Spanish language Q&A Forum

Hello:

in the exercise at: https://spanish.kwiziq.com/my-languages/spanish/exercises/judge/314/481235?response=57969&page=8

sentence: My mother uses her mobile phone to make calls and send texts 

Spanish: Mi madre usa el teléfono móvil para hacer llamadas o mandar mensajes.

The exercise says: "and", but the translation is: "o" 

i.e.: and send texts.

Kwizbot: o enviar mensajes. 

You: y enviar texto

Why is the translation "o" 9meaning "or" 0 instead of "y" meaning and as per the text?

Is there an error here, if so what lesson would answer this?

Thank you, Nicole

Dear ....

I too am struggling with this and I think it is because of confusion between adjectives and nouns in the instructions / translations. For example, you say that Sentir is often followed by a noun, and yet you use adjectives in the translation of the sentences i.e. "siento pena" translates as "I feel sorry" - but "sorry" is an adjective not a noun. The noun of sorry is "sorrow." Hence "I feel sorrow" would be the correct translation if specifying the use of a noun. A second example is "sentimos mucha alegría' which you translate as "we feel very happy" but "happy" is an adjective. The noun of happy is  "happiness" so "I feel happiness" would be the translation of the noun form.  I completely get how these translations of the noun form would be very clunky, but I think it may help to point this out.

The issue may be - but you don't state it, that Sentir appears to be used to express emotional feelings or something that is sensed physically, and emotions are mostly expressed in the adjective form in English "I feel sad because my cat died" or "I feel delighted since my partner left me." Both adjectives are describing how I feel. If the noun forms "sadness and delight" were used, it would describe what I am feeling. Your instructions say that "how" you feel takes the reflexive form. This seems to contradict the fact that we feel feelings, and that is how we feel when we are feeling them.

I hope this makes sense.

Kind Regards

I understand the use of 'para' in these sentences:

¿Quieres algo para comer?

Tengo algo que contarte

Can you help?¿Necesitaba algo para escribir?

But I don't understand the use of 'que' in the following:

I am having a lot of trouble knowing which one of these to use. The explanations I have found don't make sense to me. For instance "haber estado" refers to something in the past that expresses movement. Then why, when I receive something from Amazon Mexico, does it say "Tu paquete ha sido entregado". ? Very confused about this and I can't find any coherent answers.

Is lleva interchangeable with está and what is the difference between the two? Thank you

In English, "to hear" is a passive act to the person.  It happens to them, whether they wanted it to or not.   "To listen" is an active effort by the person. "If one listens well, he will hear it."  The Spanish dictionary says that "oir" is to hear.  However, "escuchar" can mean "to listen" or "to hear".  Is that correct?

"La escuché cantando" could mean "I listened to her singing" or "I heard her singing".  ??

Is that right?

Thanks

I can say "I like white wine" and also "I prefer white wine".  Is it the same in Spanish?  - I know there's a difference (i.e. comparison vs general) and wondering how similar it is to the English usage (which can be subtle at times).