By taking the time to understand how the Spanish language works, you'll be able to speak Spanish naturally, and read and write in Spanish. We know this can be one of the more challenging parts of your course, and we’re here to help! You can browse the topics, do a search in the top right corner of this page, or start a new conversation. Don’t be shy!
In the excercise in Lesson 6.8 there is the phrase “Sé que no comes pescado” (I know that you don't eat fish)In this example, why do you not use the infinitive “comer” as the 2nd verb? Am I overlooking something?Thanks!
3 replies - Last post by Lobo-Volador - March 9, 2023
When telling time son vs es I thought “es” is only used for telling time of One something why is it used "Es cuarto para las doce de la noche" or “Es caurto para las nueve” “Es la uno menos tres” and why is “son” used with “Son las diez menos diez” Wha...
1 reply - Last post by Scott_C - March 2, 2023
Years ago I might have said to a non english speaking customer, the kind at their front door with either a blank look on the face or smiling and nodding while not understanding a single word I said in english, “mañana, en la mañana, tenemos que trabajar e...
4 replies - Last post by Al22 - March 1, 2023
¿Qué se le ofrece?¿Se le ofrece algo más? I'm not seeing how "qué" “se le ofrece” works together in what is a very polite way to ask “what would you like?” Se and le jammed together seem to be redundent in regard to “usted,” I'm not seeing why we need bo...
3 replies - Last post by Al22 - February 22, 2023
Hola! I understand that object pronouns need to go right before the conjugated verb, so I'm confused by the sentences “Saben lo que hacen” and “Hago lo que debo.” Why is lo not directly in front of a verb? Is it not really a pronoun in these cases?
5 replies - Last post by Liss-Rocket-Languages-Tutor - February 22, 2023
HiIn lesson 2.1 She says necesita un carro.He says no non necesito un carro. Why the different endings of necesito/aThanksMaxie
3 replies - Last post by ricardo-rich - February 14, 2023
Did Lesson 5.8 in Level 1 drive anyone else crazy?
Seemed like an awfully dense lesson to me. They packed a lot in and didn't miss the chance to throw in some new vocabulary to boot. Direct and indirect pronouns, some occasionally changing to “se,” which wasn't really listed as a distinct pronoun of its ...
22 replies - Last post by Liss-Rocket-Languages-Tutor - February 6, 2023
why "puede esperarme". you wait for me
lo siento, estoy atrasado. ¿puedes esperarme? sorry i am late. Can you wait for me?
3 replies - Last post by Liss-Rocket-Languages-Tutor - January 24, 2023
I see that “yo” is used a lot in sentences like “Cuando yo era niño, no tenía una computadora.”In all my previous lessons I have never seen this, and I have always been taught to use “yo” sparingly and only for emphasis. I do see “yo” used when learning ...
2 replies - Last post by Liss-Rocket-Languages-Tutor - January 16, 2023
small questions about Lesson 5.5
I have two questions about things in Lesson 5.5. Why is the answer to ¿Qué tal la fiesta? ¡Divertido! instead of ¡Divertida!, since la fiesta is feminine? And why ¿Estás en el camino? but Estoy en camino? Should the el be there? Thanks!
1 reply - Last post by Liss-Rocket-Languages-Tutor - January 11, 2023
Indirect object pronouns question
I see sentences constructed like this a lot, using the indirect pronoun with the noun, instead of as replacement for it, this from lesson 9.2:No le vi a mi mamá.(I) didn't see my mom. Why not just “No vi a mi mama?”It seems to just add complexity to have ...
3 replies - Last post by CMcHan - January 8, 2023
explain this. : te invito a ti y a nadie más
I don't understand the “ti”. why can't I say “ Te estoy invitando y nadie más”
1 reply - Last post by Liss-Rocket-Languages-Tutor - January 5, 2023
I have a question from lesson 9.8. It says "(we) were friends once" translated as "fuimos amigos una vez", the preterite of ser. This sentence implies that the friendship ended. Shouldn't the preterite of estar be used here?
3 replies - Last post by Liss-Rocket-Languages-Tutor - December 8, 2022
Hable mas despacio por favor, This is an imperative. Why is the the verb not habla rather than hable.Hable is sunjunctive and this is not the mood
2 replies - Last post by Liss-Rocket-Languages-Tutor - November 28, 2022
"Una casa que te guste": Why use the subjunctive here?
busca casa que te guste.What rule dictates the use of subjunctive in this case? thank you
1 reply - Last post by Liss-Rocket-Languages-Tutor - November 21, 2022
Why do we use the subjunctive with "siempre y cuando"?
Bueno, está bien. Siempre y cuando tenga una buena personalidad.Why do we us subjunctive. What is the rule
1 reply - Last post by Liss-Rocket-Languages-Tutor - November 21, 2022
Jose wants to give it to Maria.Jose quiere darselo a Maria Why cant we say Jose quiere darlo a Maria?Why do we need the indirect object pronoun here.. What is the rule
4 replies - Last post by Liss-Rocket-Languages-Tutor - November 14, 2022
no tienes que preocuparte.You don't have to worryWhy do we need the TE pronoun?Also, why not say no tienes que preocuparse?
1 reply - Last post by Liss-Rocket-Languages-Tutor - November 7, 2022
Placement of direct and indirect object pronouns
DO pronouns and indirect can go in either of 3 places… attached to infinitive; before verb or attached to gerunds.Question… is there any preferable placement if you have more than one option. i.e. I want to eat itLo quiero comer or quiero comerlo
1 reply - Last post by Liss-Rocket-Languages-Tutor - November 7, 2022
olvidemonos de esto y solo amemonos.. Let's forget about this and just love each other
I understand the object pronoun NOS attached at the end of the verb, but i cannot find any verb conjugations as olvidemo or amemo.. However, There ARE verbs olvidemoS and amemoS in the subjunctive. I had read that this was the first person plural imperat...
1 reply - Last post by Liss-Rocket-Languages-Tutor - October 31, 2022
...probablemente hagas windsurf y paracaidismo.
This comes from the Travelog course 1.1. Is there an implied hasta in the phrase which justifies the use of the subjunctive here?- probablemente hasta hagas windsurf y paracaidismo.
2 replies - Last post by Steven-W15 - October 27, 2022
Hola! In lesson 1.6 ‘tener’ is used in the following sentence rather than ‘tengo.’ Why is that the case? ¿Puedo tener tu número telefónico? Gracias! Grandma K
3 replies - Last post by Liss-Rocket-Languages-Tutor - October 17, 2022
Ellos saben jugar a las cartas.Conoce las reglas del juego. I am confused in Lesson 6.8 by these two sentences. I would have used saber for both (since you had to learn the rules to play) but I could maybe see (sort of) conocer for knowing how to play but...
5 replies - Last post by Scott_C - October 4, 2022
I learned that there is no verb GUSTO (no accent)However, I come across le gusto - she (he) likes me. or te gusto(you like me). I do not understand how the first person singular is used with this backwards verb… I thought you can only have gusta, gustas ...
1 reply - Last post by Liss-Rocket-Languages-Tutor - October 4, 2022
me preocupa means I am worried… or worry. Why is not it me preocupo rather than preocupa.What verb tense is that Thank youKen
1 reply - Last post by Liss-Rocket-Languages-Tutor - October 4, 2022
¡Hola!I'm just starting to learn Spanish and this relates to lesson 1.5. When do you use cuál instead of qué?For example¿Cuál es tu profesión? vs ¿Qué haces? I expected the first sentence to start with qué (eg, ¿Qué es tu profesion?) but it begins with c...
4 replies - Last post by Liss-Rocket-Languages-Tutor - October 4, 2022
Why Do We Need the NOS Pronoun
El momento en que nos dedicamos a torturar a nuestros alumnos...
1 reply - Last post by Liss-Rocket-Languages-Tutor - October 4, 2022
why is the subjunctive used here.es importante que hable contigo
1 reply - Last post by Liss-Rocket-Languages-Tutor - October 4, 2022
Ive seen it two ways Por favor responda and por favor responde.What is the difference?
1 reply - Last post by Liss-Rocket-Languages-Tutor - October 4, 2022
Indirect object, direct object, and combination pronouns.
I seemed to have “hit a wall” trying to grasp indirect object, direct object, and combination pronouns. I'm bogged down on lessons 5.6, 5.7, 5.8any tips? Thanks!
4 replies - Last post by Liss-Rocket-Languages-Tutor - September 23, 2022
I was under the impression that you used sino if there was no conjugated verb after using sino in the sentence and sino que if there was a conjugated verb after using sino que. In lesson 13.3 there is this sentence: Mauricio no solo es director de venta...
1 reply - Last post by Liss-Rocket-Languages-Tutor - September 19, 2022
Indirect Object Pronouns in Lesson 5.7
I'm trying to get a feel for when to use indirect object pronouns when the IO is mentioned specifically. The sentence “Jenny le está escribiendo una carta a su padre.” in Lesson 5.7 has both “le” and “su padre.” The lesson says that you don't need the “...
3 replies - Last post by Liss-Rocket-Languages-Tutor - September 9, 2022
I'm in lesson 6.7, and the word ‘se’ is being used. I don't understand how it is functioning - it seems to have multiple uses. Now, I may have forgotten, but I also don't remember this word being introduced or any lessons about it. I'm very confused about...
3 replies - Last post by Liss-Rocket-Languages-Tutor - September 5, 2022
Adjective placement in "Volábamos sobre increíbles montañas"
In Spanish 11.5 we're given the following translationVolábamos sobre increíbles montañas.(We) were flying over incredible mountains. Normally I would expect it to be montañas increíbles rather than increíbles montañas Is there a reason it looks backwards ...
1 reply - Last post by Liss-Rocket-Languages-Tutor - July 25, 2022
sólo que al otro lado del “Río Uruguay”.
The “que” in this phrase really seems to throw me off. Should it be there? What purpose does it serve?
3 replies - Last post by Steven-W15 - July 2, 2022
Latin American pronunciation of "ll"
Years ago when I studied Spanish, we were taught to pronounce “ll” as if it were the “y” in young or year. My Argentinan friend pronounced it as if it were the “j” in just.In the Rocket lessons, I'm hearing it pronounced more like “j” than “y”. SO - Eith...
3 replies - Last post by Liss-Rocket-Languages-Tutor - June 14, 2022
Necesitamos ya sea recuperar nuestros pasaportes o sacar unos nuevos.
- (We) need to either get our passports back or get new ones. What purpose does the “ya sea” serve here? The phrase seems to stand on its own without that. Thanks!
4 replies - Last post by Steven-W15 - June 8, 2022
Does anybody have a concise reference on accent marks? I'd like to know the rules!
2 replies - Last post by Janet33 - May 19, 2022
...y lo navegaremos por diez kilómetros hacia adentro hasta el Rio Plátano.
- …and ride it inland ten kilometers up the Rio Plátano. I can't seem to get my head around the “hacia adentro hasta” part of the translation. It somehow doesn't sound like “inland up” a river. What am I missing here?
3 replies - Last post by Liss-Rocket-Languages-Tutor - May 16, 2022
Hi,the store opens at tenla tienda se abre a las diezSe abre la tienda a las diez i believe you can use this sentence either way , , please advise.but my main question is why not just say la tienda abre a las diezwhy the se like with what time does that r...
1 reply - Last post by Liss-Rocket-Languages-Tutor - May 4, 2022
Les juro que guardaré su secreto.(I) swear that (I) will keep your secret.from 14.7Why is it ‘les' and not ‘le’or les and sus?
1 reply - Last post by Liss-Rocket-Languages-Tutor - May 2, 2022
Yo soy su amigo --> I am her friend?
In lesson 1.11, without more context, I'm not seeing how to know “Yo soy su amigo” translates to “I am her friend.” Did I miss something?
2 replies - Last post by NicholasR31 - April 29, 2022
certifiquemos o certificáramos ?
In Travelogue 2.3:- “…sería una buena idea que ambos nos certifiquemos como buceadores antes de ir.”- “(it) would be a good idea that we both get certified as divers before (we) go.” I just checked and I did ask about this 4 years ago! (Just us hacks were...
3 replies - Last post by Liss-Rocket-Languages-Tutor - April 26, 2022
Que with accent and que without
Why in the phrase Que tengas un buen fin de semana does the e in que not have an accent mark and why in the phrase que bueno does the e in que have an accent mark? Thanks,Donnie
2 replies - Last post by Liss-Rocket-Languages-Tutor - April 19, 2022
In lesson 6.4, the phrase "tener ganas de" is translated as both “I feel like” and “I have desires of." I feel like these can be different things in English. The example of “I feel like going out” is simple enough, shows a feeling of desire. But, I used ...
1 reply - Last post by Liss-Rocket-Languages-Tutor - April 4, 2022
When to use hacer, estar, hay in relation to weather
I was doing level 1, 3.3 and the subject is the weather. How does one know when to use hacer in relation to the weather. here are a number of examples in the lesson: va a llover, va a hacer sol, puede hacer calor/frio, puede llover/nevar. I don't under...
1 reply - Last post by ricardo-rich - March 25, 2022
Hello Liss,I am very new to Rocket Spanish and relatively new to learning Spanish. I am enjoying the process so far but I am super confused about the various ways to say “I + am/will/was/can/have” etc. Yo, Soy, Estoy, Puedo, voy, habria :) And I understan...
1 reply - Last post by Liss-Rocket-Languages-Tutor - March 7, 2022
Gabriela quiere dárselo a María.Gabriela wants to give it to Maria.My Question is why do we need the selo after dar… Why no just darlo?
1 reply - Last post by Liss-Rocket-Languages-Tutor - February 28, 2022
Why is there a “LE” in the sentence:A quién le quiere dar Gabriela un regalo?Why could you not say the same without the "LE"?
1 reply - Last post by Liss-Rocket-Languages-Tutor - February 28, 2022
In lesson 9.2 there is the following sentence:“No le vi a mi mamá.”Why is it not “No la vi a mi mama”?Ver comes with a direct object, and mama is fem.
1 reply - Last post by Liss-Rocket-Languages-Tutor - February 21, 2022