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Kerry B.C1Kwiziq community member

Difference between comer and tomar with the same translation and context.

Why 'comí' una lubina, then 'tomé' un trozo, but with the same english translation?

Asked 4 years ago

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Pete A.B2Kwiziq community member

Lo vs Le

I've read the answers below, but there are still instances where I'm confused. For example, the test answers say that "Lo están llamando" is the correct translation of "They're calling him." However, I think I saw "They're writing him" translated as "Le están escribiendo." Both take the preposition "a" when the person being called or written is named, and both can use the preposition "to" in English. How is it possible to know that llamar takes a direct object, while escribir takes an indirect object?

Asked 5 years ago

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Mark D.A2Kwiziq community member

Podrías or podías

I was taught podrías means could when talking about the future and podía means could when talking about the past. Is this wrong?

Asked 5 years ago

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Gemma Jane W.B2Kwiziq community member

me he llevado vs me ha llevado ¡Qué sorpresa me he llevado hoy!

Why is it not "¡Qué sorpresa me ha llevado hoy!"?

Asked 2 years ago

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Graeme R.B2Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Llevar vs Seguir

Could seguir + infinitive be used in a similar way to llevar here? Perhaps...

Sigo trabajando en este colegio tres años

= I've continued working in this college for three years

Or would that have to be 'He seguido trabajando...'

I also note the absence of a preposition (por, durante etc) before the time/period phrase in the examples. Is it not necessary with llevar?

Saludos

Asked 6 years ago

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Emma T.A2Kwiziq community member

Meaning: arreglar - reparar

¿Qué diferencia entre arreglar y reparar?

Muchas gracias

Asked 2 years ago

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Alan K.C1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

A suggestion

I do find this confusing even though I understand the grammatical logic behind it. But my (temporary) solution is to get away from thinking in English and adopt the Spanish viewpoint. So I think “I please you” (te gusto); “you please me” (me gustas); “he pleases them” (les gusta) etc. , rather than "you fancy me"......

I believe it’s better as a general principle to try to think in the target language, rather than translate from your own language into the target language.

Hope this helps.

Asked 8 years ago

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