Lesson 24: Review 4 + Writing
Short Message / Mensaje corto
Goal: Consolidate and write a short message
Lesson Goals
1Review key A1 vocabulary and present tense verbs.
2Learn the structure of a Spanish short message.
3Write your own short message using correct punctuation.
Review 4: Time and Days
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| mañana | tomorrow / morning |
| tarde | afternoon / evening |
| el viernes | on Friday |
| a las seis | at six o'clock |
| a las ocho | at eight o'clock |
Review 4: Present Tense Verbs
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| llego | I arrive / I am arriving |
| vuelvo | I return / I am returning |
| quedamos | we meet / we stay |
| puedes | you can (informal) |
| nos vemos | we see each other / see you |
The Skeleton of a Short Message
1. Greeting: Open the conversation.
2. Body: One or two lines of content.
3. Sign-off: Close the message warmly or neutrally.
Quick rule: greeting + message + sign-off.
Step 1: Greetings
| Spanish | English | Context |
|---|---|---|
| ¡Hola! | Hi! | Everyone |
| ¡Hola, Carlos! | Hi Carlos! | With a name |
| Buenos días | Good morning | More formal |
| ¿Qué tal? | How are you? | Friendly opener |
Punctuation: Inverted Marks
!
Spanish requires opening inverted exclamation and question marks.
¡Hola! / ¿Qué tal? / ¿Quedamos mañana?
Correct: ¡Hola, Marta! ¿Quedamos mañana a las seis?
Incorrect: Hola, Marta! Quedamos mañana a las seis?
Step 2: The Body (Everyday)
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Llego tarde, lo siento. | I am running late, sorry. |
| ¿Puedes comprar pan? | Can you buy bread? |
| ¡Gracias por la cena! | Thanks for the dinner! |
| ¿Me llamas luego? | Will you call me later? |
Step 2: The Body (Making Plans)
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| ¿Quedamos el viernes? | Shall we meet on Friday? |
| Nos vemos a las ocho. | See you at eight. |
| Estoy en la biblioteca. | I am at the library. |
| Hay pasta en la nevera. | There is pasta in the fridge. |
Step 3: Sign-Offs
| Spanish | English | Tone |
|---|---|---|
| Un beso / Besos | A kiss / Kisses | Friends and family |
| Un abrazo | A hug | Friendly, safe default |
| Hasta luego | See you later | Neutral |
| Hasta mañana | See you tomorrow | Neutral |
| Saludos | Regards | Neutral / Formal |
Putting It Together
¡Hola, Marta!
¿Quedamos mañana a las seis en la plaza?
Un beso,
Niamh
+
Notice the structure: Greeting with inverted mark, one clear question for the body, and a warm sign-off.
Notes Around the House
¡Hola, mamá!
Estoy en la biblioteca. Vuelvo a las siete.
Hay pasta en la nevera.
Un beso, Ana
Pattern: where you are + when you return + one practical detail.
Present Tense for Near Future
T
Present tense does all the work for near future events in short messages.
Vuelvo a las siete. (I'll be back at seven.)
Natural: Vuelvo a las siete.
Unnatural: Volveré a las siete. / Voy a volver a las siete.
Texting Spanish: Abbreviations
| Chat | Full Form | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| q / k | que | that / what |
| xq / pq | porque | because |
| tb | también | also |
| mñn | mañana | tomorrow |
| bss | besos | kisses |
| jajaja | hahaha | laughter (j = h sound) |
Writing Activity: Your Turn
1Choose a friend or family member to write to.
2Write a greeting with correct punctuation.
3Write two sentences: where you are and when you will meet them.
4Add a sign-off and your name.
5Swap with a partner and check for inverted marks.
Wrap-Up: Key Takeaways
+Skeleton: greeting + short body + sign-off.
+Always use opening punctuation marks: ¡ and ¿.
+Use present tense for near future: Vuelvo a las siete.
+Recognize chat abbreviations (q, tb, xq), but write in full for class.
← → arrow keys