I was just watching "¿Quién mato a Sara?" (takes place in Mexico) where a security guard in a parking lot tells a character waiting in his car to meet with someone "Estamos por cerrar". The English subtitles render it as something like "We're about to close."

Would saying "estamos para cerrar" also make sense in this context? Would the meaning be different, and if so how? Is it a regional/dialect thing? Does the nuance have to do with the implication of intent, as was generalized in another post, or is it more complex...?

I'm confused by this pair of expressions... they seem like they want to be different and yet the meanings seem confusingly close... I know language isn't always logical, but I'm just trying to get a feel for it. Thank you in advance...

Asked 2 years ago

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Colin H.A2Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Mi hijo mayor...

Hola,

The first sentence above uses 'mayor' to mean eldest. How would you say 'elder'?

How can you be sure which is meant between the two?

How do you for the superlatives and the opposites (the least) of the comparatives?

Muchas gracias.

Saludos,

Colin

Asked 2 years ago

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Anton F.A2Kwiziq community member

When to use Imperfecto and Indefinido

Hi,

In many lessons and responses to questions, I have read that when deciding if you are to use imperfecto or indefinido, it is up to how the speaker thinks about the event. If the speaker thinks the event had a clear start and end, you should use indefinido, and if not you use imperfecto. Does this mean that it is entirely up to the speaker to decide which past tense is correct? I understand that there are situations where it is clear which is right and wrong, but I feel like in many cases it is a bit more ambiguous.

Asked 2 years ago

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Chris P.A2Kwiziq community member

¿De quiénes son esos libros?¿De quiénes son esos libros?

Is it correct, in addition to "Whose books are those?" that this could also be translated as "From whom are those books?" I realize that in a perfect world, the context would clear up any ambiguity, but am I correct that the latter is a valid translation?

Thanks!

Asked 1 year ago

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Meredith J.Kwiziq community member

Translation Check

I am translating a feedback survey for an event. Could someone kindly check my work?

What did you like best about this event?

¿Qué es lo que más te gustó de este evento?

What is something you learned?