Spanish · B1 · Milestone
B1 three-quarter milestone in Spanish
At the three-quarter mark of the B1 level, we focus on refining your ability to describe routines, handle hypothetical scenarios, and use complex sentence structures like relative clauses and correlative conjunctions, all within the context of caring for your baby.
What you'll learn
- Express means and methods using the gerund (Spanish equivalent of 'indem').
- Use relative pronouns with prepositions to describe people and objects.
- Form hypothetical 'if' sentences using the conditional and imperfect subjunctive.
- Master time-based conjunctions like 'desde que' and 'cuando'.
- Utilize correlative conjunctions such as 'o... o' (either... or).
Spanish phrases for b1 three-quarter milestone
Te mantengo cómodo dándote la mano mientras te pesan.
I keep you comfortable by holding your hand while you are being weighed.
The gerund 'dando' expresses the method ('by holding'). 'Te pesan' is used as a natural passive alternative.
La abuela a quien ayudamos te está preparando papilla caliente.
The grandmother whom we are helping is preparing warm porridge for you.
'A quien' is the relative pronoun used here for a person receiving the action.
Si te despertaras antes del almuerzo, daríamos un paseo corto en cochecito.
If you were to wake before lunch, we would take a short pram walk.
Uses 'despertaras' (imperfect subjunctive) and 'daríamos' (conditional) for a hypothetical situation.
Desde que empezaste a gatear, has disfrutado de los juguetes que están en tu alfombra de juegos.
Since you started crawling, you have enjoyed the toys that lie on your play mat.
'Desde que' marks a point in time where an ongoing state began.
O preparo yo tu biberón, o lo prepara papá.
Either I will prepare your bottle, or Dad will prepare it.
'O... o' is the correlative conjunction for 'either... or'.
En lugar de poner la cesta en la alfombra de juegos, la pongo al lado del armario.
Instead of putting the basket on the play mat, I put it beside the cupboard.
'En lugar de' + infinitive is the equivalent of 'statt ... zu'.
Cuando eras un recién nacido, vivíamos cerca de la abuela y esperábamos sus visitas cada domingo.
When you were a newborn, we lived near Grandma and waited for her visits every Sunday.
The imperfect tense (eras, vivíamos, esperábamos) describes habitual actions in the past.
Cuando te cansas, nos sentamos en el sillón porque disfrutas de un abrazo tranquilo.
When you get tired, we sit in the armchair because you enjoy a quiet cuddle.
A standard B1 subordinate clause using 'porque' for causality.
Hear these phrases and practise them
Tildi plays every phrase out loud, tests you in five-minute lessons and builds them into bedtime stories from your own picture books.
Try it free for 7 daysKey words
Papilla
Porridge / Baby food puree
Often used for the first solid foods given to babies.
Gatear
To crawl
A specific verb for a baby's movement on hands and knees.
Cochecito
Pram / Stroller
Commonly used diminutive in many Spanish-speaking countries.
Alfombra de juegos
Play mat
Literally 'rug of games'.
Hypothetical Situations (Conditional + Subjunctive)
To talk about what 'would' happen if a certain condition were met, Spanish uses the Imperfect Subjunctive in the 'if' clause and the Conditional in the result clause.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| If clause | Si + Imperfect Subjunctive | Si tuvieras hambre... |
| Result clause | Conditional Tense | ...yo cocinaría algo. |
Correlative Conjunctions
Spanish uses 'O... o' to present two exclusive alternatives, mirroring the German 'entweder ... oder'.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Either... or | O [Option A], o [Option B] | O dormimos ahora, o dormimos después. |
Method and Means
Where German uses 'indem', Spanish often uses the Gerund (verbs ending in -ando/-iendo) to explain how an action is performed.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| By doing | Gerund (-ando/-iendo) | Te calmo cantando (I calm you by singing). |
More examples
Al lado del armario hay una pelota.
Beside the cupboard there is a ball.
Practice with two-way prepositions / location.
Iré al parque contigo.
I will go to the park with you.
Review of Futur I (Simple Future).