¡Hola! Welcome back.
In our last lesson, we learned the Spanish names for five common toys, like la pelota (the ball) and el libro (the book). This gave you the words to identify the objects you and your son play with.
Today, we'll build on that foundation by learning how to suggest activities. This is a crucial step toward initiating fun, interactive conversations in Spanish. By the end of this lesson, you will be able to use the powerful and common phrase vamos a + [verb] to suggest actions like "Let's play" (vamos a jugar) or "Let's read" (vamos a leer). This directly supports your goal of engaging with your son during playtime.
1. The Key Phrase: Vamos a...
The most common way to say "Let's..." or "We are going to..." in Spanish is with the phrase Vamos a.... The structure is simple and very versatile:
Vamos a + an action word (verb)
The action word you use will be in its most basic form, called the infinitive (the form you'd find in a dictionary, ending in -ar, -er, or -ir).
For example, using the toys from our last lesson:
- The verb "to play" is
jugar. To suggest playing, you say:Vamos a jugar. - The verb "to read" is
leer. To suggest reading, you say:Vamos a leer.
This structure is incredibly common in children's books and media, making it perfect for your situation. Notice the title of the book in the image below.
You can also make the suggestion more specific by adding the toy you want to play with:
Vamos a jugar con los bloques.(Let's play with the blocks.)Vamos a leer un libro.(Let's read a book.)
2. Understanding the Structure: ir + a + infinitive
You might be wondering why this phrase works. A short video from Teacher Catalina explains this very clearly. She breaks down a common Spanish structure for talking about the near future, which is exactly what vamos a... does. Don't worry about memorizing all the grammar; the goal is to understand the pattern so you can use it confidently.
Using ''Ir + a + Infinitive'' to Talk About the Near Future - Learn Spanish with Teacher Catalina
This video explains the simple formula for talking about what you are 'going to do'. It will help you understand why 'vamos a jugar' means 'let's play'.
Please watch the following two parts: From 1:05 to 2:44, where the teacher explains the formula: ir + a + infinitive. From 3:57 to 4:20, where she reviews the conjugations of ir and gives the example vamos a comer (we are going to eat).
As the video explains, vamos is the "we" form of the verb ir (to go). So, vamos a jugar literally translates to "we are going to play," which is the common way to say "let's play." This simple structure is used all the time in daily conversation.
3. Let's Learn More Actions!
Now that you understand the structure, let's learn more action words (verbs) to use with it. A great way to learn these is through music, which is also a fantastic tool to use with your son.
The following song is designed for kids and is full of vamos a + [verb] phrases.
Come Right Now - Vengan Ya - Calico Spanish Songs for Kids
This catchy song from Calico Spanish for Kids repeats the 'vamos a...' structure with many different fun actions. Listen for all the different activities they suggest.
Watch the full song (it's short!). As you listen, try to catch the different verbs that follow 'vamos a'. You'll hear 'vamos a cantar', 'vamos a saltar', and many more.
Here are the useful verbs from that song and a few others. These are all high-frequency words that are perfect for playtime and daily routines.
| Spanish Verb | English Meaning | Example Suggestion |
|---|---|---|
jugar |
to play | Vamos a jugar. |
leer |
to read | Vamos a leer. |
cantar |
to sing | Vamos a cantar. |
bailar |
to dance | Vamos a bailar. |
correr |
to run | Vamos a correr. |
saltar |
to jump | Vamos a saltar. |
comer |
to eat | Vamos a comer. |
dormir |
to sleep | Vamos a dormir. |
dibujar |
to draw | Vamos a dibujar. |
Many of these actions are things you do every day. Look at this chart of home routines. You can see verbs like Jugar, Comer, Leer, and Dormir. You can now suggest any of these activities!
Test your understanding!
You and your son are full of energy. Using the vocabulary from the table above, how would you suggest the following activities?
- Let's dance.
- Let's run.
- Let's jump.
Show answer
Vamos a bailar.Vamos a correr.Vamos a saltar.
Conclusion
¡Excelente! You've learned one of the most useful phrases for interacting with your son in Spanish. You can now confidently suggest a wide range of activities, from playing and reading to singing and dancing.
Key Takeaways:
- The phrase to suggest an activity is
vamos a + [verb]. - The verb stays in its simple infinitive form (e.g.,
jugar,leer,cantar). - This structure literally means "we are going to..." and is used to mean "let's...".
- You can make your suggestions more specific:
Vamos a leer un libroorVamos a jugar con la pelota.
Next Steps
In this lesson, you learned how to suggest activities using verbs in their basic form (infinitives). In our next lesson, we will focus on these same action verbs (correr, saltar, bailar, etc.) but learn how to use them to describe what someone is doing right now. This will help you narrate your playtime and have even more dynamic conversations.
¡Hasta la próxima