Help needed with simple phrases please!

[Caramelita]

Hello

I have a question concerning some really simple phrases which Im not sure if I say correctly...

For example :

Usually I eat porridge for breakfast - Usualmente como gachas de avena para el desayuno --- or --- Usualmente desayuno gachas de avena. Would both options be accepted?

And : There was thunder and lighting last night - Anoche hubo trueno y relámpago. Or would it be more correct to say : Anoche hacía/hizo ?

And one more: Our bookshelf broke down last week - Nuestro librero (or estante para libros- which is better?) se rompió en la semana pasada. And our bookshelf is broken - Nuestro librero está roto. - Is this correct?

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

1. "Usualmente desayuno..." sounds better than your first option; instead of that one I'd prefer "...en el desayuno" or "...para desayunar".

2. I'd prefer the verbs: "anoche tronó y relampagueó" or "anoche hubo tormenta eléctrica" (much better).

3. "Librero" and "se rompió en la semana pasada".

[Caramelita]

Originally Posted by AngelicaDeAlquezar

1. "Usualmente desayuno..." sounds better than your first option; instead of that one I'd prefer "...en el desayuno" or "...para desayunar".

2. I'd prefer the verbs: "anoche tronó y relampagueó" or "anoche hubo tormenta eléctrica" (much better).

3. "Librero" and "se rompió en la semana pasada".

Gracias So I should never put "en" when talking about the past? what about.. it will break on the next week... romperá en la próxima semana?

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

I didn't say never, but the emphasis on the idea of "one occasion during that period of time" is superfluous here. "En _(unit of time)_ pasado(a)/próximo(a)" makes some sort of pleonastic sentence, as you already defined which period of time you're talking about.

[Caramelita]

Originally Posted by AngelicaDeAlquezar

I didn't say never, but the emphasis on the idea of "one occasion during that period of time" is superfluous here. "En _(unit of time)_ pasado(a)/próximo(a)" makes some sort of pleonastic sentence, as you already defined which period of time you're talking about.

Understood. Thank you

[wrholt]

And a note on your English:

Originally Posted by Caramelita

And one more: Our bookshelf broke down last week - Nuestro librero (or estante para libros- which is better?) se rompió en la semana pasada. And our bookshelf is broken - Nuestro librero está roto. - Is this correct?

To my US English native speaker ears "Our bookshelf broke down" is very strange. A bookshelf can break, collapse, and fall apart, but it cannot break down.

[Caramelita]

Originally Posted by wrholt

And a note on your English:

To my US English native speaker ears "Our bookshelf broke down" is very strange. A bookshelf can break, collapse, and fall apart, but it cannot break down.

Sorry, I meant just "broke"

[Rusty]

Originally Posted by Caramelita

Gracias So I should never put "en" when talking about the past? what about.. it will break on the next week... romperá en la próxima semana?

It's wrong to use in both languages.
It will break next week.
It broke last week.