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Which one of these is more natural to say?

 

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  #1  
Old March 14, 2013, 01:22 PM
kolkapetal kolkapetal is offline
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Which one of these is more natural to say?

I think that both versions are correct, but which one is more common one? In other words which one would you use in an everyday conversation?

Tengo que ir al mercado a comprar vegetales.
Tengo que ir al mercado para comprar vegetales.

Tengo que ir al banco a cambiar dinero.
Tengo que ir al banco para cambiar dinero.
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  #2  
Old March 15, 2013, 04:55 AM
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aleCcowaN aleCcowaN is offline
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With "a". "Para" is used to explain activities that are not known by the other person or activities that are not normally associated with the place:

Tuve que ir a la verdulería a comprar papas.
Tuve que ir a la verdulería para solucionar una filtración.

Also "a" is used with "complete" activities, like buying potatoes, and "para" when the action is a part of a greater item:

Tengo que ir a la casa central del banco para terminar el trámite del préstamo.

Use "para" when you refer to activities done by others and linked with the conjunction "que":

Tendré que ir al registro para que me extiendan el permiso por 30 días más.

Rule of thumb: use "a" with well known, complete activities and "para" with all that requires an explanation or shows others performing tasks (the sentence "tuve que ir al dentista a que me arreglara ..." usually is ended by "...una carie")
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Old March 18, 2013, 03:01 AM
Jorgese Jorgese is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kolkapetal View Post
I think that both versions are correct, but which one is more common one? In other words which one would you use in an everyday conversation?

Tengo que ir al mercado a comprar vegetales.
Tengo que ir al mercado para comprar vegetales.

Tengo que ir al banco a cambiar dinero.
Tengo que ir al banco para cambiar dinero.
In spanish from spain we do not use "vegetales" too much. Would be more common to use "Tengo que ir al mercado a comprar verdura".
Regarding the bank, both expressions are correct.
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Old March 18, 2013, 07:45 AM
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AngelicaDeAlquezar AngelicaDeAlquezar is online now
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Estoy de acuerdo en que la palabra correcta debería ser "verduras", pero hay una especie de moda que usa la palabra "vegetales" como en inglés, para verduras, hortalizas, leguminosas y cualquier hierba comestible, a pesar de que, estrictamente hablando, el vocablo "vegetales" incluye cualquier planta, comestible o no. ;(
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Old March 18, 2013, 08:53 AM
kolkapetal kolkapetal is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by aleCcowaN View Post
Rule of thumb: use "a" with well known, complete activities and "para" with all that requires an explanation or shows others performing tasks
thank you for the input, I will remember this
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Old March 21, 2013, 01:13 PM
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pocas veces utiizamos aquí la palabra "papas" (patatas), excepto en alguna zona como Canarias. Es más común su uso en Sudamérica. Sabemos qué significa pero no se utiliza.
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Old March 22, 2013, 05:40 PM
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JPablo JPablo is offline
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Creo que también se usa "papas" en Andalucía, y un amigo mío de Murcia (viviendo en Barcelona) creo que también usaba "papas", creo yo que para "destacar" o "ser diferente"... (si la memoria no me traiciona...)

Creo que muchos usos comunes de toda Latinoamérica, provienen directamente del sur de España y de las Canarias...
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Old March 22, 2013, 08:25 PM
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Lo mismo pasa en Chile, o por lo menos así lo pienso, sabemos a que se refiere cuando escuchamos a alguien decir patatas.

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