How do you self-edit?

Question

How do you self-edit?

To help me become fluent in Spanish (reading, writing as well as speaking), I am trying to keep a journal in Spanish using what I have learned. However, while the Spanish-English translator is helpful, It cannot always tell me if I my Spanish is "native" or or not. For example, would the following be considered good spanish?

"Hoy es el domingo. Es una y dieciocho de la tarde. Estoy llevando una camisa azul, unos jeans, un cintaron, unas calcetínes y mis zapatos. Mis gatos son dormiendo. Estoy sentado."

I am still working on Lesson 1, so I am trying not to get to far ahead, but at the same time, learning to infer words like Mi and Mis is good

Feed back both on my Spanish above and ways of self-editing with confidence much appreciated.

cinturón, durmiendo, unos calcetines - 0074b507, Jul 4, 2010

Es la una... - 0074b507, Jul 4, 2010

Answer 1

Hoy es domingo.Es la una y dieciocho de la mañana. Estoy llevando una camisa azul, vaqueros, un cinturon, calcetines y zapatos. Mis gatos estan durmiendo y: estoy sentando. No need to use possesive pronoun to describe what you are wearing unless you were saying that you were wearing someone elses clothes other wise it is automatically assumed that you are wearing your own clothes. One oclock in spain is still morning they don't start saying Buenas tardes until after 2pm usually. as for your cats are sleeping you use estar and not ser as sleeping is a temporary state of being. Hope I have been helpful.

íGracias! I learned that domir is a stem changing irregular verb and I didn't realize am->pm occured @2pm or later. - Clackamas, Jul 4, 2010

Answer 2

I think posting like this to the board, you will get feed back from native speakers or others with enough experience to post an opinion.It is all experience and practice.

:-) - Delores--Lindsey, Jul 4, 2010

Answer 3

Is "Soy las doce de la mañana" the correct "clock" reading for midnight?

And I am a little confused... I was using un/unas as indefinite articles but it appears in a list referring to myself they are implied?

Answer 4

Hola. what you are doing is great - putting what you are learning into use. That's a big A+ for you. I agree with nizehoni 100%, it is all experience and practice. Your post was a good length, too. If posts are too long, many times people who "check in" to see what needs to be answered simply don't have the time to tackle long ones. ¡Buena suerte!