The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-07-27
HOW TO LEARN SPANISH
(By Geo. F. McKibben, A. M.)

14.-The present infinitive serves as the key form by which the verb IS named. Verbs are classified according to the ending of the present initiative; AR marks the first conjunction; FER the second; IR the third. As models of the three regular conjunctions we choose tomar. to take; conner, to eat; and vivir. to live. Of these tomar rep resents by far the largest conjugation, the majority of the 5000 Spanish verbs.
 15.-Observe that each verb consists uf two clements, usually plain to the eye; the stem. or unchanging part of the verb >1nd the ending of the yari- able part.
 r 16.-The principal parts. from which the whole infection of the verb may be inferred. are commonly considered five i, in number: the present infinitive, pres ent participle. past participle. first singular of the indicative present. and the first singular of the indicative preterite. Below are the principal parts of the model verbs. each form accom- panied by its meaning:
 1.-Pres. Inf.-tomar, to take. Pres. Part.-tomando. taking. Past Part tornado, taken. Pres. Ind.-tomo, l take. Pret. Ind.-tome. I took. 2.-Pres. Inf.-comer. to eat. Pres. Part.-comiendo. eating. Past Part comido, eaten. Pres. Ind.-como, eat. Pret. Ind.-comi. I eat.
 3.-Pres. Inf. vivir to live Pres. Part.-viviendo. living. Past Part. - vivido. lived. Pres. Ind.--vivo. l live. Pret. nd.-vivi. lived.
 1.-The subject pronouns are ea- pressed in connection with single tense only of the model verb below. showing them all within brief space 4nI emphasis or clearness. The pronouns of address require especial attention. The foreigner must know for reading purposes tu, thou. vos, you (singular) and xosotros you (pluraD. But the only pronoun needed by the foreigner in ad- dressing persons under ordinary cir cumstances is usted. plural ustedes. which are commonly represented by the abbreviations V. and w. These are pronounced as if written in full. These pronouns of address usted and ustedes are contractions of vuestI a merced. your grace. and vuestras mer- cedes. your graces. and are always used with the third person, singular. and third plural respectively of the verb in question. He and she are rep resented by el and ella; plural. ellos and elias.
 1s.-Conjunction I. Model Verb. to- mar. to take, Simple Tenses, Active Voice. Principal parts; tomar, tomandD, tornado. tomo, tome.
 INDICATIVE MODE.
 Present tense-I take. etc. Yo tomt. tu tomas. el or ella toma, V toma, nosotros tomamos. vos, vostotros to- mais. ellor. elias toman. w toman.
 Imperfect tense-1 was taking, et,.
 Tomaba. tomabas. tomaba, tomaba- mos. tomobais. tomaban.
 Preterite tense-I took, etc. Tom,, tomase. tomo. tomamos. tomasteis. tomaron.
 Future tense-I shall take, etc To- mare. tomaras. tomara, tomaremoS. tomareis. tomaran.
 SUBJUNCTIvE MODE.
 Present tense-I may take, etc. Yo tome. tu tonnes. el or ella tome, V tome, nosotros tomemos. vos. vosotros tome- is. ellos, elias tomen, w. tomen.
 First imperfect tense--I might take, etc: Tomara. tomaras, tomara, toma- ramos. tomarais, tomaran.
 Second imperfect tense-I might talk }, etc. Tomase. tomases, tomase, tomase- mos. tomaseis, tomasen.
 Future tense-I shall or may taka, etc. Tomare. tomares. tomare, tomare- mos. tomareis, tomaren.
 (The forms given above as first and second imRerfects are in some gram mars treated as second conditionals also.)
 CONDITIONAL MODE.
 Present tense-I should take. Toma ria. tomarias, tomaria, tomariamos, tomariais. tomarian.
 Imperative mode-Toma, take (thouI tomad. take (ye): tome, let him take; tome V. take; tomemos. let us take i; tomen. let them take; tomen w, take.
 Negative imperfect forms-No times, take (thou) not: no tomeis. take not; no tome. let him not take; no tome V, do not take; no tomemCS, let us not take; no tomen. let them not take: no to- men W.. do not take.
 19.-Only two of the forms given above under the imperative mode are real imperatives. These are toma and tomad. second person. singular and plural. The rest of the affirmative forms and all the negative forms are borrowed from the subjunctive.
 2e.-Scores of verbs of confirmation I undergo changes in the stem, thoue h the endings are wholly regular. The stem changes are of two kinds: Vowel changes within the stem and consonant changes at the end of the stem.
 (a)-The changes in stem vowel are due to stress or accent. They appear only in the present tense of the indica- tive. subjunctive and imperative. and only in those forms whose stem is ac- cented or stressed. The vowel chang @ that occurs is called expansion or diph-