View Single Post
  #25  
Old May 14, 2009, 11:49 AM
AngelicaDeAlquezar's Avatar
AngelicaDeAlquezar AngelicaDeAlquezar is online now
Obsidiana
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Mexico City
Posts: 9,038
Native Language: Mexican Spanish
AngelicaDeAlquezar is on a distinguished road
I'm relieved irmamar agreed with me... I was starting to doubt.


@Poli: I'll be a bit stubborn and say it's not the preposition (but maybe rather the intonation and explanation given for each case) which would give the nuance to your sentence.

Debo ir al médico. (I have a lump on the side of my neck)
Debo de ir al médico (It's been a year)


Juan debe ir al médico. Ha estado tosiendo.
Juan must go to the doctor. He's been coughing.
You think that's what he ought to do.

-- ¿A dónde va Juan?
Where is Juan going?
-- Debe de ir al médico. Ha estado tosiendo.
He must be going to the doctor. He's been coughing.
You make a supposition about where he's going after you've seen he's ill.
__________________
Ain't it wonderful to be alive when the Rock'n'Roll plays...
Reply With Quote