Spanish language Q&A Forum

how can i know when to use  the subjunctive or  the indicative with Lo + adjetivo + es que+ subjuntivo / indicativo for example lo importante /raro /bueo 

In the example given:
"¿Tienes algún problema? No, pero gracias por preguntar."

Why is it not "algúnas" to match the gender of problema?

Though it is a bit formal sounding, another way to translate the passive form in English referring to a  '"general you", i.e. people in general ',  is "ONE must/can...". For example "One must always tell the truth".

I find that helps me differentiate between "you must" - debes (a specific person), and the passive "One must" - se debe (people/individuals in general) 

Hola!

why (mi) in (para soprender a mi familia) is preceded by (a)? and what does it mean? 

Would you explain why it is el hacha afilada, but it is una ave bonita, please.  Both have feminine modifiers.  I’m becoming more confused as I go.  

Here’s an explanation that I found elsewhere:

“Feminine nouns that begin with a stressed "a-" or "ha-" sound in Spanish use the definite article "el" in the singular."

The example given is:
"Who's incredibly attractive; a real night owl.  Sí, pero indica que no es un ave de paso.”

The above example uses un, not una.

The question in the lesson was "Do you have a toaster?" (it did not specify formal or informal 'you').  My answer was Tiene usted and was marked wrong.  I think it's correct

Why is pero used and not sino?

Could "No puedo salir hoy sino saldré mañana." be used or would this be incorrect?

I do not understand why this is tercer not tercero as the correct answer as there is not a masculine singular preceding i

Hola Inma,

1. "hacen diferentes actividades [como]" ...The translation offered was "different activities such as ....": I wrote tal como for "such as" and was marked incorrect. My dictionary gives tal como as "such as / for instance" and this seems to be correct for the sentence. My dictionary gives como as "such as" as well, but with the meaning "similar to."  Would a better translation have been "different activities like ......."?

2. This is about the use of "preocuparse de." The translation offered is "since they look after them at all times." I understood that the use of " preocuparse de" indicates that you worry about something in the way of occupying your mind / concerning yourself, while "preocuparse por" indicates that you may be worried about something or someone. The more research I do on this the more confusing it becomes because "ocuparse de" also seems to mean look after someone, and that seems to be closer to the translation. Either way my suggestion of preocuparse por was marked incorrect. 

It would be great to have some guidance on this.

Saludos. John