Miscellaneous Phrases

Question 1

El frío les hacía mucho daño.

Answer 1

The cold did them a lot of harm.

Question 2

El chico le hizo una muñeca.

Answer 2

The boy made a face at him/her/usted

Question 3

Mi nieto nunca les hacía caso.

Answer 3

My grandson never heeded them/ustedes

Question 4

Tienes que hacerle frente a la realidad.

Answer 4

You have to face up to reality.

Question 5

Le hacía falta reflexionar.

Answer 5

(S)he needed to reflect.

Question 6

Qué le vamos a hacer?

Answer 6

What can be done about it?

Question 7

No le hace.

Answer 7

That’s irrelevant.

Question 8

Dale!

Answer 8

Hit him!/ Go on! / Get moving!

Question 9

No te oigo nada.

Answer 9

I can’t hear a thing you’re saying.

Question 10

Le agradezco.

Answer 10

I thank you (formal)

Question 11

Le encontraron mil pesos.

Answer 11

They found 1,000 pesos on him/her/usted

Question 12

La respuesta del abogado le afectó.

Answer 12

The lawyer’s response affected him.

Question 13

Sus profesores lo alaban.

Answer 13

His teachers praise him.

Question 14

A las monjas las envidio mucho.

Answer 14

I envy nuns a lot.

Question 15

Lo admiro profundamente

Answer 15

I admire him/usted deeply

Question 16

Su marido la adora.

Answer 16

Her/your husband adores her.

Question 17

Yo la quiero mucho.

Answer 17

I love her/usted a lot.

Question 18

Quepo yo?

Answer 18

Is there room for me?

Question 19

Te lo mando yo?

Answer 19

Shall I send it to you?

Question 20

Hace tres años que no vengo.* (*note venir is in present.)

Answer 20

I haven’t come/been here for three years.

Question 21

Durante

Answer 21

Means both “for” and “during”:
Examples:
Durante años = for years
Habló tres veces durante dos horas. = (s)he spoke 3 times for two hours (each).

Question 22

Mediados de agosto

Answer 22

In the middle of August.

Question 23

Ir + Gerund

Answer 23

Indicates a longish process.
Example sentence:
La conversación fue* espaciando. = The conversation slowly petered out. *the use of “fue” indicates that it did indeed end.

Question 24

Entrar en conflicto con

Answer 24

To conflict with.

Question 25

Tener in Preterite vs. Imperfect

Answer 25

``` Preterite = To get/to receive; Imperfect = Had (in my possession). ```

Question 26

Tuve la impresión de que...

Answer 26

I got the impression that...

Question 27

Tenía la impresión de que...

Answer 27

I had the impression that... ***This does not override the rule that preterite must be used for actions that happened during a specified period of time: Tuvo fiber durante 3 días = she had a fever for 3 days.

Question 28

tuve una carta

Answer 28

I got a letter

Question 29

Tenía una carta

Answer 29

I had a letter

Question 30

Yo le decía cuatro verdades.

Answer 30

I wouldn't mind giving him/her a piece of my mind.

Question 31

Cuanto antes.

Answer 31

As soon as possible.

Question 32

Ha de haberle dicho todo.

Answer 32

(S)he must have told him/her everything.

Question 33

El capitán ha de haberse quejado de su soledad.

Answer 33

The captain must have complained about his solitude.

Question 34

Conditional use of haber de = ?

Answer 34

An indignant or mystified "should"

Question 35

Por qué habría de ofenderse si yo no dije nada?

Answer 35

Why would (s)he get offended if/when I didn't say anything?

Question 36

Conditional is considered as what type of tense? What implications does this have?

Answer 36

Past tense. ..... 1. This is why the subjunctive in a subordinate clause governed by the conditional must also be in the past (even when it's talking about a future event). Examples: "Es absurdo que vengas mañana. = It's absurd for you to come tomorrow." vs. "Sería absurdo que vinieras mañana = it would be absurd for you to come tomorrow." 2. In the same way the future tense is used to make suppositions about the present ("serán las cinco = it must be 5:00"), the conditional is used to make suppositions about the past. Examples: "Serían las cinco de la tarde. = It must have been 5:00." "Guardé los diarios algún tiempo; luego supongo que los quemaría = I kept the diaries for a while, then I guess I must have burned them." "Aquel día andaríamos más de cincuenta kilómetros. = That day we must have walked more than 50km."

Question 37

Estar para + infinitivo

Answer 37

To be about to do something

Question 38

Estar por + infinitivo

Answer 38

... Is yet to be done

Question 39

Estamos para ir al cine

Answer 39

We're about to go to the theater

Question 40

La carta está por escribir.

Answer 40

The letter is yet to be written.

Question 41

Por mucho que...

Answer 41

No matter how much...

Question 42

Esa falda te queda muy bien.

Answer 42

That skirt suits you well.

Question 43

A cuánto?

Answer 43

for how much?

Question 44

A fines de

Answer 44

by the end of

Question 45

A la larga

Answer 45

In the long run

Question 46

A lo largo

Answer 46

along, by

Question 47

A lo loco

Answer 47

Foolishly

Question 48

Al pie de la letra

Answer 48

to the letter

Question 49

A más tardar

Answer 49

at the latest

Question 50

De pie

Answer 50

Standing

Question 51

a pie

Answer 51

on foot/walking

Question 52

A principios de

Answer 52

At the beginning of

Question 53

Menos mal que...

Answer 53

Thank heavens that... (takes indicative)

Question 54

Qué bien que

Answer 54

How nice that... (takes subjunctive)