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!
I'm going through songs I'm used to singing along with (to the chagrin of my neighbors...) and trying to clear up any portions I don't understand. There are subtle uses - and non uses - of the subjunctive in this song which are beyond me (but I would like...
0 replies - Last post by Steven-W15 - March 24, 2015
Para saber qué pasó después...
"To know what happened afterwards..." I am forever wanting to put a "lo que" in there. What is the rule for this? I remember there is a RS lesson on "lo que", "lo cual", etc. but I don't remember seeing the explanation for "que" vs "lo que".
2 replies - Last post by Steven-W15 - March 24, 2015
LESSON 3.1 Sí. Sí, yo conozco a tu amigo Andrés.
yo conozco a tu amigo Andrés. What does ¨a ´ mean in this sentence????
5 replies - Last post by Steven-W15 - March 24, 2015
Tengo vivi en Irlanda 8 meses (?)
I just came across this in a forum from someone who is from Venezuela. Is this correct? This is the first time I've seen this construction (tengo viví) which I presume is intended to mean "I have lived" - but the grammar looks almost too "English". This, ...
3 replies - Last post by Cristian-Montes-de-Oca - March 23, 2015
¿Te gustan los perritos calientes con mostaza, con kétchup, o con ambos
¿Te gustan los perritos calientes con mostaza, con kétchup, o con ambos. Is gustan for ustedes or for perritos callientes?
10 replies - Last post by Cristian-Montes-de-Oca - March 23, 2015
Vayamos a un restaurante italiano que conozco.
Let's go to an Italian restaurant that I know. Interesting (from a RS lession). It seems like I read previously on the forum here that when using "vayamos", it refers to just leaving a place with no specific direction in mind; otherwise you would use "va...
8 replies - Last post by Robert-C7 - March 21, 2015
Vaya una cuadra. What's the difference betwen vaya and Voy ??
What's the difference between Vaya and Voy? Do they carry the same meaning? Could anyone explain the use of these two words?
3 replies - Last post by Darius-R1 - March 20, 2015
Porque en los ojos nos espiábamos el alma...
The context is clearly something positive as the phrase continues with "...y la verdad no vacilaba en tu mirada." Espiar is "to spy on". I would guess that the meaning is "For our eyes looked into each other's souls..." but "espiar" seems to be a curious ...
4 replies - Last post by Steven-W15 - March 19, 2015
Hola everyone, How do I use the online keyboard provided by RL to make an uppercase letter on the "Write It!" test? Is there even supposed to be accented uppercase letter in Spanish? Adios, hasta luego!
17 replies - Last post by george-gmh - March 19, 2015
Using the second verb the infinative form
When using two verbs in sentence the second one is usually in the infinitive form. Is this true for the present tense only?
9 replies - Last post by Ava Dawn - March 14, 2015
Wow, here is a basic question! If you've just arrived at a restaurant and you want to tell the waiter how many are in your party, would you use ser ou estar? Or perhaps something more like, "Hay seis personas..."?
6 replies - Last post by Steven-W15 - March 14, 2015
Interesting expression (heard off a video). "Pondré" is "I will put" (from poner). Google translates this is "I'll get the idea." The context is one person suggests a course of action and the other person, the one who says this, is the one who then acts o...
4 replies - Last post by Steven-W15 - March 11, 2015
In a TV series, a girl cuts off a branch and says this phrase to the plant (I'm pretty sure that's what she said). I don't have a handle on what this means. Any ideas? Some other useful expressions I've come across (the translations might be off): y...
5 replies - Last post by Ava Dawn - March 10, 2015
Can anyone please help me match the occasions on which to use the many ways of saying I am sorry in Spanish. In my travels over the years, I have heard expressions like perdón, perdóneme, permiso, con permiso, disculpe, discúlpeme, lo siento, and lamento...
7 replies - Last post by Ava Dawn - March 10, 2015
Is it true that the only place where "Si..." is not followed by a verb in the subjunctive is when "cuando" can be substituted for "si"? - Si sumas dos más dos, tienes cuatro. - Cuando sumas dos más dos, tienes cuatro. A verb in the indicative tense ...
14 replies - Last post by Ava Dawn - March 7, 2015
"So there are only a few left!" Every once in a while I come across a phrase in RS that I may have seen a dozen times - and it finally dawns on me that I'm not getting it. This is one of those phrases. The general structure I get as it's just like E...
5 replies - Last post by Steven-W15 - March 7, 2015
in lesson 2.1 quedo hacer un tour con mi familia. the word con translate to without/with. if you are writing a letter or speaking face to face and say con mi familia how are they to concern what you mean without/ and by the way i dont understand the ques...
10 replies - Last post by marieg-rocket languages - March 6, 2015
in lesson 1.11 you have the money. how do you know wheather the word you is formal ustedes or regular tu
2 replies - Last post by marieg-rocket languages - March 6, 2015
Working through the sci-fi series Babylon 5 in Spanish... "Koch" is speaking here. These aliens all have the same name. Bref... I find it curious in Spanish how you can have "Todos somos..." and "Todos son..." even when in the latter case the person spea...
9 replies - Last post by marieg-rocket languages - March 6, 2015
What does "participio passado" mean
11 replies - Last post by marieg-rocket languages - March 6, 2015
[This is the start of the song "Te Amo" (Franco de Vita)] "There if you had seen us (but you didn't)..." I suppose this isn't a question - it just looks weird to me to see "Hay" there. I would have expected to see "Allí / ahí / ...
25 replies - Last post by Steven-W15 - March 6, 2015
Porque tenemos que llegar al aeropuerto a las seis. What does "que" mean in this sentence?
11 replies - Last post by marieg-rocket languages - March 3, 2015
In lesson 4.1 hear it say it. Cuanto cuesto un cafe.[translate] How much is a cup od coffe. if a person in their feeble effort tried to say Como mucho cuesto una cafe. Would they be understood?
5 replies - Last post by marieg-rocket languages - March 3, 2015
Bueno. Por ti, me encargaré de que veamos un delfín rosado, ¿ya?
This is a follow-up to a previous discussion we had regarding the lesser used tenses of the subjunctive. Here is an example where one could use the future subjunctive (viéramos) but the present (veamos) is used instead. So just a confirmation that there i...
3 replies - Last post by Steven-W15 - February 24, 2015
Si terminamos el viaje en Perú, tendríamos que partir en Colombia.
"If we end the trip in Peru, we would have to start in Colombia." I hope I'm not being too picky here... Shouldn't this phrase be one of the following? - Si terminamos el viaje en Perú, tendremos que partir en Colombia. - Si terminábamos el viaj...
7 replies - Last post by Steven-W15 - February 21, 2015
The following phrases are from lesson 1.4. There were questions about when these expressions can be used. I would assume that it would be acceptable to use them when you leaving a Spanish class or a friends home. Any thoughts? ...
1 reply - Last post by Steven-W15 - February 19, 2015
I just heard this in a video series I've been watching. The context screams out "It's your loss!" but I can't seem to confirm this via the web. Is that the correct translation? It's a useful phrase.
3 replies - Last post by Ava Dawn - February 17, 2015
Has anyone had any experience with online Spanish tutors? Are they worthwhile? Thanks.
1 reply - Last post by Dan-H24 - February 16, 2015
Hoy, estoy reflexionando sobre la verbos Dejar , Parecer , y Esperar I am trying to sort out the different use of these verbs with their meanings. It is easy for me to think Dejar is to leave, Parecer is to sound like and Esperar to wait and to hope. Any ...
13 replies - Last post by george-gmh - February 16, 2015
¿Como qué vamos a torturar a nuestros alumnos hoy, Amy?
"What are we doing to torture our students with today, Amy?" Here is another one of those phrases that I just can't seem to get my head around: "¿Como qué...?" "Con qué..." would make sense to me as would just ¿Cómo...?" But "¿Como qué...?" in this cont...
18 replies - Last post by Steven-W15 - February 7, 2015
I have encountered this sentence several times in the Platinum Plus course and always wonder why it is structured this way. Práctica alone conveys the message, "you practice." I can see how this might seem more of a command than is intended, and maybe the...
7 replies - Last post by ricardo-rich - February 6, 2015
No escogí este local por sus parrandas, sino que por su proximidad a mi lugar de trabajo.
I didn't choose this location for its parties, but instead for its proximity to my workplace. The relative que must be used when sino introduces a clause with a conjugated verb... (I took the above explanation off the Internet.) The ph...
3 replies - Last post by ricardo-rich - February 6, 2015
how do you know which context to use the two words soy y estoy?
16 replies - Last post by Steven-W15 - February 6, 2015
Cuando un hombre se casa, se le va la locura de su vida.
"When a man gets married, it's the craziest thing in his life." For as many times as I have looked at this phrase, I can't seem to get my head around this last part. I understand each word but it just doesn't seem to come together for me. "...se le va..."?
3 replies - Last post by Robert-C7 - January 22, 2015
Deberíamos esperar a que ella nos cuente.
"We should wait for her to tell us." Since we are on the subjunctive these days... Shouldn't the above sentence be better said: - Deberíamos esperar a que ella nos contara. or - Debemos esperar a que ella nos cuente.
5 replies - Last post by Ava Dawn - January 22, 2015
How do you say extremely cold weather
5 replies - Last post by Cristian-Montes-de-Oca - January 21, 2015
More subjunctives https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbE5ORBSeu4
13 replies - Last post by Steven-W15 - January 21, 2015
Yo te había estado esperando?
In going through the course again, I'm trying to change the tense of the phrases (which is proving helpful in keeping things fresh). The phrase above seems logical but I have yet to see an example of it anywhere. Is it correct? - Yo te estoy esperando - ...
20 replies - Last post by Ava Dawn - January 18, 2015
¿Me duele el corazón?
En lección 12.5 es la frase: "Me duele el corazón." (My heart hurts) Me parace que la frase es en el tiempo presente y la conjugación correcto debe ser "duela." ¿Por qué "duele?"
6 replies - Last post by Steven-W15 - January 18, 2015
I have found three words that say, I need, I would like, do you have the, would you get me the bill?
6 replies - Last post by Steven-W15 - January 18, 2015
I am confused about the word "Lo" - sometimes is seems to mean "I" and sometimes "it". Can someone clarify this form me?
5 replies - Last post by ricardo-rich - January 10, 2015
I am working through Lesson 12.10. The examples used to illustrate the use of neither/nor are as follows: El viaje no fue un éxito ni un fracaso. The trip was neither a success nor a failure. Diego no es ni muy inteligente ni muy tonto. Diego is neithe...
9 replies - Last post by Steven-W15 - January 7, 2015
In the survival kit , What is the difference between Donde esta el banco. And Donde esta la comisaria.
7 replies - Last post by Steven-W15 - January 1, 2015
Whenever I want to say "I hope" I tend to use ojalá rather than esperar. This is something I learned in high school Spanish. So, to say "I hope you are not tired", one can say either "ojalá que no estás cansado" or "espero que no estás cansado". What i...
9 replies - Last post by Steven-W15 - December 29, 2014
Hola a todos, Could someone translate these very similar small sentences? 1> Estuvé invitado 2> Yo estaba invitado 3> Invité The only thing I know is invitado is the Past Participle of "invitar" and the three are all varients of "I was ...
8 replies - Last post by Steven-W15 - December 29, 2014
In one of the lessons describing the different usage of these two prepositions an example is given of: "I went for a run" translated as "Fue a correr". There is no explanation of why neither Por or Para is used. It explains that a verb like Pedir which m...
7 replies - Last post by Ava Dawn - December 23, 2014
¿Te los da Héctor? Does Hector give them to you? Ellos nos los piden. They ask us for them. I see both direct and indirect objects in this example and they are placed before the verb Necesito dárselo mañana. I need to give it to him tomorrow- I see bo...
9 replies - Last post by Ava Dawn - December 23, 2014
Estes (accented second e) vs estas (accented a)
I am reviewing to take the module tests and found this sentence. Is this correct? Espero que no estés cansado. I hope that you are not tired.
9 replies - Last post by Ava Dawn - December 18, 2014
I want to see you again. Quiero volver a verte. We discussed volver and devolver before. I thought I already know these two words. I guess not. Also pienso en ti. I think of you. I thought it would be pienso de ti. I guess it sound better with en ti.
2 replies - Last post by Ava Dawn - December 15, 2014
El curso es enseñada por la Profesora Ramírez.
Apologies if I've asked this question before, but this phrase bothers me and I just saw it on the test. Shouldn't it be "enseñado" as it is "el curso"?
5 replies - Last post by Robert-C7 - December 15, 2014