when to know to use the word - do?
In lesson 2.1, one of the things we are trying to learn is word order: In Spanish for questions the simple word order is: the question word/the verb/the subject.
An example in that lesson is: ¿Dónde trabajar la enfermera? - “Where to work the nurse”?
My question is how do speakers know the word “do” belongs in the sentence? Most English speaking persons know the sentence sounds better with “do” - “Where do nurses work?” Is there a rule about the use of “do”? Does another Spanish word really need to be used to more fully translate the sentence into "Where do nurses work?"
At this times lets not worry about does or other forms of do. "Where does the nurse work!" I'll cope with those words later! lol
5 Answers
The actual word do in spanish is encased in the verb e.g. trabajar to work.
Thanks, it's a cool idea that do is in the verb in Spanish. So is that what Heidita meant; that the verb contains the idea of do?
¡Por favor! How do you know this? Is it in the reference section? Remember I'm talking about Lesson 2.1 and I didn't hear any of the above. Did I miss something? Is this concept in a differnt lesson; if so which one? Again, thank you!
English is the only language I know that has something like the auxiliary "do". None of the other Germanic languages from where English comes from has anything remotely similar, because it is an relatively recent invention in the language (14th-15th century). Even in the 17th century it was normal to find sentences like "If I become not", without "do". Do not expect that, because English has "do" in it, it is a universal tool that all languages require.
¿Dónde trabaja la enfermera? - “Where does the nurse work?
The sentence that appears is the above, the verb is correctly conjugated.
Sorry, I don't understand the question-
As for question forms, Spanish verbs are more like the English verb "to be" than any other verb. In your example, you just change the word order putting the conjugated verb trabaja before the subject la enfermera. There is no auxiliary DO, and it's hard to explain why. The reason is probably the same why you would never ask "Where does the nurse be?"
¿Dónde trabajan las enfermeras? is Where do the nurses work? and that is assuming that they are all female nurses other wise you would say "Los enfermeros. The actual word do in spanish is encased in the verb e.g. trabajar to work.
