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Saljust now

Hola Angeles,

Muchas Gracias

Aqui mis preguntas!

1. cuentes = the verb 'tell' in the second person? (in your newsletter) but The dictionary states 'count' - so...are there different meanings?

2. " es una correveidile" (why you write 'es' (it/3rd person) and not 'she' (because we are writing about Maria -a female) eg ella una ......

3. a mi hermana (but other sentences I see mi hermana (x 'a') e.g mi hermana es como....

4. intereses =can this word be used for hobbies e.g tengo muchas intereses" (instead of afficiones)

5. me lo puedes dar? = (word order: me it can you give) meaning translation: can you give it to me

Muchas gracias Angeles!

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¡Hola, Sal!

¡Vamos a ver! 😊

1. cuentes = the verb 'tell' in the second person? (in your newsletter) but The dictionary states 'count' - so...are there different meanings?

✔ Yes, in fact "contar" has (at least) :-) two meanings: "to count" and "to tell" (as in "to tell a story,…). Here ("no cuentes nada a María"), "cuentes" is the command form, but negative. That's why it takes the subjuntive form.

2. " es una correveidile" (why you write 'es' (it/3rd person) and not 'she' (because we are writing about Maria -a female) eg ella una ......

✔Oh, in fact the complete form would be "ella es una correveidile", but we just ommit the subject, the personal pronoun (ella) and just use the corresponding verb form: "(Ella) Es una correveile." ("Es" includes "it", "he" or "she").

3. a mi hermana (but other sentences I see mi hermana (x 'a') e.g mi hermana es como....

✔That "a" is the "personal 'a'". When the action of the verb goes to people, persons, we'll use that "a". But never with objects.

For example:

"Estoy mirando a mi madre." (I'm looking at my mother.)

But: "Estoy mirando esta pintura." (I'm looking at that painting.)

4. intereses =can this word be used for hobbies e.g tengo muchas intereses" (instead of afficiones)

✔ Sí, por supuesto.

5. me lo puedes dar? = (word order: me it can you give) meaning translation: can you give it to me

✔Exacto. It sounds really strange in English! :-D That's it!

Muchas gracias Angeles!

✔ ¡De nada, Sal, espero que este te ayude!

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