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Spanish is so cool and precise!
VAMOS (Pronunciation ‘BAMOS’) *
Important note: VAMOOS does not exist!
As do many other Spanish words, VAMOS doubles up for several ideas in English
Vamos. We’re going (now) (It’s just a fact)
Vamos We go (usually) ( It’s just a fact)
¡Vamos! Let’s go. (It’s a great idea!)
¿Vamos? Shall we go? (It’s a suggestion?)
Now that may look a little messy, but it’s the English that is actually messy….
Look how simple Spanish is that the same word VAMOS doubles, triples, even quadruples up for several GOING ideas when relating to US, or WE!
Can you see the Pattern emerging?
(For more on “Patterns in Spanish” see here.
Now for a bit of practice:
La tienda : The shop
Vamos a la tienda: We’re going to the shop.
The audio file below will say: “La tienda” (the shop) . You can repeat this.
Then you will hear : “Vamos a la tienda.”
There’s a pause and you can repeat the sentence.
Try this now!
La fiesta = The party
Vamos a la fiesta=We’re going to the party.
Let’s just have a quick look at the patterns emerging here
La tienda= the shop…. a la tienda= to the shop
VAMOS….. a la tienda
can express several ideas in English
a) WE’RE to the shop (now)
or b) WE GO to the shop (everyday)
or c) LET’S GO to the shop! (great suggestion!)
and, if said with a ‘questioning lilt in the voice’ ?? it also can express
d) ARE WE GOING to the shop? (now)
or e) DO WE GO to the shop? (everyday)
or f) SHALL WE GO to the shop? (great question suggestion!)
Now it’s the REAL DEAL !
It’s time to listen and repeat after a native Spanish speaker, my daughter!
COPYCATS!
She will say a sentence, wait for you to repeat it, then she will say it again, after which you repeat again, adjusting your speed, intonation, or accent to copy her as closely as you can.
My daughter is very patient and understanding. You can even click again on the audio start-arrow and she will happily oblige to do a ‘repeat performance’ if you so wish!
You might need this several times to get a hold on the real accent and intonation. (Just saying…)
8 more simple sentences which will get you speaking Spanish now!
La fiesta = the party.
¿Vamos a la fiesta? Vamos a la fiesta.
La playa = the beach
¿Vamos a la playa? Vamos a la playa.
la casa de Jane = the house of Jane (Jane’s house)
¿Vamos a la casa de Jane? Vamos a la casa de Jane.
![By Nací con un pie yámbico [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons](https://marieryanconnolly.files.wordpress.com/2017/05/cercanias_malaga.jpg?w=584)
Málaga local train station Photo Credit
¿Vamos a la estación? Vamos a la estación.
La plaza = the square (geographical, central point of towns a villages)
¿Vamos a la plaza? Vamos a la plaza.
The last three sample sentences are using masculine nouns:
el aeropuerto, el campo, el supermercado
(See previous post about ‘A LA’ versus ‘AL’ here and why it’s important!)
El aeropuerto = airport AL aeropuerto =TO THE airport
¿Vamos al aeropuerto? Vamos al aeropuerto.
La Valle Alcudia, Spain Photo Credit
AL campo = TO THE country
¿Vamos al campo? Vamos al campo.
![Por Eduardo P (Trabajo propio) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], undefined](https://marieryanconnolly.files.wordpress.com/2017/05/supermercado_froiz.jpg?w=584)
Un supermercado en España Photo Credit
AL supermercado = TO THE supermarket
Please let me know if this helps….
or what else I could do to improve this post…
Are there any bug-bear areas in your Spanish grammar you need a bit of clarification with? Ask me.
Jot down a comment in the Comments box below.
I might be able to help.
