Beginners Skype chat. --impressions--- Saturday, 7th August, Prepare Present Simple vs Present Continuous

Question

Next Saturday I am hosting a new Skype chat session for beginners.

Time: **11.30, Spain**

This time we are going to practise

Present simple vs Present continuous.

Please make a revision of these tenses in the reference section.

Presente continuo.

Presente

I will expect from everybody to have two sentences prepared in Spanish and English (for our students of English).

Guidelines:

English sentences:

a) Use Present simple only for everyday, habitual actions in English.

b) Use Present Continuous for actions which take place now and in the future.

Spanish sentences:

a) Use Present Simple for present actions (even those taking place right now in some cases) and actions in the future.

b) Use Present Continuous only for actions which are taking place right now.

The idea is to give the fellow chat member a sentence in English and he has to translate the sentence to Spanish. You will have to prepare the correction yourself, so don't forget to translate the sentence yourself too!!!

For Spanish speakers, you will each have to ask one question in Spanish, and she (this will be Meli) will have to translate the sentence to English.

I will also ask a question or two about the sentences and maybe give you one difficult use of the tense to translate to English

There are a lot of beginners, be fast to tell me if you want in or out!

Members: Nametaken, Goyo, Melipuri, Rikko, Ray, Jason, Annie, Hielohombre, Silent Hero, Sanlee, Inglesloco, el estudiante.

::::: Group closed:::::

• confirmed member bolded - Heidita Jul 30, 2010
• This group is closed now, if you cannot come, please let me know to make place for others. - Heidita Aug 3, 2010

Answer 1

These chats are fabulous! I'm there every Saturday lol. Thank you so much for these chats Heidi .

This Saturday was great! I learned loads! However, I think from now on I am going to answer John's questions and he is going to answer mine .

Rikko playing the piano was I N C R E D I B L E!!!!! The piece he played was so beautiful. Thank you very much for that Rikko and thank you for persuading him Heidi .

Answer 2

Nametaken, Melipuri, Rikko, Ray, Jason, Annie, Hielohombre, foxluv, Sanlee, Inglesloco, el estudiante.

This has been a very funny chat.

Everyboy had prepared the chat very well, however it was not easy to get the correct translation as the tenses are quite differently used

Hielohombre was new and estudiante had not come for a long time. Foxluv had serious problems as she had not seen this thread.

However, we used el estudiante and rikko to help others, Meli did very well on her English, and everybody did really well. Unfortunately Annie was sent to the dunce corner for life...as she used a subject pronoun, which made everybody roll on the floor!

Later the chat was mixed and Eddy , samdie and leslie, whose Spanish is superb (!) and we had a good laugh with "bad words". And of course the mod: Marianne

Some people left...but it was a shame as at the end of the chat...we were very fortunate to be able to convince our friend Rikko to play the piano for us. He is a real artist and everybody was simply ...S T U N N E D!

I hope you had a good time and see you next chat, in which we might do something about the use of gustar and encantar etc

• "Everyboy had prepared the chat very well"... what about us girls eh? I thought we had prepared quite well too ;-). - --Jen-- Aug 9, 2010
• Good eye, Jen! - sanlee Aug 9, 2010
• Gracias Heidita, you're too kind. :) - Rikko Aug 9, 2010

Answer 3

I missed it!

Do we know when the next chat will be?

• hi primus, do I have your skype nick? - Heidita Aug 8, 2010
• Yes. You did add it a few weeks ago via PM. I would be happy to give it to you again if you need me to. - primus Aug 8, 2010
• oh, please do, I am sure I have it, but i dont remember who you are, jeje, so I had better add you again and now I know you want in;) - Heidita Aug 9, 2010

Answer 4

This was a great chat. We got to meet heilohombre the ice cutter. He sculpts for weddings and to meet foxluv. We had fun translating each others sentences. It is great practice and I recommend it to everyone. Try a chat. They are very exciting. Here is an example of a sentence that meli gave me to translate:

We are cooking fish. Estamos cocinando pescado.

• thanks sandy, you ar always there! :) - Heidita Aug 8, 2010

Answer 5

Hi to all. I really enjoyed the chat at even though you didn't know, I was there until the end I enjoyed the piano playiing a lot Rikko thanks for that. Thank you Heildita for making me laugh a lot. I do think it is very useful but what is strange is as soon as you talk to me I don't understand anything but when you aret talking to everyone else I can understand nearly all. Once again I would like to thank everybody that takes part in the chats and SD it is a great place to be.

• Thanks a lot john, jeje, jenny said the same....she could do all the sentences others did...hers were the problem! And we did notice you till the end;) - Heidita Aug 8, 2010
• You're most welcome! :) - Rikko Aug 9, 2010

Answer 6

The chat August 7 was great. We were laughing alot and enjoying each others' company. Tortuga was demanding, so we all got alot from the chat and were excited to learn more.We had about 12 people from all over the world. Que te vaya bien.

• thanks hielo, great job you have there! :) - Heidita Aug 8, 2010

Answer 7

The chat was very good!! The people participating in the chat, in my humble opinion, took a lot away from it!! Present continuous and present simple is a difficult concept for all but our fearless leader, Sweet Heidi, guided us like only she could!!! I have a lot to work on but the skype chats are helping a lot!! Thanks to all who were involved, it made the chat!

• gracias jason, eres muy amable, jeje, pero sin vosotros tan divertidos, eso no seria igual - Heidita Aug 8, 2010
• :) - Jason7R Aug 8, 2010

Answer 8

sounds interesting... i will have to think about it!

Answer 9

Hola Heidita - see you "tomorrow" - I'll get stuck into the revision shortly :o

• Anni, not tomorrow, next week!!! - Heidita Jul 30, 2010
• Yes of course - I didn't read it properly :( That's good - lots of time to "prepare" :o - nonombre Jul 30, 2010

Answer 10

Yes, I would like to join. See you then.

Answer 11

I'd like to participate. I'll have to figure out the Skype part. My laptop has the basic free stuff preinstalled but I've never used it. Do I need to purchase anything?

• you need a headset to participate, we do not admit anybody with an open mic as this spoils the sound too much. I you want in, I need your skype id - Heidita Jul 30, 2010
• PM please - Heidita Jul 30, 2010
• Aprender, simply google Skype and download the free program. A headset can be easily purchased for around $15 US and a webcam isn't required as there is no video in these sessions. This is a fantastic learning tool. Don't miss out. - Yeser007 Jul 30, 2010
• What? No video! How does Heidita know when you're sticking your tongue out at her? Now I'm never joining! - qfreed Aug 3, 2010

Answer 12

I was at the last one, but I won't be able to make it this time. I know you didn't have my name on the list already, but I wanted to clarify that just to make sure you knew.

• Thanks for letting me know, I counted you in, but was not sure...the people above are more or less sure, thanks again, you are wecome to come anytime:-) - Heidita Jul 31, 2010
• No problem. Thank you. :) - bradytr Jul 31, 2010

Answer 13

¡Será allí! Ardo en deseos de que ello. I will be there. I can't wait for it.

Answer 14

Estaré allí, con seguridad,

I'll be there, for sure.

Answer 15

Awesome! This is one of those things that makes me think: 'This has got to be the best website out there to learn Spanish!' The 7th I will be on vacation in England, so can't join in :S.

• send me your skype for the next time;) - Heidita Jul 31, 2010