Questions about the Spanish language

Discussion in 'Spain' started by Skiara, Nov 9, 2005.

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  1. Skiara ~ • Manager WNU • ~ • RSA FFC • away

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    Hello everyone! :)

    As some people know I'm studying Spanish. Since I think there will be some more questions about Spanish I thought a new thread would be a good idea.

    My first question is about tenses. Can anybody make a list of all Spanish tenses and compare them to the English tenses, please? We learned present tense, imperfecto, indefinido, imperativo and perfecto so far. But I mix them up, because it's different to the German tenses. [face_blush]

    Thanks! :)
    Skiara, Nov 9, 2005 at 3:23 AM
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  2. DarkSapiens Jedi Master

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    Oct 2, 2005
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    Hi, Skiara

    Here are some English tenses and their correspondences with the Spanish ones:

    Present Simple = Presente Simple


    Present Continuous = "Presente continuo"
    But "presente continuo" is not an Spanish tense. That's only the equivalent form of the English tense.

    English: TO BE + gerund
    Spanish: Ir a + infinitivo (GO TO + infinitive)


    Past Simple = Pasado Perfecto Simple
    When it refers to an incomplete action in the past, = Pasado (Pretérito) Imperfecto


    Past Continuous = "Pasado continuo"
    Not Spanish tense

    English: Past TO BE (was) + gerund
    Spanish: Pasado de Ir + gerundio


    Future Simple = Futuro Simple


    TO BE going to + Infinitive = Ir a + infinitivo



    I think that's not exactly what you asked for, but hope it works.
    DarkSapiens, Nov 15, 2005 at 8:33 AM
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  3. Skiara ~ • Manager WNU • ~ • RSA FFC • away

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    On the one hand it is a bit confusing and on the other hand it helps a bit. So thanks, DarkSapiens! :)

    But I was more looking for the other way around. A list of all Spanish tenses and their "translation" to English, if there's an easy way to do it.

    Let me try if I can get a list of the tenses we've already learned:

    presente - present simple
    (estudio - I learn)

    perfecto - present perfect simple
    (he estudiado - I have learned)

    gerundio - ?
    (estudio leyendo - I learn it by reading ?)

    indefinido - ?
    (estudié (?) - ? )

    imperfecto - simple perfect
    (estudiaba - I learned)


    Is that correct? And do you know anything in English to compare indefinido?

    Thanks again. :)
    Skiara, Nov 15, 2005 at 12:01 PM
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  4. DarkSapiens Jedi Master

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    Hi again!

    Well, gerundio is actually an impersonal form. In your example, it would be:
    "estudiando" = "studying" or "learning" (but it's a verb form, it doesn't work as a noun)
    "leyendo" is the gerundio form of "leer", as "reading" is the gerund form of "read".

    The complete name of the perfecto tense is in Spanish pretérito perfecto compuesto (it's not a simple form, because it's compound (compuesto) by two words)

    What you call indefinido, or pretérito indefinido, surely refers to pretérito perfecto simple.
    An equivalent English tense is Past Simple, or Simple Perfect, as you call it.

    (pretérito is a word used for regarding the past tenses in Spanish. Pretérito = pasado)

    And, as you said, imperfecto = Simple Perfect, and it's also called pretérito imperfecto



    So what's the difference between Perfecto Compuesto (perfecto), Perfecto Simple (indefinido) and Imperfecto?

    A Spanish tense is called perfecto when it refers to a completed action.

    "Estudié" and "he estudiado" say that I did the action of studying (or learning), but I'm not studying (or learning) now.
    "Estudiaba" says that I did the action of studying (or learning), but we don't know if I'm studying (or learning) at the moment.


    Well, that may help you more than my previous post. I hope so.
    DarkSapiens, Nov 17, 2005 at 10:32 AM
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  5. Skiara ~ • Manager WNU • ~ • RSA FFC • away

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    Your posts are helping me - both. :)

    But still I got confused again by:
    ""Estudié" and "he estudiado" say that I did the action of studying (or learning), but I'm not studying (or learning) now.
    "Estudiaba" says that I did the action of studying (or learning), but we don't know if I'm studying (or learning) at the moment.    "

    I know tenses are a bit more complicated then the Germans ones, but I think I need more examples or explanation. Would you like to give me some example to these three tenses (including an English translation)? Maybe this way I will understand it better. :)

    Thanks again! :)
    Skiara, Nov 17, 2005 at 10:52 AM
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  6. DarkSapiens Jedi Master

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    I'm sorry, I've been busy these days.


    Estudié (pretérito perfecto simple) = I studied (past simple)
    But it has the meaning of "I studied before now, and I finished studying".

    He estudiado (pretérito perfecto compuesto) = I have studied (past perfect)
    Same meaning as above.

    Estudiaba (pretérito imperfecto) = I studied (past simple)
    The meaning is that I studied, but in an incomplete action - you don't know if I have finished studying.
    The meaning of Pretérito Imperfecto is similar to Past Continuous (I was studying)
    DarkSapiens, Nov 23, 2005 at 5:29 AM
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  7. Skiara ~ • Manager WNU • ~ • RSA FFC • away

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    Sorry for my late answer now, too. [face_blush]

    Your explanation and our latest discussion at our Spanish class helps me a lot to understand the different tenses. :)

    Thanks again. :D

    And I'll be back, if I have more questions. I hope it is ok. :)
    Skiara, Nov 28, 2005 at 12:12 AM
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  8. DarkSapiens Jedi Master

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    Don't worry. Ask whatever you need.

    ;)
    DarkSapiens, Nov 28, 2005 at 7:53 AM
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  9. Skiara ~ • Manager WNU • ~ • RSA FFC • away

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    Thanks. :D

    And here is a small one...

    Is "Enhorabuena" the same as "(Muchas) Felicidades"?
    Skiara, Nov 28, 2005 at 9:02 AM
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  10. JoinTheSchwarz Community Manager

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    Yeah, more or less. There might be some minor differences but almost unnoticeable. "Enhorabuena" is slightly more formal.
    JoinTheSchwarz, Nov 28, 2005 at 9:40 AM
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  11. Skiara ~ • Manager WNU • ~ • RSA FFC • away

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    Aye, thanks, David. :D
    Skiara, Nov 28, 2005 at 9:58 AM
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  12. DarkSapiens Jedi Master

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    Yes, enhorabuena = congratulations
    DarkSapiens, Nov 30, 2005 at 4:51 AM
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  13. txonikitar Jedi Knight

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    Ok, lets go with some questions!

    Using "lo":
    No lo entiendo = I don´t understand IT

    No entiendo = I don´t understand


    Something EZ!
    You don´t undestand me = no me entiendes
    I don´t understand you = no te entiendo


    My best friend = Mi mejor amigo
    Your best friend = Tu mejor amigo

    It´s mine = Es mio
    It´s yours = Es tuyo
    txonikitar, Jan 4, 2006 at 5:34 PM
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  14. Skiara ~ • Manager WNU • ~ • RSA FFC • away

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    Gracias, Derik! :)

    I will come here the next days and read your explanation again and again. Maybe it will stick in my mind someday. ;)

    But how about "le" and "les"? :confused:

    What means "EZ"? :confused:
    Skiara, Jan 4, 2006 at 11:51 PM
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  15. JoinTheSchwarz Community Manager

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    I was wondering the same thing. I think it's the next Socialist slogan: from "ZP: Zapatero presidente" to "EZ: Emperador Zapatero". [face_clown]
    JoinTheSchwarz, Jan 5, 2006 at 1:27 AM
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  16. pirry Jedi Master

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    EZ?

    No será tus PEZ? ;) :p
    pirry, Jan 5, 2006 at 3:47 AM
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  17. txonikitar Jedi Knight

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    Seguro que la he cagao, pero yo creía que EZ era algo así como EASY = fácil :confused:
    txonikitar, Jan 5, 2006 at 8:49 AM
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  18. txonikitar Jedi Knight

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    ok! LE - LES

    Le gusta =He/she likes it/him/her...
    Les gusta = They like it/him/her...

    It allways implicates something to someone

    Give him = dale
    Give them = dales

    Show him = enseñale/muestrale
    Show them = enseñales/muestrales

    You have to know that I´m not a good Spanish teacher, I prefer to teach about video editing with digital non linear sistems.
    txonikitar, Jan 5, 2006 at 9:02 AM
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  19. Skiara ~ • Manager WNU • ~ • RSA FFC • away

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    Now, is everyone confused about EZ? :p



    Is it really "les gusta = they like it/him/her"?
    Why isn't it "le gustan = they like it/him/her"?
    Or "les gusta = he/she likes them"?

    :confused:



    You have to know that I´m not a good Spanish teacher, I prefer to teach about video editing with digital non linear sistems.

    But you're doing well. :)
    And I'll remember if I ever think of using an video editing tool. ;) :p
    Skiara, Jan 5, 2006 at 11:36 AM
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  20. txonikitar Jedi Knight

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    Is it really "les gusta = they like it/him/her"?
    Why isn't it "le gustan = they like it/him/her"?
    Or "les gusta = he/she likes them"?

    "Les" with "s" means that more than one person likes /it/her/him/them
    "le" without "s" means only one person who likes it/her/him/them

    If it´s only one person who likes only one thing:

    Le gusta la cerveza

    But if it´s one who likes several things: (Big Cars)

    Le gustan los coches grandes

    Can you see the diference?

    txonikitar, Jan 9, 2006 at 3:02 AM
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  21. Skiara ~ • Manager WNU • ~ • RSA FFC • away

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    Yep, thanks, I can see the differences. In German it is similar to English, so I have to learn it by heart, I guess. ;)

    But it isn't passive, right? Just to be sure.



    But... now I get the problem with "gusto"... if I want to say "I like it/them"... me gusta/n? :confused:
    But how about "gusto"... :confused:

    *is confused again* [face_blush]
    Skiara, Jan 9, 2006 at 3:32 AM
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  22. txonikitar Jedi Knight

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    Gusto is one of those "rare" words in spanish

    It means TASTE, but it also means other things, lets see...


    Bad taste = Mal gusto/Mal sabor

    I´m very glad to meet you = Tengo mucho gusto en conocerte


    Nothing to do with "Gustar" = "Like"


    But if you write:

    You like me = Yo te gusto

    If you want to say:

    I like you = Tu me gustas


    It´s not EZ! (easy)
    txonikitar, Jan 9, 2006 at 5:59 AM
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  23. Skiara ~ • Manager WNU • ~ • RSA FFC • away

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    That's so true... *sighs* ;)
    But I think it is never easy to learn a new language and the more you learn the more questions you get. But I still like it. :)

    I think I will write the things above down (or do c/p) and pin it right over my bed or so, so I can have a look at it at every time. :)
    Skiara, Jan 9, 2006 at 10:43 AM
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  24. txonikitar Jedi Knight

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    No tienes más preguntas?;)


    Esto está muy aburrido ultimamente.

    Nadie pasa por aquí.
    txonikitar, Jan 20, 2006 at 2:43 PM
    #24

  25. RednepSuS Jedi Master

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    Aug 8, 2002
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    Si, la verdad es que la cosa no anda muy bien desde hace tiempo. Ya no hay oleadas de nuevos frikis como cuando yo llegué.

    [face_laugh] :_|
    RednepSuS, Jan 20, 2006 at 2:49 PM
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