Cuando era pequeño – Online exercise about the Imperfect Tense in Spanish

Learning to talk about your past is a key step in mastering Spanish. This interactive activity, “Cuando era pequeño”, helps you or your students practice the imperfect tense in a meaningful way.

In this activity, the goal is to complete a short text about childhood memories using verbs in the imperfect tense. The story describes daily routines, hobbies and dreams from the past. This is a perfect context to understand how this tense works in real life.

Level and skills

This activity is adequate for a A2-B1 level (pre-intermediate to intermediate), and the practiced skills are grammar, reading comprehension and listening.

This exercise is also ideal for students who already know the preterite (past simple) and want to go deeper into expressing past habits, descriptions and ongoing actions in Spanish.

Instructions

  1. Read and listen to the short story.
  2. Complete the blanks with the correct form of the verbs in the imperfect tense.
  3. Check your answers and reflect on the meaning of each verb: why do we use the imperfect here?
  4. Repeat the activity to reinforce your understanding.
  5. Practice storytelling in Spanish and continue the story using your own childhood memories. You can use flashcards with verbs for this purpose (download link at the end of this page).

Why this activity is useful

The imperfect tense often confuses people learning Spanish because it doesn’t always have a direct equivalent in English. This exercise helps you:

  • Recognize common patterns of the imperfect.
  • Practice verbs in context instead of memorizing rules.
  • Connect grammar with storytelling.

Let's practice!

Start the activity to practice the imperfect tense in Spanish!

(Note that his time you won't need to use the buttons with accent marks that appear when you click the blanks)

Extra free resources

Download the mini illustrated story of "Cuando era pequeño" here.

You can also download flashcards with common verbs here. This is helpful for practicing storytelling and imperfect tense in Spanish.

[PDF] El sueño de Jane Goodall – Spanish story for beginners and intermediate

If you’re learning Spanish and love real stories about inspiring people, El sueño de Jane Goodall is the perfect place to start. This short Spanish story for beginners and intermediate learners takes you deep into the African forest, following the dream of a young woman who changed how we see animals and ourselves.

In this narrative, you’ll discover how Jane’s curiosity, patience and love for nature led her to one of the most important scientific discoveries of the 20th century. Designed to help you improve your Spanish comprehension, vocabulary and listening skills, this story combines language learning with the wonder of exploration.

Ready to be inspired? Watch the video and follow Jane Goodall’s dream in Spanish.

What you'll get

To help you enjoy El sueño de Jane Goodall and make the most of your Spanish learning, you’ll find everything you need right here:

  • A video telling Jane Goodall’s story in clear Spanish, with and without English subtitles.
  • A printable PDF with the full story in Spanish.
  • An English translation to read side by side and compare easily.
  • A short comprehension quiz with answer key to check your understanding.

This resource is perfect for beginner and intermediate learners who want to learn Spanish through real, inspiring stories.

Below you can find the video and the download links.

Spanish Short Story: El sueño de Jane Goodall

Un lugar secreto, story and test

These are the download links:

[PDF] El sueño de Jane Goodall - Story in Spanish

[PDF] El sueño de Jane Goodall - English story

[PDF] Test about 'El sueño de Jane Goodall'

Answer key

El sueño de Jane Goodall, story in Spanish

En los profundos bosques de África, una joven se sentaba en silencio, observando a un grupo de chimpancés. No era una científica, al menos no todavía. Pero estaba a punto de cambiar la manera en que el mundo entendía a los animales. Su nombre era Jane Goodall.

Jane nació en Inglaterra en 1934. Desde niña, amaba a los animales y soñaba con viajar a África. Sin embargo, en esa época, la mayoría de los científicos eran hombres, y pocas personas creían que una mujer pudiera estudiar animales salvajes. Pero Jane nunca renunció a su sueño.

En 1960, viajó a Tanzania y comenzó a observar a los chimpancés en el Parque Nacional de Gombe. Vivió entre ellos, estudiando su comportamiento durante horas cada día. Entonces, hizo un descubrimiento increíble: ¡los chimpancés usan herramientas! Vio cómo agarraban las ramas, las introducían en montículos de termitas y luego las sacaban cubiertas de insectos para comerlos. Antes de esto, los científicos creían que solo los humanos podían usar herramientas.

Jane también descubrió que los chimpancés tienen emociones. Juegan, se abrazan e incluso sienten tristeza cuando un miembro de su familia muere. Su investigación demostró que los animales se parecen más a los humanos de lo que se pensaba.

Su trabajo cambió la ciencia para siempre. Jane Goodall se convirtió en una de las primatólogas más famosas del mundo. Viajó por el planeta enseñando a las personas sobre la conservación y la protección de la naturaleza.

La historia de Jane nos enseña que la curiosidad, la paciencia y la pasión pueden llevarnos a grandes descubrimientos. Y que, a veces, seguir un sueño puede cambiar el mundo.

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Definite articles in Spanish

If you’re learning Spanish, you’ve already met the definite articles el and la. They’re small, but mighty. They appear in every sentence, guard every noun and sometimes they make learners want to pull their hair out. But don’t worry, we’ll make peace with them today!

Let’s explore the definite articles, the Spanish equivalent of “the”, in a clear way for beginners.

What are definite articles in Spanish?

In Spanish, we use the definite article (el, la, los, las) to talk about specific or known things. It’s like "the" in English, but in Spanish, we use it more often.

These are the four definite articles in Spanish.

Number Masculine Feminine
Singular el la
Plural los las

The Spanish definite articles agree with the gender (masculine/feminine) and number (singular/plural) of the noun.

Some examples:

el gato (the cat – masculine, singular)

la casa (the house – feminine, singular)

los gatos (the cats – masculine, plural)

las casas (the houses – feminine, plural)

These are the main uses of the definite article:

Main Uses
Use Spanish English
To talk about specific things El libro está en la mesa. The book is on the table.
To talk in general Me gusta el chocolate. I like chocolate.
With days of the week El lunes tengo clase. I have class on Monday.
With parts of the body Me duele la cabeza. My head hurts.
With abstract or uncountable nouns La libertad es importante. Freedom is important.

Gender of the definite article: masculine or feminine?

Remember: every noun in Spanish has a gender.

  • Most words ending in -o are masculine → el libro, el perro, el zapato
  • Most words ending in -a are feminine → la silla, la puerta, la manzana

Of course, there are exceptions, because Spanish likes to keep things interesting! These are some exceptions:

  • el día (the day) — masculine
  • la mano (the hand) — feminine
  • el mapa (the map) — masculine

Number of the definite article: singular or plural?

If something is more than one, we switch to los or las.
Add -s (or -es) to the noun too:

  • el libro → los libros
  • la casa → las casas
  • el coche → los coches

Learn more about plural nouns in Spanish.

Conclusion

Learning definite articles in Spanish (el, la, los, las) is a small step that makes a big difference. They help your sentences sound natural and clear, and they show you the gender and number of nouns.

Don’t stress too much about the exceptions; just practice, listen and read often. Over time, you’ll start using the right article without even thinking about it.

Remember: every el and la you use correctly brings you one step closer to sounding like a native Spanish speaker!

Spanish Story Quiz about Malala

This Spanish Story Quiz about Malala Yousafzai is created especially for people who are learning Spanish. The story is told in simple Spanish, perfect for beginners and lower-intermediate students (A1–B1).

As the text appears on the screen, you can listen to the narration and see images that bring Malala’s story to life. After that, there’s a short quiz to check how much you understood, nothing too difficult, just a simple way to see how well you followed the story.

This activity tells the inspiring story of Malala: who she is, what happened to her and what she has done for education. The goal is to help you learn Spanish through meaningful content, not just grammar or vocabulary exercises. You’ll practice listening and reading at the same time, while learning about a real person who has changed the world.

Hope you enjoy it!

[PDF] Spanish Short story “Tesoros Ocultos”

When transitioning from basic vocabulary lists to real-world language mastery, immersing yourself in connected narrative context is essential. Learning Spanish through short stories allows you to absorb grammar structures, past tense conjugations and everyday vocabulary naturally.

Our Spanish short story Tesoros Ocultos (Hidden Treasures), is designed specifically to challenge your listening comprehension and vocabulary recall. Follow Carolina, a dedicated archaeologist who travels to Egypt to fulfill her lifelong dream of exploring the ancient pyramids and uncovering secrets buried in the desert sand.

Story Synopsis & Learning Objectives

In Tesoros Ocultos, listeners join an exciting excavation near Cairo that leads to unexpected and valuable historical discoveries. By engaging with this narrative, you will practice:

Archaeology & Adventure Vocabulary: expanding your lexicon with essential nouns and verbs related to exploration, history and discovery.

Natural Listening Comprehension: deciphering spoken Spanish delivered at a clear, engaging pace suitable for beginners and lower-intermediates.

Past Tense Narration: observing how native storytelling alternates between describing background settings and specific past actions.

You can watch the story here:


To help you understand and work with the story, I’ve prepared some PDF materials that are available for members. These include:
• The story in Spanish ✍️
• An English translation for full understanding.
• A 10-question quiz (multiple choice, true or false, open-ended…) and an answer key.

Become a member and download the resources ⭐

This material works well for:
• Self-learners who want to practice reading and listening comprehension.
• Families who enjoy learning together through stories.
• Teachers looking for ready-to-use content for their students.

This story uses simple past tenses (pretérito perfecto/indefinido, imperfecto) and everyday vocabulary, making it suitable for beginners to lower-intermediate learners (A2–B1).

You can:
• Read the story in Spanish first, then check the English translation.
• Work through the comprehension questions on your own or with a partner.
• Use the open-ended questions as prompts for conversation practice.

Hope you enjoy it!

Key Vocabulary Preview: Tesoros Ocultos

Before watching the video story, review these essential beginner and intermediate words taken directly from Carolina's adventure. Pay close attention to the grammatical gender of each noun (el for masculine and la for feminine).

Spanish Word English Translation Grammatical Gender / Type Contextual Example
La arqueóloga Archaeologist (female) Noun (Feminine) Carolina es una arqueóloga apasionada por la historia.
El desierto / La arena Desert / Sand Nouns Hay objetos antiguos enterrados en la arena del desierto.
Excavar To excavate / To dig under the earth Verb (-AR) El equipo comenzó a excavar con mucho cuidado.
El collar de oro Gold necklace Noun Phrase (Masculine) Ella encontró un collar de oro brillante en la tierra.
Las monedas / La cerámica Coins / Pottery Nouns Durante semanas descubrió monedas y cerámica antigua.
La tumba oculta Hidden tomb Noun Phrase (Feminine) Cerca de las pirámides descubrió una tumba oculta.
Las pinturas / Las paredes Paintings / Walls Nouns (Feminine Plural) Había hermosas pinturas antiguas en las paredes.
Reyes, reinas y dioses Kings, queens, and gods Nouns (Plural) El arte mostraba historias de reyes, reinas y dioses.

Free Spanish stories for beginners

Spanish short story in Spanish - Mi viaje a París
Spanish short story in Spanish - Un día en la vida de Antonio
Back to Spanish stories

[PDF] Basic Spanish worksheet about animals 1

Animals are one of the easiest and most enjoyable topics to start learning Spanish or practising it. They’re familiar, fun to recognize and full of possibilities for games, songs and stories. To help you or your students practice, I’ve prepared a free printable Basic Spanish worksheet about animals, which is focused on basic animal vocabulary in Spanish.

This Spanish animals worksheet includes two activities that are especially effective for beginners and young students, but adults can benefit too. These are the activities:

  1. Write the name of each animal. Under each picture there's a blank space where the student needs to write the Spanish word. This activity helps with spelling, recognition and vocabulary. 


  2. Color the animals. This activity combines creativity with comprehension. The student sees three black and white drawings of animals, and next to these pictures, a simple sentence describing their colors. The student must color the animals following the instructions in Spanish.
    This activity helps with reading comprehension, vocabulary reinforcement and attention to detail.

 

Download it, grab some colored pencils and... ¡vamos allá!

Basic Spanish worksheet about animals

[PDF] Basic Spanish worksheet about animals

Anwers

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Learn Spanish with “Mediterráneo” by Los Rebeldes

Today we are going to Learn Spanish with "Mediterráneo" by Los Rebeldes, which is one of the most popular songs of this Spanish rock and roll band formed in 1979. The song became a hit in 1988 and is still very well-known today. With its catchy rhythm and joyful lyrics, it became an anthem for the Spanish summer — celebrating the beauty of the Mediterranean coast and a free, fun lifestyle.

Los Rebeldes started as a rockabilly band from Barcelona. Their frontman and founder, Carlos Segarra, has been the constant force behind the band, even as other members changed. Even today, Los Rebeldes continue to perform and connect with new generations, keeping alive the spirit of Spanish rock with classic hits like Mediterráneo. You can find more information about the band in their official website.

Now you can play the music video and find the lyrics of the song here.
After that, you can start with the worksheets.

Worksheets about the song

These worksheets contain six exercises related to this song.
Level: Beginner

Learn Spanish with “Mediterráneo” by Los Rebeldes - spanishlevel.com

Worksheets about "Mediterráneo" by Los Rebeldes

Answer key

Back to worksheets about songs in Spanish

Spanish -AR Verbs: Fill-in-the-Blanks Exercise

Are you learning Spanish and want to master regular -AR verbs in the present tense? This simple and effective fill-in-the-blanks exercise is just what you need to review the first conjugation and improve your grammar in context.

This Spanish -AR Verbs: Fill-in-the-Blanks exercise allows to review regular -AR verbs in Spanish, which are the most common verb group in Spanish. These verbs are from the first conjugation, like hablar (to speak), estudiar (to study) or bailar (to dance) follow a clear pattern in the present tense. Once you learn how to conjugate them, you’ll unlock hundreds of useful verbs for everyday conversations.

What to do:

Fill in the blanks with the correct form of each verb in parentheses. All the verbs are regular and end in -AR. Use the present tense.

Example: Yo _____ (hablar) español. → Yo hablo español.

Click on the play symbol to start the activity.


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Spanish Word Search: Jungle Animals

Looking for a fun, online and interactive way to learn Spanish vocabulary? This Spanish Word Search: Jungle Animals is all you need! This is an engaging activity that help beginners practice key words while having fun.

This activity includes a selection of jungle animals commonly used in beginner-level Spanish. Learners will practice words like serpiente, gorila or chimpancé. This is perfect for A1-A2 students, whether you're an independent learner or a teacher teaching kids, teens or adults.

This activity requires no preparation—just open and play! It’s engaging, and by searching for the hidden words, students reinforce their vocabulary through repetition and visual recognition. Plus, it's fully compatible with tablets, laptops and smartphones, so you can use it in various settings. Whether you're teaching in a classroom or learning independently, this word search is a fun and flexible way to boost Spanish skills.

Click on the play symbol to start the activity.

How to use it in class

You can use this Spanish word search in different ways:

  • As a warm-up or closing activity.
  • To review animal vocabulary after a jungle-themed lesson.
  • As a team challenge: who can find all the animals the fastest?
  • As a digital center or homework assignment.

If you’re working with younger learners, pair the activity with jungle songs or animal flashcards for a more immersive experience.

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[PDF] Un lugar secreto – Spanish story for beginners

If you’re just beginning your journey to learn Spanish, there’s no better way to start than with a short story crafted specifically for beginners. Un lugar secreto – Spanish story for beginners invites readers into a world of curiosity and nature through the eyes of a young adventurer named Andrea. This beginner-friendly Spanish story is designed to help you improve your Spanish comprehension, vocabulary and overall confidence.

In this narrative, Andrea stumbles upon a mysterious path that leads her to a hidden place. But what is this hidden and magical spot really about? And why does it feel so special to her? You'll have to read (or watch!) the full story to find out.

What you'll get

To make the most of your reading experience, we’ve included everything you need to immerse yourself in this Spanish resource for beginners:

  • A captivating video narrating the full story in Spanish (with and without subtitles) and with English subtitles.
  • PDF with the full story in Spanish.
  • English translation for easy comparison.
  • A comprehension test with answer key to test your understanding.

Below you can find the video and the download links.

Spanish Short Story for beginners: Un lugar secreto

Un lugar secreto, story and test

These are the download links:

[PDF] Un lugar secreto - Story in Spanish

[PDF] Un lugar secreto - English translation

[PDF] Test about 'Un lugar secreto'

Answer key

Un lugar secreto, story in Spanish

Andrea adora explorar.

Ella vive en un pequeño pueblo rodeado de bosques y colinas.
Cada fin de semana, coge su mochila y se va de aventuras.

Una tarde, mientras caminaba cerca de un viejo roble, vio algo extraño. Detrás de la hierba había un camino que nunca antes había visto.

“¿A dónde llevará?”, se preguntó.

Curiosa, Andrea siguió el camino. Los árboles a su alrededor se volvían más altos, y el aire se sentía más fresco. De repente, vio una pequeña puerta de madera oculta en la ladera de una colina.

Dudó por un momento y luego empujó la puerta con suavidad. Al abrir la puerta descubrió un precioso jardín secreto. Por todas partes había flores de colores, y una pequeña cascada en un estanque de aguas cristalinas. Las mariposas volaban y los pájaros cantaban.

Andrea estaba asombrada.
Parecía un lugar mágico, intacto por el paso del tiempo.

Se acercó al estanque y vio un viejo banco de madera bajo un gran cerezo. Alguien había grabado unas palabras en el banco:

“Un lugar para ser libre”.

Andrea sonrió.
“Este es mi lugar secreto ahora”, pensó.

Desde aquel día, Andrea visita el jardín siempre que quiere estar sola, leer un libro o simplemente escuchar la naturaleza.

Es su refugio especial, un mundo escondido solo para ella.

How to make the most of this story

  1. Retell the story in your own words, either by speaking or writing, to deepen your learning and boost your confidence.

  2. Start by reading the story in Spanish, highlighting or jotting down any words you don’t recognize.

  3. Use the English translation to confirm meanings—but avoid leaning on it too heavily.

  4. Read the Spanish version again, this time out loud, to build your pronunciation and fluency.

  5. Take the comprehension quiz to see how well you understood the story and to reinforce key points.

More Spanish stories for beginners

Spanish short story in Spanish - Mi viaje a París
Spanish short story in Spanish - Un día en la vida de Antonio
Back to Spanish stories