¡Hola! Welcome back.
In our last lesson, you learned how to offer praise and encouragement with phrases like ¡muy bien! and ¡lo hiciste!. This is a fantastic way to build your son's confidence. Today, we'll move into our new module, "Giving Instructions & Staying Safe," by learning some of the most fundamental commands you'll use every single day.
This lesson focuses on using common commands for direction and attention. These are the essential building blocks for guiding your son, keeping him safe, and sharing moments of discovery together. By the end of this lesson, you will be able to confidently use ven aquí (come here), espera (wait), and mira (look) in everyday situations.
1. "Come here" - Ven aquí
One of the first and most important commands you'll need is how to call your son to you. The most common way to say "Come here" in Spanish is ven aquí.
The pronunciation is ven ah-KEE.
This command is direct and clear. You can soften it by adding por favor (please), which you learned in our first module: Ven aquí, por favor.
To hear the pronunciation and see it used in a family context, let's watch a short clip. The presenter will teach the word ven, which is the core of the command.
Spanish For Kids - Easy Spanish Phrases To Use With Kids
In this video from Sarah's Spanish School, titled 'Spanish For Kids - Easy Spanish Phrases To Use With Kids', the presenter teaches essential phrases for parents. We'll focus on the part where she explains how to say 'Come here'.
Watch the segment from 01:45 to 02:15. Listen carefully to the pronunciation of 'ven' and how it's used.
You might also hear the phrase ven acá (ven ah-KAH). Both aquí and acá mean "here," and for your purposes, you can use them interchangeably.
2. "Look" - Mira
How do you get your son's attention when you spot something exciting, like a dog in the park or a colorful bird? The word for this is mira.
The pronunciation is MEE-rah.
This is a wonderful word to sprinkle into your day to create shared moments of observation. You can point to something and say, ¡Mira!
Let's return to the same video to hear how mira is pronounced and used.
Spanish For Kids - Easy Spanish Phrases To Use With Kids
We'll watch another clip from the same 'Spanish For Kids' video. This time, focus on the command for 'look'.
Watch the clip from 04:19 to 04:47. The presenter will introduce and pronounce 'mira'.
The following article gives a great example of how naturally this word can become part of your child's vocabulary.
Easy Spanish Words For Kids | Start With These 32 ...
This article, 'Easy Spanish Words For Kids,' from Homeschool Languages, provides excellent context for how these simple words fit into daily life.
Read the first few paragraphs of the article, up to the sentence 'That’s the beauty of starting with easy, high-frequency words that kids actually use.' Notice the anecdote about the author's son shouting '¡Mira!' when he saw a bird.
3. "Wait" - Espera
The final command for today is espera, which means "wait." This is incredibly useful for safety and for managing daily routines, from waiting to cross the street to waiting for you to get a snack ready.
The pronunciation is es-PEH-rah.
This is a firm but gentle command to ask your son to pause. Let's find this phrase in the same article, which lists it alongside the other commands you've just learned.
Easy Spanish Words For Kids | Start With These 32 ...
Let's look at the 'Easy Spanish Words For Kids' article again to see 'Espera' in a list of other useful commands.
Scroll down to the section titled 'Common Requests & Commands'. Find 'Espera' in the list and review the other commands we've discussed: 'Ven aquí' and 'Mira'.
Let's Practice
Imagine you and your son are in the garden. You see a beautiful butterfly on a flower.
- To get his attention, you point and say:
¡Mira! - He gets excited and starts to run towards it. To keep him from scaring it away, you say:
¡Espera! - You want him to come closer to you so you can look at it together. You say gently:
Ven aquí.
Test your understanding!
Choose the best command (Ven aquí, Mira, or Espera) for each situation below.
- You are about to cross a street and need your son to stop at the curb. What do you say?
- Your son is looking at his shoes while you are trying to show him a funny picture in a book. What do you say to get him to look at the book?
- Your son is playing on the other side of the room and you want him to come to you for a hug. What do you say?
Show answer
¡Espera!is the perfect command to tell him to wait before crossing.¡Mira!will direct his attention to the book you want him to see.Ven aquíis the ideal phrase to call him over to you.
Conclusion
¡Buen trabajo! You have now mastered three essential commands that are central to parenting a young child. These phrases will not only help you guide your son's actions but also enhance your daily interactions in Spanish.
Key Takeaways:
Ven aquí- Come here. (Used to call your son to you).Mira- Look. (Used to draw his attention to something).Espera- Wait. (Used to ask him to pause or stop for a moment).
In our next lesson, we will build on this foundation by learning more key phrases specifically for safety, including ¡cuidado! (be careful!), no toques (don't touch), and despacio (slowly).
¡Hasta la próxima