Preface ix
Acknowledgments xi
CHAPTER 1: Getting Started 3
Pronunciation of Spanish 3
Nouns and Plurals 5
Articles and Plurals 6
Names of Animals 6
CHAPTER 2: The Body and How to Describe It 11
Adjectives 11
External Body Parts 14
Internal Organs 15
CHAPTER 3: Verbs: Where the Action Is 19
Regular Verbs 19
Weak-Kneed Verbs 22
CHAPTER 4: Irregular Verbs 25
Four Essential Irregular Verbs: tener, estar, ser, and ir 25
World's Simplest Verb: hay 32
CHAPTER 5: How Long Has the Cow Had a Fever? 33
Duration of Time 33
The Present Perfect 34
The Verb dar 36
Feeding Vocabulary 37
CHAPTER 6: The Past and Accidents 41
Past Time Verbs 41
Accidents 46
CHAPTER 7: Telling People What to Do 49
Verbal Shorthand 49
Giving Commands 50
Giving Something to Somebody 53
Polite Suggestions 54
CHAPTER 8: Taking a Clinical history 57
CHAPTER 9: The Diagnostic Exam 61
CHAPTER 10: Cattle 67
Special Vocabulary 68
Illnesses 69
CHAPTER 11: Horses 75
Special Vocabulary 76
Illnesses 76
CHAPTER 12: Sheep and Goats 79
Special Vocabulary 79
Illnesses 80
CHAPTER 13: Swine 83
Special Vocabulary 83
Illnesses 84
CHAPTER 14: Dogs and Cats 87
Special Vocabulary 87
Illnesses 89
CHAPTER 15: Exotic Pets 93
Special Vocabulary 93
APPENDIX: Registration Forms 99
Answer Key to Exercises 103
Dictionary 109