Spanish language Q&A Forum

What an explosion of vocabulary! Does the average hispanohablante use such an extensive vocab? Really good audio. thanks again, I enjoy every one of them . . .

16 July 2023

Dear Kwiziq Lesson Writing Team:

I am uncertain as to when I must (or should) use the definite articles "el/la" or "los/las" when translating from English to Spanish. See following examples from the "Fire Heroes/Héroes del fuego" exercise:

Example 1:

"...protect buildings and save lives in danger"

I wrote: "...proteger los edificios y salvar las vidas en peligro."

The Kwiziq answer was: "...proteger edificios y salvar vidas en peligro."

Example 2:

"These professionals protect forests and natural areas..."

I wrote: "Estos profesionales protegen los bosques y las áreas naturales..."

The Kwiziq answer was: "Estos profesionales protegen los bosques y las áreas naturales..."

As you can see, in neither of the English translations is a definite article included.

In Example 1, my use of "los" was accepted, but my use of "las" was not. Upon studying the final Kwiziq translation, I noticed that neither "los" nor "las" had been used in the translation of that phrase. Then in Example 2, I used "los" and "las". To my delight (and surprise) I saw that in the Kwiziq translation "los" and "las" were used as well. 

So --- I am confused and uncertain as to WHEN  (under what specific circumstances?) is it necessary, appropriate, or customary to use el/la and los/las. I know they must be used at the start of a sentence and (I believe) after some uses of gustar, but what about other circumstances?

Please upload lessons that offer specific examples (and explanations) about when to use these definite articles.  

Your attention to this request would be very greatly appreciated.

Regards,

Pati Ecuamiga

there is a sentence in the notes where it says 

'Hablo con ella cuando llega a casa. = I will speak with her when she gets home.'

Since this is a non general statement of using cuando, but a future specified situation, shouldn't we use subjuntive? there is a note on this. are is this the same thing but different point of view?

Hablo con ella cuando llegue a casa. 

There is another chapter on using qué + noun + verb. ¡Qué lento va esa coche! = ¡Qué coche tan lento! Is this the same and correct ?

To me it seems like such a long process for gustar to become "natural".

I literally have to parse every gustar sentence so that the pronoun tells me who is being liked, the verb then tells who is being liked (not who is doing the liking!):