Getting Started with the Sweet 16: High-Frequency Verbs for Language Acquisition

Since I started using Comprehensible Input in my classes, I began to notice how much my students can understand when I speak to them in Spanish—and how fun our conversations can be.

These words are the same across all languages and are the most commonly used verbs for communication. Remember, when we use Comprehensible Input, our main goal is communication, and for that, it’s essential to provide students with a generous amount of input.

In other words, simple messages they can understand. But how do we teach this to students? The best way to start using Comprehensible Input is by recycling high-frequency words in the language. According to Terry Waltz, these verbs—what she calls the Super 7—are a fantastic way to help students communicate in a variety of contexts:

• está
• hay
• tiene
• es
• le gusta
• va
• quiere

Later on, Mike Peto expanded this list and introduced the Sweet 16, which includes the Super 7 and nine additional verbs:

• sale de
• hace
• se pone
• puede
• le da
• le dice
• sabe
• vuelve
• ve

To begin using the Sweet 16, try focusing on simple stories that include just 2 or 3 of these high-frequency words.

When introducing new vocabulary, start by writing the words in Spanish and underline the English meaning in a different color. This helps students differentiate between words and retain them more easily.

Once the meaning is established, add a gesture and practice the words with your students using games or movement-based activities like TPR (Total Physical Response). Personally, I love playing games like Simon Says or patterns to practice vocabulary and gestures before introducing the story.

When students are familiar with the words and gestures, present the story you’ve planned using the Sweet 16 and make sure they understand it by checking comprehension (for example, by asking them to translate parts into English). I like to tell my students the same story in different ways: Story Listening, books, or videos.

One strategy that has made a big difference in my classroom is using color to help students visually recognize verb forms. When I write verbs, I consistently use red for first person and blue for third person. Over time, students begin to notice the pattern naturally.

For example, when a verb appears in red, students know it refers to “yo” (I), and when it appears in blue, they recognize that it refers to another person in the story. I also reinforce this visually with gestures—pointing to myself for first person and pointing outward when referring to someone else.

Because students see these colors repeatedly during stories and readings, they begin to recognize the difference between first and third person without needing a formal grammar explanation. The color coding simply becomes another layer of input that supports comprehension and helps patterns stand out.

In my experience, when I use stories in class, I constantly recycle high-frequency words and use cognates, words that share the same etymological origin and sound similar in both languages (like fantastic/fantástico, problem/problema), to make the story easier and more comprehensible.

This process of recycling words gives students more opportunities to acquire the language through constant repetition and the use of vocabulary in different contexts.

Once you begin using the Sweet 16, try to continue using these words (3 or 4 per story) and combine them in different tenses like past, present, and/or in first and third person.

If you’re interested in starting with the Sweet 16, I encourage you to reduce the number of words you use (if you’re currently using too many) and focus on high-frequency vocabulary, recycling it constantly and making it comprehensible in your lessons.

In my classroom, I have these words printed on magnetic sheets so I can move them around and use them whenever I need to. This makes it super easy to reference the words during stories, games, or any activity.

In addition to the Sweet 16, there are a few other high-frequency words I consistently use in my classroom because they naturally come up in stories and interactions. Words like piensa (thinks), dime (tell me), and necesita (needs) become part of my students’ working vocabulary through constant repetition in meaningful contexts. While they’re not part of the original Sweet 16 list, I’ve found them essential for building more engaging and natural communication with my students. I keep these words visible in class and integrate them into stories and daily routines to help learners acquire them over time.

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