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Quejarse: To Complain

¡Y además te quejas!

And still, you're complaining!

Caption 7, Tu Rock es Votar - Comercial de TV

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BANNER PLACEHOLDER

Quejarse is a verb meaning "to complain," so we translate the above phrase directed at Mexico's voters as:
"And still you're complaining!"

 

Así que no puedo quejarme.

So I can't complain.

Caption 33, Federico Kauffman Doig - Arqueólogo

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Similarly, the affable Federico Kauffman Doig uses quejarme when he states "So I can't complain."

On a related note, you won't be surprised to learn, if you didn't yet know it;
una queja is "a complaint."

 

Tengo que pedir el libro de reclamaciones y poner una queja.

I have to ask for the complaint log and make a complaint.

Caption 6, Raquel - El libro de reclamaciones

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Mañana misma pongo la queja.

Tomorrow I'll put in the complaint.

Caption 23, Confidencial: El rey de la estafa - Capítulo 2

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Cuando hace humedad, podemos escuchar a la gente quejándose por ello.

When it's humid, we can hear people complaining about it.

Captions 27-28, Clara explica - El tiempo

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The preposition following quejarse is often de.


Se queja de un dolor en el abdomen.
She complains of pain in the abdomen.

Se la pasa quejándose de que no tiene dinero.
She is always complaining about having no money.

Vocabulary

A ti: Emphasizing

A ti no te gustaría que te dijeran...

You wouldn't like it if they told you...

con quién tienes que andar.

who you have to hang out with.

Captions 1-2, Tu Rock es Votar - Comercial de TV

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BANNER PLACEHOLDER

As per our previous discussion of the verb gustar, the phrase above states:

"You wouldn’t like it if they told you who you have to hang out with."

But what does the addition of A ti at the beginning do for the phrase? It simply adds emphasis to the "you," the translation would be same even if it wasn't there.

[Side note: remember we
talked about
andar's various meanings outside of the obvious "to walk"? The phrase above demonstrates yet another, "to hang out / pal around."]

 

Él le hizo daño a mucha gente.

He did harm to many people.

-¿Qué daño te hizo a ti, mamá?

-What harm did he do to you, Mom?

Caption 11, Yago - 10 Enfrentamientos

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Me gustas.
I like you.


A mi me gustas.
I like you. ("I" emphasized.)

 

A mí me gusta cambiar las sábanas cada semana.

I like to change the sheets every week. ("I" emphasized.)

Caption 21, Ana Carolina - Arreglando el dormitorio

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Besides adding emphasis, this type of construction can also clarify about whom you are talking.

Le gusta bailar.
He likes to dance.


A Juan le gusta bailar.
Juan likes to dance.


No mires a tu compañero, a ti te estoy preguntando.
Don't look at your buddy, I'm asking you.

 

Grammar