Spanish language Q&A Forum

Paracaídas not paracaidas

I noticed a pattern in the examples.  Articles are always used with the subject of a sentence, but articles are only used some of the time with direct objects.

ARTICLES NOT USED WITH DIRECT OBJECTS

hoy no hay clase de español, tienes peces de colores, he comprado vasos de plástico, no tengo disfraz de Halloween

ARTICLES USED WITH DIRECT OBJECTS

ver la ropa de niño, voy a contarte un cuento de hadas, tengo que guardar mi ropa de verano, prefiero el vestido de flores, quieres un helado de fresa

QUESTION:  Is there a rule for when to use articles with the direct object?

Cheers,

Marcos

“A mis verdaderos amigos los puedo contar”. Is contar like gustar?

Thanks a lot

Shirley

Paco ________ una manifestación en la ciudad.  Your answer:  Paco ha visto...Paco saw a demonstration in the city.(HINT: Conjugate “ver” in El Pretérito Perfecto)Why would this sentence use a perfect tense, when the event is clearly finished?Paco ha visto... - Paco has seen...  is very different than Paco saw. 

My sentence:

Las chicas se sintieron mucho frio en esa casa grande

was corrected to:

Las chicas sintieron mucho frio en esa casa grande.

But isn’t sentir a reflexive verb in Spanish? Reflexive verbs are not very common in English.,

Google translate has:

I feel cold (English) – Me siento frio (Español) – Jeg føler mig kold (Danish, my language, which uses reflexion very much like Spanish)

Please explain!

Hi,

In English, I would say that we would normally use 'to catch' rather than 'to fish' in the sentence "Podemos pescar ...".  Would coger make sense in Spanish?

Thanks.

Colin

Hi, I have a question about the grammar of this sentence. I apologize it doesn’t have to do with “aquella.” Just wondering  about the use of “estaba.” Why not “estuvo?” For something to be broken is that not permanent? Or is it because it was fixed that it “used to be broken”? Am I over thinking this?

I don't understand why in one sentence the lady says that she gets up early every morning (me levanto temprano) but in the next sentence she says "no me gusta madrugar".  Are you just showing us that there are two ways to say that she gets up early? Isn't this a bit much for beginner Spanish!?!?

Hi,

I was comparing two of the sentences above:

Clara se lava los pies cada día

and

Nosotros nos ponemos crema solar en la cara.

In English, both refer to plural objects i.e. her feet and our faces.  In Spanish, los pies but la clara.

I wondered why Spanish refers to 'la clara' rather than 'las claras' as there is more than one subject therefore more than one object.

Thanks.

Colin

Hi,

Could 'el pelo' be removed from the above sentence and still retain the same meaning.  I assume that peinarse means to comb one's own hair.

Thanks.

Colin