Spanish · A2 · Family moment
Looking through family photos in Spanish
Looking at family photos is a wonderful way to revisit past adventures while practicing Spanish. Focusing on how we describe these memories helps you master the past tenses used in storytelling.
What you'll learn
- Talk about specific events in the past using the Pretérito Indefinido
- Identify common action verbs like visiting, discovering, and explaining
- Learn the past participle forms used for these specific verbs
Spanish phrases for looking through family photos
Visitamos a la tía en su piso nuevo.
We visited Auntie in her new flat.
The 'a' before 'la tía' is the 'personal a', used when the object of a verb is a person.
Recibiste un paquete pequeño ese día.
You got a little parcel that day.
'Recibir' is used here for 'got' in the sense of receiving.
Descubrimos un caracol junto a la verja.
We discovered a snail beside the gate.
'Junto a' is a common way to say 'next to' or 'beside'.
El abuelo nos contó una historia graciosa.
Grandad told us a funny story.
'Contar' is the verb used for telling stories or counting numbers.
Mamá nos explicó el juego.
Mum explained the game to us.
Notice that 'nos' (to us) comes before the verb 'explicó'.
Te reconocí enseguida.
I recognised you straight away.
'Enseguida' is a very common adverb for 'immediately' or 'right away'.
Olvidamos la cámara en ese viaje.
We forgot the camera on that trip.
In the 'we' form, the present and past (Indefinido) of -ar verbs look the same: 'olvidamos'.
Perdiste tu sombrero en la playa.
You lost your sun hat at the beach.
'Perder' is an -er verb, so it takes the -iste ending for 'you'.
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
piso
flat / apartment
Commonly used in Spain; 'apartamento' is also used elsewhere.
paquete
parcel / package
Used for mail or bundles.
verja
gate
Often refers to a metal or grated gate.
graciosa
funny
Describes something that makes you laugh.
Past Participles (Participios)
To say 'I have visited' or 'We have discovered', we use the past participle. Most verbs are regular (-ado/-ido), but 'descubrir' is a key irregular form you should know.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Visitar | visitado | Hemos visitado... |
| Descubrir | descubierto | He descubierto... (Irregular) |
| Reconocer | reconocido | Has reconocido... |
| Olvidar | olvidado | Habéis olvidado... |
More examples
He perdido mi sombrero.
I have lost my hat.
Uses the 'Perfecto' tense (haber + participle).
Juan ha contado un chiste.
Juan has told a joke.
'Contado' is the participle of 'contar'.
¿Has visto qué hemos descubierto?
Have you seen what we have discovered?
Highlights the irregular participle 'descubierto'.