Category: Spanish Grammar

Ser or Estar for beginners: When to use them?

👉 How to know when to use Ser or Estar? What’s the difference between them?

– Easy Spanish grammar lesson with examples –

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The verbs “ser” and “estar” in Spanish both mean the verb “to be” in English. However, they are used in different contexts.

It’s sometimes difficult to tell the difference between these two verbs and they are used in a variety of ways.

In this Spanish grammar course, this difference is explained in a simple and clear way in order to use these verbs properly.

What is the verb “ser” used for in spanish?

“Ser” is mainly used for :

  • Identify a person or thing : Es mi casa.
  • Describe the characteristics of a person that do not change : Este niño es muy guapo.
  • Specify a person’s nationality : Somos francesas.
  • To indicate the profession : Soy logopeda.
  • To evoke the intrinsic qualities of a thing or a place : Los perros son fieles.
  • To indicate the matter : La pared es de madera.
  • To indicate possession : Es mío.
  • Tell the time : Son las dos de la tarde.
  • Tell the date : Hoy, es 18 de junio de 2020.
  • Specify a period of time : Es de noche.
  • Situate events in space : La recepción es en mi casa.

In addition, “ser” is used in the passive form of process:

  • Las cerezas no han sido pagadas.

We can also associate “ser” with the Spanish verb “existir” which means “to exist”.

What is estar used for in spanish?

On the other hand, “estar” is used for :

  • Describe a person’s physical state : Esta personne está bastante gorda.
  • Describe a person’s body posture :  Estoy de pie.
  • State a person’s condition :  Hoy, estoy enfermo.
  • State a person’s marital status : Está casado.
  • Talk about a temporary job (followed by the preposition “de”) : Estoy de cajero.
  • To indicate the temporary state of a thing or place : Está bastante sucio.
  • To indicate the date (always with the verb in the first person plural and a preposition) : Estamos a 18 de junio de 2020.
  • To situate oneself in time : Estamos en verano.
  • To situate oneself in space : Estoy en tu casa.

“Estar” is used in the passive form of state:

  • Las cerezas ya están pagadas.

It is also used in verbal periphrases:

  • -¿Estás comiendo? -Sí, estoy comiendo algunas cerezas.

Finally, “estar” is associated with the verb “encontrarse” which means “to meet (each other)”.

Thus, “ser” and “estar” are two verbs with some nuances in their use and meaning.

Before forming a sentence in Spanish that contains the verb “to be” in English, then it is important to question the meaning of the sentence in order to use the correct verb.

Ser or Estar – Practice online –

👉 Next lesson: To have: Tener vs Haber

👈 Previous lesson: Negative sentences

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Making nouns plural in Spanish (for beginners)

👉 How Do You Form the Plural in Spanish?

– Spanish Grammar Basics –

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As in English, when you want to express plurality (several persons/objects/notions…) in Spanish, you use the desired common noun(s) in the plural.

This grammatical form is usually characterized by the addition of the “s” at the end of the word, like in English.

It is important to remember that in Spanish, all sounds are pronounced the same as in English. When you put a noun in the plural in Spanish, the pronunciation changes.

Noun ending with a vowel

When the common noun ends in a vowel, you simply add an “s” at the end of the word to obtain the plural of the noun. This is the most common form.

  • un libro → dos libros. (one book → two books)

For nouns ending in “ú” or “í” in the singular, there are two options: either an “s” is added to the end of the word, or an “es” is inserted to give the language a slightly more sustained style.

  • un bambú → dos bambús/bambúes. (one bamboo → two bamboos)

Ending a noun with a consonant

The plural of the noun differs when the noun ends in a consonant. In this case, you must add “es” at the end of the word to form the plural.

un caracol → dos caracoles. (one snail → two snails)

Ending of a noun with “s

There are two ways to convert a noun ending in “s” to the plural. First, when the noun contains a syllable or the last syllable is stressed, “es” is added to the end of the word.

  • un gas → dos gases. (one gas → two gases)
  • un discurso tailandés → dos discursos tailandeses. (one Thai speech → two Thai speeches)

Second, when the noun ends with an “s”, is longer than one syllable, and the last syllable is unstressed, nothing is added to the end of the word. In other words, this kind of noun is invariable.

  • un anamnesis → dos anamnesis. (one history → two histories)

Ending of a noun with “z”

If a common noun ends in “z”, in the plural, simply delete the final “z” and add “ces”. In other words, replace the “z” with “ces”.

  • una vez → dos veces. (once → twice)

Conservation of the tonic syllable in the plural

In order for the accent of a word not to change when converting it to the plural, it is sometimes necessary to add an accent. We have seen this with the noun “tailandés” in which the accent of the “e” is removed when it is in the plural.

  • tensión → tensiones (tension → tensions)

In this case, the “o” is accented in the singular and the word loses its accent when it is put in the plural.

  • orden → órdenes (order → orders)

In this example, an accent has been added to the “o” so that the tonic syllable is retained.

Some exceptions

There are some exceptions regarding the plural of nouns. These are found in the nouns “carácter” which forms “caracteres” (the accent is removed), “régimen” which gives “regímenes” and in “espécimen” which makes “especímenes” in the plural.

Thus, the plural of nouns in Spanish revolves around the addition of the “s” or “es” at the end of the word. However, it seems important to pay attention to some peculiarities and exceptions in order to form the plural of each noun in Spanish properly.

👉 Practice ! Exercise 1 / Exercise 2

👉 Next lesson: Compound nouns & words

👉 Previous leson: Gender of nouns

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Subject Personal Pronouns in Spanish (Yo, Tú, Él, Ella…)

👉 When and how to use subject personal pronouns in Spanish?

– Spanish Grammar Basics for Beginners –

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Just like in English, in Spanish there are different subject personal pronouns to use depending on who is speaking.

Yo (I/me) :
Yo me llamo Ana. (My name is Ana).

Tú (you) :
Tú cocinas muy bien. (You cook very well).

Él (He) :
Él no quiere trabajar. (He doesn’t want to work).

Ella (She) :
Ella hace sus deberes. (She does her homework).

Usted (You – polite) :
Usted puede entrar. (You may enter.)
Warning: this is the polite way of addressing one person.

Nosotros / nosotras (us) :
Nosotras queremos bailar en la playa. (We want to dance on the beach).

The feminine “we” does not exist in English. In Spanish, there is a form for a grouping of boys/men and a form for a grouping of girls/women.

Vosotros, vosotras (you – plural) :
Vosotras saben coser. (You know how to sew).

Ellos (them – masculine) :
Ellos perdieron peso. (They have lost weight).

Ellas (them – feminine) :
Ellas viven en una casita de montaña. (They live in a small country house).

Ustedes (you / plural / polite) :
¿ Ustedes quieren una taza de te ? (Would you like a cup of tea?)

There are two versions of the English polite “you” in Spanish: a singular version (usted) and a plural version (ustedes).

The verb of the sentence is conjugated accordingly.

Note: the use of a subject personal pronoun in a Spanish sentence is not always necessary, but can be very useful to understand the sentence when there is no context.

“Sabe cantar” can be translated as “he can sing”, “she can sing” or “you can sing”.

To remove any doubt from the reader’s mind, the appropriate personal pronoun should be added, for example, él sabe cantar (“he knows how to sing”).

The use of a personal pronoun also helps to emphasize the subject:

  • “Yo sabe cantar” (implied “I can sing (and you can’t, for example)”).
  • No tienen libros, él tiene. (They don’t have books, he has one).

👉 Practice now!

👉 Next lesson: Adding ‘lo’ to Spanish verbs

👉 Previous lesson: Interrogative pronouns

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Spanish Diminutives (Poco → Poquito)

👉 What are Spanish diminutives? How to use them?

– Spanish Grammar Basics for Beginners –

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Diminutives are used a lot in Spanish. They are used to reinforce the meaning of the word, to give an affective value or even to reinforce an idea of smallness. Some diminutives also have a pejorative value. 

I. Formation of diminutives

For words ending in -O or -A (and words of more than two syllables ending in -E), the suffix, -ito or -ita, is added after the final vowel has been removed.

Example : Gato (Cat) ==> Gatito ; Perro (Dog) ==> Perrito

* For words ending in a consonant (except R and N), the suffix (-ito/-ita) is added directly.

Example : Arbol (Tree) ==> Arbolito ; Papel (paper) ==> Papelito

* For words ending in N or R, the suffix -cito / -cita is added

Example : Amor (Love) ==> Amorcito ; Mujer (Woman) ==> Mujercita

* For words of one or two syllables ending in -E, we add the suffix -cito / -cita

Example : Cofre (Chest/Box) ==> Cofrecito ; Llave (key) ==> LLavecita

* For words composed of only one syllable, we add the suffix -ecito (masculine) or -ecita (feminine)

Example : Una flor (a flower) ==> Una florecita ; Un pan (a bread) ==> Un panecito

N.B : There are many exceptions to these rules, which can only be determined by use.

II. Remarks

* For words ending in -Z, the final -z becomes -c

Example : Actriz ==> Actrecita

* For words ending with the /k sound, a spelling change is usually made to preserve the pronunciation.

Example : Poco ==> Poquito

* Sometimes the use of diminutives changes the meaning of the word.

Example : Paño (sheet) ==> Un pañuelo (a handkerchief) ; una capa (a layer) ==> una capilla (a chapel)

  • There are other diminutives ending in –iño, -iña, -eto, –eto, -illo, or –illa, etc. These are rare and vary greatly by region.

For example, the suffixes -illo and -illa are very common in Andalusia: chica (girl) ==> chiquilla (little girl). Be careful because they can also have a pejorative value: una mujer (a woman) ==> mujercilla (a slut).

III. Use of diminutives

* Used with a noun, the diminutive reinforces the idea of smallness or is used to talk about someone in an affectionate way.

Example :

– Mi casa (Ma maison) ==> Mi casita (my little house, my home).
– Mi Abuelo (Mon grand-père) ==> Mi abuelito (reinforced emotional sense).

* When used with an adjective or adverb, the diminutive reinforces their meaning.

Example:

Despacio (slowly) ==> Despacito (Very slowly).
Callada (Quietly) ==> Calladita (Very quiet).

IV. Diminutives with a pejorative value

The diminutives built with the suffix -ucho (masculine) or -ucha (feminine) have a pejorative connotation.

Example : Casa (House) ==> Casucha (Slums) ; Medico (Doctor) ==> Medicucho (Charlatan)

 

👉 Next lesson: Common grammar errors to avoid

👉 Previous lesson: Por or para?

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Spanish Possessive Pronouns (mío, tuyo, suyo): What you need to know

👉 How and When to Use Spanish Possessive Pronouns (mío, tuyo, suyo)

– Spanish Grammar Basics for Beginners –

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SPANISH POSSESSIVE PRONOUNS (MÍO, TUYO, SUYO)

Possessive pronouns (pronombres posesivos) express possession or belonging.

They replace a noun that has already been identified in the conversation and agree in gender and number with the noun they replace. Note that possessive pronouns are never placed before the noun they determine.

Be careful not to confuse possessive adjectives and possessive pronouns. The former accompanies the noun while the latter replaces it or emphasizes the idea of possession.

Their use avoids many pitfalls such as useless periphrases, since these do not add any value to a text.

In concrete terms, just like possessive adjectives, possessive pronouns obey the rule of three persons of the singular and three persons of the plural.

English Masculine singular Feminine singular Masculine plural Feminine plural
mine el mío la mía los míos las mías
yours (tú) el tuyo la tuya los tuyos las tuyas
his; hers; its; yours (usted) el suyo la suya los suyos las suyas
ours (nosotros) el nuestro la nuestra los nuestros las nuestras
yours (vosotros/vosotras) el vuestro la vuestra los vuestros las vuestras
theirs; yours (ustedes) el suyo la suya los suyos las suyas

Examples :

Su proyecto costó mucho dinero, el nuestro muy poco. ==> His project cost a lot of money, ours very little.
==> The possessive pronoun “nuestro” is substantive of “proyecto”.

No es mi coche, es el tuyo ==> It’s not my car, it’s yours.
==> The possessive pronoun “tuyo” is a noun of “coche”.

No encuentro mi camisa ¿ Puedo ponerme la tuya ? ==> I can’t find my shirt, can I wear yours?
==> The possessive pronoun “tuya” is a substantive of “camisa”.

Es el chaleco del abuelo, es suyo. ==> This is the grandfather’s vest, this is his (vest).
==> The possessive pronoun “suyo” is a noun of “chaleco”.

-¿ De quién es este libro ? Señora, es suyo ==> Whose book is this? Madam, it’s yours.
==> The possessive pronoun “suyo” is substantive of “este libro”.

N.B :

* Possessive adjectives are also used to substitute other possessive phrases such as: “one of my…”, “one of your…”, “one of his…”, “…of mine” etc.

Examples :

  • A friend of mine is coming to dinner ==> Una de mis amigas viene para cenar ==> Una amiga mía viene para cenar esta noche.
  • One of your dogs ran away ==> Uno de tus perros se escapó ==> Un perro tuyo se escapó.

* The neutral form of the possessive pronoun expresses a particular idea or concept. That is, what
that concerns me, that which belongs to me.

Examples :

  • Lo tuyo es el futbol, lo mío es el baile ==> Your “thing” (in the sense of “hobbie”; “passion”) is soccer, mine is dancing.
  • Lo nuestro se terminó este invierno ==> Our relationship (concept) ended this winter.

👉 Practice now!

👉 Next lesson: Reflexive pronouns

👉 Previous lesson: Complement personal pronouns

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Tomar, llevar or Traer – Spanish Grammar for Beginners

👉 Tomar VS llevar VS Traer

– Spanish Grammar Basics for Beginners –

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“Take”, “take away”, “bring”, even in English these verbs can be difficult to use correctly.

If you’re learning Spanish, you’ve probably noticed that the verbs “tomar“, “llevar” and “traer” also have similar meanings, but it’s best not to confuse them.

In this lesson you will find all the explanations you need to use these three verbs correctly.

Tomar

This verb can be translated as “to take“. It can therefore be used in a very broad sense. It is used in a literal sense, when one wants to take something with the hand, as well as in a figurative sense.

In Latin America, “tomar” also means to drink or swallow.

Examples :

  • Tómalo en tu mano = Take it in your hand
  • Vamos a tomar el autobús para ir a la playa = We are going to take the bus to go to the beach
  • Ella tomó el sol durante todo el verano = She took the sun all summer long
  • Tengo que parar para tomar aliento = I have to stop to catch my breath
  • Voy a tomar las medidas necesarias = I will take the necessary steps
  • Tarde o temprano tendré que tomar una decisión = Sooner or later I should make a decision

Llevar

The verb “llevar” can be translated as “to bring” or “to take“. It conveys the idea that one carries an object or a person from one place to another.

Examples :

  • Puedes llevar tus cosas de aquí = You can take your things from here
  • ¿Puedes llevar a Sandra al trabajo ahora = Can you take Sandra to work right away?
  • No olvides llevar tu paraguas = Don’t forget to bring your umbrella
  • Voy a llevar a mi madre al doctor = I’m going to take my mother to the doctor

Traer

Traer is usually translated as “to bring“. It is used to express the movement of something or someone from another place to the place where you are.

Examples :

  • Julio va traer su madre aquí = Julio will bring his mother here
  • Trajeron vino = They brought wine
  • ¿Puedes traerme el coche, por favor? = Can you bring me the car please?
  • Pedro siempre trae el postre cuando viene a comer = Pedro always brings dessert when he comes to eat

👉 Practice now!

👉 Next lesson: Present tense

👉 Previous lesson: Pedir or Preguntar?

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Por qué, porque, por que and porqué: what’s the difference?

👉 Por qué, porque, por que and porqué: what’s the difference?

– Spanish Grammar Basics for Beginners –

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Have you ever doubted the spelling of a word in English? You bet I have! However, English is not the only language in which a word can change meaning simply by its spelling.

The most obvious case is “por qué“, “porque“, “por que” and “porqué“.

If you are used to writing in Spanish, you have probably hesitated more than once between the various spellings.

Here is the lesson plan that will make your task easier. By understanding the meaning and usage of each word, you will never make a mistake again.

“Por qué”

The grammatical form “por qué” is usually an adverb whose literal translation is “why”. It is therefore frequently used to introduce interrogative sentences. It can also be used in some affirmative sentences. However, “por qué” can also be used in a different context than the English “why”. It is also used to begin certain exclamatory sentences.

Examples :

  • ¿Por qué llegaste tan tarde ayer? = Why did you arrive so late yesterday?
  • ¿Por qué no me lo dijiste? = Why didn’t you tell me?
  • No entiendo por qué actuas así = I don’t understand why you act this way
  • No sé por qué lo vende tan caro = I don’t know why he sells it so expensively
  • ¡Por qué situacion tan difícil estamos pasando! = What a difficult situation we are going through!

“Porqué”

Porqué” written as a single word and with an accent is a common noun synonymous with cause, reason or motive. It can be used in the plural and is usually preceded by a definite or indefinite article.

Examples :

  • Julio no me explicado el porqué de su silencio = Julio did not explain to me why he was silent
  • Dame un solo porqué para tratar de entenderte = Give me one reason to try to understand you
  • Los porqués son muchos = The reasons are many
  • Todas las consecuencias tienen sus porqués = All consequences have their causes

“Porque”

The Spanish “porque” is a conjunctive phrase that is usually translated as “because” in English. However, it can also be used to express the finality of an action or a cause and effect relationship. It can then replace “para que” and have the meaning of “because / so that” in English.

Examples :

  • No fui al trabajo porque estaba enfermo = I didn’t go to work because I was sick
  • ¿Por qué no viene?. Porque no tiene tiempo = Why doesn’t he come? Because he doesn’t have time
  • Hice muchos esfuerzos porque me entiendera = I made a lot of effort to make him understand me
  • Le compré chocolate porque haga un pastel = I bought him some chocolate so he could make a cake

“Por que”

The expression “por que” is the combination of the preposition “por” and the relative pronoun “que”. In some cases, these two words can be juxtaposed and form the expression “por que”. It can therefore be translated into English as “for that”, or sometimes simply “that” without expressing a cause and effect relationship. 

Examples :

  • El profesor optó por que saliera de la clase = The teacher opted for him to leave the classroom
  • Estaba ansioso por que llegará su hermano = He was impatient for his brother to arrive
  • No sé la razón por que hizo eso = I don’t know why he did it
  • El trofeo por que jugaron era feo = The trophy they played for was ugly

👉 Practice now!

👉 Next lesson: Tú or Usted

👉 Previous lesson: Bien, bueno or buen?

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Tú or Usted in Spanish: What’s the difference?

👉 How to Choose Between Tú and Usted?

– Spanish Grammar Basics for Beginners –

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In English, whether you are addressing a group of people who are being addressed in a formal or informal manner, you will use the same word “You“.

In Spanish, depending on whether you are addressing a group of people in a formal or informal way, you will use different words: “Ustedes” (formal) or “Vosotros/Vosotras” (informal).

I. Informal You in Spanish

* To address a single person informally in Spanish, we use : tú comes, tú hablas, tú vives, etc.
* To address a group of people informally, Vosotros or Vosotras is used: vosotros coméis, vosotros habláis, vosotros vivéis, etc.

II. Formal You in Spanish

* To address a single person formally, we use USTED (it is used as the 3rd person singular):

  • Usted habla muy bien español ==> You speak Spanish very well.

* To address more than one person formally, we use USTEDES (it is used as the 3rd person plural):

  • Ustedes hablan muy bien español ==> You (group) speak Spanish very well.

III. Use of the polite You in Spain and in the world

In Spain, people almost never use “usted”. In Spain, it is very common for two people who do not know each other to be on first-name terms from the very first exchange.

In Spain, for example, students use “tú” with their teachers. The use of formal address is used for very formal or official moments (for example if you are meeting a high ranking official or during a job interview).

“Usted” is much more common in Latin America in countries like Colombia. There, it is common for family members to use “usted” with each other.

👉 Next lesson: También or Tampoco?

👉 Previous lesson: Por qué, porque, por que and porqué: what’s the difference?

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También or Tampoco – Spanish Grammar for beginners

👉 También VS Tampoco

– Spanish Grammar Basics for Beginners –

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In Spanish, it can sometimes be difficult to answer a question with “me too” or “me neither” knowing how to correctly use the adverbs “también” and “tampoco“.

To avoid making mistakes, it is necessary to understand the meaning of each of these adverbs and their relationship to the positive or negative ideas they convey. This is the course that will help you to avoid making mistakes.

También

“También” is an adverb that can always be translated as “too” or “also“. It is used only in positive sentences.

It conveys an idea of equality or coincidence between people or objects. It can also be used in enumerations.

  • Marcos vendió su auto y Julio también = Marcos sold his car and Julio too
  • Voy al mercado para comprar tomate, cebolla y también zanahoria = I go to the market to buy tomatoes, onions and also carrots
  • Tengo hambre ¿Y tú?… Yo también = I’m hungry, how about you?… Me too
  • El viernes iremos a la playa… Nosotros también = Friday we will go to the beach… We too

Tampoco

“Tampoco” is also an adverb. It is usually translated as “neither / either”.

It can be used in many contexts, but always in the context of negative sentences. It also conveys an idea of equality and coincidence, but in the negative sense.

It will also be used in some enumerations, but to convey the absence or lack of certain people.

  • Yo no tengo la llave de la casa de Marcelo y tú tampoco = I don’t have the key to Marcelo’s house and neither do you
  • En este supermercado, no venden muebles ni tampoco colchones = In this supermarket, they don’t sell furniture and no mattresses either
  • Yo no hablo bien inglés ¿Y tú?… Yo tampoco = I don’t speak English well, do you?… I don’t either
  • No podré ir a la fiesta de Karen… Nosotros tampoco = I couldn’t go to Karen’s party… Neither could we

Caution! Although “tampoco” is used in the context of negative sentences, the use of “no” to mark negation is not systematic.

Under no circumstances can “no” follow “tampoco” to express a negative idea. Thus, the sentence “Yo tampoco no voy al cine” is false.

In general, if “tampoco” is located before the verb of the sentence, the use of “no” is incorrect.

It is better to use the formulation “Yo tampoco voy al cine” (I don’t go to the cinema either).

On the other hand, if “tampoco” is placed after the verb of the sentence, the use of “no” becomes mandatory before the verb:

  • No tengo sed… No tengo sed tampoco = I am not thirsty… I am not thirsty either
  • Nosotros no fumamos… Nosotros no fumamos tampoco = We don’t smoke… We don’t smoke either

👉 Practice now!

👉 Next lesson: Pedir or Preguntar?

👉 Previous lesson: Tú or Usted

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Pedir or Preguntar? – Spanish Grammar for Beginners

👉 Pedir VS Preguntar

– Spanish Grammar Basics for Beginners –

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In many European languages we use the same verb “to ask” when we want someone to do something for us or when we want to get some information.

In Spanish, things become more difficult. The verb “to ask” can be translated differently depending on the context in which it is used.

Sometimes you will find “pedir” or “preguntar“. But how can you tell the difference between these two translations of the same verb?

Here is the course that will allow you to never make a mistake again.

Pedir

The Spanish verb “pedir” is used to initiate an action. Its use implies that we expect a reaction from another person or that we want someone to do something for us.

It can therefore be used in the context of a normal discussion, in a bar or restaurant, when begging someone, etc.

  • Le quiero pedir su número de telefono = I want to ask for his phone number
  • Quisiera pedirte un favor = I want to ask you a favor
  • Voy a pedir una pizza con una cerveza = I’m going to ask for a pizza with a beer
  • Te pido perdón = I want to ask for your forgiveness

Preguntar

“Preguntar” has a different meaning from “pedir” it never leads to action, but rather an answer to a question. By using “preguntar” you are asking someone about something.

Therefore, this verb can be used to ask a question, to ask for more information or to ask about someone.

  • Le quiero preguntar cuántos años tiene = I want to ask him how old he is
  • Marcos me pregunta si vamos al cine hoy = Marcos asks me if we’re going to the movies today
  • María pregunta por nosotros = María is asking about us
  • Me preguntó si quería salir a cenar con él = He asked me if I wanted to go out to dinner with him

👉 Next lesson: Tomar, llevar or Traer

👉 Previous lesson: También or Tampoco?

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