A unit of the course: the story, then chapter by chapter — sections, numbered lessons, a source or the numbers to read, three checks each — a review per chapter, and the wrap-up at the end.
Drawn scene: a market stall with colorful piles of mangoes, limes, chiles, grapes and oranges under striped awnings and papel picado
2Unit
Colors and Numbers
Numbers
Numbers and colors are everywhere. You count crayons, friends and steps. You see a red apple, a blue sky and green grass. In this unit you will count and name colors in Spanish.
You will count from cero to veinte, zero to twenty. You will ask ¿Cuántos? (how many?) and say hay (there is, there are). You will name ten colors and put them after the thing: la manzana roja.
The story of the language
Step 1
Count from uno to cinco on one hand.
Step 2
Count from seis to diez on two hands.
Step 3
Learn the special words once to quince.
Step 4
Build dieciséis to diecinueve, then say veinte.
Step 5
Ask ¿Cuántos? and answer with hay and a number.
Step 6
Name rojo, azul and amarillo.
Step 7
Mix paint to make verde, anaranjado and morado.
Step 8
Say the thing first, then the color: el globo azul.
3
Chapter
Counting from Cero to Veinte
Numbers
Big questionHow can we count the things around us in Spanish?
The story
The Crayon Box
Señora Ruiz opens a big box of crayons, and the class counts them in Spanish.
Señora Ruiz holds up a big box. It is full of crayons. She smiles. "¡Vamos a contar!" she says. That means "Let's count!" The class sits in a circle on the rug.
Leo takes out one crayon. "*Uno*," he says. That means one. Mia takes out one more. "*Dos*," she says. That means two. Each friend adds a crayon to the pile.
The pile grows. Tres, cuatro, cinco. Seis, siete, ocho. Nueve, diez! Then the class keeps going. Once, doce, trece. They count all the way to veinte. That is twenty.
Señora Ruiz asks, "¿Cuántos crayones hay?" That means "How many crayons are there?" Everyone shouts, "¡Veinte!" Twenty crayons, all counted in Spanish.
Talk about itWhat could you count in your classroom today, in Spanish?
Section 1
Uno to Diez
3.1
Counting One to Five
Main ideaUno, dos, tres, cuatro, cinco are one to five in Spanish.
Hold up one finger. Say (one). Hold up two fingers. Say (two). Now three fingers. Say tres (three).
Four fingers is cuatro (four). Five fingers is (five). Now your whole hand is open. You counted to five!
Zero is cero. It means none. A closed hand has cero fingers up. Every Spanish vowel makes one sound, so say each part clearly.
Words to know
uno
one — the first number you count
dos
two — like two hands or two feet
cinco
five — the fingers on one hand
Check yourself
1. What does dos mean?
Why: Dos means two. Diez means ten, and uno means one.
2. You hold up five fingers. What do you say?
Why: Cinco is five. Cuatro is four and seis is six.
3. Your hand is closed. How many fingers are up?
Why: Cero means zero, or none.
3.2
Counting Six to Ten
Main ideaSeis, siete, ocho, nueve, diez are six to ten in Spanish.
Open one hand. That is cinco. Add one finger from the other hand. Now you have (six). Add one more for siete (seven).
Keep going. Ocho is eight. Nueve is nine. Two open hands make (ten). Ten fingers, ten toes!
Seis sounds like the word say with an s at the end. And diez has a z. In Latin America it sounds like s.
Words to know
seis
six — five and one more
diez
ten — all the fingers on two hands
Check yourself
1. Which word means ten?
Why: Diez is ten. Dos is two and doce is twelve.
2. What number comes after siete?
Why: Siete is seven. Ocho, eight, comes next.
3. What does nueve mean?
Why: Nueve means nine. It sounds a little like the English word new, but it is a number.
Section 2
Once to Veinte
3.3
Once to Quince
Main ideaOnce, doce, trece, catorce, quince are eleven to fifteen.
Ten crayons sit in a row. Add one more. Now there are (eleven). Once looks like the English word once, but it means eleven!
Add one more for doce (twelve). Then trece (thirteen) and catorce (fourteen). Then (fifteen).
These five words are special. You just have to learn them. Say them like a song: once, doce, trece, catorce, quince.
Words to know
once
eleven — not the English word once
doce
twelve — like a dozen eggs
quince
fifteen — the last of the special words
Check yourself
1. What does once mean in Spanish?
Why: In Spanish, once means eleven. It is not the English word once.
2. Which word means fifteen?
Why: Quince is fifteen. Cinco is five and catorce is fourteen.
3. What comes after doce?
Why: Doce is twelve. Trece, thirteen, comes next.
3.4
Dieciséis to Veinte
Main ideaSixteen to nineteen are built from diez y (ten and) plus a number.
Sixteen is ten and six. Spanish says it the same way! Diez y seis becomes one word: (sixteen).
Diecisiete is ten and seven. Dieciocho is ten and eight. Diecinueve is ten and nine. Look for the small number at the end.
Then comes (twenty). That is two hands and two feet. Dieciséis has an accent on the last é. Write it every time.
Words to know
dieciséis
sixteen — diez y seis, ten and six
veinte
twenty — all your fingers and toes
Check yourself
1. Diez y ocho becomes which word?
Why: Diez y ocho, ten and eight, is written dieciocho. That is eighteen.
2. Which is spelled right for sixteen?
Why: Dieciséis has ci in the middle and an accent on the last é.
3. What does veinte mean?
Why: Veinte is twenty. Siete is seven and doce is twelve.
Section 3
How Many?
3.5
Asking ¿Cuántos?
Main idea¿Cuántos? means how many? Answer with a number.
Your friend points at your crayons. She asks, "¿?" That means "How many?" You count them and say, "Ocho."
Spanish questions start with an upside-down mark: ¿. They end with a regular one: ?. Cuántos also has an accent on the á.
For girl words, like las flores (the flowers), say . ¿Cuántas flores? means how many flowers?
Words to know
cuántos
how many — for words like los crayones
cuántas
how many — for words like las flores
Check yourself
1. What does ¿Cuántos? mean?
Why: ¿Cuántos? means how many? You answer with a number.
2. Which way is a Spanish question written?
Why: A Spanish question starts with ¿ and ends with ?.
3. Someone asks, ¿Cuántos gatos? You see three cats. What do you say?
Why: Tres is three. Trece is thirteen.
3.6
Hay: There Is, There Are
Main ideaHay means there is or there are. The h is silent.
Look in the fish tank. There is one fish. In Spanish, say " un pez." Hay sounds like the English word eye.
Now look at the crayon box. There are twenty crayons. Say "Hay veinte crayones." The same word works for one or many!
English uses two words, is and are. Spanish uses one: hay. So hay un perro and hay dos perros are both right.
Words to know
hay
there is or there are — the h is silent
el pez
the fish — a fish that is alive in the water
Check yourself
1. How do you say There are five dogs?
Why: Hay comes first, then the number, then the thing: Hay cinco perros.
2. How does hay sound?
Why: The h in Spanish is silent, so hay sounds like eye.
3. What does Hay un pez mean?
Why: Hay means there is. Un pez means a fish.
Chapter review
Counting from Cero to Veinte
0 / 6
1. What does tres mean?
Why: Tres is three. Trece is thirteen and dos is two.
2. Which number is veinte?
Why: Veinte means twenty.
3. Which word means eleven?
Why: Once means eleven in Spanish.
4. Diez y nueve is written as one word. Which one?
Why: Ten and nine is diecinueve, nineteen.
5. Your teacher asks, ¿Cuántos libros? What does she want?
Why: ¿Cuántos? means how many, so she wants a number.
6. How do you say There are two cats?
Why: Hay means there are. Then say the number and the thing: dos gatos.
Send it to your teacher
4
Chapter
Colors All Around
Colors
Big questionHow do we name the colors we see in Spanish?
The story
Painting a Rainbow
Two friends paint a rainbow and name every stripe in Spanish.
Sofía and Marcos have a big sheet of paper. They have paint and brushes too. "¡Vamos a pintar un arcoíris!" says Sofía. That means "Let's paint a rainbow!"
Marcos paints the top stripe. "*Rojo*," he says. That means red. Sofía paints the next one. "Anaranjado," she says. That means orange. Then comes amarillo, yellow like the sun.
Next they paint verde, green like grass. Then azul, blue like the sky. Last comes morado, purple like grapes. The rainbow is done!
Sofía's grandma looks at it. "¡Qué bonito!" she says. That means "How pretty!" She points to each stripe. The kids name every color in Spanish.
Talk about itWhat is your favorite color? Can you find something that color in the room?
Section 1
First Colors
4.1
Red, Blue, Yellow
Main ideaRojo is red, azul is blue, and amarillo is yellow.
Look at a fire truck. It is (red). Look up at the sky on a sunny day. It is (blue).
Now look at a banana. It is (yellow). Say it slowly: a-ma-ri-llo. The ll sounds like y.
Red, blue and yellow can mix to make many other colors. They are a good place to start.
Words to know
rojo
red — like a fire truck or a strawberry
azul
blue — like the sky on a sunny day
amarillo
yellow — like a banana or the sun
Check yourself
1. What color is azul?
Why: Azul means blue, like the sky.
2. A banana is what color?
Why: A banana is yellow, and yellow is amarillo.
3. How does the ll in amarillo sound?
Why: In Spanish, ll sounds like y: a-ma-ri-yo.
4.2
Green, Orange, Purple
Main ideaVerde is green, anaranjado is orange, and morado is purple.
Grass and leaves are (green). A frog is often verde too. So is a green crayon.
An orange is anaranjado (orange). The fruit and the color have almost the same name! La naranja is the fruit.
Grapes can be (purple). Mix red and blue paint, and you get morado. Try it!
Words to know
verde
green — like grass and leaves
morado
purple — like some grapes
Check yourself
1. What does verde mean?
Why: Verde means green, like grass.
2. Red and blue paint make which color?
Why: Red and blue make purple, which is morado.
3. Which word names the color orange?
Why: Anaranjado is orange. It sounds like la naranja, the fruit.
Section 2
More Colors
4.3
Pink, Black, White
Main ideaRosado is pink, negro is black, and blanco is white.
A pig in a picture book is often (pink). Some people also say rosa for pink.
Snow is (white). A night sky with no moon is (black). So is a crow.
A zebra has two colors. It is blanco and negro. Can you think of other things that are black and white?
Words to know
rosado
pink — like a flamingo
negro
black — like the night sky
blanco
white — like snow or milk
Check yourself
1. Milk is what color?
Why: Milk is white, and white is blanco.
2. What does negro mean?
Why: Negro means black.
3. A flamingo is what color?
Why: A flamingo is pink, which is rosado.
4.4
Brown: Café or Marrón
Main ideaBrown can be café or marrón. Both are right.
Look at a tree trunk. It is brown. Many people in Mexico say for brown. Café is also the word for coffee!
Other people say for brown. Both words are right. Different places use different words.
Your friends from different families may say it different ways. Listen and learn both!
Words to know
café
brown — also the word for coffee
marrón
brown — another word many people use
Check yourself
1. Which two words can mean brown?
Why: Café and marrón both mean brown.
2. What else does café mean?
Why: Café is brown, and it is also the word for coffee.
3. Ana says café and Luis says marrón for the same dog. Who is right?
Why: Both words mean brown. Different people use different words.
Section 3
Talking About Color
4.5
Asking ¿De Qué Color Es?
Main idea¿De qué color es? means what color is it?
Your friend holds up a ball. You ask, "¿De qué es?" That means "What color is it?"
Your friend answers, "Es azul." That means "It is blue." Es means it is. Say es before the color.
Color is spelled the same in English and Spanish. In Spanish, say it co-LOR. Push on the last part.
Words to know
el color
the color — co-LOR in Spanish
es
it is — as in Es rojo (it is red)
Check yourself
1. What does ¿De qué color es? mean?
Why: ¿De qué color es? asks what color something is.
2. What does Es verde mean?
Why: Es means it is, and verde means green.
3. A friend asks about a red apple. What do you say?
Why: La manzana is a girl word, so red becomes roja: Es roja.
4.6
The Color Comes After
Main ideaIn Spanish, the color word comes after the thing: la manzana roja.
In English we say the red apple. The color comes first. In Spanish, the thing comes first: roja.
Some colors change their end to match. El carro rojo, but la manzana roja. The o changes to a for la words.
English speakers often say la roja manzana. That is a mistake. Say the thing, then the color.
Words to know
la manzana
the apple — la manzana roja is the red apple
el globo
the balloon — el globo azul is the blue balloon
Check yourself
1. How do you say the red apple?
Why: The color comes after the thing, and it ends in a to match la: la manzana roja.
2. Which says the blue balloon?
Why: In Spanish the thing comes first, then the color: el globo azul.
3. What colors are on the flag of Mexico?
Why: Mexico's flag has green, white and red stripes.
Chapter review
Colors All Around
0 / 6
1. What does rojo mean?
Why: Rojo means red.
2. The sky on a sunny day is what color?
Why: The sky is blue, and blue is azul.
3. Blue and yellow paint make which color?
Why: Blue and yellow make green, which is verde.
4. Which is right for the white cat?
Why: The color comes after the thing: el gato blanco.
5. How do you ask What color is it?
Why: ¿De qué color es? asks what color something is.
6. Snow is what color?
Why: Snow is white, and white is blanco.
Send it to your teacher
★
Unit wrap-up
Colors and Numbers
Twelve words, twelve meanings
0 / 8
Tap a word, then tap its meaning. A right pair locks in green.
Words
Meanings
Unit test
Fifteen questions across the unit
0 / 10
1. What does cinco mean?
Why: Cinco is five. Quince is fifteen and cuatro is four.
2. Which word means twelve?
Why: Doce is twelve.
3. What number is diecisiete?
Why: Diecisiete is diez y siete, ten and seven: seventeen.
4. What does ¿Cuántos? mean?
Why: ¿Cuántos? means how many?
5. How do you say There are three books?
Why: Say hay, then the number, then the thing: Hay tres libros.
6. What color is verde?
Why: Verde means green.
7. Red and blue paint make which color?
Why: Red and blue make purple, which is morado.
8. Which says the red apple?
Why: The color goes after the thing: la manzana roja.
9. What does Es negro mean?
Why: Es means it is, and negro means black.
10. A friend asks ¿De qué color es? about the sun. What do you say?
Why: The question asks for a color, and the sun is yellow: amarillo.
Send it to your teacher
Spiral review
Five questions from earlier units
0 / 5
1. (Unit 1) How do you say helado?
Why: The h is quiet in Spanish.
2. (Unit 1) How do you say the Spanish word me?
Why: The Spanish e says eh.
3. (Unit 1) How do you say pollo?
Why: The ll sounds like y.
4. (Unit 1) How many claps does mariposa have?
Why: Ma-ri-po-sa has four beats.
5. (Unit 1) What does hola mean?
Why: Hola means hi or hello.
Send it to your teacher
Write it
Draw a picture of your room. Then say or write 3 sentences in Spanish about it, like Hay tres libros. El libro es rojo. Use a number word, hay and a color word.
Use hay and a number: Hay dos sillas.
Put the color after the thing: la silla azul.
Start a question with ¿ if you ask one.
Read your sentences out loud.
0 wordsSaved on this device as you type.
Practice rooms
Rooms already on the site that belong to this unit — cards, quizzes, a lab.
Every lesson keeps its own three checks; a lesson is ticked when all three are right. Chapter reviews, the unit test and its spiral review (five questions from earlier units in this band) score on the page. When the site is connected to your sheet, or the link carries ?dest=, each one also has a Send box: the first-try score, the standards, the supports used, the attempt number and the minutes go to your sheet as an IEP data point.
Print this page for a paper copy of the readings, the sources, the words and the questions; the answers print as dashed boxes under each question.
Fact-check notes for this course live in the handoff: quotes marked (paraphrased) were set that way on purpose.