Pingu and Plasticine: Spanish reading A1
Read about Pingu and how plasticine is used to make television series. Spanish reading practice at A1 level.
Jugar con plastilina
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About this article
What you'll learn
plasticine vocabulary, colors, animals, making figures
Spanish article about the use of plasticine in making television series like Pingu, aimed at A1 level students.
After reading
Article learning block
Phrases, words, grammar, and quick practice from this text.
Phrases for training
Add useful phrases to SRS or mark them as already known.
Me gusta mucho moldearla
newI really like to mold it
«Me gusta» uses the indirect object pronoun «me» with the verb gustar (to be pleasing). When followed by an infinitive, it means «like to do something».
Gustar is one of the most common Spanish verbs for beginners. Learning me gusta + infinitive opens up expressing preferences.
Primero hago una bola grande para el cuerpo
newFirst I make a big ball for the body
«Hacer» is a regular -ar verb (yo hago, tú haces, él hace…). In the present tense it means «to do» or «to make».
Hacer is one of the top 10 most used Spanish verbs. Present tense forms are essential for A1.
La uno al cuerpo presionando un poco
newI join it to the body pressing a little
«Unir» here is in the yo form (uno). The construction «presionando un poco» uses a present participle to describe how an action is done.
Spanish uses present participles (gerunds) after verbs of motion or manner. This pattern is common and useful.
Con plastilina negra hago cuatro patitas cortas
newWith black playdough I make four short legs
«Con» + material/instrument. Pattern: «Con [material] hago [something]». This is a key A1 pattern for describing craft activities.
The pattern «Con + material + verb» is essential for talking about activities and crafts in Spanish.
Le pongo dos orejas puntiagudas y un hocico redondo
newI put two pointed ears and a round snout on it
«Le pongo» uses the indirect object pronoun «le» (to him/her/it) with the verb poner. After le, you can add a direct object.
The pattern «le pongo» with an indirect object pronoun is very common in Spanish for describing actions done for someone.
Quiero hacer otro animal
newI want to make another animal
«Querer + infinitive» means «to want to do something». yo quiero, tú quieres, él quiere. This is a modal construction.
Querer + infinitive is a key A1 pattern for expressing wants and plans.
Key words
Vocabulary that carries the school-day topic.
Playdough
plastilina
playdough
«Plastilina» is a feminine noun (la plastilina). It refers to soft modeling material used for crafts.
Essential vocabulary for the «arts and crafts» topic. Remember: la plastilina (feminine).
To mold / to shape
moldear
to mold / to shape
«Moldear» is a regular -ar verb meaning to give shape with hands, to mold or shape something.
Moldear is useful for describing creative activities and working with materials.
Ball
bola
ball
«Bola» means ball or sphere. Here it describes the body shape of a playdough animal. una bola grande/pequeña.
Bola is useful for describing shapes and sizes, especially in craft contexts.
Floppy ears
orejas caídas
floppy ears
«Orejas caídas» literally means «fallen ears» — floppy or drooping ears. The adjective caídas describes the drooping shape. Compare: orejas puntiagudas (pointed ears).
Learning the contrast between orejas caídas and orejas puntiagudas helps describe animals in more detail.
Snout / muzzle
hocico
snout
«Hocico» is the snout or muzzle of an animal (especially pigs or dogs). For people you would use cara (face).
Essential animal vocabulary. Related: cara (face), ojo (eye), boca (mouth).
Little paws / legs
patitas
little paws
«Patitas» is the diminutive of patas (legs/paws). The suffix -itas indicates small size. quatro patitas cortas.
Learn the suffix -itas for diminutives: gatito (kitten), perrito (puppy), patitas (little legs/paws).
Grammar in context
Patterns from the text worth noticing after reading.
Me gusta + infinitive
Me gusta mucho moldearla
I like to + verb
Gustar literally means «to be pleasing». With an infinitive it means «to like to do». «Me gusta moldear» = I like to mold.
Gustar with an infinitive is one of the most important patterns for expressing preferences at A1 level.
Present tense of hacer
Primero hago una bola grande
Present tense of hacer (to do / to make)
Hacer is a regular -ar verb: yo hago, tú haces, él hace, nosotros hacemos, ellos hacen. Here: yo hago (I make/do).
Hacer is one of the most common verbs in Spanish. Learning all present forms is essential for A1.
Sequence connectors: primero, después
Primero… Después…
First… Then…
«Primero» (first) and «después» (then) are sequence connectors. They help describe the order of steps.
Use primero/después to describe steps in a process at A1 level.
Querer + infinitive
Quiero hacer otro animal
Want to + verb
«Querer + infinitive» means «to want to do something». Modal construction: yo quiero, tú quieres, él quiere.
Querer + infinitive is essential for expressing wants and intentions at A1.
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