulary practice more practical.

Word by Word

Recuerdo Recuerdo means “I remember” here and is the first-person form of recordar. It is used for recalling the new words during study, and a common reuse pattern is Recuerdo + an object or fact.
las Las means “the” before the feminine plural noun palabras, and it means “them” in las olvido, referring back to the words. As an article it comes before a plural noun; as a pronoun it can come before a conjugated verb.
palabras Palabras means “words” in the discussion about learning new vocabulary. It is used with las and nuevas in las palabras nuevas, and it can name the language items someone studies or uses.
nuevas Nuevas means “new” and describes the words being learned in las palabras nuevas. It matches palabras in its form, and it can be used before or after a noun to describe something recently encountered.
mientras Mientras means “while” and links the time of remembering with the activity of studying. It commonly introduces an action happening at the same time as another action.
estudio Estudio means “I study” here, not “study” as a noun; it is a first-person form of estudiar. In mientras estudio, it gives the activity happening while the speaker remembers the words, and it can be used for regular study activities.
Pero Pero means “but” and marks a contrast between remembering during study and forgetting while speaking. It commonly connects two statements when the second one differs from or limits the first.
olvido Olvido means “I forget” here and is the first-person form of olvidar. It describes losing the words from memory when trying to speak, and it can be used before an object such as las.
cuando Cuando means “when” and introduces the situation in which the speaker forgets the words. It commonly links an event with the time or circumstance in which it happens.
intento Intento means “I try” here and is the first-person form of intentar. In intento hablar, it introduces the action the speaker is trying to do; intentar can commonly be followed by an infinitive.
hablar Hablar means “to speak” and follows intento to name the action being attempted. It is an infinitive, so it can be used after verbs such as intentar or poder.
Puede Puede contributes the meaning of possibility in Puede que esas palabras no estén relacionadas, roughly “those words may not be connected.” It is a form of poder used in the pattern Puede que + a clause when expressing uncertainty.
que Que introduces the clause after Puede in Puede que esas palabras no estén relacionadas, and it also links situaciones with the following description in en las que. Its exact function depends on the surrounding construction, and it commonly introduces a clause or links a noun with further information.
esas Esas means “those” in esas palabras and points to the words already being discussed. It agrees with palabras, and it can be used before a noun to identify things at some distance in the conversation or context.
no No makes the statement negative in no estén relacionadas, meaning that the words may not be connected to the situations. It normally appears directly before the verb or verb phrase it negates.
estén Estén expresses the possible state of being connected in Puede que esas palabras no estén relacionadas. It is a form of estar used after Puede que for an uncertain situation, and estar relacionado con is a reusable pattern for saying that something is connected with something else.
relacionadas Relacionadas means “connected” or “related” in no estén relacionadas con situaciones. It describes the relationship between the words and the situations, and relacionado con can be reused before the thing something is connected with.
con Con means “with” in relacionadas con situaciones and completes the pattern for describing a connection. It commonly follows relacionado or related expressions to introduce the associated person, thing, or idea.
situaciones Situaciones means “situations” in the contexts where the learner would actually use the words. It is used after con and is further described by en las que realmente las usarías, and it can refer to practical circumstances in daily life.
en En means “in” in en las que, referring to the situations in which the words would be used. It commonly introduces a place, context, or situation, including a relative expression such as en las que.
realmente Realmente means “actually” or “really” and emphasizes that the situations are ones in which the learner would genuinely use the words. It commonly modifies a verb or statement to add this emphasis.
usarías Usarías means “you would use” here and is a conditional form of usar. It describes hypothetical or relevant situations in en las que realmente las usarías, and it can be used with an object to say what someone would use.
Normalmente Normalmente means “normally” or “usually” and introduces the speaker’s usual study method. It commonly appears at the beginning of a sentence to describe a repeated habit.
escribo Escribo means “I write” here and is the first-person form of escribir. It describes the speaker’s regular action of writing the translation, and it can be followed by the thing being written.
la La means “the” before the feminine singular noun traducción. It comes directly before that noun, and the same article pattern is used with other feminine singular nouns.
traducción Traducción means “translation” in the study method of writing the translation and reviewing the list. It can be used with escribir or repasar when discussing written language-learning material.
y Y means “and” and joins the two study actions escribo and repaso. It commonly links words, phrases, or actions that belong together.
repaso Repaso means “I review” here and is the first-person form of repasar. It describes going over the same list again, and repasar can commonly be followed by the material being reviewed.
misma Misma means “same” in la misma lista, identifying the list as the one already mentioned. It agrees with lista, and the pattern la misma + noun refers back to an identical previously mentioned item.
lista Lista means “list” in the list of vocabulary items the speaker reviews. It is used with la misma, and it can refer to an organized group of words or other items.
más Más contributes the meaning of “later” in the time expression más tarde, rather than expressing a larger amount here. Together with tarde it places the review at a later time, and this expression commonly follows an action or time reference.
tarde Tarde contributes to the expression más tarde, which means “later” in this sentence. The phrase is used to say that something happens after the current or previously mentioned time.
Intenta Intenta means “try” as a direct suggestion to one person and is the command form of intentar used here. It is followed by añadir, and a reusable pattern is Intenta + an infinitive when giving practical advice.
añadir Añadir means “to add” and names the action suggested in Intenta añadir. It is an infinitive after Intenta and can be followed by the thing being added.
una Una means “a” or “one” before frase de ejemplo sencilla. It introduces one example sentence for each useful word, and it commonly appears before a singular feminine noun.
frase Frase means “sentence” in frase de ejemplo, referring to a short sentence written to show how a word is used. It can be followed by de + a noun to specify the type or purpose of the sentence.
de De links frase with ejemplo in frase de ejemplo, meaning an example sentence. It commonly connects a noun with another noun that specifies its type, content, or purpose.
ejemplo Ejemplo means “example” in frase de ejemplo and identifies the sentence as one that demonstrates usage. It is commonly used after de to specify an example-related type of material.
sencilla Sencilla means “simple” and describes the example sentence in frase de ejemplo sencilla. It agrees with frase, and it can describe an explanation, task, or sentence that is easy to follow.
para Para marks the intended word associated with each sentence in para cada palabra útil. Here it helps express that one example is provided for every useful word, and it commonly introduces a purpose, recipient, or intended target.
cada Cada means “each” and distributes one simple example sentence across the useful words. It is followed by a singular noun, as in cada palabra, and is used when considering items one by one.
palabra Palabra means “word” in cada palabra útil, referring to each vocabulary item that receives an example sentence. It is used with útil here, and it can identify an individual item within a larger vocabulary set.
útil Útil means “useful” and describes the words selected for example sentences. It can follow a noun such as palabra and commonly describes something that has practical value.
Puedo Puedo means “I can” and expresses the speaker’s ability to write practical sentences. It is a first-person form of poder and is followed by the infinitive escribir in Puedo escribir.
escribir Escribir means “to write” and follows Puedo to name the action the speaker can perform. It is an infinitive after a modal-like verb and can be followed by the written material.
frases Frases means “sentences” in phrases about work, shopping, or messages to friends. It is the plural of frase and can be followed by sobre to introduce the topics of the sentences.
sobre Sobre means “about” and introduces the topics of the sentences: work, shopping, and messages. It commonly appears after a word such as frases to specify what the content concerns.
el El means “the” before the masculine singular noun trabajo. It introduces a specific topic, and the same article pattern is used before other masculine singular nouns.
trabajo Trabajo means “work” as one practical topic for the example sentences. It is used after el and can refer to employment, tasks, or the work context depending on the surrounding sentence.
compras Compras means “shopping” or “purchases” as another daily-life topic for example sentences. It is plural here and can refer to the activity of buying things or the things bought.
o O means “or” and offers alternatives among work, shopping, and messages. It commonly joins two or more possible topics, actions, or objects.
los Los means “the” before the masculine plural noun mensajes. It identifies the messages as a specific group, and it commonly comes directly before a masculine plural noun.
mensajes Mensajes means “messages” in the practical examples the speaker can write to friends. It is used with los and is followed by a to identify the recipients.
a A introduces the recipients in mensajes a mis amigos, meaning messages to my friends. It commonly appears after escribir or enviar when identifying the person receiving something.
mis Mis means “my” and identifies the friends as belonging to or associated with the speaker. It is a possessive form used before the plural noun amigos.
amigos Amigos means “friends” and names the recipients of the messages in mensajes a mis amigos. It is plural and is used after a to identify who receives or is addressed by the messages.
harán Harán means “will make” in Esas situaciones harán que sea más fácil recordar el significado. It is a future form of hacer with situaciones as the subject, and hacer que + a clause is used when one thing causes a result.
sea Sea expresses the state that will become easier in que sea más fácil recordar el significado. It is a form of ser used after hacer que, and it can introduce a quality or result assigned to something.
fácil Fácil means “easy” and describes how easily the meaning can be recalled. In sea más fácil recordar, it is followed by an infinitive to say that an action is easy to do.
recordar Recordar means “to recall” or “to remember” in sea más fácil recordar el significado. It is an infinitive after fácil and can be followed by the thing being remembered.
significado Significado means “meaning” and is the thing the learner will find easier to remember during conversation. It can be used with recordar when referring to the meaning of a word, phrase, or message.
durante Durante means “during” and places the remembering in the time of a conversation. It commonly comes before a noun naming the period or activity in which something happens.
conversación Conversación means “conversation” and identifies the speaking situation in which the meaning should be recalled. It is used after durante, and it can refer to an exchange between people.
Probablemente Probablemente means “probably” and softens the speaker’s statement about the best study method. It commonly appears before the verb or at the beginning of a sentence when expressing likely but not certain judgment.
debería Debería means “should” and expresses the speaker’s considered recommendation to study fewer words. It is a conditional form of deber followed by estudiar, and debería + infinitive is a common pattern for advice.
estudiar Estudiar means “to study” after debería and names the activity the speaker thinks should be reduced. It is an infinitive after debería, and it can be followed by the material being studied.
menos Menos means “fewer” before palabras, referring to a smaller number of words. It is used with a plural countable noun here, and it commonly expresses a reduced quantity.
usarlas Usarlas means “to use them,” with las referring to the words. The object pronoun is attached to the infinitive usar, and this infinitive-plus-pronoun form is useful when the action and its object are expressed together.
a menudo A menudo is the expression “often,” describing repeated use of the words. A introduces the expression and menudo completes the fixed frequency phrase; it commonly appears after a verb to say that an action happens frequently.
repetidamente Repetidamente means “repeatedly” and emphasizes that the words are used again and again. It commonly modifies an action to describe repeated practice or use.
ayudará Ayudará means “will help” and states the expected effect of repeated use. It is a future form of ayudar, and ayudar a que + a clause is a reusable pattern for saying that something helps bring about a result.
formen Formen means “form” or “become part of” in formen parte de tu vocabulario activo. It is a plural form of formar after ayudar a que, and formar parte de is used to say that something belongs to or becomes part of a larger whole.
parte Parte means “part” in formen parte de tu vocabulario activo. It is used in the fixed pattern formar parte de, which identifies the larger group or whole something belongs to.
tu Tu means “your” and identifies the active vocabulary as belonging to the learner. It is a possessive form placed before the singular noun vocabulario.
vocabulario Vocabulario means “vocabulary” and names the collection of words the learner knows and uses. It appears in tu vocabulario activo, and it can be used with formar parte de to describe membership in that collection.
activo Activo means “active” and describes vocabulary that has become available for actual use. It agrees with vocabulario, and it can distinguish usable knowledge from vocabulary that is only recognized or studied.
Elegiré Elegiré means “I will choose” and states the speaker’s planned selection of a small group of words. It is a future form of elegir, and elegir + an object is a common pattern for selecting something.
un Un means “a” or “one” before grupo pequeño. It introduces one small group of words, and it commonly appears before a singular masculine noun.
grupo Grupo means “group” or “set” in un grupo pequeño, referring to a limited selection of words. It can be used with an adjective such as pequeño to describe the size of the selection.
pequeño Pequeño means “small” and describes the group the speaker plans to choose. It agrees with grupo, and it can describe a limited amount, size, or selection.
escribiré Escribiré means “I will write” and states the speaker’s plan to create personal examples after class. It is a future form of escribir, and it can be followed by the material that will be written.
ejemplos Ejemplos means “examples” and refers to the practical sentences the speaker plans to write. It is plural and is described by personales, and it can be used for illustrations of how words work.
personales Personales means “personal” and describes examples based on the speaker’s own life or experience. It agrees with ejemplos, and personal examples can connect new vocabulary with situations familiar to the learner.
después Después means “afterward” in después de clase, placing the planned writing after the class. With de, it commonly introduces the activity or time that comes first.
clase Clase means “class” in después de clase, the activity after which the speaker will write the examples. It is used after de in this time expression and can refer to a lesson or teaching session.
Esa Esa means “that” and points back to the routine just described. It agrees with the feminine noun rutina, and it can identify a previously mentioned idea or thing.
rutina Rutina means “routine” and refers to the repeated study method of choosing words and writing personal examples. It is described by Esa and can name an organized pattern of regular activities.
hacer Hacer means “to make” in debería hacer más práctica tu forma de estudiar vocabulario. It is an infinitive after debería and is used here with an adjective to describe the result produced by the routine.
práctica Práctica means “practical” and describes the learner’s way of studying vocabulary. It agrees with forma, and hacer más práctica expresses making that method more useful in real situations.
forma Forma means “way” or “method” in tu forma de estudiar vocabulario. The pattern forma de + infinitive identifies how an activity is carried out, here the way of studying vocabulary.

Grammar Points

usarías + sustantivo

¿Qué palabras usarías normalmente?

keh pah-LAH-brahs oo-sah-REE-ahs nohr-mahl-MEHN-teh?

What words would you normally use?

The conditional ending -ías expresses what someone would do, often in a question or hypothetical situation.

elegiré + sustantivo

Elegiré un grupo personal.

eh-leh-hee-REH oon GROO-poh pehr-soh-NAHL.

I will choose a personal group.

The future ending -ré expresses an action the speaker plans or expects to do later.

Spanish Vocabulary

escribir verb
ehs-kree-BEER to write escribo

Normalmente escribo la traducción

hablar verb
ah-BLAHR to speak

intento hablar

intentar verb
een-tehn-TAHR to try intento

cuando intento hablar

normalmente adv
nohr-mahl-MEHN-teh usually, normally

Normalmente escribo la traducción

nuevo adj
NWEH-boh new nuevas

las palabras nuevas

olvidar verb
ohl-bee-DAHR to forget olvido

Pero las olvido cuando intento hablar.

palabra noun
pah-LAH-brah word palabras

las palabras nuevas

realmente adv
reh-AHL-mehn-teh actually, really

en las que realmente las usarías

recordar verb
reh-kor-DAHR to remember Recuerdo

Recuerdo las palabras nuevas mientras estudio.

relacionado adj
reh-lah-syoh-NAH-doh connected, related relacionadas

no estén relacionadas con situaciones

situación noun
see-too-ah-SYOHN situation situaciones

situaciones en las que realmente las usarías

usar verb
oo-SAHR to use usarías

las usarías

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

I remember new words during study time.

Show AnswerRecuerdo las palabras nuevas mientras estudio.

But I forget them when I try to speak.

Show AnswerPero las olvido cuando intento hablar.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

situation

Show Answersituaciones

connected, related

Show Answerrelacionadas

to forget

Show Answerolvido

actually, really

Show Answerrealmente