Learning Spanish language

A few observations:

pedro: - Pero tampoco te gusta mucho Laure then the guy ask that another guy again, but smth that I can't get in this sentece is why it is tampoco? is it like, yes u trust him, but u also dont like him???
You are right, that “tampoco” is wrong, unless it refers to a previous question. Though maybe it has a strange expressive value.

es un tío raro
I think "tío" here is "guy".

—se llevaron el cepillo de Persy -- why it;s not only llevaron el cepillo?
If you say “llevaron el cepillo”, logically you must specify where they take it (unless it's implied, or you mean that they carry it), but if you use the pronominal verbal form (llevarse), you must not specify where.

Llevarse is “to take away”:
Yo llevo el libro: I carry the book
Yo llevo el libro a casa de mi amigo: I take the book to my friend’s house.
Yo me llevo el libro: I take away the book.

Another example:
¿Llevas eso? (both of us know where, it matters where)
¿Te llevas eso? (it doesn’t matter where)

Thanks for the help all! I just browsed through what you´ve posted in terms of my previous questions I will read them once again later on so that I can memorize the most important parts
Meanwhile I´ve got more sentances for you to translate Thank you in advance
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1. Va a esconder en su casa a Humberto y a alimentarlo muy bien - translation, plus 2. does this a Humberto translate as in his house?
3. Una tal
4. sin muchas ganas
5. hoy mismo
6. no, no , qué va.
7. vulgares - I actually know that this should mean Vulgar, but then I found out that it also means Common? So how do you know what they mean by this word and does it really mean common like for example if I want to say - This is a common question ,

8. es una pregunta vulgara ?????
9. Andar - I know that the past form should be anduvo, anduve, anduviste etc, but then I found also andé, andaste, andó like the verb is conjugated as being regular? is it usual mistake in spoken spanish or ? and do you often use it?

10. barra del bar
11. él me sonrió con tristeza. Lo estaba pasando mal.
12. iba a dar una vuelta
13. de marcado
14. tengo que pasear a Pedro, llevarlo a la tienda
15. ella es una amiga mía, que no conozco de nada
16. tómate una tila, venga - translation, plus why venga is used (infinitive venir)?
17. de dichas fiestas
18. me voy a mi cita
19. mirada profunda de los andinos
20. una marcada relación

21. al cabo de un rato
22. por ti hago yo lo sea
23. y ve con cuidado
24. menudo lío
25. menudos colegas
26. una pinta muy peligrosa
27. iAnda!, iqué moto tiene él!
28. estaba KO
29. dar pena

30. ajeno
31. meter las narices en algo
32. de pronto, él se dio la vuelta
33. después de detener al culpable
34. están medio enamorados
35. en un momento determinado vi pasar a un chico

I will try to help you with these, hoping not messing it

1. Va a esconder en su casa a Humberto y a alimentarlo muy bien -
(he/she is) going to hide Humberto in his house and feed him very well

2. does this a Humberto translate as in his house? =yes, but no at Humberto's house

3. Una tal
a/an such or such an/a (depends of the context)

4. sin muchas ganas
without so much desire or reluctantly

5. hoy mismo
today (precise today)

6. no, no , qué va.
no, no, no way / no, no, come on


7. vulgares - I actually know that this should mean Vulgar, but then I found out that it also means Common? So how do you know what they mean by this word and does it really mean common like for example if I want to say - This is a common question ,
vulgares = ordinaries, and if you want to say ¨this is a common question¨, it should be ¨está es una pregunta ordinaria, but this meaning is not often used, for common, is used común, ¨una pregunta común¨


8. es una pregunta vulgara ?????
it should be ¨es una pregunta vulgar¨ = is a ordinary question

9. Andar - I know that the past form should be anduvo, anduve, anduviste etc, but then I found also andé, andaste, andó like the verb is conjugated as being regular? is it usual mistake in spoken spanish or ? and do you often use it?
no, is not a mistake, we often use it


10. barra del bar
rod of the bar

11. él me sonrió con tristeza. Lo estaba pasando mal.
he smiled sadly. (he) was having a bad time

12. iba a dar una vuelta
(I/he/she) went for a walk

13. de marcado
of market(bold)

14. tengo que pasear a Pedro, llevarlo a la tienda
(I) must give Pedro a walk (must give Pedro a ride), take him to the store

15. ella es una amiga mía, que no conozco de nada
she is a freind of mine, that I do not know her of nothing (here the second sentence contradicts the first, I have no idea why)

16. tómate una tila, venga - translation, plus why venga is used (infinitive venir)?
take/drink a linden (linden tea), come on (venga as come on, is use it in some countries)

17. de dichas fiestas
of these parties

18. me voy a mi cita
(I am) going to my date/appointment (date if it is with a boy/girlfriend, appointment if it is with, let say, your doctor)

19. mirada profunda de los andinos
depth look at the Andean (people)

20. una marcada relación
a strong relationship

21. al cabo de un rato
after a while

22. por ti hago yo lo sea
I think you lost a ¨que¨ here, it shoul be: por ti hago yo lo que sea= for you I do whatever

23. y ve con cuidado
and go with carefully or and go (and be) careful

24. menudo lío
such a mess

25. menudos colegas
such colleagues (here in Mexico, as slang we use menudo as fatty/chubby, fatty colleagues) (and also Menudo is a mexican food, very taste) ahhehe

26. una pinta muy peligrosa
a look, very dangerous

27. iAnda!, iqué moto tiene él!
wow/come on/, What a bike he have!

28. estaba KO
(he) was KO (KO= knock out)

29. dar pena
you make me sad or you sadden me or I feel sorry for you

30. ajeno
alien /foreign / strange / not related to

31. meter las narices en algo
poke your nose into something / sticking your nose into something

32. de pronto, él se dio la vuelta
suddenly, he turned

33. después de detener al culpable
after stopping the guilty/offender

34. están medio enamorados
(they) are kindof in love

35. en un momento determinado vi pasar a un chico
at one time I saw a guy passing by

Originally Posted by velvet_sky

9. Andar - I know that the past form should be anduvo, anduve, anduviste etc, but then I found also andé, andaste, andó like the verb is conjugated as being regular? is it usual mistake in spoken spanish or ? and do you often use it?

«[...] Así pues, no se consideran correctas las formas de estos tiempos con la raíz regular and-: *andé, *andaste, *andara o *andase, *andaras o *andases, etc.».
Answer from the RAE (Real Academia Española)

Thank you all for you help. It really means a lot to me! Sorry that I reply a bit late, but I don't have much of time to spend in the forum, that's why I only check it regularly

nooow, I've got more questions to ask (as usual hehe )

Originally Posted by momper

The subjunctive mood is mainly used to indicate uncertainty, subjectivity or possibility.
Wikipedia

ok, but in the sentence 'la quiere como si fuera su propia hija', fuera is imperfect subjunctive. the subjunctive can express probability, uncertaintly and possibility, I got that, but then I am asking myself, why here is used imperfect subjunctive rather than present subjunctive..... meaning that can't we write it like that ---> ' la quiere como si SEA su propia hija' ???

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I need the translation of the following sentence: Se trata de un campo magnético que desde el fondo del mar atrae hacia sí a embarcaciones y aviones

plus, in regard with the above sentence, how exactly you´d translate atrae hacia sí a, I guess this is some kind of expression?

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translation:

1. top right
2. top left
3. down right side

4. entre otros
5. con lo de
6. lo de
7. en punto de
8. pasa a organizar
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I need the translation of the following sentence. And also I would like to know the separate translation of the part marked in red. What thense is used here, and when should we use it (the tense used there)?

El famoso túnel de después de la vida: Que, sin embargo, se ve siempre en vida, pues de lo contrario nadie habría podido contarlo; es una alucinación común en el estado de como.
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translation:

Yo no estoy para nada de acuerdo

I need the overall translation of this sentence, plus the part in black specifically what does it mean

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Escúchalas y prepara por escrito tus respuestas

again, I need the translation of the whole sentance, but also preciselly the part with black. Why it is escrito, and not por escibir?
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...se ha convertido en cita obligatoria para la moda nacional

translation again of the whole sentance, and in particular the part in black. and also is this cita obligatoria some kind of expression, coz as far as i know cita means appointment?
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lugar de encuentro para más de 30 profesionales : translation?

is the part in black an expression and what does it mean exactly?

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how u can translate ´can I join u´
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pasando a celebrarse

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¡Gracias por adelantado!

Originally Posted by velvet_sky

I am asking myself, why here is used imperfect subjunctive rather than present subjunctive..... meaning that can't we write it like that ---> ' la quiere como si SEA su propia hija'

The imperfect subjunctive preterit adds a shade of irreality. For instance:

Ojalá suceda así (there are some possibilities that it happens).

Ojalá sucediera así (it's very dificult or impossible that it happens).

"Como si sea su propia hija" hasn't sense: she isn't her daughter and so she cannot be her daughter under no circumstances, so you must say: "como si fuera su hija".

how exactly you´d translate atrae hacia sí a, I guess this is some kind of expression?

I don't dare to translate, but I think "atraer hacia sí" must be "It attracts sb/sth toward(s) it" or somehting like that.

What thense is used here, and when should we use it (the tense used there)?

El famoso túnel de después de la vida: Que, sin embargo, se ve siempre en vida, pues de lo contrario nadie habría podido contarlo

"Habría podido" is "condicional perfecto"; it's used "para expresar una acción futura en relación con un pasado. La diferencia con el condicional simple es que la acción se presenta ya terminada". For instance:

Yo contaría una historia (quizá yo cuente una historia).

Yo habría podido contar una historia (es seguro que ya no la contaré).

Yo no estoy para nada de acuerdo

I don't agree at all. "Para nada" is "at all".

Escúchalas y prepara por escrito tus respuestas

Why it is escrito, and not por escribir?

"Por escrito" is an adverbial locution.

"por escribir" in that sentence hasn't sense. "Por + infinitive" means "because of + -ing".

...se ha convertido en cita obligatoria para la moda nacional
is this cita obligatoria some kind of expression, coz as far as i know cita means appointment?

"Cita obligatoria" isn't an expression. Cita can mean meeting.

lugar de encuentro para más de 30 profesionales : translation?
is the part in black an expression and what does it mean exactly?

I think it's a place to gather. In that sentence it can be an occasion to gather, if it refers to a meeting.

Momper thank you here i've got some questions in regard to your answers...

<<<
Yo contaría una historia (quizá yo cuente una historia).

Yo habría podido contar una historia (es seguro que ya no la contaré).>>>>>

soo I checked condicional perfecto, and it says that to conjugate the tense we should make the verb 'haber' in condicional simple and then put the other verb into past participle. So in this line of thought, why I can't say - habría contado una historia (I would have told a story) rather than habría podido contar? what this podido stands for?


<<<< Escúchalas y prepara por escrito tus respuestas

Why it is escrito, and not por escribir?

"Por escrito" is an adverbial locution.

"por escribir" in that sentence hasn't sense. "Por + infinitive" means "because of + -ing". >>>>>


ok, got that hmm then how exactly u would translate por escrito in English? the dictionary says 'in writing' but in the context I gave about what would you suggest?


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"Habría contado" and "habría podido contar" are practically the same thing. As you know "podido" is the participle of "poder". I think here it has a emphatic value.

the dictionary says 'in writing' but in the context I gave about what would you suggest?

Sorry, I don't speak English. I hope someone answers instead of me.

thank you momper

ok, hope somebody would help me with that sentence... btw you do speak English, I don't know you are underestimating yourself... I mean so far whatever question I have had, I've written it in English and you understood me and you also write me back in English, so I don't think you have much of a problem with the English... if you know what I mean

anyways, I've got another question now: in many formal letters I've seen the following expression

Les saluda atentamente

so I was wandering why 'saluda' is used instead of 'saludo'? I ca't get the right meaning and translation in English, sooo pls help

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also i would like an alternative translation of this: al ser esta mi primera toma de contacto con su oficina y su jefe...

Thank you!

I think is a convention: after "Le saluda atentamente", you write your name, it's supposed that the name is the one which "saluda".

What's the difference between 'he ido' and 'fui' ? When do you use he ido and when fui?

I think the shade of meaning is the immediacy of the event. It sounds better "Fui al cine ayer" than "He ido al cine ayer" (but you can also say, with a expressive value, "Voy al cine ayer y me pasa esto"); just as it's said "He ido al cine esta mañana" better than "Fui al cine esta mañana".

He ido (Pretérito Perfecto) is the equivalent of Present Perfect in English. It is used to talk about past actions which has some connection to the present. There are certain expressions that you use Solely with this tense, which are: está semana; este mes; este año; está mañana, etc. In English we usually use Past Simple to talk about actions which have happened in the close past, However in Spanish they use Pretérito Perfecto for that purpose. This is actually one of the most important tenses in Spanish, I think, because it's used a lot.

Fui (Pretérito), on the other hand, is the equivalent of Past Simple in English. Again there are certain expressions which are solely used with that tense: ayer; el semana pasada; el año pasado; el día pasado; antés unos días; en el pasado, etc. We use this tense to talk about very very past actions, for example if you want to say 'She was born in 1990' (Ella nació en 1990).

Hope I helped

I'm confused. If we use pretérito to talk about very past actions, why do we use ayer, el dia anterior and hace unos días? What happended yesterday is not a very past action, isn't it??

Yes, we use it for past actions which cannot change and do not have any connection to the present. The example I gave was just to clarify that it's main use is for past which cannot be changed. We use Ayer; La semana pasada; El mes pasado; Hace dos días; El año pasado in conjunction with Pretérito because this action is gone, it's finished and the time when it has happened has already finished.

Whereas, when we use the Pretérito Perfecto we refer to a time (for example part of the day) which time is in motion and hasn't finished yet. Therefore, we say that Pretérito Perfecto is connected to the present, and to the time we are in at the moment.

Here are few examples:

Ayer fui al supermercado y compré muchas cosas. (Yesterday I went to the supermarket and I bought many things). So here the action is gone and the time which the action took place in, is already gone. It does not have any connection to the time we are speaking at the moment. We are just making statement of what we did yesterday. As soon as you put that ayer at the beginning of the sentence you MUST use Pretérito and not Pretérito Perfecto

If you want to use Pretérito Perfecto you should do it like this: Esta semana he ido al supermercado y he comprado muchas cosas (This week I've gone to the supermarket and I have bought many things). Here we have a connection with the present, because we for example are making this statement on Friday, but the action took place on Monday, and when we say THIS WEEK, we refer to the week which is not finished yet.

HOWEVER!!!! ... the second example with esta semana, could most probably be translated with Past Simple in English. That's why before I said that in Spanish they use very ofter Present Perfect to talk about past actions and that this tense is one of the most important ones


Also you might check this webpage http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=209804
Hope now is more clear, if not let me know and I will try to explain it again or someone else might try coz I am also a Spanish Learner myself

Thank you very very very very much!! It's all clear now thanks to you!

You are very welcome! I am glad that I helped you. I know how hard it is to get the idea of a tense, expression, word or whatsoever in a Language you are currently studying and which is new to you, I've gone through those two tenses and at first I was confused which one and when should I use but now is more clear to me and I enjoy the fact that I helped u so that it's more clear to you as well :P :P :P

I love Spanish! But, to tell you the truth I have never really studied it..I started learning Spanish watching TV..And then I started listening to Spansh music, I found some Spanish chats online and so I got a chance to interact with native speakers..That was pretty much my spanish-learning process. And now when I write or speak spanish I don't think about grammatical rules or anything like that, I just decide to use the word or expression that makes more sense to me. And considering that I'm not native I think I should finally concentrate a little bit on the grammar to clear all the doubts I've been having.

Well, since you already are able to speak Spanish pretty good (doesn't matter if it's from movies or chatting with natives), I think it would be easier for you to learn the grammer now I am currently studying Spanish really seriously and I do really enjoy it! I have watched few Spanish movies, however I am not watching them all the time. I think that this would help me a lot, but it's that I can't find so many movies to download or to buy. However, I am constantly listening to Spanish music which helps me a lot and whenever I have some doubts I refer to this forum, it's really useful

So where are you from? And how long you've been studying Spanish (through movies and chatting)? Are you able to speak it fluently? : ]

hello there, showing my moderator mood .... chit chat in the specific thread please!!