My practice thread

[chileno]

Originally Posted by wafflestomp

I changed "en" to "por" here because it sounds a lot better. It's what you would hear from a native Speaker.

Andaba would be the imperfect tense. Anduvo would be used here, as it's a passed event. Also, remember that "a + el" becomes "al".

Remember, estuvo is the past tense. Estaba would be the imperfect here, however, the preterite is going to be used here.

Brandon, he means the preterite when he says past tense I'm pretty sure. I say it like that also, although I should say it the right way :P

Also, be wary that there is another verb for to walk in Spanish, "caminar". They are both totally interchangeable though.

To me as a native from Chile, I would say "anduve por el parque" when going to the park and walk aimlessly or going to the park for a brief moment and then continue on your way to somewhere else.

"Anduve en el parque" would mean that I went to do something specific to the park and once it got done I continued on my way to somewhere else or go back home.

[wafflestomp]

Yeah, it sounded more right to me to say "por". I understand what you're saying with using "en" for more specific events in the park.. like "Anduve en el parque para sacar al perro" would be what you meant right?
I changed the post around a bit and added a bit more info by the way before you posted.

[Esperar]

Waffle, thanks for your corrections. They have been very helpful for me.

[Esperar]

*I can't edit my last post, it's been too long.*

Anyway, I've been studying some more from one of my new books. I think it's really good so far. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Practice-Mak...6019798&sr=8-4

It's a work book, and it explains everything to do with verbs I think.

[wafflestomp]

Originally Posted by Esperar

*I can't edit my last post, it's been too long.*

Anyway, I've been studying some more from one of my new books. I think it's really good so far. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Practice-Mak...6019798&sr=8-4

It's a work book, and it explains everything to do with verbs I think.

You're welcome in response to your last post

And as for this one, that's good that you're studying the tenses. Do as many exercises as you can in the book and check your answers because practice makes perfect.. you will remember the verb tenses it will just take some work.

[Esperar]

Waffle, my verbs are getting much better. I didn't know how verbs worked all that much when I started on this forum, but with your help, when I checked my answers in the book, I only got a few wrong.

I will elaborate on this tomorrow, because I have some questions about them.

[wafflestomp]

Originally Posted by Esperar

Waffle, my verbs are getting much better. I didn't know how verbs worked all that much when I started on this forum, but with your help, when I checked my answers in the book, I only got a few wrong.

I will elaborate on this tomorrow, because I have some questions about them.

Sure, glad I can be such a help. Post whatever questions you have tomorrow.

[Esperar]

Practice paragraph.

Marcos vive en Montana. Su madre trabaja en un colego donde enseña música y educación física. Por la mañana toca el piano, canta, y practica con la banda.

I'm confused over some of the things in my book, but I'm not sure how to explain my problems. :s I think I need to ask for help on this forum as well as work in my books. I'll try to elaborate more tomorrow.

[JPablo]

Originally Posted by Esperar

Marcos vive en Montana. Su madre trabaja en un colegio donde enseña música y educación física. En la mañana toca el piano, canta y practica con la banda.

Hello, Esperar, I have not followed this whole thread, but I just saw your last practical, and did a couple of fixes... Ask if any questions... (I believe I got what you wanted to say... correct me if I am wrong!)

[Esperar]

JPablo, thanks very much. I have the corrections in my book, but they don't explain them. Can you explain your corrections for me, please? It would be of great help.

This book I have has some of the same problems I have with my other books. It gives you tasks to do, but gives you tasks which the book has yet to explain how to accomplish. It is very annoying.

[JPablo]

Ok, no problem. "Su madre" (his mother) "La madre de él" ("the mother of him) [Literally, but nobody talk like this, unless you want to clarify)
"Trabajos" = works (as plural of 'work', noun)
"[ella] Trabaja" = works (as "she works", verb)
"colegial" = "schoolboy"
"colegio" = "school"
"juega piano" = "plays piano" (In Spanish you don't use "play" = 'jugar' with instruments, you use "tocar" [literally, touch, but means 'play' in the English sense.)
"cante" = singing
"canta" = "she sings"

Marcos vive en Montana. Su madre trabaja en un colegio donde enseña música y educación física. En la mañana toca el piano, canta y practica con la banda.

I take that what you wanted to say is
Marcos lives in Montana. His mother works at a school where she teaches music and physical education. In the morning she plays piano, sings and practices with the band.

(It may be good, in your practices, to put for us what the English is, so our corrections are more spot on, not just based on the guess...) (By the way, it seems that your Spanish is improving by leaps and bounds... and I am not saying this just to encourage you..., I hadn't check some of your posts for a while, and I see you taking matters under your control... keep it up!)

[Esperar]

I'll put in the translation next time for sure. You got what I meant 100% perfect though. Those explanations are fantastic. I'll be taking note!!!

[JPablo]

Hey! That is excellent! (For both of us! That means exactly what I said before, your Spanish is improving by the minute!) ¡Adelante, a toda vela! [Carry on, under full sail!]

[wafflestomp]

Jpablo, shouldn't you be saying "Por la mañana" never "en la mañana"?

The way I was taught was that it's "de la mañana" for talking about time (son las seis de la mañana) and "por" for everything else (me despierto por la mañana)

Correct me if I'm wrong because I used it with my aunt once and she corrected me and explained that all above to me.

[JPablo]

Hi, Wafflestomp, yes, you are right, but many Mexican and in other Latin American countries they have this "en la mañana" and "en la noche" widely extended as their more common usage... which is not necessarily incorrect. (We get 1,500,000 google hits for 'en la mañana' and 260,000,000 for 'por la mañana)

I do normally use "por" and it is the most extended use in Spain (bar Southern areas, I believe). I, for a moment was about to "fix" this on "Esperar" post, but since I do not know any specific rule saying it is strictly incorrect, and given its wide usage (and most of all any Spanish speakers will understand it without any question), I opted to leave it as it was.

[Esperar]

I knew some of what I wrote was wrong, but didn't know how to correct it. I still don't know when to use "te" and "su." I have an idea, but I'm not sure. I am focussing on my verbs still, so I will learn that later.

JPablo, when it comes to verbs like "works" and "sings" in Spanish I'm guessing you don't put an "s" on the end of "trabajo" and "canta."

[JPablo]

Originally Posted by Esperar

I knew some of what I wrote was wrong, but didn't know how to correct it. I still don't know when to use "te" and "su." I have an idea, but I'm not sure. I am focussing on my verbs still, so I will learn that later.

Okay, here are a couple of examples...

Te lo digo: es muy sencillo. [I tell you, it is very simple.]

Su madre es profesora. [His/her mother is a teacher.]

Te lo vas a aprender. [You are going to learn it.]

Su hija baila hip-hop. [Her daughter dances hip-hop.]

[Esperar]

¡Vamos Inglaterra y Don Fabio! La copa del mundial se va a Inglaterra.

[JPablo]

Originally Posted by Esperar

¡Vamos Inglaterra y Don Fabio! La copa del mundial se va a Inglaterra.

O "se la lleva Inglaterra".

Bueno, he oído, o leído, que Brasil, Inglaterra, Argentina y España se consideran 'favoritas'... Pero yo creo que cualquiera puede ganar... hasta Holanda y Corea... de las que no se habla mucho... excepto que Corea le ha metido dos a Grecia...

Y Argentina ha ganado por uno, (a duras penas) (hardly)...

Inglaterra está empatada a uno con EE.UU (US)... quedan pocos minutos de partido...

(Well, I guess I just gave you some drilling to do... ask me any question to clarify my Spanish... maybe, right after the end of the game? )

[Esperar]

God sake, our keepers suck!!! We should have won, but it wasn't so bad.

Good, I have heard, or read, that Brazil, England, Argentina, and Spain are considered favourites....***not sure*** except that Korea has beaten Greece 2-1.

And Argentina has won 1-0.

That's the best I can translate, so far.

Can you explain your corrections to what I said? I'm not quite sure I understand as of yet.