Spanish · A1 · Everyday language
Plans for Today in Spanish
Helping children manage their daily schedule using gentle yet clear Spanish modal verbs to express ability, necessity, desire, and permission.
What you'll learn
- Express what a child is able to do
- State necessary tasks using obligations
- Ask about preferences and desires
- Grant permission for activities
Spanish phrases for plans for today
¿Puedes preparar tu bolsa de deporte?
Can you pack your sports bag?
'Preparar' is the natural way to say 'pack' or 'get ready' for a bag.
Puedes leer esta palabra.
You can read this word.
Use 'puedes' to encourage their developing skills.
Debes hacer tus deberes.
You must do your homework.
'Deber' expresses a duty or clear expectation.
Debemos irnos ahora.
We must leave now.
'Irnos' is a reflexive verb meaning 'to depart' or 'to leave'.
¿Quieres jugar al fútbol?
Do you want to play football?
'Querer' is the go-to verb for asking about desires.
Quiero escuchar tu historia.
I want to hear your story.
A kind phrase to show interest in their day.
Puedes invitar a un amigo.
You may invite a friend.
In Spanish, 'poder' covers both 'can' (ability) and 'may' (permission).
Puedes gastar un euro.
You may spend one euro.
'Gastar' is used for spending money.
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
Deberes
Homework
This is almost always used in the plural form in Spain.
Bolsa de deporte
Sports bag
Literally 'bag of sport'.
Gastar
To spend
Used for money; for time, Spanish often uses 'pasar'.
Modal Verb Structure
To use a modal verb, conjugate the first verb (the modal) to match the person, then keep the second action verb in its original 'infinitive' form (ending in -ar, -er, or -ir).
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Ability/Permission | Poder + Infinitive | Puedes correr (You can run) |
| Obligation | Deber + Infinitive | Debes ayudar (You must help) |
| Desire | Querer + Infinitive | Quiero dormir (I want to sleep) |
More examples
¿Quieres merendar?
Do you want to have a snack?
A common after-school question.
Debes lavarte las manos.
You must wash your hands.
A frequent household instruction.