Spanish - Grammar

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!

Lesson 5.5: "¿estás en el camino?" and "estoy en camino"

In lesson 5.5, Amy asks Mauricio if he's on the way: “¿estás en el camino?”. This makes sense; it's the same as in English: “Are you on the road?”. But then later in the lesson, when Mauricio says he's on the way he says it like this: “estoy en camino”, i...

24 replies - Last post by Al22 - March 16, 2024

Pronouns with infinitives and present participles

I'm pretty confused about the placement of pronouns with infinitves and present participles.  It says it is optional to either put it before the verb or attach it to the end of the  infinitve or present participle, but in the exercises at the end of the l...

4 replies - Last post by Scott_C - February 20, 2024

When do we learn the past?

Hello, just curious. In which module do we start learning any form of the past? So that I could say i have been to the cinema for example :)

1 reply - Last post by Scott_C - February 4, 2024

Direct object person "a" usage

Hi! The rule is: “If a person is a direct object in a sentence, then they need to have the personal a in front of them in the sentence.” But in the flashcard “I am looking for you” - isn't the direct object a person (“you”) - so shouldn't this be "Estoy b...

2 replies - Last post by Scott_C - January 29, 2024

informal vs formal verb usage

In lesson 1.2 why is the informal form (te llamas) used to ask someone you don't know what their name is?…why not the formal (se llama) since you don't know them?

4 replies - Last post by Scott_C - January 17, 2024

¿Adónde? versus ¿A dónde?

Is there ever any difference between these two? Lessonn 3.2 seems to use them interchangeably. Of cvourse it doesn't matter in speaking, but I wonder if there's ever a situation where the space (or its absence) matters.

2 replies - Last post by StanB-sweh - December 22, 2023

Indirect object with "poder"+infinitive

I'm currently in lesson 2.7 of the first course. There's a phrase, “¿Me puede decir la hora, por favor?” From a Pimsleur course, I learned the form “¿Puede decirme la hora, por favor?” Here's another example from an earlier lesson, “¿En qué le puedo ayuda...

5 replies - Last post by Indy-Rocket-Languages - December 22, 2023

using accents in the written sections

Is there a section in the course on the use of accents?  I get the spelling correct, but usually miss the accents.

4 replies - Last post by StanB-sweh - December 16, 2023

Pronoun placement

I am on Module 1.10 and am confused as to the placement of the pronoun in congunction to the verb. I notice that sometimes it is placed before the verb: “Tu eres muy amable” and sometimes after the verb: “”Necesita usted ayuda?" Please explain. Thank you!

1 reply - Last post by Scott_C - December 10, 2023

donde hay. donde estan

HIBeing doing the lesson on life in the city - survival kit. Can one use donde estan and donde hay interchangeably, as well as donde esta. Get that donde esta and estan are singular or plural. But with donde hay can be is or are ThanksMaxie

3 replies - Last post by Liss-Rocket-Languages-Tutor - November 15, 2023

Bueno vs Bien

What’s the difference between “ ¡qué bueno !” And “ ¡qué bien!” it is not totally interchangeable, is it ?  Benny

3 replies - Last post by Benny L - November 5, 2023

que referring to an entire sentence

In lesson 15.2, Alejandra says “al final la encontraste y la destrozaste, que es lo que importa”, in which “que” in the relative clause refers to the entire sentence of the main clause. However, I learned that when referring to an entire sentence, we shou...

2 replies - Last post by JinH - October 29, 2023

hace + tiempo + que + el presente o imperfecto

When the “hace + tiempo + que” structure is used, a verb in the present tense is used to indicate an action that started in the past and has lasted to the present, for example, “hace un mes que trabajo”(I have worked for a month).  However, in lesson 15.1...

2 replies - Last post by JinH - October 29, 2023

que or qué

In lesson 12.1, “I don't know what to buy” and “I don't know what type of gift I should buy” are translated as “no sé  que comprar” and “no sé que tipo de regalo debo comprar”. Why is “what” translated as “que” instead of “qué"?   Thank you.

2 replies - Last post by JinH - October 19, 2023

the conjugation of declararse

In lesson 10.2, Amy said that declararse means confessing one's love,however, in the sentence, it's conjugated as “le declaró”: mi padre le declaró su amor. Shouldn't it be “mi padre se declaró su amor”?

3 replies - Last post by JinH - October 3, 2023

ayudarle or ayudarla

In lesson 8.4, “you should help her” is translated as “debes ayudarle a ella”, but isn't ayudar a transitive verb that can take a direct object pronoun? So should it be “debes ayudarla” or “debes ayudarle”?

7 replies - Last post by JinH - October 3, 2023

Lesson 10.8 Action Replay

Hi, I was looking at the Action Replay, and this is what it has:--------- Each verb below implies different things in el imperfecto and el pretérito:* conocer "to know / to meet (someone)" OR "to know / to discover (some place)"* saber "to know (something...

3 replies - Last post by Liss-Rocket-Languages-Tutor - September 20, 2023

Accent marks in words like feliz, cuando, cuanto, Madrid

I thought I knew that accents are used to indicate when a syllable is not accented in the normal manner, which is the second to last syllable, except for words ending in ‘r', and maybe some others. But “feliz” does not have an accent - maybe I forgot that...

4 replies - Last post by Liss-Rocket-Languages-Tutor - August 21, 2023

Preterite vs imperfect

Why is “El mundo cambío." in the preterite? That seems like something that happened over an undefined amount of time, so I would have thought imperfect.

2 replies - Last post by Scott_C - August 5, 2023

Me imagino vs Me lo imagino

In lesson 8.2 (I) can imagine is translated as Me lo imagino.  In lesson 9.2 (I can) imagine is translated as Me imagino. Have to admit I tripped up on the  lo in 8.2 but figured it was really saying I can imagine it and I suspected the lo was optional (b...

4 replies - Last post by Scott_C - July 17, 2023

Why is 'que' used in this sentence?

Hello, I am only beginning the 4th module of Spanish 1, so perhaps this question is answered further down the line. But I would love to understand why ‘que’ is added to the sentence below? To my limited knowledge, the sentence would have the same meaning ...

9 replies - Last post by Liss-Rocket-Languages-Tutor - July 17, 2023

why "Hace"

Why “hace” Hace cuánto tiempo que está aquí? How long have (you) been here?

2 replies - Last post by Liss-Rocket-Languages-Tutor - July 5, 2023

conjugacion

en este oracion" Los loros sufren depreciones cuando se les abandona". ?Que representa “se”? o deberia ser “se los abandona”?

1 reply - Last post by Liss-Rocket-Languages-Tutor - June 22, 2023

¿Qué se le ofrece? Lesson 4.4 is this using the usted form?

From Level 1, Lesson 4.4¿Qué se le ofrece?from the lesson, the translation is: “What would you like?” Having jumped ahead a bit and having already been reading up on pronouns in a grammar book, I gather from the conjugation of the word ofrecer and the pro...

0 replies - Last post by Randal-dB - June 7, 2023

From lesson 2.9 Vas al trabajo los domingos

Vas al trabajo los domingos.(You) go to work on Sundays. Why not Vas a trabajar los domingos?Trabajo seems like the yo form? Also,¿Van a casa?Are you going home? Shouldn't that be “Are they going home?”, … or does it depend on the context?I guess you coul...

2 replies - Last post by Liss-Rocket-Languages-Tutor - June 5, 2023

I can't figure out module I've completed. Corella Payne

Where am i at in module completion?  When do i know when I've completed the entire course?

2 replies - Last post by Margaret-RocketLanguages - June 1, 2023

Ir vs salir for to go fishing

ten characters

1 reply - Last post by Scott_C - May 26, 2023

mendar

How do you say “Send her a text message!”

4 replies - Last post by Scott_C - May 9, 2023

Why is yo after the verb in a statement?

From lesson 8.2I have been memorizing this as every time I want to drop the yo (which I am sure is allowed but your English translation includes the you, so that is on me) or I want to put it before the verb, which is the part I don't understand. Ésa es l...

6 replies - Last post by Scott_C - May 5, 2023

Lesson 5.6 Direct Object Pronouns and the word HER

In the flashcards, you have these two cards: 1) We are going to see her = La vamos a verla.2) I am going to bring her  = La voy a traer. Both sentences use the word HER in English as a direct object:WE (subject) are going to see HER (direct object)I (subj...

3 replies - Last post by Liss-Rocket-Languages-Tutor - May 5, 2023

Lesson 4.8: Why is SER used for a heavy suitcase yet ESTAR used for dry flowers?

In the flashcards for 4.8, we have these three cards: 1>Your suitcases are heavy /  Las maletas tuyas son pesadas 2> The flowers in your garden are all dry. / Las flores en tu jardín están todos secas.  3> Your books are open / Tus libros están abrietos. ...

6 replies - Last post by Daniel-rF - April 30, 2023

English plural but Spanish singular?

Why is “(It) is not the formal Spanish of universities: (it) is the Spanish that is spoken in real life.” translated to “la universidad"?

4 replies - Last post by Scott_C - April 16, 2023

Lección 6.8 Saber/Conocer

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 with Es cuarto para las doce de la noche.

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

Por, de, or en la mañana

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3 replies - Last post by Scott_C - March 1, 2023

?Qué se le ofrece?

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1 reply - Last post by Liss-Rocket-Languages-Tutor - February 22, 2023

more pronoun placement

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

lesson 2.1

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 ...

16 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

The use of "yo"

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 ...

2 replies - Last post by BarryH12 - 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

Ser vs estar in lesson 9.8

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

please speak more slowlk

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

Grammar

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

Object pronouns

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

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