Ask a Question

(Create a thread)
Go Back   Spanish language learning forums > Spanish & English Languages > Translations
Register Help/FAQ Community Calendar Today's Posts Search PenpalsTranslator


Difícil vs difíciles

 

If you need help translating a sentence or longer piece of text, use this forum. For translations or definitions of a single word or idiom, use the vocabulary forum.


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old January 09, 2023, 12:26 AM
Bobbert's Avatar
Bobbert Bobbert is offline
Pearl
 
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Southwestern USA
Posts: 292
Native Language: American English
Bobbert is on a distinguished road
Difícil vs difíciles

Listening to a language learning podcast, even though the focus was not on the use of difícil or difíciles, I did notice the teacher saying the following when giving example sentences:

Rules are difficult to understand
Las reglas son difícil de entender

I am questioning why did she not say son difíciles de entender?

Chileans are difficult to understand
Los chilenos son difícil de entender

I am questioning why she did not say son difíciles de entender?

How would you have said it?

Are both ways commonly used or is one of them incorrect?

Side note:
I think this teacher is from Colombia. I found it interesting to also hear her using the word “computador” instead of “computadora,” which I learned in Mexico, or “ordenador,” which I learned in Spain. This just shows how much variation there is from country to country and region to region that makes the Spanish language so rich!!
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old January 09, 2023, 11:10 PM
AngelicaDeAlquezar's Avatar
AngelicaDeAlquezar AngelicaDeAlquezar is offline
Obsidiana
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Mexico City
Posts: 9,101
Native Language: Mexican Spanish
AngelicaDeAlquezar is on a distinguished road
In both cases I'd say "son difíciles de entender", and any other audacity is wrong.

Seriously, I don't know if this usage is accepted in other regions, but probably the teacher believes "difícil de entender" is an adverbial construction, and since adverbs don't agree in gender or number with the noun, "difícil de entender" would be correct.

However, "difícil" is always an adjective and "de entender", here, is a complement to this adjective. "Difícil" is not a word like "rápido", which can be an adjective or an adverb (meaning "rápidamente"), depending on the sentence, so I think she is wrong, unless this is regional usage considered correct by their local Academia.
__________________
Ain't it wonderful to be alive when the Rock'n'Roll plays...
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old January 09, 2023, 11:28 PM
Bobbert's Avatar
Bobbert Bobbert is offline
Pearl
 
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Southwestern USA
Posts: 292
Native Language: American English
Bobbert is on a distinguished road
Thank you, AngelicaDeAlquezar. I'm glad I questioned her usage so I won't learn it wrong.

That clears it up for me.
Reply With Quote
Reply

 

Link to this thread
URL: 
HTML Link: 
BB Code: 

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Site Rules

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Difícil fglorca Grammar 3 January 26, 2017 04:35 PM
Era difícil gramatica Grammar 6 April 26, 2010 10:54 AM
Es un toro difícil de torear ROBINDESBOIS Idioms & Sayings 3 April 10, 2010 12:51 AM
Todo comienzo es difícil ROBINDESBOIS Idioms & Sayings 1 October 06, 2009 07:19 PM
un artículo difícil de entender gramatica Grammar 2 November 22, 2007 05:19 PM


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 03:04 PM.

Forum powered by vBulletin® Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.

X