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¡Vamos a aprender español!- Let's Learn Spanish!

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T

Two Words

Member
Hola a todos. Aquí podemos aprender y enseñar español entre todos. Pregunta algo aquí de español. Por favor, si alguien dice algo mal, explicale lo que decir. Y sólo usa gramatica correcta. Todavia aprendo español tambien, asi que por favor corrijame tambien. Voy a empezar:


Hello everybody. Here we can learn and teach spanish with each other. Ask anything here about spanish. Please, if somebody says something wrong, explain to them what to say. And only use correct grammar. I am still learning spanish, so please correct me too. I will start:







I am confused about "le" at times. I understand it is a direct object pronoun, but it isn't always used like that. People tell me not say "A usted, ¿cómo lo puedo ayudar?" to say "How can I help you?" They tell me to use le instead of lo or la if it is a woman. I don't really get why.
 
Valkyria

Valkyria

Banned
Two Words said:
Hola a todos. Aquí podemos aprender y enseñar español entre todos Pregunta algo aquí de español. Por favor, si alguien dice algo mal, explicale lo que decir. Y sólo usa gramatica correcta. Todavia aprendo(estoy aprendiendo) español tambien, asi que por favor corrijame (corrígeme it's less formal) tambien. Voy a empezar:


Hello everybody. Here we can learn and teach spanish with each other. Ask anything here about spanish. Please, if somebody says something wrong, explain to them what to say. And only use correct grammar. I am still learning spanish, so please correct me too. I will start:







I am confused about "le" at times. I understand it is a direct object pronoun, but it isn't always used like that. People tell me not say "A usted, ¿cómo lo puedo ayudar?" to say "How can I help you?" They tell me to use le instead of lo or la if it is a woman. I don't really get why.
Click to expand...

Uniéndome. I have corrected your original text.
Regarding le lo la even we native speakers do it wrong. It is ¿como le puedo ayudar? Because it is to whom you make the action, complemento indirecto. Some will say como la puedo ayudar If you are talking about a woman, but it is actually wrong but extended.
 
entremet

entremet

Member
Native spanish speaker here. Last few threads have been locked because they became social threads. So keep that in mind so this doesn't happen again.
 
T

Two Words

Member
Valkyria said:
Uniéndome. I have corrected your original text.
Regarding le lo la even we native speakers do it wrong. It is ¿como le puedo ayudar? Because it is to whom you make the action, complemento indirecto. Some will say como la puedo ayudar If you are talking about a woman, but it is actually wrong but extended.
Click to expand...
Question about your correction. I thought that you use the subjunctive whenever you use "if". For example, "If you go out, please close the door" would be "Si salgas, por favor cierra la puerta." Is this not correct?


And about le, this is where my confusion is. I thought direct objects are people or things receiving the action, and people or things the actions are being done for are the indirect objects. For example, you could say "Tell him that I said no" as "Dile que dije no". In this case the direct object is what the person said to tell him and the indirect object is the person who the telling is being done for. So with that, wouldn't the person receiving the help be a direct object?
 
A

alfredofroylan

Member
Two Words said:
I am confused about "le" at times. I understand it is a direct object pronoun, but it isn't always used like that. People tell me not say "A usted, ¿cómo lo puedo ayudar?" to say "How can I help you?" They tell me to use le instead of lo or la if it is a woman. I don't really get why.
Click to expand...
"lo", "los", "las" and "la" are used as pronouns depending of the situation gender and number.

For example singular and masculine: Have you seen Juan? (Has visto a Juan)
Yes, I saw him yesterday. (Si, lo vi ayer)

Plural and masculine. Have you seen Juan and his kids? (Has visto a Juan y a sus hijos?)
Yes, I saw them yesterday (Si, los vi ayer)

Now "le" is an idirect complement and is kinda of a cult form for most countries and it can be used for masculine and femenine.
I told his/her sister to come (Le dije a su hermana que viniera.)
 
Valkyria

Valkyria

Banned
Si sales, cierra la puerta. No need for subjuntivo. Like in English you can make conditionals in present, If you leave, close the door.
 
T

Two Words

Member
Valkyria said:
Si sales, cierra la puerta. No need for subjuntivo. Like in English you can make conditionals in present, If you leave, close the door.
Click to expand...
Thanks. I guess when I think about the "Cómo le puedo ayudar", there is an unspoken direct object. The direct object is whatever needs help. So it could be "a usted le puedo ayudar encontrar sus llaves". So in this case, the direct object is "finding your keys". It could be shortened to "Se lo puedo ayudar" meaning "I can help you with it."
 
C

ComputerMKII

Banned
¡Me gusta esta canción!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xiWtqVtd1Oo

Letras:

Si señor, efectos especiales, yè ,yè ,yè
Si señor, una tentación, yè, yè, yè

Tu y yo a la fiesta
Tu y yo toda la noche
Tu y yo a la fiesta
Tu y yo
Bailando bailando amigos adios, adiós el silencio loco
Bailando bailando amigos adios, adiós el silencio loco

Si señor, corona de cristales, yè, yè, yè
Si señor, una emoción, yè, yè, yè

Tu y yo a la fiesta
Tu y yo toda la noche
Tu y yo a la fiesta
Tu y yo
Bailando bailando amigos adios, adiós el silencio loco
Bailando bailando amigos adios, adiós el silencio loco


La luna estaba llena, sone sone de un palacio
Un paraíso que se llama Paradisio.

Tu y yo a la fiesta
Tu y yo toda la noche
Tu y yo a la fiesta
Tu y yo
Bailando bailando amigos adios, adiós el silencio loco
Bailando bailando amigos adios, adiós el silencio loco

Bailo sensual
Noche romántica
Melodía
Click to expand...
 
Valkyria

Valkyria

Banned
Se lo puedo ayudar has no sense. You would say Puedo ayudar, o puedo ayudar a encontrarlas, with las referring to the key.
Any way don't worry too much about le, lo, la... Even me I do make mistakes with them and many people in Spain depending of where they are from use wrong le or lo or both.
 
A

alejob

Member
Siete horas en el carro sin parar y no traes música.

Mira, entra y compra unas papitas.



Ha ha! I mean... ja ja! Gets me every time.

What's the code for the upside down exclamation point?
 
N

Noema

Member
Two Words said:
Question about your correction. I thought that you use the subjunctive whenever you use "if". For example, "If you go out, please close the door" would be "Si salgas, por favor cierra la puerta." Is this not correct?
Click to expand...

Not necessarily. Past subjunctive is often used with "if" when expressing unreal conditionals; for example: "Si fuera rico, compraría un yate" (If I were rich, I'd buy a yatch), but "salga" is present subjunctive and should not be used this way. Present subjunctive is used mostly after certain verbs and "que" clauses, and it's sort of tricky to use. It's often used to express orders, desires, contrast, belifefs, and doubt; for example: "No creo que puedas llegar a tiempo" (I don't think you can make it on time) or "Necesito que limpies la casa mañana" (I need you to clean the house tomorrow); "Dios te bendiga" (God bless you, which incidentally is also in present subjunctive in English, but it's considered an archaism since no one ever really uses it in English other than certain expressions)

It's usually easier to learn the verbs that force the next verb to be subjunctive.


And about le, this is where my confusion is. I thought direct objects are people or things receiving the action, and people or things the actions are being done for are the indirect objects. For example, you could say "Tell him that I said no" as "Dile que dije no". In this case the direct object is what the person said to tell him and the indirect object is the person who the telling is being done for. So with that, wouldn't the person receiving the help be a direct object?
Click to expand...

No, the person recieving the help would be the indirect object since what you are helping them with would be the direct object: "Ayudale a cargar la caja", le is the indirect object and "cargar la caja" would be the direct object. In German, for example, helfen (to help) is followed by a dativ (indirect) object: "Hilf mir!".
 
T

Two Words

Member
Noema said:
Not necessarily. Past subjunctive is often used with "if" when expressing unreal conditionals; for example: "Si fuera rico, compraría un yate" (If I were rich, I'd buy a yatch), but "salga" is present subjunctive and should not be used this way. Present subjunctive is used mostly after certain verbs and "que" clauses, and it's sort of tricky to use. It's often used to express orders, desires, contrast, belifefs, and doubt; for example: "No creo que puedas llegar a tiempo" (I don't think you can make it on time) or "Necesito que limpies la casa mañana" (I need you to clean the house tomorrow); "Dios te bendiga" (God bless you, which incidentally is also in present subjunctive in English, but it's considered an archaism since no one ever really uses it in English other than certain expressions)

It's usually easier to learn the verbs that force the next verb to be subjunctive.




No, the person recieving the help would be the indirect object since what you are helping them with would be the direct object: "Ayudale a cargar la caja", le is the indirect object and "cargar la caja" would be the direct object. In German, for example, helfen (to help) is followed by a dativ (indirect) object: "Hilf mir!".
Click to expand...

I see. Is "cuando" a subjunctive trigger word? Would "Cuando salgas, cierra la puerta." Make anymore sense? The subjunctive mood is something I've always had trouble with.
 
N

Noema

Member
Two Words said:
I see. Is "cuando" a subjunctive trigger word? Would "Cuando salgas, cierra la puerta." Make anymore sense? The subjunctive mood is something I've always had trouble with.
Click to expand...

It can trigger the subjunctive, but it can also be followed by an indicative verb. It depends on what you are trying to say:

"Cuando salgas (present subjuntive), cierra la puerta (imperative)" --> Next time you go out, close the door. It implies that an action will take place in the future.

"Cuando sales (indicative), cierras la puerta (Indicative)" --> Everytime you go out, you close the door. It describes an event that happens regularly.
 
T

Two Words

Member
Also, is there an easy way in Spanish to convert a verb into a noun? In English, this is often accomplished by just putting an article on the verb. Can you literally say "We had a talk" in Spanish? I know you can convert an adjective into a noun with spanish by putting "lo" in front of it. Does it work with verbs?
 
H

hypernima

Banned
With Spanish I don't ever really know where to start, and cant always remember the proper introductory statements, that being said i will bookmark and try to learn.
 
T

Two Words

Member
Noema said:
It can trigger the subjunctive, but it can also be followed by an indicative verb. It depends on what you are trying to say:

"Cuando salgas (present subjuntive), cierra la puerta (imperative)" --> Next time you go out, close the door. It implies that an action will take place in the future.

"Cuando sales (indicative), cierras la puerta (Indicative)" --> Everytime you go out, you close the door. It describes an event that happens regularly.
Click to expand...
I see, I'll remember that. How bad does it sound if people don't use the subjunctive in Spanish properly?" Does the meaning often get lost?"
 
Z

Zombine

Banned
I took Spanish for 12 years, and I didn't give a shit until it was too late. I still remember the basics, but I want to take classes and really get back into it because I do love it. I also think it's a necessity because I work a lot with people that struggle with English, and I would much rather show that I am willing to make them feel comfortable and talk to them in their native tongue, than have a frustrating conversation in English. I hide that I can understand them a bit, because I don't want to become the unofficial office translator.
 
jts

jts

...hate me...
Mi español es muy malo y lo he aprendido sobre todo con unos dibujos en la tele, Doraemon, asi como con peliculas pornograficas americanas dubladas em castellano.

Además, como soy portugués, tengo algún contacto con el idioma.
 
C

Cormano

Member
Two Words said:
I see, I'll remember that. How bad does it sound if people don't use the subjunctive in Spanish properly?" Does the meaning often get lost?"
Click to expand...

Not really, might sound a little informal or in some instances somewhat weird, but the message goes through.
 
N

Noema

Member
Two Words said:
I see, I'll remember that. How bad does it sound if people don't use the subjunctive in Spanish properly?" Does the meaning often get lost?"
Click to expand...

In terms of meaning being lost, it's not that bad. Most of the time people will get what you mean. Does it sound bad? It sounds strange since native speakers of Spanish use subjunctive pretty much all the time without giving it any thought even if they don't know the rules. It'll just sound wrong. I liken it to non-native speakers of English who don't bother adding an "s" at the end of 3rd person singular verbs, or who conjugate every verb in past as if it were regular "eated" "goed", :p

Two Words said:
Also, is there an easy way in Spanish to convert a verb into a noun? In English, this is often accomplished by just putting an article on the verb. Can you literally say "We had a talk" in Spanish? I know you can convert an adjective into a noun with spanish by putting "lo" in front of it. Does it work with verbs?
Click to expand...

Not really. You'll have to learn the appropopiate noun in each case that corresponds to a verb.
 
G

Guamu

Member
Two Words said:
Also, is there an easy way in Spanish to convert a verb into a noun? In English, this is often accomplished by just putting an article on the verb. Can you literally say "We had a talk" in Spanish? I know you can convert an adjective into a noun with spanish by putting "lo" in front of it. Does it work with verbs?
Click to expand...

Do you have an example for this? I'm a native spanish speaker and I don't think I follow what you're implying
 
N

Noema

Member
Guamu said:
Do you have an example for this? I'm a native spanish speaker and I don't think I follow what you're implying
Click to expand...

I think he means stuff like "Lo bonito de esta ciudad...", "lo bueno de este restaurante...", etc.

Which is like saying "what's nice about this city is that..." or "what's good about this restaurant is...
 
T

Two Words

Member
I'm trying to figure out if I have all of the stem-changing rules correct.


ar-er
Present doesn't change on nosotros or vosotros
Past doesn't change
Past imperfect doesn't change
Past perfect doesn't change
Conditional doesn't change
Imperative changes

ir
Same rules, but changes on past (pretorite or something)


I hope I got it right.
 
G

Guamu

Member
Two Words said:
Lo caro es lo mejor.

Estos libros son los mismos.

Lo importante es que me llames (subjunctive).
Click to expand...

Well, you can have a similar effect using the participio of a verb.

Lo robado era importante.

Lo frito se notaba

Lo bailado nadie se lo quita
 
T

Two Words

Member
Guamu said:
Well, you can have a similar effect using the participio of a verb.

Lo robado era importante.

Lo frito se notaba

Lo bailado nadie se lo quita
Click to expand...
I don't quite understand those sentences. I think I do, but they seem strange. What are they literally saying and what is their meaning?
 
M

megarockexe

Member
Guamu said:
Well, you can have a similar effect using the participio of a verb.

Lo robado era importante.

Lo frito se notaba

Lo bailado nadie se lo quita
Click to expand...

I haven't the training in this sort of syntax, so here is how I interpreted it.

What was stolen was important.

The fried was noticeable. (As in, you could taste it in the food?)

His dance, no one could take it from him (like, a different way to say someone is skilled at dancing)
 
G

God Dayumm

Banned
Two Words said:
Also, is there an easy way in Spanish to convert a verb into a noun? In English, this is often accomplished by just putting an article on the verb. Can you literally say "We had a talk" in Spanish? I know you can convert an adjective into a noun with spanish by putting "lo" in front of it. Does it work with verbs?
Click to expand...

Add "el" or nothing at all to the infinitive form to make it a subject. In that sense, it becomes the same as adding -ing in English.

For example:

Sleeping improves health.

Dormir mejora la salud.


About your example, "a talk" "a walk" "a ride" are nouns that happen to coincide with the verbs. In doesn't work with "a sleep", "an eat", "a foresee", and it will not work is Spanish either.
 
H

Herr K

Banned
Todos sabemos que este hilo va a terminar cerrado porque GAF no puede con el amor hispanohablante. Mucho para sus almas.
 
G

Guamu

Member
megarockexe said:
I haven't the training in this sort of syntax, so here is how I interpreted it.

What was stolen was important.

The fried was noticeable. (As in, you could taste it in the food?)

His dance, no one could take it from him (like, a different way to say someone is skilled at dancing)
Click to expand...

You have no training with those phrases because they are not common use.

Your interpretation is also correct for the first two. The third one is kind of cheating because it's slang meaning nobody can't take the fun he/she had.
 
A

Ahasverus

Member
The secret with "le"/" la"/"lo is using them is thinking of the verb+l@ form instead of the l@+verb. Verb+le, indicates there is an object/person to which the action is intended, verb +l@ indicates the gender of a recipient object.

ex:
escribir-la : write her
escribir-le: write to - her/him/it
 
T

Two Words

Member
Ahasverus said:
The secret with "le"/" la"/"lo is using them is thinking of the verb+l@ form instead of the l@+verb. Verb+le, indicates there is an object/person to which the action is intended, verb +l@ indicates the gender of a recipient object.

ex:
escribir-la : write her
escribir-le: write to - her/him/it
Click to expand...
That doesn't really fit anything that I've learned before. I notice people tend to use le/la/lo/me/te/etc before the verb when they have the choice too.

I get that le is the indirect and lo/la is the direct object. I haven't learned anything that says placement changes meaning outside of the imperative.
 
A

Ahasverus

Member
Two Words said:
That doesn't really fit anything that I've learned before. I notice people tend to use le/la/lo/me/te/etc before the verb when they have the choice too.

I get that le is the indirect and lo/la is the direct object. I haven't learned anything that says placement changes meaning outside of the imperative.
Click to expand...
It's not the official rule but that's a way it can be used by anglophones. What I'm saying is not to ditch the article + verb way, but that you can think of it the same way as the english verb-article.

ex.

I love HER
Yo ámoLA (rethoric form) = Yo LA amo (normal form)
 
T

Two Words

Member
Ahasverus said:
It's not the official rule but that's a way it can be used by anglophones. What I'm saying is not to ditch the article + verb way, but that you can think of it the same way as the english verb-article.

ex.

I love HER
Yo ámoLA (rethoric form) = Yo LA amo (normal form)
Click to expand...
So what exactly is the rhetoric form saying that the normal form isn't?
 
V

Verano

Reads Ace as Lace. May God have mercy on their soul
jts said:
Mi español es muy malo
Click to expand...

aa15f86872716f2ba0dc65892ee9870f.jpg
 
T

Two Words

Member
As a guy learning Spanish, I would absolutely LOVE IT if it possible to state direct/indirect objects after a single verb. So please do not toy with me here. Is this a real option?

Is there any way to say "Yo lo comí" with lo coming after comí?
 
A

Ahasverus

Member
Two Words said:
So what exactly is the rhetoric form saying that the normal form isn't?
Click to expand...
Nothing, it's the same but..
Guamu said:
This makes no sense
Click to expand...
It sounds silly. It was used a long time ago. I used it to illustrate how anglophones can learn to easily use le/la/lo in a way that resembles the english sintax.

Her = la
Him = lo
It = lo/la (depends on the noun)

Two Words said:
As a guy learning Spanish, I would absolutely LOVE IT if it possible to state direct/indirect objects after a single verb. So please do not toy with me here. Is this a real option?

Is there any way to say "Yo lo comí" with lo coming after comí?
Click to expand...
Not like that, no. But you can think it like "I ate it" and say it exchanging the order "I it ate". Translating that word by word means litteraly " Yo lo comí ". Easier to think that way than thinking about times and grammar.
 
N

NYCmetsfan

Banned
Two Words said:
As a guy learning Spanish, I would absolutely LOVE IT if it possible to state direct/indirect objects after a single verb. So please do not toy with me here. Is this a real option?

Is there any way to say "Yo lo comí" with lo coming after comí?
Click to expand...
No.

You can have a past tense, yo estaba comiéndolo or yo estuve comiéndolo but its not saying the same thing.

You get used to having it come first. I used to always use the gerund form to have it come after even if it didn't make sense but after awhile your brain starts formulating the sentences and you start putting the object before the verb.
 
N

NYCmetsfan

Banned
Guamu said:
Do you have an example for this? I'm a native spanish speaker and I don't think I follow what you're implying
Click to expand...
Its like saying in English 'the 'adjective' one/thing. It carries both the 'the' and 'thing' in an English sentence

Like

'The pretty one/thing' = lo bonito

'The big one/thing' = lo grande

'The ugly one/thing' = lo feo

Thing is probably the better translation for how its used in English. You'd translate an English sentence like 'the most important thing is to study' its 'lo más importante es estudiar'
 
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