Spanish language Q&A Forum

In the writing challenge we are asked to translate: "The Spanish guitar has 6 strings and consists of a wooden box, a neck and a fretboard". Kwiziq's answer is given as "La guitarra española tiene 6 cuerdas y está formada por una caja de madera, un mástil y un diapasón"  and "está hecha de una caja..." is given as an alternative answer. 

I used consistir en instead of estar formada por  or está hecha de. However, if the sentence had been "The Spanish guitar is made of..." I'm pretty sure I would have gone with está hecha de.

So, is my answer wrong? Or, could my answer be considered a third alternative? And could you explain the differences between the two forms, consistir en and estar formado por/estar hecha de, and in what contexts I might use one in preference to another.

Saludos 

Looking at: "... fue la capital del Califato … que fue proclamado por Abderramán III en 929" > My first thoughts were that AbdulRahman III had perhaps proclaimed Córdoba as his capital in 929 AD, which would have required "proclamada" to agree with the feminine noun "capital". Then I remembered that he had actually declared himself [very controversially !] to be "the Caliph of all Muslims, everywhere" (including those in Baghdad, and Syria, and even those in the Fatimid Empire in North Africa !) - so "proclamado" presumably agrees with "Califato"?

As I'm sure Inma knows, Seville was the first capital of Al-Ándalus [was it?], and Abdul-Rahman the First transferred his seat of power to Córdoba in 766 AD.

vado una sorpresa negativa al tener un niño en vez de una niña, porque no te lo esperabas ¿no?"

(I imagine you may have got a negative surprise 

Native English speakers would say “an unwelcome surprise”, “a negative surprise” sounds very odd

Hi,

I was wondering if this is a story from Cervantes or a fairy-tale from the Grimms brothers?

Also, I was wondering if there is an official translation of this, as there are many phrases, etc that are difficult to translate. 

Thank you.

Nicole

I'm having trouble understanding this answer in a study plan test.  Could you please explain.

Ella estaba lavándose el pelo cuando él llegó.
She was washing her hair when he arrived.

When it is combined with another action that interrupts the ongoing action at that time. The interrupting action is generally in the simple past (see the last example where the ongoing action "She was washing her hair" was interrupted by another sudden action "he arrived”.

 Te ________ hasta que me aburrí y me fui.  
I was waiting for you until I got bored and left.

era esperando
estaba esperando-----my answer
estuve esperando------correct Kwiziq answer
fui esperando

 To me, it seems that the waiting was interrupted by "got bored and left."

Hello and I hope you and yours and the team are all doing well.

Re: This lesson;|
Would it be safe to say that this comes under the umbrella of the "passive" and if not, why?

Thank you!

Nicole

It is indeed a great bonus that Inma speaks so clearly - Many thanks ! … Even after living in Spain for nearly 20 years, it is still often a struggle for me to understand people when they speak, particularly here in Andalusia... I suppose that means that you should be providing me with listening exercises [with a transcript] which feature 'rapid' conversation?

Would it be correct to use Porque at the start of a sentence....e.g. instead of

Como estoy enfermo, no voy a ir al trabajo hoy.

Porque estoy enfermo, no voy a ir al trabajo hoy