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Can the subject be placed in front of the verb

 

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  #1  
Old December 05, 2008, 04:42 PM
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Can the subject be placed in front of the verb

Another question that is off'topic. When using the verb gustar, can the subject be placed in front of the verb instead of after it? I often see

Me gusta el café.

but can it be said as

El café me gusta.

Gracias

Last edited by Tomisimo; December 05, 2008 at 04:53 PM. Reason: Splitting post into two threads.
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  #2  
Old December 05, 2008, 11:17 PM
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Absolutely. The subject can go in either place.
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Old December 05, 2008, 11:40 PM
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As Rusty says, the subject can go on either side of the verb. In fact, Spanish is more flexible about this than English:

Juan is going to the store.
Juan va a la tienda.
Va a la tienda Juan.
Va Juan a la tienda.
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Old December 06, 2008, 02:51 AM
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wow..I did not know that. So this is true of all verbs. Is there any difference in placement such as emphasis? How do native speakers place subjects in sentences and what are their reasons for choosing one over the other?

thanks guys
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Old December 06, 2008, 05:42 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by literacola View Post
wow..I did not know that. So this is true of all verbs. Is there any difference in placement such as emphasis? How do native speakers place subjects in sentences and what are their reasons for choosing one over the other?

thanks guys
When you discover it, tell me
Usually you put first or at the very end what do you want to remark
Me gusta mucho el café. YOU. We are talking about your preferences.
El café me gusta mucho. COFFEE. We are talking about coffee.
In both the meaning of the sentence is the same "I like coffee" or "coffee it's what I like"
In so a short sentence is not so easy to play. With long ones it's more easy.
But usually strange placement it's only used in lirycs.
Saludos
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Old December 06, 2008, 08:41 AM
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my teacher said you can do that......
¿Cuánto tiempo hace que nada Felipe?
or
¿Cuánto tiempo hace que Felipe nada?

It can be either one, that's what Sra said.

Last edited by Jessica; December 06, 2008 at 09:46 AM.
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  #7  
Old December 06, 2008, 09:43 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jchen View Post
my teacher said you can do that......
¿Cuánto tiempo hace que nadar Felipe?
or
¿Cuánto tiempo hace que Felipe nadar?

It can be either one, that's what Sra said.

Answer's Literacola are accurate.

Jchen, you made it up, because your examples are in a wrong.

You mean to say, Cuanto tiempo tiene or hace que felipe nada?

Cuanto tiempo tiene que felipe nada.


As you have wrote the last examples does make sence for me, and I believe that your teacher is a wrong.
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Old December 06, 2008, 09:46 AM
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She is not wrong
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  #9  
Old December 06, 2008, 09:59 AM
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¿Cuánto tiempo hace que nada Felipe?
¿Cuánto tiempo hace que Felipe nada?
¿Hace cuánto tiempo que nada Felipe?
¿Hace cuánto tiempo que Felipe nada?
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  #10  
Old December 06, 2008, 04:29 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sosia View Post
When you discover it, tell me
Usually you put first or at the very end what do you want to remark
Me gusta mucho el café. YOU. We are talking about your preferences.
El café me gusta mucho. COFFEE. We are talking about coffee.
In both the meaning of the sentence is the same "I like coffee" or "coffee it's what I like"
In so a short sentence is not so easy to play. With long ones it's more easy.
But usually strange placement it's only used in lirycs.
Saludos
Thank you sosia.

¿Te molesta la nieve?

No, la temperatura fría me molesta.

Are you bothered by the snow?

No, the cold temperature is what bothers me.

Am I correct in my assumption of the emphasis here?
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