Set of structural rules that govern the composition of clauses, phrases, and words in any given natural language.
4
votes
2answers
95 views
Why “fiestas de árboles” and not “árboles de fiestas”?
I encountered the expression "fiestas de árboles" in a song by a Chilean singer whose lyrics are:
Tus ojos son fiestas de árboles, son mi ventana.
Son estrellas que guían mi caravana.
Google ...
4
votes
1answer
109 views
What is the rule for forming fractional numbers?
What is the rule for forming fractional numbers (half, quarter, tenth, twenty-second, etc.) in Spanish? The small numbers are easy to find in a dictionary (tercio, octavo, etc.), but how would you ...
4
votes
2answers
106 views
Gramática: “tengo miedo que” y “tengo miedo y creer que”
Se dice que:
tengo miedo de que + verbo subjuntivo
e.g. Pero tuve miedo que no pudiera o pudiese dormir bien...
tengo miedo y pensar/creer que + verbo conditional
e.g. Pero tuve miedo y ...
4
votes
4answers
476 views
When is the indirect object pronoun required in sentences with an indirect object?
Spanish
¿Cuándo son necesarios en una frase los pronombres indirectos y cuándo son opcionales? Creo que aprendí en el colegio que se requieren siempre (por ejemplo, "le dije a ella que..." es ...
3
votes
5answers
131 views
Translation of 'I was the one who did it'
What's the correct way to translate 'I was the one who did it'? By a literal translation it would be:
Yo fui el que lo hizo.
However, I know in Spanish the verb is often made to agree with the ...
3
votes
2answers
100 views
¿Cuándo utilizar “primer” y “primero”?
¿Por qué se dice primero en 'primero plato' y no primer como en 'primer numero'? ¿Cuál es la differencia? Estoy confundido
3
votes
2answers
76 views
Can someone help deconstruct the sentence “Hicieron usted su tarea para hoy?”
A possible translation of the sentence "Hicieron usted su tarea para hoy?" could be:
Did you do your homework (for) today?
That said, hicieron is the preterit of hacer for third person plural, ...
3
votes
2answers
92 views
“no” + verb + “nada”
Español
¿Por qué "say nothing" en inglés se traduce como "no habla nada" en español?
¿Por qué hay una extra "no"? Otro ejemplo: "I know nothing" en inglés se traduce "Yo no sé nada" en español.
...
3
votes
1answer
274 views
“antes que” vs. “antes de que”
What is the difference between the phrases antes que and antes de que? When should each be used? Are there contexts where one is correct and one is incorrect, or are they completely synonymous?
3
votes
1answer
78 views
¿Cual es la diferencia entre un tiempo gramatical perfecto contra uno imperfecto?
Mi pregunta va al por que de los nombres de los tiempos gramaticales. ¿Qué es lo que determina la perfección de un tiempo gramatical?
3
votes
1answer
149 views
¿Es correcto decir “El (infinitivo del verbo) …”?
Encontre el siguiente artículo y la siguiente frase dicha por un pólitico de aquí de Monterrey:
“El eliminar al 100 por ciento la tenencia nos va a afectar en todas
estas áreas de inversión; yo ...
3
votes
4answers
139 views
Repartiera meaning (or what is subjunctive preterite imperfect?)
I'm to the point in my Spanish study that I'm reading books. I often come across words that I might know (such as repartir - to distribute) but the specific form is confusing. I'm hopeful that ...
3
votes
2answers
368 views
What exactly are the “passive se” and “impersonal se”?
Many materials for learning Spanish, discuss the "impersonal se" (e.g. ¿Se puede tocar esto?) and "passive se" (e.g. Se habla español.).
What exactly are these forms grammatically? Is the se in both ...
3
votes
1answer
89 views
Noun and adjective word order and meaning of “atomic power engineering sites” in Spanish
I am reading a product description and I want to translate it:
The dosimeter may be used at atomic power engineering sites, physics laboratories, health care organizations as an electronic ...
3
votes
1answer
50 views
Duda con la frase “ir a [lugar]”
Hoy, platicando con amigos, me topé con una duda existencial acerca de la frase:
Ir a [lugar]
Por ejemplo:
Voy a ir a esa casa.
Ella va a ir a Europa.
Pero por ejemplo, imaginen este ...
3
votes
2answers
92 views
En esta oración compleja ¿cuáles son las oraciones subordinadas y qué función desempeñan?
Oración compleja:
ha sido en la última década cuando la importación de vocablos de ese idioma ha crecido, sobre todo entre los jóvenes.
Estoy un poco inseguro de cuáles son las oraciones ...
3
votes
2answers
82 views
Gramatica: te veo los ojos
I have few questions:
In the example "Te veo los ojos", in English that is "I see your eyes". te=your, right? IF I change the sentence to "Se veo los ojos", then it will become "I see ...
3
votes
1answer
44 views
Propogation of the subjunctive through clauses
Given the English sentence
Call us when you leave so that we know that you're on your way.
I understand that it would be translated as such:
Llámanos cuando salgas para que sepamos que ...
2
votes
1answer
625 views
Grammar of tengo and tienes
I am having trouble understanding how to use tienes/tengo and other related "have" words.
For example, in my current lesson in Rosetta Stone, the following examples are used:
Tengo anteojos de ...
2
votes
3answers
78 views
Differences in usage between “dejar” and “permitir”?
My understanding is that dejar means "to let" and permitir means "to permit."
Either of them can carry the meaning of "to allow," which is to say that they can be used interchangeably as follows:
...
2
votes
1answer
129 views
Using “qué” or “quién” when talking about people
Imagine for a moment you know who stole your car (some thiefs for example):
Sabemos qué personas lo hicieron.
The above sentence is the same as saying:
Sabemos quiénes lo hicieron. (Persons ...
2
votes
3answers
158 views
Continuing education after high school [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Spanish After Mango Languages
Recently, I've been interested in learning a language. I took three years of Spanish in high school, and while I did better than the ...
2
votes
1answer
577 views
lo ayudo vs. le ayudo (direct vs. indirect object)
When describing someone helping someone else, does ayudar take a direct or indirect object pronoun? In other words, is it:
¿Lo puedo ayudar? or ¿La puedo ayudar?
or
¿Le puedo ayudar?
If ...
2
votes
1answer
72 views
Why is “buena” in different places depending on its use? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Significance of adjective placement
In these phrases below, why is the word "buena" in different places?
Are there good things? => ¿Hay cosas buenas?
Are there ...
2
votes
2answers
72 views
Infinitive instead of past participle in Maná's “El Verdadero Amor Perdona”
In Maná's song "El Verdadero Amor Perdona" one of the verses contains the lines:
Cómo pude haberte yo herido / engañarte y ofendido
I'd think it should be "Como pude haberte yo herido / engañado ...
2
votes
1answer
48 views
How does it form a conditional event which will happen in the future?
Talking about a conditional event which will happen in the future. But here, future form isn't used. Which of the below sentences is grammatically correct?
Whenever these bills have been paid, ...
2
votes
2answers
225 views
Reflexivo: Se dativo
Could you please explain the below:
Se dativo o intensificador del verbo.
Con el mismo valor: me, te, nos, os.
A veces, el pronombre reflexivo sirve únicamente para intensificar el significado ...
2
votes
1answer
48 views
Gramática: reflexivo
Dice que
El reflexivo tiene un valor factitivo: No es el que hace directamente la acción, sino quien la ordena hacer.
· Nos hicimos una casa en el pueblo.
· Ayer me corté el pelo.
I do not ...
2
votes
1answer
25 views
Sentence structure: el que, lo que
I've got three different writings for the meaning of "Only the present moment is what you can control.", could you please advise which one is more appropriate?
Solo el presente es lo que se ...
2
votes
2answers
149 views
What is the rule for cualquier, cualquiera, and cualesquiera?
I remember learning the rule for when to use cualquier, cualquiera, and cualesquiera, but was always confused about the exact differences. When should each be used, and what role do number, gender, ...
1
vote
1answer
135 views
¿Doble complemento directo?
¿Cuál es la resolución o las resoluciones al análisis de la siguiente oración?
Consideramos a Pedro un buen maestro.
Claramente no hay Complemento u Objeto Indirecto porque los dos aceptan ...
1
vote
2answers
94 views
Sentences structure: garantizarse
Please advise which one of the following is correct for the English speaking "No one is guaranteed to have a tomorrow"?
If all correct, which one is the best saying?
Nadie se garantiza tener un ...
1
vote
2answers
140 views
me/te/nos hace falta / passive form
So after reading this question I came up with a really bad doubt.
In the past I was using quite often "(no) se hace falta" to say for instance, that "it is (not) necessary to", but I've by then been ...
0
votes
1answer
64 views
¿Es correcto “siempre quieren y terminan sometiendo”?
Encuentro en una novela que estoy leyendo el siguiente texto:
De entre todas las manías, sin duda la más habitual es hacer el amor
por las mañanas. A esa hora los hombres siempre quieren y ...
0
votes
1answer
177 views
Speakers' location in determining venir vs. ir
In English, we use the word "come" very loosely (at least in day-to-day spoken English):
Want to come over to my place later?
Can I come over to your house for New Years'?
Can you come meet me at ...
0
votes
2answers
147 views
¿Me pueden ayudar a deconstruir las siguientes oraciones? Can you help me deconstruct these sentences? [closed]
Un artículo publicado en The Four Hour Work Week blog by Tim Ferriss llamado How to Learn (But Not Master) any Language in 1 Hour sugiere que la deconstrucción de un idioma es una de las cosas más ...
0
votes
1answer
22 views
word usage: “inquietarse” and “inquieta”
Which of the following sentences is/are correct which refers to English speaking of "Are you still worried about the future"?
¿Todavía te inquietas por el futuro?
¿Todavía inquietas por el ...
0
votes
0answers
83 views
Spanish Grammar [closed]
I'm looking for a Spanish grammar. Sadly Khan academy doesn't have a Spanish grammar course but I'm looking for something friendly as that but is not necessary to be in video format, a PDF or a blog ...
-1
votes
0answers
40 views
Can someone teach me spanish over skype please? [closed]
I started using some tapes a couple of days ago. I have probably listened to about an hour so far. My memory isn't brilliant so I now know about a sentence of Spanish, but I think it would be useful ...
