You have probably heard that double negatives are incorrect because two negatives make a positive. For example, "I don't have none" means "I have some" and "He doesn't know no one" would mean "He knows someone." However, while this holds true in English, the same is not so in Spanish, where double negatives are perfectly acceptable and commonplace! Let's further explore this concept.
As you might know, to create a negative Spanish sentence, you simply add the word "no" in front of the verb. To state a very simple example, while Voy means "I'm going," No voy means "I'm not going."
To add emphasis to the aforementioned sentence, you could add an additional negative Spanish word like nunca (never) as we see below:
No voy nunca.
I'm never going/I'm not ever going.
Despite the fact that this sentence's literal translation, "I'm not going never," would be unacceptable in English, as we stated previously, there is nothing negative about Spanish double negatives! Another thing to note about Spanish double negative sentences is that, as we see in the example above, there is often more than one correct way to translate them to English.
The following list of negative Spanish words are often used to create Spanish double negative sentences:
jamás: never, ever
nadie: nobody, no one
ningún: no, not a single, any
ninguno/a: no, none, not one, nobody, no one
nunca: never, ever
tampoco: neither, nor, either
ni: nor, not even
Armed with this information, let's take a look at several examples of Spanish double negatives from our Yabla Spanish library. To help you think about them, we have included their literal translations as well as alternative translations to English in some cases.
No, no, mi amor, no vino nadie a verme, no, no.
No, no, my love, nobody came to see me, no, no.
Caption 1, Yago 10 Enfrentamientos - Part 6
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Literal translation: No one didn't come to see me.
él no dijo nada.
he didn't say anything.
Caption 52, Los Años Maravillosos Capítulo 12 - Part 3
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Literal translation: He didn't say nothing.
Alternative translation: He said nothing.
No, no tengo ninguno, no... ¿Por qué? ¿Qué propones?
No, I don't have any, I don't... Why? What do you suggest?
Captions 23-24, Confidencial: El rey de la estafa Capítulo 4 - Part 7
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Literal translation: I don't have none.
Alternative translation: I have none.
In addition to the word "no," the placement of additional negative Spanish words like nunca (never), tampoco (not either) or nadie (no one) before verbs can also negate phrases, as in the sentences Tampoco voy (I'm not going either), Él nunca toma alchohol (He never drinks alcohol) and Nadie viene (No one is coming). Therefore, we can also form Spanish double negatives with these words plus an additional negative word, as we see in the examples below. Can you come up with their literal or additional English translations?
Yo ahí tampoco espero nada.
I don't expect anything there either.
Caption 55, Confidencial: Broma pesada Capítulo 3 - Part 7
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por él no me preocupo, a él nunca le pasa nada.
I don't worry about him; nothing ever happens to him.
Caption 34, La Sucursal del Cielo Capítulo 3 - Part 10
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Nadie va a ninguna parte.
Nobody's going anywhere.
Caption 31, Los Años Maravillosos Capítulo 10 - Part 7
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Interestingly, not only are double negatives OK in Spanish, but so are triple negatives and more! Let's take a look at a few examples of this phenomenon, starting with a triple negative sentence:
pues no quiere deberle nada a nadie cuando llegue a la presidencia
for he doesn't want to owe anything to anyone when he gets to the presidency
Caption 53, Andrés Manuel López Obrador Publicidad de Obrador
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Let's see one more:
Nunca he viajado ni en campervan ni en autocaravana.
I've never traveled in either a camper or in a motorhome.
Caption 18, Viajando con Fermín Caravaning - Part 2
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Keep in mind that that although the previous sentence entailed a triple negative, there is no limit to the number of times that the Spanish word ni, which functions as the equivalent of English words like "either," "or," "neither" and "nor," can be used in a sentence. For example, if you wanted to add on some additional modes of transportation on which you had never traveled, you could do so as follows:
Nunca he viajado ni en campervan ni en autocaravana ni en avión ni en helicóptero ni en tren.
I've never traveled in either a camper or in a motorhome or in an airplane or on a train.
Let's conclude this lesson with the frequently-heard double negative phrase nunca jamás (the Spanish equivalent of "never ever," which you can learn more about in our lessons on Never and Ever in Spanish). Let's take a look at this phrase in the context of a Spanish triple negative:
nunca digas nunca jamás.
never ever say never.
Caption 89, Confidencial: Broma pesada Capítulo 1 - Part 14
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That's all for today. We hope that this lesson has helped you to better understand the idea of double and even multiple negative sentences in Spanish, and we urge you to both be on the lookout for them and formulate some of your own! And don't forget to write us with your questions and comments.
Do you know how to use the definite article el in Spanish? It's one of the most common words in the language, but its usage can sometimes be tricky for learners. In this lesson, we will explore how and when to use el correctly, including its rules and exceptions. Let's dive into the world of definite articles in the language of Cervantes.
Let's start with the basics of the definite article el.
A definite article is used to indicate a specific noun that is known to the reader or listener. In English, the definite article is "the." In Spanish, the masculine singular form of the definite article is el.
We use el with masculine singular nouns. Here are some examples:
el libro (the book)
el perro (the dog)
el coche (the car)
Let's hear how to pronounce this article:
Sin duda, en la actualidad el perro es el animal que más se utiliza como apoyo en este tipo de intervenciones.
Without a doubt, nowadays the dog is the animal that is used the most for support in this type of intervention.
Captions 40-41, Isabel Lavesa Terapia asistida con animales
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1. Nouns Starting with a Stressed 'A' or 'HA' Sound
When a feminine noun starts with a stressed "a" or "ha" sound, el is used instead of la to avoid a cacophony. However, the noun remains feminine. For example:
el agua (the water)
el águila (the eagle)
el hacha (the axe)
Note that in the plural form, "las" is used:
las aguas (the waters)
las águilas (the eagles)
las hachas (the axes)
2. Nouns That Are Always Masculine
Some nouns are always masculine, even though they might end in "a" or have other endings that might suggest they are feminine. For example:
el mapa (the map)
el día (the day)
el sofá (the sofa)
3. Compound Nouns
Many compound nouns that end in "-a" but are formed by combining two words are masculine. For example:
el sacapuntas (the pencil sharpener)
el paraguas (the umbrella)
el abrelatas (the can opener)
Let's watch the following clip where you can listen to our friend Fermín using the definite article "el" with various words:
La parte delantera del vehículo se llama capó y es donde se encuentran el motor, la batería, el agua, el líquido de frenos y el aceite,
The front of the vehicle is called the hood and is where the engine, the battery, the water, the brake fluid, and the oil are located,
Captions 48-49, Fermín Vocabulario del coche y la conducción - Part 1
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Now, let's practice a little bit more with some examples.
El libro es tan bueno como la película.
The book is as good as the movie.
Caption 20, Karla e Isabel Comparativos
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como: el mapa y el planeta.
like: the map and the planet.
Caption 47, Fundamentos del Español 2 - Nombres y Género
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¡Muy bien! El águila.
Very good! The eagle.
Caption 73, El Aula Azul Adivinanzas de animales - Part 2
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Dejemos a un lado el hacha de guerra
Let's leave aside the axe of war
Caption 22, Bebé Kiéreme
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Remember that el is only for masculine singular nouns. Don't use el with feminine nouns that don't start with a stressed "a" or "ha" sound. For example:
Incorrect: el casa
Correct: la casa (the house)
When the noun is plural, use los for masculine nouns and las for feminine nouns. For example:
el libro → los libros
el agua → las aguas
That's it for today. We hope this lesson helped you understand how to use the definite article el in Spanish. Do you have any questions or comments? Please let us know!
Do you know what a phrasal verb is? According to the Oxford Language Dictionary, it is "an idiomatic phrase consisting of a verb and another element, typically either an adverb... a preposition... or a combination..." Some common examples of the countless English phrasal verbs are "break down," "break up, "put in," "put on," and so forth, and while there are far less phrasal verbs in Spanish, there are many common ones it would behoove you to know. For this purpose, we have comprised a list of 35 with examples from Yabla's Spanish video library.
While some Spanish phrasal verbs can be translated literally into English, others employ a different preposition than their English counterparts or have totally different literal translations. With this in mind, let's look at the list.
The verb acabar (to finish) plus the preposition de (from/of) plus an infinitive Spanish verb (the "to" or -ing form) means that one "has just" completed some action. Let's take a look:
Acabamos de disfrutar de Jarabe de Palo.
We just enjoyed Jarabe de Palo.
Caption 25, Tu Música Rock en español
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The reflexive verb acordarse de is a synonym for recordar (to remember) in Spanish. Both are used to talk about what one "remembers" or "remembers to" do:
Me acuerdo de estar aquí con mi perro,
I remember being here with my dog
Caption 53, Amaya Recordando - Part 1
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The reflexive verb acostumbrarse plus the preposition a means "to get used to" or "accustomed to" something:
y nos acostumbramos a ir a playas,
and we got used to going to beaches,
Caption 40, El coronavirus La cuarentena en Coro, Venezuela - Part 1
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Yet another reflexive verb, alegrarse de, is used to talk about one being happy or pleased about something. You will often see it alongside the conjunction que plus a verb in the subjunctive mood, as we see below:
Me alegro de que le guste.
I'm glad you like it.
Caption 15, Los casos de Yabla Problemas de convivencia - Part 2
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Although caer bien literally means "to fall well," like the verb gustar, it is used to describe the idea of "liking." Like gustar and other verbs like gustar, it is usually employed with an indirect object pronoun in sentences where, grammatically speaking, it is the object of the sentence (what is liked) that performs the action. Let's see an example:
Creo que a Lola no le cae bien.
I think Lola doesn't like her.
Caption 60, Extr@: Extra en español Ep. 8: La prima de la dueña - Part 6
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You might have guessed that caer mal (literally "to fall badly") means the opposite of caer bien and functions similarly to convey the idea that one does not like someone or something:
Creo que le caigo mal a mi jefe.
I think that my boss doesn't like me.
Caption 21, El Aula Azul La Doctora Consejos: Subjuntivo y condicional
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Interestingly, while we get married "to" someone in English, the Spanish verb for "to marry" contains the preposition con, making its translation "'to marry with":
El príncipe se casó con ella
The prince married her
Caption 61, Cleer La princesa y el guisante
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Whereas the Spanish verb contar by itself can have such diverse meanings as "to tell" and "to count," with the preposition con, it means "to count on" (not with!).
Sabes que puedes contar con todas en cualquier momento, en cualquier necesidad que tengamos.
You know that you can count on all of them at any time, for any need that we might have.
Captions 28-29, Mari Carmen La amistad
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As you can see, the phrasal verb dar con does not mean "to give with"! Let's see its correct translation in an example sentence:
Ayer di con mis zapatos.
Yesterday I found my shoes.
Caption 26, Lecciones con Carolina Verbo - dar
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As our friend Carolina explains in her video on the verb dar, which means "to give" on its own, the phrasal verb dar por can mean different things when used with an adjective vs. a participle. Let's see an example of each:
A su marido lo dieron por muerto en la guerra.
Her husband was presumed dead in the war.
Caption 32, Lecciones con Carolina Verbo - dar
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Doy la fiesta por terminada.
I consider the party finished.
Caption 30, Lecciones con Carolina Verbo - dar
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In this case, the reflexive form of the verb dar is employed along with the noun prisa (hurry/rush) to mean "to hurry" or "hurry up":
Pues, dese prisa, se lo está llevando la grúa.
Well, hurry up, the tow truck is taking it.
Caption 38, Los casos de Yabla El perrito malcriado - Part 2
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The Spanish verb dejar plus de plus an infinitive verb means "to stop" or "quit" doing something:
"Mi marido dejó de fumar hace ya cuatro años".
"My husband quit smoking four years ago now."
Caption 26, Aprendiendo con Silvia Significados del verbo dejar - Part 2
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We should mention that the negative version of this phrasal verb, no dejar de, can be utilized to express the idea of "always," as we see here:
no deja de haber muchísima gente.
there are always a ton of people.
Caption 18, Con Marta por Madrid La Plaza del Sol - Part 1
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The Spanish version of "to depend on" would be "to depend of" if translated literally:
depende de la porción que vayan a hacer;
it depends on the portion you're going to make;
Caption 27, Hispanoamericanos en Berlín Karla y el pozole - Part 2
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Similarly, one falls in love "of" someone instead of "with" them in Spanish:
Me enamoré de un chico, que es el padre de mis hijos,
I fell in love with a guy, who is the father of my children,
Caption 11, Hispanoamericanos en Berlín Adriana y la fiesta de los muertos - Part 1
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While encontrarse con sounds like it would mean "to find oneself with," its actual meaning is "to get together" or "meet up with" (which is not too far off!):
Y "anteayer" me encontré con unas amigas,
And "the day before yesterday," I met up with some friends,
Caption 12, Aprendiendo con Silvia Horas, fechas y períodos de tiempo - Part 3
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The Spanish verb echar can have different meanings from "to throw" to "to fire." In conjunction with the preposition a and a verb in the infinitive, however, it means "to start to" do something, usually in a sudden fashion. Let's see two examples:
Se asustó, echó a correr y no hubo manera de cogerlo.
It got scared, it took off running, and there was no way to get it.
Caption 62, Soledad Positivo y negativo
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El marido se echó a reír al ver la cara de sorpresa de su esposa.
The husband burst out laughing when he saw his wife's surprised face.
Caption 32, Cleer El espejo de Matsuyama
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We bet you wouldn't guess that something that seems to mean "to throw of less" is a synonym for extrañar (to miss) in Spanish:
Ay, yo os he echado de menos.
Oh, I've missed you.
Caption 4, Con Marta por Madrid El Palacio Real y Doña Manolita - Part 1
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Estar para literally means "to be for," which is pretty close to its English equivalents "to be up for" or "in the mood" for something:
Es que ya no estoy para tantas vueltas y me siento cansado.
It's just that I am not up for so many rounds and I feel tired.
Caption 44, Guillermina y Candelario El parque de diversiones - Part 1
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Estar por, in contrast, typically means "to be in" or "around" some area or, when accompanied by an infinitive, becomes a phrasal verb that means "to be about to" do something. Let's see an example of each of these uses:
Yo estaba por ahí, todavía estaba caminando, ¿no?
I was around there, still walking, right?
Caption 21, Federico Kauffman Doig Arqueólogo - Part 3
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que todo está por... por... por empezar,
when everything is about to... to... to start,
Caption 65, Amaya Recordando - Part 3
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While hablar alone means "to speak" or "to talk," if you want to express the idea of "talking about" something, use the Spanish phrasal verb hablar de:
Mi amiga Amaya os habló de este lugar maravilloso
My friend Amaya talked to you about this wonderful place,
Caption 7, Montserrat El burrito Luz
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Since the Spanish phrasal verb llevar a cabo can be literally translated as "to take to the ending," it makes sense that its various English equivalents include "to carry out," "do," "perform" and "accomplish":
Para llevar a cabo estas funciones se necesitan tres figuras claves en el proceso terapéutico:
To carry out these roles, three key figures are needed in the therapeutic process:
Captions 35-36, Isabel Lavesa Terapia asistida con animales
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Although the idea of "forgetting" in Spanish is often expressed as a no fault construction (something more like "it slipped my mind"), the more straightforward way to say that one forgot something in Spanish is with the Spanish phrasal verb olvidarse de:
¡Ah! Me olvidé de estos dos elementos.
Oh! I forgot these two items.
Caption 63, Dayana Rutina de belleza y aseo
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Like the English "think of" or "about," the Spanish phrasal verb pensar de is used to talk about the belief or opinion one has of something or someone.
¿Qué piensas de tu nuevo jefe?
What do you think of your new boss?
Caption 77, Carlos explica Tuteo, ustedeo y voseo: Conjugación
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Pensar en, on the other hand (literally "to think on") is used to talk about one's process of thinking "about" something:
pensamos en un país, en una época, en un pueblo.
we think about a country, an era, a people.
Caption 3, Silvina Una entrevista con la artista
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Similar to echar a, ponerse a plus an infinitive verb refers to "starting" an action.
y al verlas como antes se puso a bailar."
and when she saw them like before, she started to dance."
Caption 60, Cleer Rafael Pombo y "Pastorcita"
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If you wish to talk about what you "worry about," use the Spanish phrasal verb preocuparse por:
que sepan que hay personas que se preocupan por ellas.
so that they know that there are people who are concerned about them.
Caption 8, Transformación Estética
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In her video series on the verb quedar, Silvia mentions the phrasal verb quedarse con, which can have several different meanings including "to keep," "end up with" or "be left." Let's take a look at two captions that include it:
"Tras el divorcio, ella se quedó con el chalé
"After the divorce, she kept the chalet,
Caption 56, Aprendiendo con Silvia Significados, usos y expresiones con "quedar" - Part 3
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Toda la familia "se quedó con la boca abierta".
The whole family "was left open-mouthed."
Caption 8, Aprendiendo con Silvia Significados, usos y expresiones con "quedar" - Part 7
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As you might imagine, quedarse sin often means the opposite of quedarse con ("to be left" or "end up without"), but it can also mean "to run out of" something:
Nos quedamos sin guitarrista, sin banda y sin concurso; ¡no!
We are left without a guitarist, without a band and without a contest; no!
Caption 16, X6 1 - La banda - Part 6
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No, se quedó sin nafta. -¿Qué?
No, it ran out of gas. -What?
Caption 4, Yago 7 Encuentros - Part 11
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To talk about something or someone you "laughed at," use the Spanish phrasal verb reírse de:
Nos reímos de la muerte.
We laugh at death.
Caption 28, Hispanoamericanos en Berlín Adriana y la fiesta de los muertos - Part 3
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As you probably know, salir by itself means "to leave." That said, when referring to leaving a particular place, salir de is the correct Spanish phrasal verb to choose.
Y cuando salimos de la iglesia me dice mi padre:
And when we left the church my father says to me:
Caption 52, María Marí Su pasión por su arte - Part 1
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While it might seem strange to English speakers, the literal translation for this Spanish phrasal verb is "to dream with" (rather than "about"):
y muchas veces incluso sueño con aquellos tiempos.
and very often I even dream about those times.
Caption 49, Clara y Cristina Saludar
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Rather than meaning "to have that," the Spanish phrasal verb tener que plus an infinitive means "to have to" do something:
Todos tenemos que superarlo y tenemos que empeñarnos en ello.
We all have to overcome it, and we have to be set on doing it.
Captions 74-75, Soledad Compartir tus problemas
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When you want to describe something that you're "trying to" do, use the infinitive following the Spanish phrasal verb tratar de:
trato de alimentarme bien, de tomar agua,
I try to eat well, to drink water,
Caption 26, Otavalo Ejercicios
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When talking about "coming to" a place, use the phrasal verb venir a, which translates very literally to English.
¿qué consejos le darías a un turista que viene a Barcelona?
what advice would you give to a tourist who's coming to Barcelona?
Caption 51, Carlos y Xavi Part 4 Tradiciones y comida de Barcelona
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And finally, when used with an infinitive, volver a (literally "to return to") means to perform some action again. Let's see two examples:
volvimos a revalidar el título
we locked in the title again
Caption 90, Viajando con Fermín Final Copa del Rey
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y mi mamá no se volvió a casar,
and my mother didn't remarry,
Caption 55, La Sub30 Familias - Part 2
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After perusing our list of 35 Spanish Phrasal Verbs, we have compiled a list of all of them along with their English translations so that you may study or review them at your leisure:
1. Acabar de: to have just (done something)
2. Acordarse de: to remember/remember to
3. Acostumbrarse a: to get used to/accustomed to
4. Alegrarse de: to be glad/happy/pleased about
5. Caer(le) bien (a alguien): to please (equivalent of "to like")
6. Caer(le) mal (a alguien): to displease (equivalent of "to not like")
7. Casarse con: to marry/get married to
8. Contar con: to count on
9. Dar con: to find
10. Dar por: to presume/consider
11. Darse prisa: to hurry/hurry up
12. Dejar de: to quit or stop (doing something)
13. Depender de: to depend on
14. Enamorarse de: to fall in love with
15. Encontrarse con: to meet up/get together with
16. Echar a: to suddenly start to (do something)
17. Echar de menos: to miss
18. Estar para: to be up for/in the mood for
19. Estar por: to be about to (do something)
20. Hablar de: to talk about
21. Llevar a cabo: to do/carry out/perform/accomplish
22. Olvidarse de: to forget
23. Pensar de: to think of/about (hold a belief)
24. Pensar en: to think about (the thought process)
25. Ponerse a: to start to (do something)
26. Preocuparse por: to worry/be concerned about
27. Quedarse con: to keep/end up with/be left with
28. Quedarse sin: to be left without/end up without/run out of
29. Reírse de: to laugh at
30. Salir de: to leave/leave from (a place)
31. Soñar con: to dream about
32. Tener que: to have to (do something)
33. Tratar de: to try to (do something)
34. Venir a: to come to (a place)
35. Volver a: to do (something) again
That's all for today. We hope that this lesson has helped you to better navigate many of the most common phrasal verbs in Spanish, and don't forget to write us with your questions and comments.
Are you familiar with the Spanish relative pronouns el que, la que, los que and las que? Do you know how to use them? Today's lesson will explain the differences and similarities between these four Spanish phrases, all of which are most typically translated as "the one" or "ones that" or "who."
Like other relative pronouns, el que, la que, los que and las que are used to introduce relative clauses, which provide more information about a noun or noun phrase. Let's see an example:
Al principio, las traducciones al español son las que serán visibles para los estudiantes.
At first, the translations to Spanish are the ones that will be visible for the students.
Captions 39-40, Tutoriales de Yabla Cómo crear clases
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Here, las que is used to introduce the relative clause serán visibles para los estudiantes, making it clear that the "the ones" referenced are those that "will be visible for the students." Note that, in this case, las que is chosen because it refers to the feminine plural noun las traducciones (the translations) as these relative pronouns must agree with the nouns they refer to in terms of number and gender as broken down below:
el que ("the one that" or "who" for masculine singular nouns)
la que ("the one that" or "who" for feminine singular nouns)
los que ("the ones that" or "who" or "those" for masculine plural or mixed nouns)
las que ("the ones that" or "who" or "those" for feminine plural nouns)
The noun to which the relative pronoun refers is known as an antecedent or referent. Be aware that while antecedents are sometimes mentioned explicitly in sentences containing the relative pronouns el que, la que, los que and las que (as was las traducciones in the aforementioned example), in other cases, the speaker understands what is being referenced based on the previous conversation. Let's look at each of these relative pronouns in sentences with and without antecedents.
Antecedent:
Ese dato es el que necesitamos, hermano.
That piece of information is the one that we need, brother.
Caption 27, Confidencial: El rey de la estafa Capítulo 4 - Part 12
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Here, we see that the relative pronoun el que refers to the masculine singular antecedent dato (piece of information).
No Antecedent:
¿El que me había robado a Cata?
The one who had stolen Cata from me?
Caption 5, Los Años Maravillosos Capítulo 11 - Part 2
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Although there is no antecedent in the sentence, we know from the previous dialogue that the speaker is referring to a boy named Sergio Casas, warranting the choice of the singular masculine el que. Remember that even though the third person singular male pronoun él has an accent to distinguish it from el meaning "the," the relative pronoun el que should not be written with an accent, even when referring to a specific male person.
Antecedent:
Yo soy la que le da el toque especial al grupo.
I'm the one who gives the group that special touch.
Caption 21, X6 1 - La banda - Part 6
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In this case, the female speaker's use of the word Yo (I) sheds light on her choice of the feminine singular la que.
No Antecedent:
La que cantaste.
The one you sang.
Caption 6, Hispanoamericanos en Berlín Karla y Fernando hablan de música
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Here, it is clear to the listener based on the subjects' conversation topic that the speakers is referring to una canción (a song).
Antecedent:
clientes como usted son los que necesitamos.
clients like you are the ones we need.
Caption 49, La Sucursal del Cielo Capítulo 2 - Part 10
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The inclusion of the noun clientes leaves no doubt as to what los que refers to.
No Antecedent:
Los que viven en sus casas siempre andan por su misma zona
The ones who live in their homes always roam around their same area
Caption 25, Fermín y los gatos Mis gatas vecinas
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Since gatos (cats) is the subject of the video, we understand that los que refers to them. Let's see an additional example where los que is translated as "those":
Para los que no me conocen, mi nombre es Karina García
For those who don't know me, my name is Karina García,
Caption 2, Venezolanos por el mundo Karina en Barcelona - Part 2
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Antecedent:
cosas parecidas a las que hacemos con los textos en papel.
things similar to the ones we do with text on paper.
Caption 13, Club de las ideas Libertexto
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The feminine plural noun cosas is stated prior to las que to let us know the antecedent.
No Antecedent:
Y las que te faltan por conocer.
And the ones that you still have to experience.
Caption 40, La Sucursal del Cielo Capítulo 1 - Part 10
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Interestingly, las que also refers to las cosas (the things) here, which came up one sentence prior in this conversation.
Note that when the relative pronouns el que, los que, la que and las que are preceded by prepositions, they can be translated with a vast array of terms such as "which," "that," "when, "where," "who" or "whom," dpending upon what they refer to. Let's take a look at some examples where we have also highlighted the prepositions that accompany these relative pronouns.
El material con el que fue construido
The material with which it was built
Caption 14, Paseando con Karen Bienvenidos a Parque Fundidora
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Madrid es una ciudad en la que se respira historia.
Madrid is a city where one breathes history.
Caption 19, Con Marta por Madrid Lavapiés y la corrala - Part 1
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Another possible translation in this example would be "in which."
Cada noche escribo en él las cosas por las que estoy agradecida.
Every night, I write in it the things that I'm grateful for.
Captions 42-43, Aprendiendo con Silvia Las emociones - Part 13
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Although "for which" could be an alternative, more formal translation, "that" is the more colloquial choice.
Ha habido días en los que había más de treinta incendios activos,
There have been days on which there were more than thirty active fires
Caption 48, Soledad Incendios
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You probably inferred that "when" could substitute "on which" in this utterance. Let's see one more:
como una persona muy distinta a mí y con la que yo no podría tener una conversación distendida
as a very different person from me and with whom I wouldn't be able to have a relaxed conversation
Captions 54-55, Soledad Los prejuicios
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That's all for today. We hope that this lesson has helped you to better understand the somewhat tricky relative pronouns el que, la que, los que and las que and their different uses and translations, and don't forget to write us with your questions and comments.
Do you know how to express the idea of "instead" and "instead of" in Spanish? Today's brief lesson will teach you four common ways to do so, as always with examples from Yabla's Spanish video library.
Perhaps the most common way to say "instead of" in Spanish is en vez de. Alternative translations for en vez de are the English synonyms "rather than" or "in place of." Let's see this phrase in context:
cierran a las ocho y media en vez de a las nueve, ¿correcto?"
you close at eight-thirty instead of at nine, correct?"
Caption 47, Aprendiendo con Silvia Horas, fechas y períodos de tiempo - Part 4
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Sam compró seis melones en vez de seis limones.
Sam bought six melons instead of six lemons.
Caption 36, Extr@: Extra en español Ep. 2: Sam va de compras - Part 5
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En lugar de literally means "in place of" of and is another way to say "instead of" in Spanish. Let's see two examples:
En lugar de plumas amarillas, las suyas eran grises
Instead of yellow feathers, his were grey,
Captions 22-23, Cleer El patito feo
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No se olviden que en lugar de "finalmente" también podría decir "por último"
Don't forget that instead of "finally" I could also say "lastly"
Captions 32-33, Natalia de Ecuador Los adverbios de orden
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The Spanish phrase en cambio can be translated as "instead" in certain contexts (other possible translations include "however" and "whereas"). Let's take a look.
Si en cambio queremos usarlo para expresar una valoración, lo usamos con un verbo en modo subjuntivo.
If instead we want to use it to express a valuation, we use it with a verb in the subjunctive mood.
Captions 52-53, Carlos explica Cómo expresar opiniones en español - Part 3
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Otras en cambio lo tiran o lo destruyen
Others instead throw it away or destroy it
Caption 39, Los Reporteros Sembrar, comer, tirar - Part 3
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Finally, although mejor is most commonly translated as "better" or "best," it can function like "instead" in certain contexts, as we see here:
Pero, vecino, mejor le recomiendo usar la opción de agua fría;
But, neighbor, I recommend using the cold water option instead;
Caption 27, Cristina Lavandería
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That's all for today. Now that you know four different ways to express the idea of "instead" in Spanish, we suggest you practice by coming up with your own sentences with each of them. And don't forget to write us with your suggestions and comments.
Are you familiar with the Spanish word según? Did you know that it can function as a preposition, a conjunction or even an adverb? Let's explore six meanings of this common Spanish word.
As a preposition, the Spanish word según can mean "according to," "in agreement with" or "in accordance with," in the sense of following or abiding by something. Let's see an example of this usage:
Yo estoy actuando según la ley.
I'm acting in accordance with the law.
Caption 11, Confidencial: Asesino al Volante Capítulo 3 - Part 10
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As we see in the following captions, like "according to" in English, the Spanish preposition según can also appear before nouns or personal pronouns to describe what people or entities believe or say.
y según expertos es una de las más antiguas
and according to experts, it's one of the oldest ones,
Caption 25, Amaya Cata de vinos
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Las pirámides, según los abuelos Mayas, no son monumentos
The pyramids, according to the Mayan elders, are not monuments
Caption 47, Guillermo el chamán La tecnología maya
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This use of según as a preposition is often translated with the English phrase "depending on." In this case, según is often followed by a noun phrase that includes a verb in the subjunctive and describes some variable on which an outcome depends. Let's take a look:
que, según la manera en que respiremos, así va a ser nuestra vida.
as, depending upon the manner in which we breathe, that's how our life is going to be.
Captions 76-77, Ana Teresa La respiración
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Esta planta tiene diferentes nombres según el país en que se encuentre,
This plant has different names depending on the country in which it is found,
Caption 15, Fermín La plumeria - Part 1
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In this case, the Spanish word según is classified as a conjunction and is often followed immediately by a verb in the subjunctive mood. Typical translations include "depending on what" or "depending on how," as in the following example:
Según me sienta mañana, decidiré ir o no al evento.
Depending upon how I feel tomorrow, I'll decide whether or not to go to the event.
Let's see one more from the Yabla Spanish library:
Aquí se tira mucho o poco según se mire.
Here a lot or a little is thrown away depending on how you look at it.
Caption 20, Los Reporteros Sembrar, comer, tirar - Part 1
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There are two ways in which the Spanish conjunction según can function like the English word "as." Let's take a closer look.
The Spanish word según can be replaced with the English word "as" to say "in the way that," as we see here:
Que según entiendo tampoco estás haciendo con juicio.
Which, as I understand, you're not doing sensibly, either.
Caption 59, Confidencial: Asesino al Volante Capítulo 5 - Part 7
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según dicen algunos, que de ahí proviene el nombre de Coronil.
as some people say, from there comes the name Coronil.
Captions 10-11, Tecnópolis El Coronil
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Según can also be translated as "as" as to talk about something that is happening at the same time as something else:
según iba caminando, iba interactuando con los niños, hablando, y a la vez
as I was walking, I was interacting with the kids, talking, and, at the same time,
Caption 81, Circo Berlín Christian - Part 1
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Finally, as we see in the caption below, the word según in Spanish can stand alone as an adverb meaning "depending" or "it all depends."
Durante un año, según.
In a year, depending.
Caption 46, Edificio en Construcción Hablando con los trabajadores - Part 1
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That's all for today. We hope that this lesson has helped you to distinguish the many nuanced uses of the word según in Spanish, and don't forget to write us with your suggestions and comments.
Have you ever noticed that there are several types of words that are capitalized in English but not in Spanish? Today's lesson will point out nine such categories where there is a discrepancy in capitalization between English and Spanish.
While the names of the days of the week must be capitalized in English, the same is not so of the days of the week in Spanish, whose first letters are lowercase. Let's take a look:
Voy a una academia de baile los martes y los jueves.
I go to a dance academy on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Caption 15, Ariana Mi Semana
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The same can be said for the names of the months in Spanish, which are written in all lowercase letters in contrast to their capitalized English counterparts. This is demonstrated in the following clip:
sobre todo en los meses de diciembre, enero, febrero e incluso en mayo.
especially in the months of December, January, February, and even in May.
Caption 27, Mercado de San Miguel Misael
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Although English capitalizes the names of languages, Spanish does not:
Bueno, yo hablo español, inglés y estoy aprendiendo alemán.
Well, I speak Spanish, English, and I'm learning German.
Captions 19-20, Cleer y Lida ¿Qué idiomas hablas?
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Words that refer to someone or something's nationality do not start with a capital letter in Spanish as they do in English. Included in this category are both demonyms, or Spanish adjectives of nationality, and Spanish nouns that refer to the inhabitants of a particular nation. Let's see examples of each:
y puedas decir, "Este artista es colombiano, este es un artista brasilero", es decir,
and can say, "This artist is Colombian, this is a Brazilian artist," I mean,
Captions 69-70, Leonardo Rodriguez Sirtori Una vida como pintor - Part 5
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Antes de la llegada de los españoles, existían cientos de diferentes culturas.
Prior to the arrival of the Spaniards, there were hundreds of different cultures.
Caption 8, Historia mexicana Cultura y la unión de dos mundos
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As we see below, this group includes the names of religions, their respective adjectives, and the nouns that describe their adherents.
y que se utilizó para simbolizar el triunfo del cristianismo sobre la fe musulmana.
and was employed as a symbol of the triumph of Christianity over the Muslim faith.
Captions 61-62, Viajando con Fermín Sevilla - Part 2
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España recibió más de treinta y cinco mil judíos,
Spain received more than thirty-five thousand Jews,
Caption 27, Víctor en España El Hotel Palace de Barcelona
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When preceding a last name and/or addressing a specific person, English words like "mister" or "doctor" must be capitalized. The equivalent titles in Spanish, however, are written in all lowercase letters, as we see here:
Vamos a escuchar a la doctora Consejos y a su paciente Adrián
Let's listen to Doctor Advice and her patient Adrián
Caption 2, El Aula Azul La Doctora Consejos: Por y para
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Por supuesto, señora Castaño.
Of course, Ms. Castaño.
Caption 24, Cleer y Lida Recepción de hotel
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In English, most of the words of the titles of original compositions like books, films, songs, articles, or works of art are capitalized, with the notable exceptions of words like prepositions and coordinating conjunctions. In Spanish, on the other hand, only the first word of a title is capitalized, for example, the famed novel Cien años de soledad, which is written in English "One Hundred Years of Solitude." Let's see one more:
Para ello, el artista pintó un gran fresco titulado "El juicio final",
To do so, the artist painted a large fresco called "The Last Judgment,"
Caption 32, Aprendiendo con Carlos El microrrelato - Part 4
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All of the words of proper nouns for specific geographical place names in English, like the Andes Mountains or Lake Titicaca, must be capitalized. In Spanish, however, the first words of these proper nouns are lowercase, e.g., la cordillera de los Andes and el lago Titicaca. Let's look at more examples:
y es atravesada por el río Cauca.
and is crossed by the Cauca River.
Caption 17, Viajando con Carlos Popayán - Colombia - Part 1
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en el océano Pacífico y en el mar Caribe.
in the Pacific Ocean and in the Caribbean Sea.
Caption 46, Instinto de conservación Parque Tayrona - Part 4
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Although the first person singular personal pronoun "I" is always written with a capital letter in English, its Spanish equivalent yo is not, as we can see here:
No, pueden llorar, pero yo tengo que trabajar.
No, you can cry, but I have to work.
Caption 9, La Sucursal del Cielo Capítulo 2 - Part 8
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That's all for today. We hope that this lesson has helped to clarify several of the classes of words that should not be capitalized in Spanish, some of which might seem a bit counterintuitive to English speakers. Can you think of any additional cases in which Spanish and English capitalization are different? Feel free to write us with any questions or comments.
Since there is rarely an equivalent of the subjunctive in English, this grammatical mood can be extremely difficult for English speakers to understand. For this reason, the Yabla Spanish archive contains many lessons that deal with the plethora of scenarios in which the subjunctive is used in Spanish, and this lesson will address one more: the use of the subjunctive to describe either things we hope exist or things that definitely do not.
If we are "looking for," "seeking," "desiring," "needing" or "wanting" something or someone with certain characteristics but are not sure whether or not that person or thing exists, a subjunctive verb form should be utilized in Spanish. Let's see an example from the Yabla Spanish video library:
Por eso es que nosotros por lo regular buscamos trabajos que paguen a la semana,
That is why we usually look for jobs that pay weekly
Caption 35, La Banda Chilanguense El habla de México - Part 3
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On the other hand, if the person or thing does exist, for example, we actually have a job that pays weekly, we should use an indicative verb form, as we see here:
Por eso es que nosotros por lo regular tenemos trabajos que pagan a la semana,
That is why we usually have jobs that pay weekly,
A typical formula for this usage involves some type of "seeking" or "wishing" verb or phrase plus the conjunction que plus a verb conjugated in the subjunctive. Let's look at examples of such "wishful" words and phrases. Note that the personal a is included when what is sought or hoped for is a person:
Wishful Verbs and Phrases:
Querer (a): to want
Buscar (a): to look for
Necesitar (a): to need
Desear (a): to desire/wish for
Querer encontrar (a): to want to find
Esperar encontrar (a): to hope to find
We can see many instances of the aforementioned construction in the video La Doctora Consejos: Subjuntivo y la persona ideal (Doctor Advice: Subjunctive and the Ideal Person). First, let's see an excerpt where the Doctor uses the indicative to describe a person who actually does exist:
Eh... No es tan joven como tú.
Um... She's not as young as you.
Caption 75, El Aula Azul La Doctora Consejos: Subjuntivo y persona ideal
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In contrast, her patient employs the subjunctive in a similar sentence that describes the hypothetical person he seeks:
Es que yo busco a alguien que sea un poco más joven.
It's just that I'm looking for someone who's a bit younger.
Caption 76, El Aula Azul La Doctora Consejos: Subjuntivo y persona ideal
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Note that this subjunctive formula can be frequently found in want ads since their very nature is to seek desired entities. Let's take a look at a couple of examples:
Se buscan cajeros que puedan trabajar el turno de la tarde.
Cashiers wanted who can work the afternoon shift.
Necesitamos a una persona que sea bilingüe.
We need a person who is bilingual.
Verbs that describe nonexistent people or things should also be conjugated in the subjunctive. The formula in this case includes some phrase that indicates nonexistence such as no hay nadie que (there's no one that), no hay nada que (there's nothing that) and no existe... (...doesn't exist) plus the conjunction que plus a verb in the subjunctive. Let's hear these in context:
No hay ninguna experiencia que sea cien por cien mala
There's no experience that's one hundred percent bad
Captions 69-70, Soledad El insomnio - Part 2
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No existe persona en el mundo que rechace una propuesta de Aldo Sirenio.
There isn't a person in this world who refuses an offer from Aldo Sirenio.
Caption 45, Yago 5 La ciudad - Part 8
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yo ya fui allá y no hay nadie que concuerde con la descripción que tenemos.
I already went there, and there isn't anyone who matches the description that we have.
Caption 42, Confidencial: El rey de la estafa Capítulo 2 - Part 3
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Taking this last example, remember that if such a person actually did exist, a similar sentence could be created with the indicative:
yo ya fui allá y hay alguien que concuerda con la descripción que tenemos.
I already went there, and there is someone who matches the description that we have.
That's all for today. We hope that this lesson has clarified the use the Spanish subjunctive to describe things we hope exist or definitely don't... and don't forget to write us with your feedback.
You are probably familiar with the Spanish word ahí (not to be confused with hay or ay), which is one of the ways to say "there" in Spanish. However, you may have noticed that it seems to be used frequently by many native speakers with different meanings, which aren't always easy to intuit. Let's explore many of the possible meanings of the common Spanish word ahí.
Like the English word "there," the Spanish word ahí can mean "in that place," "to that place" or merely "that place." When referring to physical location, the word ahí technically describes the closest distance relative to the other Spanish words for "there," allí and allá, but is often used interchangeably with the others. Let's take a look at some examples.
y lo dejaremos ahí hasta que hierva.
and we'll leave it there until it boils.
Caption 19, Ana Carolina Ponche navideño
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Entonces no sé si vamos ahí.
So I don't know if we [can] go there.
Caption 34, Confidencial: El rey de la estafa Capítulo 2 - Part 2
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In this usage, the word ahí is often preceded by a preposition, as we see here:
Y a veces, por ahí sale el calor del centro de la tierra.
And sometimes, the heat from the center of the earth comes out through there.
Caption 48, Guillermina y Candelario El Gran Descubrimiento
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When paired specifically with the Spanish preposition de, de ahí literally means "from that place" and works like the English word "hence" to refer to something that was said previously:
recordando a la cabeza de un ave; de ahí su nombre no científico.
reminding one of a bird's head; hence its non scientific name.
Captions 63-64, Isabel Lavesa Especies vegetales
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In this usage, the Spanish word ahí also references something that was previously mentioned and might be translated with "there" or other phrases like "that's when," "that's where," etc. Let's see two examples in context:
y veía a ese grupo y decía: "Che, ¿y nosotros por qué no?" Y de ahí nace la idea de empezar a juntarse.
and I saw that group and said, "Hey, and why not us?" And, from there, the idea of starting to get together is born.
Captions 41-42, Tu Música El Ensamble Latino - Part 1
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Y ahí me vino la inspiración de hacer un vídeo sobre los medios de transporte.
And that's where the inspiration came to me to make a video about the means of transportation.
Captions 9-10, Aprendiendo con Silvia Medios de transporte - Part 1
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The word ahí in Spanish can also work like the English word "then" to refer to a specific moment in time:
Ahí vamos a agregar nuestra, eh... panela en almíbar, se podría decir, ¿no?, o panela derretida.
Then, we're going to add our, um... panela syrup, you might say, right? Or melted panela.
Captions 49-50, Otavalo Proyecto familiar Kawsaymi - Part 5
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Let's look at this usage in the context of common fixed expressions in both Spanish and English:
De ahí en adelante las cosas empezaron a suceder con rapidez.
From then on, things began to happen quickly.
Caption 32, Los Años Maravillosos Capítulo 13 - Part 4
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The word ahí can also work like the word "maybe" or "perhaps," as we see below:
Y ahí voy a la fiesta mañana; no estoy segura.
And maybe I'll go to the party tomorrow; I'm not sure.
In addition to the many uses we just covered, the word ahí is also part of many fixed expressions in Spanish. Below you will find several with example sentences.
Just this one Spanish construction can have many different meanings in different contexts, aside from the literal one, "through there," which we saw previously. Let's take a look at several of them.
Maybe, Might:
Por ahí se preparan un asadito... no sé.
They might prepare a barbecue... I don't know.
Caption 56, Muñeca Brava 44 El encuentro - Part 8
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"They," "People"
Por ahi can also be used similarly to the impersonal se construction in Spanish to describe what "people" generally do, say, etc. Alternative translations for the caption below thus include "As they say" or "As people say."
Como dicen por ahí, todo tiene su ciencia.
As the saying goes, there's a science to everything.
Caption 20, Guillermina y Candelario El Manglar
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Around (Physically)
O... "Por favor, no lo dejéis todo por ahí tirado.
Or... "Please, don't leave everything scattered around.
Caption 19, Aprendiendo con Silvia Significados del verbo dejar - Part 1
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Around (About/More or Less)
Él se hizo famoso por ahí de los años setentas
He became famous around the seventies
Caption 15, Guillermo el chamán La tecnología maya
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Vamos a cenar por ahí esta noche.
We're going to go out to dinner tonight.
¿Cómo está el proyecto? -Ahí va.
How's the project? It's coming along.
¿Cómo está tu hermano? Me dijeron que estaba enfermo. -Ahí va. Todavía no se encuentra muy bien.
How's your brother? I heard he was sick. -He's hanging in there. He's still not feeling very well.
This might be used when someone is at the door or calling you, for example, from another room.
A partir de ahí, comienza lo que serán veinticuatro horas de fiesta ininterrumpida,
From there, what will be twenty-four hours of uninterrupted partying begins
Captions 56-57, Días festivos La Tamborrada de San Sebastián
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Tenemos la Unidad Operativa de Punta Pirámide, que está ahí nomás de Puerto Pirámide
We have the Operational Unit of Punta Pirámide, which is very close to Puerto Pirámide,
Captions 21-22, Perdidos en la Patagonia Península Valdés
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y ahí mismo vamos a echar nuestra carne salpimentada.
and right there, we're going to put in our seasoned meat.
Caption 38, La cocina de María Estofado de ternera
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Quieta ahí.
Don't move.
Caption 28, Yago 2 El puma - Part 9
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That's all for this lesson on the many meanings of the Spanish word ahí, alone and in fixed expressions. We hope that it will help you to use it and understand it in different contexts, and don't forget to write us with your questions and comments!
Do you know how to say "to get" in Spanish? Due to the numerous ways in which this word can be used in English, there is no "one size fits all" translation for this term. That said, let's explore the many meanings of the verb "to get" in English and learn their Spanish equivalents.
Breaking down the verb "to get" in English into many of its possible definitions, let's find out which verbs are used to express these ideas in Spanish and hear them in context.
"Efectivamente. Acaba de conseguir otro trabajo".
"Indeed. He just got another job."
Caption 60, Carlos explica 20 formas de decir sí sin decir sí
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"Hoy recibí la carta".
"Today, I got the letter."
Caption 46, Carlos explica Los artículos en español - Part 2
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Note that while the verb tener typically means "to have," it is a word that sometimes changes meaning in the preterite tense. Hence "Tuve una noticia" could be translated as "I got some news."
lograr obtener un buen resultado en el examen.
to manage to get a good grade on the exam.
Caption 42, Carlos explica Las preposiciones 'por' y 'para' - Part 1
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Este... Saqué el bachillerato
Um... I got my high school diploma,
Caption 50, Cleer Entrevista a Giluancar
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voy y te traigo la cerveza.
I'll go, and I'll get you the beer.
Caption 39, Los Años Maravillosos Capítulo 12 - Part 6
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es en el caso que se nos termine la pasta dental y no podamos salir a la tienda a comprar otra.
is in case we run out of toothpaste and we can't go to the store to get another one.
Captions 50-51, Otavalo Consejos de salud bucal
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Yo no entiendo por qué quieres actuar en esa obra.
I don't get why you want to act in that play.
Caption 32, Los Años Maravillosos Capítulo 9 - Part 3
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Candelario se puso triste.
Candelario got sad.
Caption 44, Guillermina y Candelario El Gran Rescate
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Keep in mind that a number of Spanish verbs intrinsically contain the idea of "to get" in the sense of "becoming." For example, the verb entristecerse also means "to get sad." Additional examples include mejorar (to get better), empeorar (to get worse), molestarse (to get annoyed), alegrarse (to get happy), and many more.
Todos pillamos el COVID y tuvimos que quedarnos en casa durante casi dos semanas.
We all got COVID and had to stay home for almost two weeks.
Regarding the use of the verb coger in this context, be aware that while it is extremely common in Spain, in many Latin American countries like Mexico, it has a vulgar connotation and should thus be exercised with caution.
El cuarto significado señala cuánto tiempo falta para llegar a un destino
The fourth meaning indicates how much time is left to get to a destination
Captions 3-4, Aprendiendo con Silvia Significados, usos y expresiones con "quedar" - Part 2
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Incluso tuve la oportunidad de jugar a nivel competitivo.
I even got to play at a competitive level.
Caption 28, Club 10 Capítulo 2 - Part 2
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y logré que para este caso nombraran a una juez que es amiga mía.
and, for this case, I got them to appoint a judge who's a friend of mine.
Caption 19, Confidencial: Asesino al Volante Capítulo 2 - Part 11
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Remember that with all of these expressions, verbs that follow the conjunction que in Spanish should be conjugated in the subjunctive.
dónde la pueden mandar hacer o...
where you can get it made, or...
Caption 57, Rueda de la muerte Parte 1
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An alternative way to express this would be: dónde pueden hacer que la hagan.
That's all for today. We hope that this lesson has helped you to realize the numerous ways in which the English verb "to get" is used and that you now know which Spanish verbs to choose for similar situations. Don't forget to write us with your questions and suggestions.
Are you familiar with the concept of grammatical agreement in Spanish? There are two main types of agreement in Spanish: noun agreement and verb agreement. Today's lesson will provide an introduction to each.
The concept of noun agreement is the following: Since Spanish nouns are either masculine or feminine and singular or plural, their definite or indefinite articles, adjectives, and other grammatical elements must correspond in terms of these attributes. Let's take a look at a chart that demonstrates this concept with masculine and feminine singular and plural nouns and their corresponding definite and indefinite articles.
| Singular: | Plural: | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Masculine: | el chico (the boy) | los chicos (the boys) | |
| un chico (a boy) | unos chicos (some boys) | ||
| Feminine: | la chica (the girl) | las chicas (the girls) | |
| una chica (a girl) | unas chicas (some girls) |
The chart shows us the various ways to say "the" (el, los, la, las) and "a/an" (un, unos, una, unas), depending upon whether a noun is masculine or feminine and singular or plural. That said, let's keep a couple of additional points in mind regarding recognizing the number and gender of Spanish nouns and/or modifying them to achieve noun agreement.
1. Although many Spanish masculine singular nouns end in -o and many Spanish feminine nouns end in -a, this is not always the case. Therefore, less obvious nouns (e.g. el avión (the airplane) or la nube (the cloud)) require simply memorizing the gender of the noun, especially nouns that refer to inanimate objects. For this reason, Spanish students typically learn new nouns and their respective masculine or feminine definite articles simultaneously.
2. As a general rule, many nouns that end in a vowel require the addition of an -s to make them plural, while many nouns that end in a consonant become plural by adding -es. Applying this to the abovementioned nouns, el avión becomes los aviones while la nube changes to las nubes.
In addition to their articles, Spanish adjectives must also agree in terms of number and gender with the nouns they modify, with the same general spelling guidelines that we mentioned for pluralizing nouns. Let's hear how this works via some examples from our Yabla Spanish library:
Un coche bonito, unos coches bonitos. Una casa roja, las casas rojas.
A nice car, some nice cars. A red house, the red houses.
Captions 28-29, Fundamentos del Español 3 - Le Estructura de las Frases
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unos ojos azules, inmensos...
some huge, blue eyes...
Caption 24, Extr@: Extra en español Ep. 6: El día de la Primitiva - Part 2
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As you delve further into more complex Spanish grammar such as direct object pronouns, you will see how the number and gender of Spanish nouns continue to exert their influence.
Verb agreement in Spanish refers to the fact that Spanish verbs need to be conjugated in accordance with their respective subjects or subject pronouns, agreeing in number (singular or plural) and person (first, second, or third). Although this concept exists in English, it is much simpler due to the fact that there are less subject pronouns in English (seven vs. thirteen in Spanish) and far less verb forms. For example, for all of the seven English subject pronouns, there are only two verb forms, as we see below:
Subject Pronoun:
I: speak
you: speak
he: speaks
she: speaks
we: speak
they: speak
it: speaks
In Spanish, on the other hand, there are thirteen subject pronouns and many corresponding conjugations. Additionally, the manner in which each verb is conjugated depends upon which of the three common verb categories (-ar, -er, and -ir) it falls into, and many verbs are irregular, making verb agreement in Spanish significantly more complex. With this in mind, let's take a look at a chart with the conjugations of three common regular verbs, one from each category, in the present indicative tense:
| Subject Pronoun: | hablar: | comer: | subir: |
|---|---|---|---|
| yo | hablo | como | subo |
| tú | hablas | comes | subes |
| vos | hablás | comés | subís |
| él/ella/usted | habla | come | sube |
| vosotros/vosotras | habláis | coméis | subís |
| nosotros/nosotras | hablamos | comemos | subimos |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes | hablan | comen | suben |
If that doesn't seem nuanced enough, keep in mind that that was just one of the sixteen Spanish verb tenses, each of which has its own specific manner of conjugating verbs in order to ensure verb agreement.
We hope that these explanations have given you a better idea about the concept of noun and verb agreement in Spanish, which are essential to understanding Spanish sentences and constructing your own. Don't forget to write us with your questions and comments.
To start this lesson, let's take a look at a couple of very similar sentences with the Spanish word cuando (when) plus the verb ir (to go) where one is conjugated in the present indicative and the other in the present subjunctive:
Present Indicative:
Cuando voy a Barcelona, voy a la playa mucho.
When I go to Barcelona, I go to the beach a lot.
Present Subjunctive:
Cuando vaya a Barcelona, pienso ir a la playa mucho.
When I go to Barcelona, I plan to go to the beach a lot.
Although the translation is the same for both Cuando voy and Cuando vaya (When I go), in the second Spanish sentence, the verb ir is conjugated in the present subjunctive for a specific reason. Let's find out what it is!
The word cuando is used in Spanish with verbs in the present indicative when speaking about habitual actions or general truths. Let's see a couple of examples:
Cuando están encendidos, dan luz.
When they're on, they give off light.
Caption 37, El Aula Azul Adivina qué es - Part 2
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Cuando lo hacemos con carne, podemos poner carne de cerdo, carne de ternera o pollo.
When we make it with meat, we can put in pork, beef, or chicken.
Captions 9-11, El Aula Azul Adivinanzas de comidas - Part 1
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The indicative is used in these examples because, in the first caption, it's a general fact that when the streetlights in question are turned on, they give off light. In the second example, the speaker describes the habitual action of preparing paella with different ingredients.
On the other hand, the word cuando is used with verbs in the present subjunctive when speaking about actions that will happen in the future, that may or may not happen, or that some other action depends upon. To illustrate this point, let's take a look at sentences with the same verbs used previously, this time conjugated in the present subjunctive.
Bueno, OK, eso lo hablamos cuando estés acá,
Well, OK, we'll talk about that when you're here,
Caption 3, Yago 11 Prisión - Part 3
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Cuando lo hagas correctamente, será verde.
When you do it correctly, it will be green.
Caption 26, Tutoriales de Yabla Consejos para usar Scribe
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The subjunctive is employed with cuando in these examples because they both describe future events that have not yet taken place and upon which other events depend.
It is worth noting that while the aforementioned examples quite clearly fall into the categories of habitual vs. future actions, there are some cases where either the indicative or the subjunctive could be used in the same sentence, giving it a slightly different nuance. Let's take an example where someone is teaching us to bake:
Present Indicative:
Cuando las galletas están doradas, las saco del horno.
When the cookies are golden brown, I take them out of the oven.
Nuanced Meaning: Habitually, when the cookies are golden brown, I always take them out of the oven.
Present Subjunctive:
Cuando las galletas estén doradas, las saco del horno.
When the cookies are golden brown, I'll take them out of the oven.
Nuanced Meaning: At the moment when the cookies turn golden brown, I'll then take them out of the oven.
Quite interestingly, while the English translations are nearly identical, the choice of the indicative vs. the subjunctive in Spanish gives the two sentences slightly different meanings.
With this food for thought (pun intended!), we hope that you now know the reason for the different conjugations of the verb ir in the two introductory sentences and you understand when to choose the present indicative or subjunctive with the word cuando. Don't forget to write us with your questions or suggestions.
Are you familiar with the Spanish present progressive tense that utilizes the formula estar (to be) + gerund (the equivalent of the -ing form in English) to talk about an action in progress? Let's see an example:
¡Lo estás haciendo genial!
You're doing it great!
Caption 47, Aprendiendo con Zulbany Piensa rápido - Part 1
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Now let's look at an example where the verb ir (to go) is used with the gerund in lieu of the verb estar:
tú vas haciendo y pasan dos horas y te dicen vale ya está.
you're doing it and two hours go by and they tell you OK, that's it.
Caption 55, Blanca y Mariona Proyectos para el verano
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What's the difference? Although both estás haciendo and vas haciendo are translated as "you're doing" in these examples, the construction ir + gerund is often employed to emphasize the fact that an action is, was, or will be evolving over time, gradually, or as part of a process. Let's explore this notion a bit further.
As the formula suggests, this construction is created by combining a conjugated form of the verb ir (to go) in any tense with the gerund, for example, cambiando (changing), aprendiendo (learning), or diciendo (saying), which you can learn to conjugate in the aforementioned lesson on the present perfect. Let's see some examples in the present, imperfect, and future tenses.
Vamos cocinando (We're cooking)
Iban creando (They were creating)
Iremos entendiendo (We'll be understanding)
As we mentioned in the introduction, ir + gerund typically describes actions that take place over time, bit by bit, or as part of a process. Therefore, while their translations are sometimes the exact same as they would be if the verb estar were to replace the verb ir, this implication is present within this structure. With this in mind, let's see a few examples of this construction.
y... fuimos creciendo juntos en ese momento.
and...we were growing together at that moment,
Caption 77, Biografía Natalia Oreiro - Part 6
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In this caption, the preterite tense of the verb ir is used to describe something that happened in the distant past. However, the formula ir + gerund was chosen to demonstrate that the "growing" being talked about was a process that was unfolding at that moment in time. Let's see another example:
Mientras la cebolla está pochando, en otra sartén vamos a ir haciendo la patata.
While the onion is sauteing, in another frying pan, we're going to be making the potato.
Captions 42-43, La cocina de María Tortilla de patatas
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Here, the formula ir + gerund is once again used to talk about the process of making the potato over time. For this reason, you will often find this construction in sentences that contain the word mientras (while) to talk about an action that is evolving while something else happens. Let's look at one more example:
"Y el consciente..." ¿Viste como tú misma vas cambiando en la medida que vas trabajando?
"And the Conscious"... Did you see how you yourself are changing as you are working?
Captions 18-19, Escribiendo un libro Algunos consejos sobre cómo comenzar - Part 3
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Once again, ir + gerund is utilized because "changing" and "working" are actions that aren't just in progress at some moment but are rather part of a bigger picture of evolution over time. So, the implication here is "Did you see how you yourself are (gradually) changing as you are working (over time)? In fact, words like "gradually" or "over time" may or may not be added to the translations of some instances of the ir + gerund construction, which is sometimes difficult to translate precisely.
That's all for today. We hope that this lesson has helped you to better understand the often seen but seldom talked about ir + gerund construction, and don't forget to write us with your questions and comments.
Do you know the difference between the Spanish prepositions por and para? Although both can be translated as "for" in certain instances, these two oft-confused words have different uses in Spanish and a wide variety of translations in different contexts. In the most general terms, por is used to indicate a cause or reason while para indicates a goal or purpose. If you need to learn or review the uses of por and para in greater detail, we recommend that you peruse Yabla's lesson entitled Por vs. Para: How to Use These Spanish Prepositions. Then, when you're ready, test your knowledge with this quiz!
In the following sentences, choose the preposition por or para that correctly completes each sentence.
a. por
b. para
a. por
b. para
a. por
b. para
a. por
b. para
a. por
b. para
a. por
b. para
a. por
b. para
a. por
b. para
a. por
b. para
a. por
b. para
a. por
b. para
a. por
b. para
a. por
b. para
a. por
b. para
a. por
b. para
a. por
b. para
a. por
b. para
Choose the correct combination of the prepositions por and para to make the sentences grammatically correct.
a. por, para
b. para, por
c. para, para
d. por, por
a. por, para
b. para, por
c. para, para
d. por, por
a. Por, por, por
b. Para, para, para
c. Por, para, para
d. Por, por, para
The following are the answers to all of the questions in this Por vs. Para Quiz as well as the translations and grammatical reasons for each.
1. Correct Answer: b. para
Las tijeras son para cortar.
The scissors are for cutting.
REASON: The Spanish preposition para is used to talk about the use of something.
2. Correct Answer: a. por
Vamos a viajar por Europa este verano.
We're going to travel in Europe this summer.
REASON: Use por when talking about approximate location.
3. Correct Answer: a. por
Yo voy al gimnasio cuatro veces por semana.
I go to the gym three times a week.
REASON: When referring to the frequency of an action, choose the preposition por. Note the alternative translation in the following example from the Yabla Spanish video library:
Serían trescientos euros por mes
It would be three hundred euros per month
Caption 55, Karla e Isabel Alquilar una habitación - Part 2
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4. Correct Answer: b. para
Noel tiene que entregar su trabajo para el lunes.
Noel has to turn in her project on Monday.
REASON: When talking about a future point in time or deadline, pick para.
5. Correct Answer: a. por
Lo hice por amor.
I did it for love.
REASON: The Spanish preposition por can be used to talk about the reason for something.
6. Correct Answer: b. para
Ellos prepararon una cena espectacular para mi familia.
They made an amazing dinner for my family.
REASON: When naming a recipient, go with para, as in the following clip:
Este libro es para ti.
This book is for you.
Caption 47, Carlos y Cyndy Uso del Voseo en Argentina
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7. Correct Answer: b. para
Para mí, Daniel es el mejor restaurante de Nueva York.
To me, Daniel is the best restaurant in New York.
REASON: Para in Spanish can be employed to express a personal opinion.
8. Correct Answer: a. por
A Guillermo le encanta caminar por la ribera.
Guillermo loves to walk along the riverbank.
REASON: The Spanish preposition por can be placed prior to place names to denote a course of movement within that location.
9. Correct Answer: b. para
Mi mamá vino para visitarme.
My mom came to visit me.
REASON: When talking about the purpose for something, opt for the preposition para.
10. Correct Answer: a. por
Nosotros solemos estar de muy mal humor por la mañana.
We tend to be in a very bad mood in the morning.
REASON: When referencing the time of day, use por.
11. Correct Answer: a. por
Juan esperó por cuatro horas en una fila para comprar las entradas.
Juan waited for in a line for four hours to buy the tickets.
REASON: The Spanish preposition por is correctly used in this sentence to describe duration, like in this similar example:
Por muchos años estuvo abandonado,
For many years, it was abandoned,
Caption 66, Amaya Teatro romano
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12. Correct answer: a. por
Orlando compró un auto nuevo por mucho dinero.
Orlando bought a new car for a lot of money.
REASON: Por should be used to speak about financial transactions.
13. Correct answer: b. para
Carla trabaja para una empresa muy famosa.
Carla works for a very famous company.
REASON: Para is the correct Spanish preposition for referring to employment.
14. Correct answer: a. por
Hay que subir por las escaleras para llegar al segundo piso
You have to go up [using/with] the stairs to get to the second floor.
REASON: Utilize por to describe the means used to do something.
15. Correct answer: a. por
El edificio fue construido por un arquitecto muy reconocido.
The building was built by a very famous architect.
REASON: In passive sentences in Spanish, the preposition por can be employed to designate who or what performed an action.
16. Correct answer: b. para
Los estudiantes van para la escuela.
The students are going to the school.
REASON: Para in Spanish can refer to the direction of or destination for some movement, as we see twice here:
Andrea, yo me voy para donde Amalia y usted salga para el hotel.
Andrea, I'll go to Amalia's and you go to the hotel.
Caption 42, Confidencial: El rey de la estafa Capítulo 2 - Part 9
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17. Correct answer: a. por
Por lo que veo, ella está enferma y no va a poder venir.
From what I can see, she's sick and isn't going to be able to come.
REASON: Por is the correct Spanish preposition for providing evidence that is used to form a conclusion.
18. Correct answer: a. por, para
Liliana está estudiando por cinco horas cada día para su examen.
Liliana is studying for five hours a day for her test.
REASON: Despite the fact that both por and para are translated into English as "for" in this sentence, it is necessary to choose por in Spanish to denote duration and para to state an objective.
19. Correct answer: b. para, por
El libro que compré para mi mamá fue escrito por su autor favorito.
The book that I bought for my mom was written by her favorite author.
REASON: Here, the word para refers to a recipient while por points to the agent of an action in a passive sentence.
20. Correct answer: d. por, por, para
Por la tarde, me gusta caminar por mi barrio para relajarme.
In the evening, I like to walk around my neighborhood in order to relax.
REASON: In this sentence, por refers to the time of day as well as a general location, and para states a purpose.
That's all for this quiz on the Spanish prepositions por vs. para. We hope you did well! For more on this topic, be sure to check out Yabla's three-part video series, Las preposiciones 'por' y 'para' , and don't forget to write us with your questions and comments.
The por vs. para dilemma is one of the biggest headaches for English speakers learning Spanish, especially since both are sometimes translated as "for." If you are still confused about the Spanish prepositions por and para, this lesson will explain how and when to use each. We hope that by the end of it, you will understand the difference between these two words and be able to use them with confidence.
Before we examine some specific uses of por and para in Spanish, we would like to invite you to think about these prepositions as opposites in the following terms:
Por: Indicates a cause or reason.
Para: Indicates a purpose, objective, or goal.
In a video from his series about the prepositions por and para, Carlos explains this difference by contrasting two sentences. Let's hear the first:
Estoy preocupado por el examen.
I'm worried about the exam.
Caption 35, Carlos explica Las preposiciones 'por' y 'para' - Part 1
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In this sentence, the preposition por indicates that the exam is the cause or reason for Carlos' concern. Now, let's look at the other sentence:
María estudió tres días para el examen.
Maria studied for the exam for three days.
Caption 39, Carlos explica Las preposiciones 'por' y 'para' - Part 1
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In this case, the preposition para indicates that the exam was María's goal and/or purpose for studying, most likely to try to achieve the best possible grade.
Now that we have highlighted this overarching difference between the prepositions por and para, let's explore a variety of more nuanced uses of each of these Spanish words.
Let's take a look at many of the most common uses of the preposition por in Spanish.
Si ese tipo vino aquí por dinero, pues... eso es lo único que quiere.
If that guy came here for money, well... that's the only thing he wants.
Captions 49-50, Confidencial: Asesino al Volante Capítulo 3 - Part 8
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Pero ¿sabéis lo que le gusta hacer a Lukas? Ir a correr por la playa.
But, do you know what does Lukas like to do? Go running on the beach.
Captions 58-59, Amaya Mi camper van
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Hoy he decidido hacer unas compras por el centro de la ciudad.
Today I've decided to do some shopping in the city's downtown.
Caption 2, Raquel Haciendo compras
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Las clases son normalmente por la tarde;
The classes are usually in the afternoon;
Caption 6, El Aula Azul Las actividades de la escuela - Part 2
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Fui jugador amateur por mucho tiempo,
I was an amateur player for a long time,
Caption 22, Víctor en Caracas El fútbol con Tony Carrasco
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Es de vital importancia que la tienda online se actualice. Deberíamos actualizar al menos dos veces por semana.
It's of vital importance that the online store is updated. We should update at least twice a week.
Captions 6-7, Raquel y Marisa Español Para Negocios - Nuestra tienda online
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Ayer llamé a mi cuñada por teléfono
Yesterday, I called my sister-in-law on the phone
Caption 5, Aprendiendo con Silvia Frases hechas - Part 3
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¿Por cuánto lo has comprado?
For how much have you bought it?
Caption 17, 75 minutos Del campo a la mesa - Part 16
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O: "El edificio ha sido diseñado por la arquitecta".
Or: "The building has been designed by the [female] architect."
Caption 34, Lecciones con Carolina La voz pasiva - Part 3
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Por lo que se ve, pues, no está quemado, no está dañado,
From what you [can] see, well, it's not burned, it's not damaged,
Captions 39-40, Aprendiendo con Priscilla Vocabulario de taller mecánico
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Now that we know how to use the preposition por in Spanish, let's see how to use the preposition para.
El veterinario vino ayer para comprobar que el bebé que lleva dentro está en buen estado,
The veterinarian came yesterday to check that the baby she's carrying is in good shape,
Captions 66-67, Amaya Apertura del refugio
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Este libro es para ti.
This book is for you.
Caption 47, Carlos y Cyndy Uso del Voseo en Argentina
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Tengo que terminar el trabajo para mañana.
I have to finish this work by tomorrow.
Caption 39, Carlos explica Las preposiciones 'por' y 'para' - Part 2
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Eh... voy para la casa. Si quiere, vamos juntos.
Um... I'm going home. If you want, we can go together.
Captions 7-8, Los Años Maravillosos Capítulo 14 - Part 9
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Tengo que tomar un medicamento para el dolor y otro para bajar la fiebre.
I have to take a medication for the pain and another one to lower the fever.
Captions 30-31, Ariana Cita médica
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Trabajo para una empresa francesa de electrónica
I work for a French electronics company
Caption 13, Carlos y Xavi Part 2 Ustedes y Vosotros
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porque es una ciudad que, para mí, lo tiene todo.
because it's a city that, for me, has it all.
Caption 7, San Sebastián El rompeolas
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Now that we have learned how to use the Spanish prepositions por and para, we would like to take a moment to summarize the main differences between them in the following chart.
| POR | PARA | |
|---|---|---|
| Key Difference: | Cause/Reason | Purpose/Goal |
| Ana estudia japonés por placer (Ana studies Japanese for pleasure). | Ana estudia japonés para poder visitar Japón algún día (Ana is studying Japanese in order to be able to visit Japan someday). | |
| Place: | Movement | Destination/Direction |
| Juan camina por la playa (Juan walks on/along the beach). | Juan va para la playa (Juan is going to the beach). | |
| Approximate Location | ||
| Claudia vive por el centro (Claudia lives in the downtown area). | ||
| Time: | Time of Day | Time Limit |
| Me gusta correr por la mañana (I like to run in the morning). | Tengo que terminar el informe para el jueves (I have to finish the report by Thursday). | |
| Duration | Future Point in Time | |
| Luis habló por dos horas (Luis spoke for two hours). | Necesito un billete del metro para mañana (I need a subway ticket for tomorrow). | |
| Frequency | ||
| Susana va a la piscina tres veces por semana (Susana goes to the pool three times a/per week). | ||
| Additional: | Conclusions | Opinions |
| Por la cara que tenía, yo creo que Pedro estaba triste (From the look on his face, I think Pedro was sad). | Para mí, esta es la mejor pizza (To me, this is the best pizza). | |
| Agents of Passive Sentences | Recipients | |
| El Coliseo fue construido por los romanos (The Colosseum was built by the Romans). | El regalo es para María (The gift is for Maria). | |
| Means/Tools | Employment | |
| Juan habla por teléfono (Juan is talking on the phone). | Mario trabaja para una multinacional (Mario works for a multinational company). | |
| Purchases/Transactions | ||
| Compré la cámara por 200 dólares (I bought the camera for 200 dollars). |
Before we go, we would like to highlight a very common mistake among non-native Spanish speakers. Although your inclination might be to use the word para, remember that in order to express gratitude in Spanish, the preposition por should always be used, as in the sentence "Gracias por el regalo" (Thanks for the gift).
That's all for today. Although we know that this lesson did not touch on all of the possible uses of the prepositions por and para, we hope that it has helped you to better understand how and when to use each of them, and don't forget to send us your comments and suggestions. ¡Hasta la próxima!
You are surely familiar with the Spanish pronoun nada with the meaning of "nothing." But are you aware that it can have several additional meanings and translations? Let's explore many of them!
Before we learn several of the lesser-known meanings of the Spanish word nada, let's look at its most common usage. Like "nothing" in English, the pronoun nada in Spanish can mean an absence or lack of anything, as we see here:
Es una palabra que define todo y nada al mismo tiempo
It's a word that defines everything and nothing at the same time
Caption 55, Carlos comenta Confidencial - Jerga típica colombiana
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Now, let's move on to our 7 additional meanings of the Spanish word nada that may not initially come to mind.
When used with a double negative, the English equivalent of the pronoun nada in Spanish changes to "anything":
No, hoy no tengo nada qué hacer.
No, today I don't have anything to do.
Caption 42, Conversaciones en el parque Cap. 5: Me gusta mucho este parque.
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For a more in depth explanation of this topic, check out Yabla's lesson entitled Nada: Nothing or Anything?
When the pronoun nada in Spanish is used to mean "none," it is typically accompanied by the preposition de, as we see below:
¿Por qué hace como si nada de esto estuviera pasando?
Why are you acting as if none of this were happening?
Caption 25, Confidencial: Asesino al Volante Capítulo 4 - Part 8
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Similarly to the manner in which nada can mean either "nothing," or "anything," its meaning also changes from "none" to "any" when used with the preposition de in a double negative sentence:
¡No, no... no! -No tiene que hacer nada de esto. -¡No, no, no, no, no!
No, no... no! -You don't have to do any of this. -No, no, no, no, no!
Caption 16, Tu Voz Estéreo Embalsamado - Part 17
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In this usage, nada functions as an adverb that can be translated with the English phrase "at all":
pero como no lo hago nada bien,
but since I don't do it well at all,
Caption 5, Beatriz Expresiones con colores
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Moving on to some uses of the Spanish word nada as a noun, let's see how la nada can mean "nowhere":
"¿La gente cómo puede vivir en medio de la nada, no?",
"How can people live in the middle of nowhere, right?"
Caption 3, Hispanoamericanos en Berlín Irwin y la acuarela - Part 3
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Like the pronoun nada, the noun la nada can describe a complete lack of anything:
Era el frío de la nada
It was the cold of nothingness
Caption 41, Acercándonos a la Literatura José Asunción Silva - "Nocturno III"
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The Spanish noun la nada can additionally be translated as "the void" when referring either to empty space in a physical sense or one's feeling of emptiness:
Y mi papá miraba hacia la nada con una rabia feroz de la que no era muy consciente.
And my dad stared into the void with a ferocious rage he wasn't very conscious.
Caption 54, Los Años Maravillosos Capítulo 2 - Part 1
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Now that you have learned 7 alternative English translations for the Spanish word nada, let's look at some common Spanish fixed expressions that include it, noting their English equivalents:
Antes de nada, vamos a repasar algunos conceptos e información necesaria
Before anything else, we're going to review some concepts and necessary information
Caption 1, Raquel y Marisa Aprender a conducir - Part 1
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Pero antes que nada, lo básico:
But first of all, the basics:
Caption 2, Conversaciones con Luis Astrología
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y que anda por ahí como si nada, entonces.
and that he's out there as if it were nothing then.
Caption 20, Confidencial: El rey de la estafa Capítulo 2 - Part 4
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De nada. Estoy para servirle. Permiso.
You're welcome. I'm at your service. Excuse me.
Caption 61, Programación de oficina El dictado del jefe
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Bueno, ahora estoy haciendo, más que nada, un trabajo con los niños
Well, now, I'm doing, above all else, a project with children
Caption 28, Cleer Entrevista con Jacky
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no le importa nada más.
nothing else matters to them.
Caption 34, Aprendiendo con Silvia Frases hechas - Part 1
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pero que no tiene nada que ver con temas religiosos.
but which has nothing to do with religious themes.
Caption 25, Viajando con Fermín La Feria de Santo Tomás
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¿Entonces no importa si la llamo? Para nada. -¡Para nada!
Then it doesn't matter if I call her? Not at all. -Not at all!
Captions 43-44, Los Años Maravillosos Capítulo 5 - Part 7
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Primero que nada, pedirte perdón por lo de ayer.
First of all, to apologize for yesterday.
Caption 12, Confidencial: Asesino al Volante Capítulo 5 - Part 4
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Pues nada, espero que... hayáis conocido un poquito este deporte, esta escuela, a mí,
Anyway, I hope that... you've learned a little bit about this sport, this school, myself,
Captions 80-81, Escuela de Pádel Albacete Hablamos con José Luis
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That's all for today. We hope that this lesson has helped you to understand many of the meanings of the Spanish word nada beyond simply "nothing," and don't forget to write us with your questions and suggestions.
What a difference an accent makes! Did you know that the meanings of several Spanish words vary depending upon whether or not they have a written accent? Today, we'll learn ten such pairs of words, providing examples of each in context. Are you ready?!
The adverb aun in Spanish, without an accent, is the equivalent of the English word "even":
Aun así, me hubiera gustado tener algo más de luz.
Even so, I'd have liked to have had a bit more light.
Caption 63, Viajando con Fermín La Cueva de Nerja - Part 2
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The adverb aún, on the other hand, with an accent, means "yet" or "still" in Spanish:
Aún no tengo hijos, eh...
I don't have kids yet, um...
Caption 29, La Sub30 Familias - Part 9
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The preposition de in Spanish is an extremely common word that can mean "of" or "from":
Yo soy de Barcelona, nací aquí,
I'm from Barcelona, I was born here,
Caption 23, Carlos y Xavi Diferencia de pronunciación entre España y Colombia - Part 1
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The word dé with an accent, however, is a conjugated form of the verb dar (to give) in Spanish. It could be either the present subjunctive form that corresponds to the subject pronouns él (he), ella (she), or usted (formal "you") or the formal imperative. Let's look at an example of each:
Present Subjunctive:
que me dé una explicación.
for him to give me an explanation.
Caption 60, Yago 13 La verdad - Part 5
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Formal Imperative:
Démela, no se va a dar cuenta.
Give it to me, she won't realize.
Caption 42, Los Años Maravillosos Capítulo 7 - Part 2
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Without an accent, esta is the singular feminine demonstrative adjective that means "this":
Esta pasión empezó cuando yo era muy pequeña
This passion started when I was really little,
Caption 5, Adriana La lectura
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With an accent, está is the third person singular and formal second person singular conjugation of the verb estar (to be).
y el mar está muy agitado.
and the sea is very choppy.
Caption 40, Aprendiendo con Silvia Las emociones - Part 8
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The word el in Spanish is the masculine singular definite article that means "the":
En el parque hay árboles,
At the park there are trees,
Caption 15, El Aula Azul Mi Barrio
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Él with an accent is a subject pronoun that means "he" or "it":
Él tiene una responsabilidad con ustedes,
He has a responsibility to you guys,
Caption 41, Los Años Maravillosos Capítulo 13 - Part 4
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The Spanish word mas without an accent is a conjunction that is used similarly to the word pero in Spanish and also means "but":
"Te dije que me hicieras caso, mas no escuchaste".
"I told you to pay attention to me, but you didn't listen."
Caption 21, Aprendiendo con Priscilla La palabra "más"
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Meanwhile, the word más with an accent is the Spanish equivalent of the word "more":
"Necesito comprar más carros".
"I need to buy more cars."
Caption 15, Aprendiendo con Priscilla La palabra "más"
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For more on the difference between these two words, take a look the video from which these two examples were taken: Aprendiendo con Priscilla- La palabra "más."
The non-accented word mi in Spanish is a short form possessive adjective that means "my" when referring to singular nouns:
Mi casa es pequeña.
My house is small.
Caption 10, Ariana Mi Casa
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The accented version of this word is a prepositional pronoun that can be used after any preposition (except the preposition con) to mean "me":
Para mí, el mejor jugador de fútbol es Leo Messi.
For me, the best soccer player is Leo Messi.
Caption 52, Carlos explica Las preposiciones 'por' y 'para' - Part 3
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The pronoun se in Spanish has many uses, including in impersonal and passive se constructions, in the no fault construction, to say "each other" in phrases like se abrazaron (they hugged each other), and as the reflexive pronoun that accompanies reflexive verbs with él, ella, usted, and ustedes. The following example includes se in both an impersonal and a reflexive construction.
y, como se dice en España: "Hay que saberse bañar
and, as they say in Spain: "You have to know how to bathe yourself
Caption 77, Soledad Amistades
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The accented version of the word sé is the first person conjugation of the verb saber (to know) in the present indicative:
yo sé que Ríos está aquí, hermano.
I know that Rios is here, brother.
Caption 58, Confidencial: El rey de la estafa Capítulo 4 - Part 6
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Si without an accent in Spanish means "if":
Si vienes, entonces te invito a comer.
If you come, then I'll treat you to a meal.
Caption 22, Ana Carolina Condicionales
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And, as you surely already know, sí with an accent in Spanish means "yes":
Sí. -Sí, señor.
Yes. -Yes, sir.
Caption 94, Muñeca Brava 43 La reunión - Part 1
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Carolina sums up this difference well:
Entonces, "sí" es una palabra afirmativa cuando queremos algo, mientras que "si" es una palabra condicional.
So, "sí" is an affirmative word when we want something, while "si" is a conditional word.
Captions 38-40, Lecciones con Carolina Haber vs. A Ver / Si vs. Sí
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Te with no accent can be either a direct or indirect object pronoun or a reflexive pronoun that corresponds to the informal second person singular subject pronoun tú. Let's see it in use as a direct object pronoun:
Te voy a llevar a los mejores restaurantes.
I am going to take you to the best restaurants.
Caption 23, Clara y Cristina Hablan de actividades
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The accented version of té refers to the beverage "tea":
Si querés tomar té tomalo en tu escritorio... -Ah, está bien...
If you want to have tea, have it at your desk... -Oh, OK...
Caption 29, Muñeca Brava 3 Nueva Casa - Part 7
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Tu (no accent!) is the informal second person singular possessive adjective that means "your":
¿Cómo se llama tu mamá?
What's your mom's name?
Caption 26, Ana Carolina Preguntas básicas con su hijo
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As we mentioned previously, tú with an accent is a subject pronoun that informally means "you" in Spanish.
¿Y tú? Que tampoco me has vuelto a llamar.
And you? You haven't called me again either.
Caption 18, Cleer y Lida Conversación telefónica - Part 1
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That's all for today. We hope that this lesson has clarified the difference between words in Spanish that, while pronounced identically, have different meanings depending upon whether or not they have an accent. Don't hesitate to write us with any questions, suggestions, or comments.
Do you know how to say "there" in Spanish? There are three different ways: ahí, allí and allá. Today's lesson will explore the differences and similarities between them in both pronunciation and usage.
Let's learn how to pronounce the three ways to say "there" in Spanish.
When listening to this word, keep in mind that the letter h in Spanish is silent (see Spanish Alphabet: Letters and Pronunciation to review this and more). Let's hear it in context:
Ahí está.
There it is.
Caption 10, Animales en familia La operación de Yaki - Part 1
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Although the word allí in Spanish is often confused with words like hay, ay, and ahí, its pronunciation is actually different from ahí due to the double L (ll) sound in Spanish, which is equivalent to the letter y. Let's listen to it:
Allí, los productos son muy frescos.
There, the products are very fresh.
Caption 11, Ariana Cena especial
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Hence, the pronunciation difference between the words ahí and allí can be broken down as follows:
ahí = ah-ee
allí = ah-yee
That said, this difference can be very hard to hear for non-native speakers, especially with accents from Spain or other regions where the ll/y sound is quite subtle. This sound is, however, more distinct in other regions like the Dominican Republic, where it sounds like a soft g or j, and Argentina and Uruguay, where it sounds like "sh," as we hear in this caption:
Por allí, están los botones "hide".
Over there are the "hide" buttons.
Caption 34, Julieta Promo
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The difference in the final letter makes the word allá stand out even more from its predecessors. Let's hear it pronounced:
Aha... allá.
Uh-huh... there.
Caption 55, Aprendiendo con Priscilla Juego de palabras
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Now let's explore the difference in meaning between the different words for "there" in Spanish.
The RAE (Real Academia Española) defines the word ahí as "en" or "a ese lugar" ("in" or "to that place") or simply "ese lugar" (that place). Having said that, remember that ese in Spanish is the "nearer" version of "that" with definitions ranging from "near the speaker," "far from the speaker but near to the listener" or "close but not within reach." With this in mind, let's see a couple of examples of the word ahí in context.
¿Me puedo sentar ahí? -Claro.
Can I sit there? -Of course.
Caption 27, Confidencial: Broma pesada Capítulo 1 - Part 8
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Ahí está.
There it is.
Caption 41, Ana Carolina Recorrido por el parque
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While the English translation of the definition for allí is the same as for ahí ("in" or "to that place" or "that place"), the difference lies in the replacement of the word ese with aquel, which also means "that" but constitutes a further distance (as explained in this lesson on demonstrative adjectives) that might be thought of as "far from both the speaker and the listener." Its translation can thus be either "there" or "over there." Let's see two examples where the speakers refer to locations far from where they currently are:
Y allí existe una de las mayores huertas de España,
And there, there is one of the biggest vegetable gardens in Spain,
Caption 41, Soledad Ensaladilla de brócoli
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y allí estuve durante diez años;
And I was there for ten years,
Caption 23, Luis Guitarra Influencias musicales - Part 1
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According to the RAE, one definition of allá, which can also be translated as "there" or "over there," is "en aquel lugar o sus proximidades" (in that place or its vicinity), making the term a bit more vague. Let's see an example:
Sin embargo, uno de los ecosistemas más importantes de la zona está allá. En el mar.
However, one of the most important ecosystems of the area is over there. In the sea.
Caption 65, Instinto de conservación Parque Tayrona - Part 2
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Allá can also be used in lieu of allí to emphasize the distance of a particular place:
Y pues entré a hacer mi maestría allá en Moscú, de... de imagen.
And well, I went to do my master's degree there in Moscow in... in photography.
Caption 40, Bogotá Fotógrafo José Segundo Quinche Pérez
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Although we have explored the primary definitions for the Spanish terms ahí, allí and allá, note that if you scroll further down in the entry for ahí, the RAE actually lists allí and allá as synonyms! This is because, like the words for "here" in Spanish (aquí and acá), the use of the words for "there" varies vastly from region to region and person to person, leading many speakers to use these terms differently or interchangeably. Let's see a couple of examples that deviate from the parameters we have learned:
¡Oh, mira ese vestido allá!
Oh, look at that dress over there!
Caption 23, Cleer y Carolina De compras
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Y ahí, no es como Madrid que sales cuando te da la gana, es que allí, no paras.
And there, it's not like in Madrid where you go out when you feel like it, it's just that there, you never stop.
Captions 18-20, Arume Barcelona
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To conclude today's lesson, let's concisely sum up what we have learned:
1. Generally speaking, ahí describes something relatively close to the speaker and/or listener. It is most typically translated as "there."
2. Allí usually describes something further away from both the speaker and listener. It is most typically translated as "there" or "over there."
3. Allá is similar to allí, but less specific, and can also be employed to emphasize distance. Its translations are "there" or "over there."
4. There is a great deal of overlap in the manner in which these words for "there" are used in spoken Spanish, which is often influenced more by the individual or region than any strict parameter of distance or grammatical rule.
That's all for this lesson. We hope that it has helped you to understand the differences and similarities among the three different ways to say "there" in Spanish, and don't forget to write us with your questions and comments.
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