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A1.26: Senses and perceiving

Sentidos y percepción

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Learn how to describe and compare sensory experiences in Spanish using vocabulary related to tastes, smells, and sounds. Master comparative adjectives like “más ... que,” “menos ... que,” and “tan ... como” through practical dialogues and exercises focused on everyday situations. This beginner-level lesson also covers essential verb conjugations and the difference between “ser” and “estar” to describe qualities and states.

Listening & reading materials

Practice vocabulary in context with real materials.

Spanish A1.26.1 Spa Natural Valencia – Relax with the 5 Senses!

A1.26.1 Lectura

Spa Natural Valencia – ¡Relájate con los 5 Sentidos!

Spa Natural Valencia – Relax with the 5 Senses!

Vocabulary (15)

Claro: clear (Spanish)

Claro

Show

Clear Show

Oscuro: dark (Spanish)

Oscuro

Show

Dark Show

Dulce: Sweet (Spanish)

Dulce

Show

Sweet Show

Salado: salty (Spanish)

Salado

Show

Salty Show

Ácido: acid (Spanish)

Ácido

Show

Acid Show

Amargo: bitter (Spanish)

Amargo

Show

Bitter Show

Suave: Soft (Spanish)

Suave

Show

Soft Show

Duro: hard (Spanish)

Duro

Show

Hard Show

El ruido: The noise (Spanish)

El ruido

Show

The noise Show

El silencio: The silence (Spanish)

El silencio

Show

The silence Show

Fétido: foul-smelling (Spanish)

Fétido

Show

Foul-smelling Show

Oler (to smell) - Verb conjugation and exercises

Oler

Show

To smell Show

Oír (to hear) - Verb conjugation and exercises

Oír

Show

To hear Show

El olor: The smell (Spanish)

El olor

Show

The smell Show

La voz: The voice (Spanish)

La voz

Show

The voice Show

Exercises

These exercises can be done together during conversation lessons or as homework.

Exercise 1: Reorder sentences

Instruction: Make correct sentences and translate.

Show answers
1.
es más | de ayer? | amargo que | ¿Este café | el té
¿Este café es más amargo que el té de ayer?
(Is this coffee more bitter than yesterday's tea?)
2.
la calle. | que en | en esta | menos fuerte | sala es | La música
La música en esta sala es menos fuerte que en la calle.
(The music in this room is less loud than on the street.)
3.
es más | la de | su compañero. | La voz | clara que | del cantante
La voz del cantante es más clara que la de su compañero.
(The singer's voice is clearer than his partner's.)
4.
del supermercado. | tan duro | de esta | El pan | panadería es | como el
El pan de esta panadería es tan duro como el del supermercado.
(The bread from this bakery is as hard as the one from the supermarket.)
5.
ácida que | que compré. | es más | Esta naranja | la manzana
Esta naranja es más ácida que la manzana que compré.
(This orange is more acidic than the apple I bought.)
6.
invierno. | primavera que en | más suave en | las flores es | El olor de
El olor de las flores es más suave en primavera que en invierno.
(The smell of the flowers is softer in spring than in winter.)

Exercise 2: Match a word

Instruction: Match the translations

Este café es más amargo que el té. (This coffee is more bitter than the tea.)
El olor a jazmín por la mañana es más suave que por la tarde. (The smell of jasmine in the morning is milder than in the afternoon.)
La voz de Ana es tan clara como la de su hermana. (Ana's voice is as clear as her sister's.)
El ruido del tráfico es menos intenso que el del aeropuerto. (The traffic noise is less intense than that of the airport.)

Exercise 3: Cluster the words

Instruction: Classify these words into two categories according to whether they relate to tastes or to sounds and smells to practice their meaning.

Sabores

Sonidos y olores

Exercise 4: Translate and use in a sentence

Instruction: Pick a word, translated and use the word in a sentence or dialogue.

1

La voz

The voice

2

Ácido

Acid

3

Oír

To hear

4

Fétido

Foul-smelling

5

El olor

The smell

Ejercicio 5: Conversation exercise

Instrucción:

  1. Describe the opposite in the pictures using comparatives (more than, as, less than). (Describe the opposite in the pictures using comparatives (more than, as, less than).)
  2. Ask the person sitting next to you, if they prefer sweet or salty food, sweet or bitter drinks,... (Ask the person sitting next to you, if they prefer sweet or salty food, sweet or bitter drinks,...)

Teaching guidelines +/- 10 minutes

Senses and perceiving

Example phrases:

El café es más amargo que el té.

Coffee is more bitter than tea.

Una manzana es más dura que un plátano.

An apple is harder than a banana.

Las flores huelen mejor que los calcetines.

Flowers smell better than socks.

La comida salada sabe tan bien como la comida dulce.

Salty food tastes as good as sweet food.

¿Prefieres el olor del café o del té?

Do you prefer the smell of coffee or tea?

Prefiero el aroma amargo del café.

I prefer the bitter smell of coffee.

...

Exercise 6: Dialogue Cards

Instruction: Select a situation and practice the conversation with your teacher or fellow students.

1

En la frutería

2

En la cafetería

3

En la tienda de ropa

Exercise 7: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct solution

1. Cuando entro en la cocina, siempre ___ el aroma del café.

(When I enter the kitchen, I always ___ the aroma of the coffee.)

2. En esta oficina, ___ constantemente el ruido de las teclas.

(In this office, I ___ constantly the sound of the keys.)

3. La naranja ___ más ácida que la manzana.

(The orange ___ more acidic than the apple.)

4. Este queso ___ peor que el otro que compré ayer.

(This cheese ___ worse than the other one I bought yesterday.)

Exercise 8: A day at the market

Instruction:

Esta mañana, cuando (Oler - Presente) el pan fresco en la panadería, me doy cuenta de que este es más dulce que el del supermercado. Mientras (Oír - Presente) a los vendedores hablar y reír, (Oler - Presente) las frutas maduras muy bien. También nos dice el tendero que esta naranja (Ser - Presente) menos ácida que la del otro puesto. Nosotros (Oír - Presente) el ruido de la plaza, que (Estar - Presente) más animada que ayer. Finalmente, cuando salgo, (Oler - Presente) el aroma suave de las flores y pienso que Madrid (Ser - Presente) más bonito en primavera.

This morning, when I smell the fresh bread at the bakery, I realize that it is sweeter than the one from the supermarket. While I hear the vendors talking and laughing, the ripe fruits smell very good. The shopkeeper also tells us that this orange is less acidic than the one in the other stand. We hear the noise of the square, which is livelier than yesterday. Finally, when I leave, I smell the soft scent of the flowers and think that Madrid is prettier in spring.

Verb Tables

Oler - To smell

Presente

  • yo huelo
  • tú hueles
  • él/ella/Ud. huele
  • nosotros/nosotras olemos
  • vosotros/vosotras oléis
  • ellos/ellas/Uds. huelen

Oír - To hear

Presente

  • yo oigo
  • tú oyes
  • él/ella/Ud. oye
  • nosotros/nosotras oímos
  • vosotros/vosotras oís
  • ellos/ellas/Uds. oyen

Ser - To be

Presente

  • yo soy
  • tú eres
  • él/ella/Ud. es
  • nosotros/nosotras somos
  • vosotros/vosotras sois
  • ellos/ellas/Uds. son

Estar - To be

Presente

  • yo estoy
  • tú estás
  • él/ella/Ud. está
  • nosotros/nosotras estamos
  • vosotros/vosotras estáis
  • ellos/ellas/Uds. están

Exercise 9: Los adjetivos comparativos: "Más + adjetivo + que," ...

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Grammar: Comparative adjectives: "Más + adjetivo + que," ...

Show translation Show answers

más, tan, menos

1.
El plátano es ... duro que la manzana.
(The banana is less hard than the apple.)
2.
En verano, la casa es ... fresca que en invierno.
(In summer, the house is cooler than in winter.)
3.
La noche es ... ruidosa que el día.
(The night is less noisy than the day.)
4.
El café sin azúcar es ... amargo que el café con azúcar.
(Coffee without sugar is more bitter than coffee with sugar.)
5.
El azúcar es ... dulce como la fruta.
(Sugar is as sweet as fruit.)
6.
La noche es ... oscura que el día.
(The night is darker than the day.)
7.
El queso es ... salado que las frutas.
(Cheese is saltier than fruit.)
8.
La biblioteca es ... silenciosa como la noche.
(The library is as quiet as the night.)

Grammar

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A1.26.2 Gramática

Los adjetivos comparativos: "Más + adjetivo + que," ...

Comparative adjectives: "Más + adjetivo + que," ...

Verb conjugation tables for this lesson

Oler to smell

Presente

Spanish English
(yo) huelo I smell
(tú) hueles You smell
(él/ella) huele he smells
(nosotros/nosotras) olemos we smell
(vosotros/vosotras) oléis you smell
(ellos/ellas) huelen they smell

Exercises and examples phrases

Oír to hear

Presente

Spanish English
(yo) oigo I hear
(tú) oyes You hear
(él/ella) oye he/she hears
(nosotros/nosotras) oímos we hear
(vosotros/vosotras) oís You hear
(ellos/ellas) oyen they hear

Exercises and examples phrases

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Senses and Perceiving in Spanish

This lesson introduces you to Spanish vocabulary and grammar related to senses, perception, and making comparisons using adjectives. You will learn common sensory words linked to tastes, smells, and sounds, and practice how to describe and compare different sensations around you.

Key Vocabulary

  • Flavors: amargo (bitter), dulce (sweet), salado (salty), ácido (acidic)
  • Sounds and Smells: el olor (smell), el ruido (noise), el silencio (silence), oler (to smell)

Using Comparative Adjectives

The lesson focuses on comparative structures like:

  • más + adjective + que (more ... than)
  • menos + adjective + que (less ... than)
  • tan + adjective + como (as ... as)

Example sentences include:

  • "Este café es más amargo que el té." (This coffee is more bitter than the tea.)
  • "El ruido del tráfico es menos intenso que el del aeropuerto." (The traffic noise is less intense than that of the airport.)
  • "La voz de Ana es tan clara como la de su hermana." (Ana's voice is as clear as her sister's.)

Practical Dialogues and Exercises

You will practice these comparisons through dialogues set in real-life settings such as a fruit store, a café, and a clothing shop. These help you describe tastes, odors, textures, and sounds naturally. Verb conjugations for sensory verbs like oler (to smell), oír (to hear), and key verbs ser and estar are included to support these descriptions.

Language Notes

Note that Spanish differentiates between the verbs ser and estar to express "to be," which may cause confusion for English speakers who use "to be" universally. For example, ser relates to inherent qualities (La naranja es ácida – The orange is acidic), while estar often describes states or conditions (La plaza está más animada – The square is livelier). Also, the verb oler (to smell) and its conjugations change in form, reflecting the subject.

Some useful phrases to begin comparing and describing include:

  • ¿Es más ... que ...? – Is it more ... than ...?
  • ... es menos ... que ... – ... is less ... than ...
  • ... es tan ... como ... – ... is as ... as ...
  • Prefiero ... porque es más ... – I prefer ... because it is more ...

By combining sensory vocabulary with comparatives, you will better express your perceptions and preferences in everyday conversations.

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