Spanish language Q&A Forum

I'm new. I'm a beginner and wish to learn Castilian Spanish (including the pronunciation). I just took the first lesson (above). It has "confirm" buttons after all the lines, but they all lead to an error message. And I took the "test" but it was only two questions. What is going on? Seriously, a test with only two questions? And what are the non-functional "confirm" buttons even for? Oh, and the pronunciation does NOT use Castilian Spanish in the examples where I paid attention for that.

I think that the concept of "verbs like gustar" might become clearer by seeing a literal translation as well as the English interpretation/translation. 

Is this the correct sentence construction for "verbs like gustar"?

Indirect Object + verb like gustar + subject ?

Le entristece la mala noticia = The bad news saddens her.

Could the literal translation be: For her, the news is saddening OR should it be To her, the news saddens? Neither really make sense in English! “Her, the news saddens = The news saddens her” and makes the verb transitive, no? And “her” becomes the Direct Object “la” instead of the Indirect Object “le”. Can “entristecer” be used as a transitive verb AND as a “verb like gustar”?

But surely the more correct Spanish would be: 

Las malas noticias la entristecen OR la entristecen las malas noticias

Are both forms acceptable?

How then can I reconcile la in that last version with the le in the lesson version? "La" is a Direct Object while "le" is an Indirect Object, no?

So, again, can “entristecer” be both transitive and a “verb like gustar”? OR is either version incorrect?

 Phew! HELP?

In "ellos consiguen borrar los malos pensamientos de su cabeza," why is it not "de sus cabezas" since we said "ellos"? 

Suppose we want to say that a price has gone up from 20 pesos to 30 pesos.  Could we say:

El precio ha aumentado de 20 pesos a 30 pesos.

El precio ha aumentado desde 20 pesos hasta 30 pesos.

Would either or both these statements be correct?

Thanks.

There’s too much new material in this lesson. I was only familiar with present subjunctive. To introduce two new subjunctive tenses here is a little much. 

The word "revise" in the 2nd sentence of the Details section is wrong and confusing. I believe the writer intended to say "review".

Hello,

I have these sentences from the exercise:

1. In addition, they improve colds.   Además, mejoran los resfriados 

2. They have vitamins and minerals.  y tienen vitaminas y minerales

In sentence 1, though the English is 'colds' (without the article), the Spanish sentence has los resfriados

In sentence 2, both the English and Spanish do NOT have the articles.

Is there a rule for when to use the articles? Can you point me to some info?

Thank you

Amrutha

Is there any advice to practice the rythm of spanish?

Él habría abierto la puerta.He would have opened the door.The speaker really says Habriabierto. 
I think spanish should be taught this way but then how would that work?

Why can I say un hombre entusiasmado ( gender agrees)  but have to say un hombre entusiasta ( adjective always feminine ) ?

Gracias

La vida con Roberto probablemente se volvería muy aburrida, muy rápidamente, mientras que la vida con el bohemio sería un perpetuo juego de adivinanzas. Ella debería seguir buscando.