Spanish language Q&A Forum

I just completed a translation exercise which included the following sentence:

"... we see the fireworks and we receive gifts from Father Christmas."

I translated the sentence as follows: "... vemos los fuegos artificiales y recibimos regalos desde Papá Noel". Kwiziq indicated that the correct translation should have been "... vemos los fuegos artificiales y recibimos los regalos de Papá noel."

I have two question about this: 

1) Why was it necessary to insert "los" in front of "regalos"? I do not understand fully the rule of when the definite articles (singular or plural) must be used. As you can see, I inserted it when  "the" was included before "fireworks" in the English translation, but omitted "los" when "the" was not included before "gifts" in the English translation. Again, what's the rule on this? When I practice the writing exercises seems use of articles is hit and miss.

2) I am confused about why "de" was used as translation of "from" instead of "desde". Seems "regalos de Papá Noel" would translate in English to Santa Claus's gifts. Please explain.

Thank you!

Pati Ecuamiga.

¿En español se puede usar hacia en el contexto de la actitud de alguien o algo? Por ejemplo en ingles se puede decir "I don't like your attitude towards me" o "We will work towards that". 

¿Se puede decir algo como "no me gusta su actitud hacia yo"?

Saludos

Matt

I have done two tests now where I have chosen "estaba imprimido", but it tells me I've chosen "estaba imprimiendo", so it is counted as an error.  I don't know why that is happening.  

The test question and answer does not seem to make sense for this lesson about the al contraction. The question was: Tenemos que ir ________ estación de Atocha en Madrid. We need to go to Atocha station in Madrid.

First, "We need" is necisitamos. Tenemos que is "We have to"

Second, this is a question about the al and del contractions, but the answer to this question is "a la"  so I do not understand the test question.

Hola Inma, I have been trying to work out why both direct and indirect objects are present here. 

I can't find a reference for a pronominal form of pensar, but on doing the exercise a second time, I noticed that the lesson for the se aspectual was listed as being relevant. Poder isn't given as one of the verbs that typically can take this construction, but does this explain why the reflexive pronoun is being used here, making the verb poder more "intense / complete" as explained in the example of "irse" in the lesson; .... or is there another explanation altogether. Espero que puedas ayudarme. Saludos. John

What about the (even in English) problematic decade of 2000-2009? 

or 2010-2019 ?

For the sentence "mientras vosotros ________ el postre, yo hice el café", why is "estuvisteis comiendo" incorrect?  The lesson seems to suggest that it should be correct.

For example, the lesson says this:  When the ongoing past action is inside a completed timeframe in the past. See how all examples above contain a time phrase: "toda la noche", "de 6 a 7 de la tarde", "el sábado pasado".  In the quiz question, the completed timeframe is "while you were having dessert".  Isn't that a similar time frame to "toda la noche"?

Also, the lesson says this:  We don't know when the "eating" started, but the end is expressed with "hasta que acabamos con  toda la comida". This may sound as if that is an interrupting action and may lead you to wrongly think you need to use El Imperfecto Progresivo [estaba+present participle].  Likewise, in the quiz question, we know that "having dessert" has a beginning and an end, although we don't know exactly when.

Gracias!