Spanish · CEFR Band 1 (A1) · Chapter 21
De comprasShopping
Going shopping. Shop vocabulary: el dinero, el euro, el precio, comprar, vender, la tienda, el mercado, el supermercado, pagar, necesitar. Key point: after "querer" (to want) or "necesitar" (to need), the second verb goes in the INFINITIVE, not conjugated: "Quiero comprar pan", "Necesito pagar" — NOT "Quiero compro". English speakers sometimes conjugate the second verb.
Dialogue
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Quiero compro / Quiero comprar
- CarlosMike, ¿qué necesitas en el supermercado?Mike, what do you need at the supermarket?
- MikeQuiero compro pan.I want to buy bread. (slip: after querer the verb stays infinitive — say "Quiero comprar pan")
- Carlos"Quiero comprar" — el segundo verbo va en infinitivo."Quiero comprar" — the second verb goes in the infinitive.
- MikeAh, quiero comprar pan y necesito comprar fruta.Ah, I want to buy bread and I need to buy fruit.
Dialogue
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Al mercado— To the Market
- LucíaCarlos, ¿vamos al mercado?Carlos, shall we go to the market?
- CarlosSí, necesito comprar comida. ¿Cuánto dinero necesitas?Yes, I need to buy food. How much money do you need?
- LucíaNo mucho. Quiero comprar fruta y pan.Not much. I want to buy fruit and bread.
- CarlosEn el mercado venden fruta muy buena.At the market they sell very good fruit.
Vocabulary
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- dinero
n.m.money (m)
- euro
n.m.euro (m)
- precio
n.m.price (m)
- comprar
verbto buy
- vender
verbto sell
- tienda
n.f.shop, store (f)
- mercado
n.m.market (m)
- supermercado
n.m.supermarket (m)
- pagar
verbto pay
- necesitar
verbto need
Grammar
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querer / necesitar + infinitive
Explanation
When two verbs go together, only the FIRST is conjugated; the second stays in the INFINITIVE. After "querer" (to want) and "necesitar" (to need): "Quiero comprar", "Necesito pagar", "¿Quieres vender?". English speakers sometimes conjugate both verbs: "Quiero compro" ✗ → "Quiero comprar" ✓. "Querer" is stem-changing (e→ie): quiero, quieres, quiere. "Necesitar" is regular: necesito, necesitas, necesita. "Ir de compras" = to go shopping. In the shop: "Quiero comprar…", "¿Cuánto es?".
Examples
- Quiero comprar pan.I want to buy bread.
- Necesito comprar comida en el supermercado.I need to buy food at the supermarket.
- ¿Quieres pagar ahora?Do you want to pay now?
- En el mercado venden fruta.At the market they sell fruit.
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