Spanish language Q&A Forum

Good morning.

What is the difference in meaning between "Poder + estar + infinitive" vs "poder + infinitive"?

Hola Inma, 

The translation of the above is given as “Come up here without stepping on the white floor tiles.” This sounds like an imperative, so would it be one of the appropriate conjugations ¡Ve/Vea! etc? Or is it a typo?

Saludos. John

hi, in the case of saying ´en algún libro´etc where we mean some book, a book non specifically, can we use ´un´ in place of ´algún´?

It might have been helpful to include a little more information about El monumento al Encierro. I searched broadly but even Wikipedia had nothing on it other than that "Encierro" has to do with the running of the bulls in Pamplona. However, not wishing to be defeated, after much probing I found:

El encierro es una práctica dentro de la tauromaquia que consiste en correr (dentro de una vía urbana cercada) delante de una manada no muy abundante de toros, novillos o vaquillas. Los encierros son muy populares dentro de España y América Latina, en los lugares donde se celebran Fiestas Taurinas. El Monumento al Encierro es una gran escultura del artista Jalisciense Jorge de la Peña Beltrán, que representa a siete toros y un caporal a caballo camino a la corrida donde habrán de revelar su coraje. Es una obra fundida en bronce, donde cada toro pesa por lo menos media tonelada; el caporal 1,700 kg. El monumento mide 24 metros de largo por 10.5 de ancho y tiene una altura de 6.5 metros. Su existencia es un continuo homenaje a los ganaderos aguascalentenses ya que cada toro lleva marcado el fierro de una ganadería de la zona.

¡Eso es casi suficiente para que quieras ir a verla!

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!

Por dónde vas is the question to ask someone but what if I want to be more specific ? Por dónde vas en tu libro? How do I say where are you at for the book? Where are you at now at your book? 

Hello,

In this quiz question, it looks like both the second and third options will be correct.  Is this the case?  Thanks.