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This is a very compact extract of the grammar of Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and French using two books and some online resources: "Comparative Grammar of Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and French" by Mikhail Petrunin, "The Grammar of Romance" by Joshua Rudder, the Lingolia website, etc.
This is designed with mnemonics and referencing in mind.
The method is to memorize these forms for one or all the languages, regarding for example the Spanish definite articles as a one word utterance: "ellaloslas". You can add to it other mnemonic techniques to better remember them, but once you start to use them in your language practice, they will be dissociated from their mnemonics and you'll have direct access to them in your mind. However, if you find you have forgotten any of the forms you can quickly think back to your mnemonic or just take a look at these extracts. After some time using the language, these will be consolidated enough that you will no longer need to reference them.
Articles:
These are the definite and indefinite articles. Regard each cell as a one word utterance. The dot distinguishes between articles in each cell. Disregard them after you get familiar with them; your mind will notice each article in a cell automatically.
In each cell the order of articles is as follows: masculine singular, feminine singular, masculine plural, feminine plural. (the ones in parentheses are the alternate articles used in Italian. Look here to find out where to use them.)
Articles | Def. | Indef. |
Spanish | el.la.los.las | un.una.unos.unas |
Portuguese | o.a.os.as | um.uma.uns.umas |
Italian | il.la.i.le (lo.la.gli.le) | un.una.dei.delle (uno.un'.degli.delle) |
French | le.la.les.les | un.une.des.des |
Pronouns:
The table is fairly self-explanatory.
After the diamond, there is first the masculine and then the feminine possessive pronoun.
The one in brackets (if exists), is not a pronoun but the possessive adjective.
The letters in parentheses should be added to the end of the preceding term to make it plural (the letters in parentheses should replace the red letters in the preceding term, not added to it).
Pronouns: (Subject, Propositional, Direct Object, Indirect Object, Reflexive, ◇Possesive[Possesive Adjective]) | Sing. | Plur. | |
Spanish | 1st | yo.mi.me.me.me ◇mio(s).mia(s).[mi(s)] | nosotros.nosotros.nos.nos.nos ◇nuestro(s).nuestra(s) |
2nd | tu.ti.te.te.te ◇tuyo(s).tuya(s).[tu(s)] | vosotros.vosotros.os.os.os ◇vuestro(s).vuestra(s) | |
3rd masc. | el.el.lo.le.se ◇suyo(s).suya(s).[su(s)] | ellos.ellos.los.les.se ◇suyo(s).suya(s).[su(s)] | |
3rd fem. | ella.ella.la.le.se ◇suyo(s).suya(s).[su(s)] | ellas.ellas.las.les.se ◇suyo(s).suya(s).[su(s)] | |
Portuguese | 1st | eu.mim.me.me.me ◇meu(s).minha(s) | nos.nos.nos.nos.nos ◇nosso(s).nossa(s) |
2nd | tu.ti.te.te.te ◇teu(s).tua(s) | vos.vos.vos.vos.vos ◇vosso(s).vossa(s) | |
3rd masc. | ele.ele.o.lhe.se ◇seu(s).sua(s) | eles.eles.os.lhes.se ◇seu(s).sua(s) | |
3rd fem. | ela.ela.a.lhe.se ◇seu(s).sua(s) | elas.elas.as.lhes.se ◇seu(s).sua(s) | |
Italian | 1st | io.me.mi.mi.mi ◇mio(ei).mia(e) | noi.noi.ci.ci.ci ◇nostro(i).nostra(e) |
2nd | tu.te.ti.ti.ti ◇tuo(i).tua(e) | voi.voi.vi.vi.vi ◇vostro(i).vostra(e) | |
3rd masc. | lui.lui.lo.gli.si ◇suo(i).sua(e) | loro.loro.li.loro.si ◇loro(-).loro(-) | |
3rd fem. | lei.lei.la.le.si ◇suo(i).sua(e) | loro.loro.le.loro.si ◇loro(-).loro(-) | |
French | 1st | je.moi.me.me.me ◇mien(s).mienne(s).[mon(es)] | nous.nous.nous.nous.nous ◇notre(s).notre(s).[notre(s)] |
2nd | tu.toi.te.te.te ◇tien(s).tienne(s).[ton(es)] | vous.vous.vous.vous.vous ◇votre(s).votre(s).[votre(s)] | |
3rd masc. | il.lui.le.lui.se ◇sien(s).sienne(s).[son(es)] | ils.eux.les.leur.se ◇leur(s).leur(s) | |
3rd fem. | elle.elle.la.lui.se ◇sien(s).sienne(s).[son(es)] | elles.elles.les.leur.se ◇leur(s).leur(s) |
Verb Endings:
Each cell contains verb endings for three forms of verbs found in romance languages. These are verbs whose infinitive forms end in "are", "ere", and "ire" in case of Italian. For other languages there are similar endings; you should get a sense of it. However, for brevity, not all the three forms are written in the cells as there are duplicates most of the time.
The patterns in the cells of the table below, should be expanded thus:
- If you see a pattern like A(B), it should be expanded to A,A,A(B).
- In the expanded form, the first term is the "are" ending, the second one, the "ere" ending, and the third one, the "ire" ending. The ending in parenthesis is the alternate ending for the "are" infinitive form (curiously, there are no alternate endings for "ere" and "ire" forms).
- If you see a pattern like [A,B]C(D), it should be expanded to AC,BC,BC(D).
- If you see a pattern like [A,B,C]D, it should be expanded to AD,BD,CD.
[A,B]C(D) => AC,BC,BC(D) [A,B,C]D => AD,BD,CD A(B) => A,A,A(B) | Present | Present Perfect | Past | Past Perfect | Imperfect | Pluperfect | Future | Future Perfect | Past Participle | Present Participle | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Indicative | Conditional (fut. stem+ending) | Subjunctive (Sp.Por.It.: 1st pres. ind. - o + ending; Fr: 3rd pl. pres. ind. - ent + ending) | Indicative (pres. ind.+pp.) | Conditional (pres. cond.+pp.) | Subjunctive (pres. subj.+pp.) | Indicative | Indicative (past ind.+pp.) | Indicative (Fr.: 1st pl. ind. - ons + ending) | Subjunctive (Sp.Por.: 3rd pl. past - ron,ram + ending; It.Fr.: 2nd s. - s,sti + ending) | Indicative (imperf. ind.+pp.) | Subjunctive (imperf. subj.+pp.) | Indicative (inf.+ending) | Subjunctive (Sp.Por.: 3rd pl. past - ron,ram + ending) | Indicative | Subjunctive (fut. subj.+pp.) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sp. | 1st | o | [a,e,i]mos | ia | iamos | [e,a] | [e,a]mos | he+pp. | hemos+pp. | habria+pp. | habriamos+pp. | haya+pp. | hayamos+pp. | [e,i] | [a,i]mos | hube+pp. | hubimos+pp. | [aba,ia] | [ab,i]amos | ra(se) | ramos(semos) | habia+pp. | habiamos+pp. | hubiera(hubiese)+pp. | hubieramos(hubiesemos)+pp. | e | emos | re | remos | habre+pp. | habremos+pp. | hubiere+pp. | hubieremos+pp. | [a,i]do | [a,ie]ndo |
2nd | [a,e]s | [a,e,-]is | ias | iais | [e,a]s | [e,a]is | has+pp. | habeis+pp. | habrias+pp. | habriais+pp. | hayas+pp. | hayais+pp. | [a,i]ste | [a,i]steis | hubiste+pp. | hubisteis+pp. | [abas,ias] | [ab,i]ais | ras(ses) | rais(seis) | habias+pp. | habiais+pp. | hubieras(hubieses)+pp. | hubierais(hubieseis)+pp. | as | eis | res | reis | habras+pp. | habreis+pp. | hubieres+pp. | hubiereis+pp. | |||
3rd | [a,e] | [a,e]n | ia | ian | [e,a] | [e,a]n | ha+pp. | han+pp. | habria+pp. | habrian+pp. | haya+pp. | hayan+pp. | [o,io] | [a,ie]ron | hubo+pp. | hubieron+pp. | [aba,ia] | [ab,i]an | ra(se) | ran(sen) | habia+pp. | habiait+pp. | hubiera(hubiese)+pp. | hubieran(hubiesen)+pp, | a | an | re | ren | habra+pp. | habran+pp. | hubiere+pp. | hubieren+pp. | |||
Por. | 1st | o | [a,e,i]mos | ia | iamos | [e,a] | [e,a]mos | tenho+pp. | temos+pp. | teria+pp. | teriamos+pp. | tenha+pp. | tenhamos+pp. | [ei,i] | [a,e,i]mos | tinha+pp. | tinhamos+pp. | [ava,ia] | [av,i]amos | sse | ssemos | a | amos | tivesse+pp. | tivessemos+pp. | ei | emos | r | rmos | terei+pp. | teremos+pp. | tiver+pp. | tivermos+pp. | [a,i]do | [a,e,i]ndo |
2nd | [a,e]s | [a,e,-]is | ias | ieis | [e,a]s | [e,a]is | tens+pp. | tendes+pp. | terias+pp. | terieis+pp. | tenhas+pp. | tenhais+pp. | [a,e,i]ste | [a,e,i]stes | tinhas+pp. | tinheis+pp. | [avas,ias] | [av,i]eis | sses | sseis | as | eis | tivesses+pp. | tivesseis+pp. | as | eis | res | rdes | teras+pp. | tereis+pp. | tiveres+pp. | tiverdes+pp. | |||
3rd | [a,e] | [a,e]m | ia | iam | [e,a] | [e,a]m | tem+pp. | tem+pp. | teria+pp. | teriam+pp. | tenha+pp. | tenham+pp. | [o,e,i]u | [a,e,i]ram | tinha+pp. | tinham+pp. | [ava,ia] | [av,i]am | sse | ssem | a | am | tivesse+pp. | tivessem+pp. | a | ão | r | rem | tera+pp. | terão+pp. | tiver+pp. | tiverem+pp. | |||
It. | 1st | o(isco) | iamo | ei | emmo | [i,a] | iamo | ho(sono)+pp. | abbiomo(siamo)+pp. | avrei(sarei)+pp. | avremmo(saremmo)+pp. | abbia(sia)+pp. | abbiamo(siamo)+pp. | [a,e,-]i | [ia,em,im]mo | ebbi(fui)+pp. | avemmo(fummo)+pp. | [a,e,i]vo | [a,e,i]vamo | ssi | ssimo | avevo(ero)+pp. | avevamo(eravamo)+pp. | avessi(fossi)+pp. | avessimo(fossimo)+pp. | o | emo | avro(saro)+pp. | avremo(saremo)+pp. | [a,u,i]to | [a,e]ndo | ||||
2nd | i(isci) | [a,e,i]te | esti | este | [i,a] | iate | hai(sei)+pp. | avete(siete)+pp. | avresti(saresti)+pp. | avreste(sareste)+pp. | abbia(sia)+pp. | abbiate(siate)+pp. | [a,e,i]sti | [a,e,i]ste | avesti(fosti)+pp. | aveste(foste)+pp. | [a,e,i]vi | [a,e,i]vate | ssi | ste | avevi(eri)+pp. | avevate(eravate)+pp. | avessi(fossi)+pp. | aveste(foste)+pp. | ai | ete | avrai(sarai)+pp. | avrete(sarete)+pp. | |||||||
3rd | [a,e](isce) | [a,o]no(iscono) | ebbe | ebbero | [i,a] | [i,a]no | ha(e)+pp. | hanno(sono)+pp. | avrebbe(sarebbe)+pp. | avrebbero(sarebbero)+pp. | abbia(sia)+pp. | abbiano(siano)+pp. | o,e,i | [a,e,i]rono | ebbe(fu)+pp. | ebbero(furono)+pp. | [a,e,i]va | [a,e,i]vano | sse | ssero | aveva(era)+pp. | avevano(erano)+pp. | avesse(fosse)+pp. | avessero(fossero)+pp. | a | anno | avra(sara)+pp. | avranno(saranno)+pp. | |||||||
Fr. | 1st | [e,s](is) | ons(issons) | ais | ions | e | ions | ai(suis)+pp. | avons(sommes)+pp. | aurais(serais)+pp. | aurions(serions)+pp. | aie(sois)+pp. | ayons(soyons)+pp. | [ai,is] | [a,i]mes | eus(fus)+pp. | eumes(fumes)+pp. | ais | ions | sse | ssions | avais(etais)+pp. | avions(etions)+pp. | eusse(fusse)+pp. | eussions(fussions)+pp. | ai | ons | aurai(serai)+pp. | aurons(serons)+pp. | e,u,i | ant | ||||
2nd | [es,s](is) | ez(issez) | ais | iez | es | iez | as(es)+pp. | avez(etes)+pp. | aurais(serais)+pp. | auriez(sariez)+pp. | aies(sois)+pp. | ayez(soyez)+pp. | [as,is] | [a,i]tes | eus(fus)+pp. | eutes(futes)+pp. | ais | iez | sses | ssiez | avais(etais)+pp. | aviez(etiez)+pp. | eusses(fusses)+pp. | eussiez(fussiez)+pp. | as | ez | auras(seras)+pp. | aurez(serez)+pp. | |||||||
3rd | e-t(it) | ent(issent) | ait | aient | e | ent | a(est)+pp. | ont(sont)+pp. | aurait(serait)+pp. | auraient(seraient)+pp. | ait(soit)+pp. | aient(soient)+pp. | [a,it] | [e,i]rent | eut(fut)+pp. | eurent(furent)+pp. | ait | aient | t | ssent | avait(etait)+pp. | avaient(etaient)+pp. | eut(fut)+pp. | eussent(fussent)+pp. | a | ont | aura(sera)+pp. | auront(seront)+pp. |