In my workbook, there is a section on reflexive constructions in reciprocal actions. They make a big deal about using an additional phrase if there is going to be confusion between doing something to oneself vs. doing something reciprocally to another. The phrases they give are "el uno al otro" (and variations based on gender & number) and "mutuamente".
When I did the exercises, I asked myself each time if it might be confusing whether the action in the sentence was being done to oneself or between subjects acting reciprocally. Apparently my answers were very, very wrong.
I will type the incorrect ones here and ask my questions:
1) Given English: We love each other.
My (incorrect answer): Nos amamos el uno al otro.
The corrected answer: Nos amamos.
My question: Wouldn't that mean "we love ourselves" without the "el uno al otro"?
4) Given English: They fight with each other.
My (incorrect answer): Ellos se pelean los unos con los otros.
The corrected answer: Ellos se pelean entre ellos.
My question: They never even presented that phrase. How was I supposed to know it? What is the difference between "los unos a los otros" and "entre ellos"?
7) Given English: Do you (Uds.) know each other?
My (incorrect answer): ¿Se conocen Uds. el uno al otro?
The corrected answer: ¿Se conocen Uds.?
My question: Wouldn't that mean "Do you know yourselves?" without the "el uno al otro"?
8) Given English: We do not write each other.
My (incorrect answer): No nos escribimos el uno al otro.
The corrected answer: No nos escribimos.
My question: Wouldn't that mean "we write to ourselves" without the "el uno al otro"?
9) Given English: Do you (vosotros) see each other?
My (incorrect answer): ¿Os veis el uno al otro?
The corrected answer: ¿Os veis?
My question: Again, wouldn't that mean "Do you see yourselves?" without the "el uno al otro"?
Obviously, my questions about #1, #7, #8, and #9 are pretty much the same thing. I'm quite frustrated because in an exercise of ten sentences, I only got one correct.
