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Help with 'al' and 'a la' por favor

 

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  #1  
Old April 10, 2010, 04:20 PM
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Help with 'al' and 'a la' por favor

If I say I want to go to the store, I say 'Quiero ir a la tiende', because tiende is feminine. But if I say I want to go to the bank, I say 'Quiero ir al banco', because banco is masculine.

My question is this: If I want to add more words to the list of where I'd like to go, do I add 'al' to those words which are masculine and 'a la' to the feminine words? Or is that too easy?

For example, I'd like to say, 'I want to go to school'. Do I say 'Quiero ir a la escuela' because escuela is feminine?
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  #2  
Old April 10, 2010, 04:31 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tmember View Post
If I say I want to go to the store, I say 'Quiero ir a la tiende', because tiende is feminine. But if I say I want to go to the bank, I say 'Quiero ir al banco', because banco is masculine.

My question is this: If I want to add more words to the list of where I'd like to go, do I add 'al' to those words which are masculine and 'a la' to the feminine words? Or is that too easy?

For example, I'd like to say, 'I want to go to school'. Do I say 'Quiero ir a la escuela' because escuela is feminine?
"al" is a contraction of "a el"

Voy a el banco and voy al banco is the same.

And yes, it is that easy.
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Old April 10, 2010, 04:40 PM
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Is voy used more than 'Quiero ir' in everyday conversation?

How do I say 'I want to go to school'? or 'the school'?
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Old April 10, 2010, 04:44 PM
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Is voy used more than 'Quiero ir' in everyday conversation?

How do I say 'I want to go to school'? or 'the school'?
Not really.

I'm going to XXX H.S = Voy a la escuela XXX

I want to go to XXX H.S... = Quiero ir a la escuela XXX...
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Old April 10, 2010, 05:09 PM
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So 'voy' is no substitute for quiero is it, since quiero means 'I want' and not 'to go' (voy).

Last edited by tmember; April 10, 2010 at 05:31 PM.
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Old April 10, 2010, 05:13 PM
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So 'voy' is no substitute for quiero is it, since quiero means 'I want' and not just 'I'.
Right.
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Old April 10, 2010, 05:34 PM
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I think I'm guilty of making something simple more complex than it needs to be. But...since voy means 'to go', and seems to be a synonym for 'ir' (to go), could I substitute 'voy' for 'ir' in the sentence, and say, 'Quiero voy a la escuela' instead of 'Quiero ir a la escuela'?

(I'm trying to avoid saying 'ir' because it's hard for me to say.)
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Old April 10, 2010, 06:49 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tmember View Post
I think I'm guilty of making something simple more complex than it needs to be. But...since voy means 'to go', and seems to be a synonym for 'ir' (to go), could I substitute 'voy' for 'ir' in the sentence, and say, 'Quiero voy a la escuela' instead of 'Quiero ir a la escuela'?

(I'm trying to avoid saying 'ir' because it's hard for me to say.)
Nope, you have to follow the conjugated verb with an infinitive, in this case "ir". Otherwise it would be read as "I want I go..." "Voy" doesn't mean "to go", it means "I go."
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Last edited by tacuba; April 10, 2010 at 07:02 PM.
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Old April 10, 2010, 08:27 PM
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It's like saying: it is difficult for me to say "to" so I say "I want go school"
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Old April 10, 2010, 11:02 PM
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Okay, I'm getting it now. This is too funny. I want go bed now.

Thanks for all your help!

Last edited by tmember; April 10, 2010 at 11:04 PM.
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