What is mostly the meaning of "Al" in Spanish?

Question

I do know the meaning of it which is "to the" in masculine form... a el=al but there are different meanings of use... For an example

(This is part of a poem in Spanish)

Tu eres el amor verdadero de mi corazon, al que tenia que conocer a traves del tiempo, a traves del espacio y a traves de los obstaculos que la vida nos ha puesto en el camino.

As you can see above, theres an "al" so, please if anybody can understand my question, explain to me what the meaning in that way it is supposed to be? I am confused with that word at times and doesn't give me the message into my head. Please and Thank you.

HI dev, welcome to the forum :) - 00494d19, SEP 20, 2009

Thank you :D - Dev90s, SEP 20, 2009

Answer 1

In the sentence that you used as an example the al is also a+el=to the, or more precisely "a el que" ... or "whom" . The a here is the personal a used because the d.o. of the of the relative clause is a person (tú).

The combination of the personel a +el =al is quite common.

However, "al" is often used to mean upon.

Al volver de su viaje....upon returning from his trip... (at the return or upon returning)

Sorry, for the duplication. Simultaneous postings. - 0074b507, SEP 20, 2009

Oh yeah, I forgot about the "upon" use. - Nick-Cortina, SEP 20, 2009

Thank you very much for your explanation, I appreciate it very much - Dev90s, SEP 20, 2009

Muy buena respuesta quentin, - 00494d19, SEP 20, 2009

Answer 2

Tu eres el amor verdadero de mi corazon, al que tenia que conocer a traves del tiempo, a traves del espacio y a traves de los obstaculos que la vida nos ha puesto en el camino.

"Al" is being used here simply because it is the contraction of "a + el" as LAtINa said.

The reason that there needs to be that "a" in the first place is that in "tenía que conocer...", the direct object that goes with "conocer" is "el que" which refers to, in this case, a person (tú, the true love of her heart). Since the direct object is a person, the "personal a" must be used. So, "el que" --> "a + el que" --> "al que".

Thank you so much for your help, I appreciate it very much - Dev90s, SEP 20, 2009

Answer 3

Tu eres el amor verdadero de mi corazon, al que tenia que conocer a traves del tiempo, a traves del espacio y a traves de los obstaculos que la vida nos ha puesto en el camino.

en este caso, el 'al' se refiere al amor ... You are the true love of my heart, the love that I had to know across time and space and through all the obstacles that life has put in our way

That would be my translation ... eso seria mi traduccion

Thank you very much haha :) - Dev90s, SEP 20, 2009

Answer 4

a + el = conjunction equals al

I said that I knew "a+el-conjuction al, BUT it has different meaning in that poem which I cannot understand plus I've seen other writings in spanish that have "al" that has no meaning to me why its there. - Dev90s, SEP 19, 2009

Sorry, I'm a bit out of it tonight! - LAtINaPunKROcKerAConFundidA, SEP 20, 2009

Its okay hahaha, thank you for trying to explain :) - Dev90s, SEP 20, 2009