One of the most powerful ways to help students truly acquire a language is through Comprehensible Input (CI). By exposing learners to meaningful and understandable messages in Spanish, they naturally absorb language structures, like verb conjugations, without needing to memorize every grammar rule or conjugation. I want to take a close look at the Spanish verb subir (to climb, go up) and how to use CI strategies in a way that helps students internalize this versatile verb across various tenses.
Why Focus on Verbs Like “Subir”?
Verbs are essential for communication in any language, and in Spanish, verbs come in many forms that reflect both tense and subject. Whether your students are climbing stairs, uploading photos, raising prices, or moving to new heights in life, the verb subir has many uses in everyday conversations.. The goal is to ensure your students can use it naturally across different tenses without needing to consciously remember the conjugation chart every time they speak. In this post, I want to share ways to teach this key verb using both comprehensible input (CI) methods and ways to use subir in context without having to learn every rule. I want to share how to use advanced forms like hayas subido and give examples and tips for integrating subir into your Spanish lessons.
By focusing on subir, students will:
- Hear the verb in context repeatedly.
- Use it in everyday situations, reinforcing understanding through meaningful communication.
- Gain confidence applying it in various tenses naturally.
Teaching the Verb Subir for Comprehension Using CI
As a teacher who focuses on comprehension-based instruction, it’s essential to expose students to high-frequency verbs like subir in contexts they can understand. Instead of presenting subir in isolation, CI teachers immerse students in situations where they naturally encounter the verb. Here are some activities and strategies:
1. Storytelling with Subir
Use stories that integrate subir in a natural, engaging way. For example, create a short narrative about a character who “sube las escaleras” (goes up the stairs) or “sube fotos a Instagram” (uploads photos to Instagram). Encourage students to visualize or act out the story to deepen their understanding.
Example:
“Juan sube a la montaña con su perro, pero el perro no quiere subir. Juan dice, ‘¡Sube, sube!’ al perro.”
By embedding the verb into a comprehensible and memorable context, students repeatedly hear and understand subir without the need for formal drills.
2. Picture Talk
Display a series of images depicting actions like climbing stairs, increasing prices, or uploading files. As you describe the pictures using subir, ask yes/no or either/or questions to engage students and ensure comprehension.
Example:
“¿Está subiendo la temperatura o está bajando? ¿Sube el hombre las escaleras o baja?”
This technique helps students process the meaning of subir while remaining fully immersed in Spanish, allowing them to connect words to real-life actions.
3. Movie Talk
Another CI-friendly activity is Movie Talk, where you show a short video clip with clear, visual actions. For subir, choose a video where a character is climbing, lifting, or uploading something. Pause the video at key moments to narrate using the verb.
Example:
“Aquí, el niño sube al árbol. ¿Qué sube? ¡Sube muy rápido!”
By keeping the input compelling and comprehensible, students internalize the verb subir in various contexts.
Teaching the Verb Subir Using Traditional Methods
If you lean more toward traditional teaching methods, structured grammar instruction and conjugation practice will probably look more like this for your lessons. Incorporating subir into a traditional Spanish classroom might look like this:
1. Verb Conjugation Practice
Start by introducing subir in all its forms—subo, subes, sube, subimos, suben—and have students practice conjugating the verb through drills, worksheets, or conjugation quizzes.
Example:
“Conjuga el verbo subir: Yo (subir) las escaleras todos los días.”
(Student answer: “Yo subo las escaleras todos los días.”)
Though this method requires memorization, regular repetition helps students gain familiarity with the verb in different tenses.
2. Vocabulary Lists
In traditional classrooms, creating vocabulary lists with multiple meanings of subir can help students grasp the different contexts in which it’s used. Provide sentences that illustrate each meaning of subir.
Example:
- Subir las escaleras – “to go up the stairs.”
- Subir los precios – “to raise the prices.”
- Subir fotos a Instagram – “to upload photos to Instagram.”
Having a list of phrases not only reinforces the meaning but also shows students how the verb changes based on context.
3. Fill-in-the-Blank Exercises
Traditional teachers often use fill-in-the-blank activities to reinforce grammar. You can create exercises where students must conjugate subir based on sentence context, helping them apply the correct form.
Example:
“Marta _______ (subir) un archivo a la computadora ayer.”
(Student answer: “Marta subió un archivo a la computadora ayer.”)
This method reinforces the mechanics of verb conjugation, helping students understand both meaning and structure.
Bridging the Gap Between CI and Traditional Methods
Whether you’re a CI-focused teacher or prefer traditional approaches, incorporating high-frequency Spanish verbs like subir is key to developing students’ fluency. You might find that a blended approach, combining storytelling with fill in the blank exercises, offers the best of both worlds. Exposing students to target structures is Spanish is going to help them learn out to use verbs in context and boost understanding of the verb uses in everyday situation.
Practical Tips for Both Approaches:
- Use real-life examples: Use subir in real-life contexts your students can relate to— for example, increasing prices, going up stairs, or uploading photos or videos to social media.
- Focus on repetition: Use stories or structured practice to help students have consistent exposure to subir will help students internalize the verb.
- Encourage interaction: Use questions through personalized questions and answers (PQA) , dialogues, and student participation to ensure they’re actively using the verb.
Here are some examples of subir used in different tenses.
Uses of the Imperfect or Pretérito Imperfecto
- Yo subía las escaleras todos los días para hacer ejercicio.
(I used to go up the stairs every day for exercise.) - Ellos subían al autobús cada mañana antes de ir a la escuela.
(They used to get on the bus every morning before going to school.)
Uses of the Future Perfect or Futuro Perfecto
- Para el viernes, ya habremos subido todos los documentos al sistema.
(By Friday, we will have uploaded all the documents to the system.) - Cuando llegues, ya habrán subido las maletas al cuarto.
(By the time you arrive, they will have already taken the suitcases up to the room.)
Uses of the Past with Haber or Pretérito Anterior
- Tan pronto como hubieron subido al tren, éste partió.
(As soon as they had boarded the train, it departed.) - Cuando hube subido el archivo, me di cuenta de que cometí un error.
(When I had uploaded the file, I realized I had made a mistake.)
Uses of the Past Perfect Tense or Pretérito Pluscuamperfecto
- Ya habíamos subido la montaña cuando comenzó a llover.
(We had already climbed the mountain when it started to rain.) - Ellos habían subido las fotos antes de que se cayera el internet.
(They had uploaded the photos before the internet went down.)
Uses of the Preterite or Pretérito Perfecto Simple
- Subí las cajas al ático ayer por la tarde.
(I took the boxes up to the attic yesterday afternoon.) - Ellos subieron al escenario para recibir el premio.
(They went up to the stage to receive the award.)
Uses of the Present Perfect Tense or Pretérito Perfecto Compuesto
- He subido tres videos a mi canal esta semana.
(I have uploaded three videos to my channel this week.) - ¿Has subido las fotos de la fiesta ya?
(Have you uploaded the party photos yet?)
Uses of Negative Commands or Imperativo Negativo
- No subas esa foto sin mi permiso.
(Don’t upload that photo without my permission.) - No suban al techo, es peligroso.
(Don’t go up to the roof, it’s dangerous.)
Whether you’re teaching for comprehension using CI or prefer traditional methods, helping students master versatile verbs like subir is essential. The key is to present the verb in ways that make sense for your classroom. CI allows students to absorb the verb naturally through meaningful input, while traditional methods focus on structured practice and understanding grammar. By offering a variety of activities, your students will not only learn subir but also gain confidence in using it in multiple contexts. I hope this post encourages you to incorporate subir and verbs like it beyond just looking up the verb and conjugations.
For more ideas on teaching Spanish verbs in the classroom, stay tuned to the blog!
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