quick questions

Question

Hi, a few quick questions please

1. why would you use "e" over "y" for and?
2. Why would you use lo que over que ? i know lo means it correct? Or am I wrong in thinking this?
3. For Haz lo que se te indica, this meansDo what is indicated correct? I know haz is commmand. Lo que is used instead of que? Why is there an extra se before te indica? Is the verb indicarse? so you have to do a reflexive te indica and just add se?

Thanks!

Answer 1

"Lo que" is the phrase in Spanish that generally means "what."

Lo que hiciste me duele. What you did hurt me.

Lo que dice él es la verdad. What he says is the truth.

"Qué" is used when the "what" being used is part of a question, be it direct, or indirect (more on this type in just a second).

¿Qué hiciste? What did you do?

¿Qué dice él? What's he saying?

An indirect question is, in essence, a question phrased as a statement or in a way that relies on a verb to denote the question, not the interrogative word. These are commonly formed with the verb "saber."

No sé qué haces. I don't know what you're doing. // ¿Qué haces? What are you doing?

¿Sabes qué le gusta? Do you know what he likes? // ¿Qué le gusta? What does he like?

Answer 2

Hello.

(1) You would use "e" when the following word begins with an "i" or "hi" (the blend of the sounds "y Ignacio" is somewhat harder than "e Ignacio"). This is similar to English when we use "an" before words that begin with a vowel (i.e., an apple (not "a apple"), an elephant, an ice cream truck, an umbrella).

(2) Think of "lo que" as "what" (sometimes I think of it as "it that" too - but that's me). Me gusta lo que dijiste - I like what you said. "Qué" alone is more for questions. "Que" without an accent means "that". I'm sorry I'm unable to explain this better, but hopefully someone will come and clarify more.

(3) The SD dictionary has this:

haz lo que te indique el médico >> do as the doctor tells you; do as the doctor says

So, I'm thinking "Haz lo que se te indica" means: Do what/as you're told; or, Do what they told you. Perhaps it should also be "indique" vs. "indica".

Buena suerte

• Good explanation of "y" vs "e." - freeze10108 Feb 15, 2012
• Thanks. - Goldie_Miel Feb 15, 2012