Is the following correct:
Estamos a los segundos de las campanadas de fin de año.
We are just a few seconds after the bells of the end of the year.
Estamos a unos segundos de las campanadas de fin de año.
We are just a few seconds before the bells of the end of the year.
unos segundos v. los segundos
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Kwiziq community member
unos segundos v. los segundos
This question relates to:Spanish lesson "A tan solo + [length of time] + de for just [some time] before "
Asked 8 months ago
InmaKwiziq team member
Hola Janusz
You can use a sentence with "a los [time] de.... " to express a posterior action but it doesn't quite work with "segundos" unless you are a bit more specific:
A los pocos segundos de sonar las campanadas, llamé a mis padres para desearles un feliz año nuevo.
Just a few seconds after the bells rang, I called my parents to wish them a happy new year.
Here's a lesson about that structure.
But it doesn't work with the verb estar in front:
Estamos a los pocos segundos de... (?????)
Saludos
Kwiziq community member
Hola Inma,
So, is it safe to think:
A los pocos segundos de sonar => after
A unos segundos de sonar => before
A los dos minutos de empezar => after
A dos minutos de empezar => before.
Also, could you please confirm that
"Estamos a los pocos segundos de..." is wrong,
but
"Estamos a unos segundos de..." is correct.
What would be the reason for this?
InmaKwiziq team member
Hola Janusz
Yes, all correct.
Also:
"Estamos a unos / a unos pocos / a pocos segundos de..." is correct.
(the action after "de..." will happen in a few seconds)
But:
"Estamos a los pocos segundos de..." sounds odd and incorrect.
I'm not quite sure why this sounds so odd - it's probably that it doesn't work with "estar".
Saludos
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