Hola Silvia y/o Inma,
Please could you tell me why the preposition a is used with sobrevivir and yet not used with superar (which was given as an alternative in the hint)? I hope it's not something obvious that my old brain isn't getting, ja ja ja!
Gracias :)
Hola Clara M.
Thanks for your question – it’s definitely not something obvious! The difference lies in how these two verbs function in Spanish.
Sobrevivir is typically followed by the preposition a when referring to what was survived, especially if it’s something abstract or difficult, like la censura. That’s why we say sobrevivieron a la censura. On the other hand, superar is a transitive verb, so it takes a direct object without a preposition – we simply say superaron la censura.
Both options are grammatically correct, but they carry slightly different nuances: sobrevivir a la censura emphasizes having endured or lived through censorship, while superar la censura suggests overcoming or defeating it.
I hope that helps clarify things!
Saludos
Silvia
Hola Silvia y/o Inma,
Please could you tell me why the preposition a is used with sobrevivir and yet not used with superar (which was given as an alternative in the hint)? I hope it's not something obvious that my old brain isn't getting, ja ja ja!
Gracias :)
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