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Spanish Lesson 17

by George Wu

Spanish Online Course for Expats

SIMPLE SENTENCES

True, prepositions are supposed to make connections but also to show relationships between nouns and the rest of the sentence. This is more true if it deals with Spanish sentences. Unlike English sentences, rather frequently a simple sentence finds no preposition at all: however, Spanish sentences are also that way but to a much lesser extent.

41. Carlos le quita el libro a María.

That pronoun le is injected into the verb.

42. Carlos tiene un libro.

No preposition is required.

43. Carlos ha leido un libro.

44. Carlos oye hablar de la guerra en Ukrania.

You just don’t hear but also speak. So the expression of oye hablar is rather common among Latinos deals with hearing from a third party.

45.Carlos está en casa.

Preposition is needed.

46. Carlos va a casa.

47. Carlos sale de casa.

The word casa means more like home than just house — no article.

48. Carlos se levanta a las cinco de la mañana.

Se is reflexive as a person must himself or herself do the getting up.

49. Carlos estudia por la mañlana y va a la escuela por la tarde

True, you could get by with en but they use por. Follow the leader: get close to Nicas.

50. Carlos piensa ir a Granada.

We use intending to go but they use thinking to go. That’s how they do it.

51. Carlos se interesa por la pintura.

Same rationale as item 48.

52. Carlos me presenta a María.

Same rationale as item 48.

53. Carlos llama a la puerta.

Llamar goes in the place of knocking.

54. Carlos sabe que María está en casa.

They use estar in lieu of ser because estar is temporary.

55. Carlos conoce a María.

They use personal a for personal purposes.

56. Carlos sabe bailar.

57. A Carlos le faltan amigos

58. El último día Carlos sale salió para Granada.

Para for destiny.

59. Anoche Carlos trabajó.

No play last night.

60. La semana pasada Carlos viajó.