Five Minute Study - SPANISH and ENGLISH compared

Guía de la gramática inglesa...

 

En estas lecciones breves se comparan el inglés hablado y coloquial con el español con el fin de ayudar al estudiante a apreciar tanto las diferencias como las similitudes lingüísticas entre los dos idiomas.

 

Prepositions (5)

 

 Spanish "a" compared with English "from"

 

Both Learners of Spanish and English should be careful of the right translation of these two prepositions with certain verbs that have a similar meaning to "remove / take away" or in Spanish "quitar":

 

They took my father's house from him

Le quitaron la casa a mi padre

 

They stole all the jewels from an elderly lady

Le han robado todas las joyas a una anciana

 

The teacher confiscated the knife from the boy

El profesor ha confiscado la navaja al niño

 

Also with the verb comprar in the following sense:

 

We're going to buy a second-hand fridge from somebody who put an ad in the paper

Vamos a comprar un frigorífico a alguien que ha puesto un anuncio en el periódico

 

But the Spanish a rule does not apply to the verbs aceptar and recibir and the more easily understood de is used:

 

We don't accept cheques (US checks) from anybody

Aquí no aceptamos talones (S.Am cheques) de nadie

 

I've received a summons from the Town Hall to appear in court

He recibido una citación del Ayuntamiento para comparecer ante el tribunal

 

 Five Minute Study es © copyright 2011 English Spanish Link

 [Volver]