Suggestion for a reference article

Question

I hope I am not appearing rude here, but could I make a suggestion for a 'Lazarus' type substantial reference article?

I find prepositions the most frustrating and difficult thing to master. I have taken all the lessons and read all the existing articles but I must admit, I still have great difficulty knowing when and which to use!

This is especially the case when prepositions follow a verb. For example, I have been looking recently about all the words associated with 'acercar'. I read (on another site by the way) that acercarse + noun is always 'acercarse a + noun'. I then discovered the sentence 'se acerca la Navidad' - Christmas is coming!

What I am trying to say is, I have great problems with prepositions - HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you

Answer 1

I read (on another site by the way) that acercarse + noun is always 'acercarse a + noun'. I then discovered the sentence 'se acerca la Navidad' - Christmas is coming!

Your Christmas sentence is no exception to the rule you quote, except for the destination is implicit: "Christmas is getting close to us". That particular verb requires a subject and a destination, although the latter can be left out if it is obvious or unnecessary:

[Yo] Me acerqué a su casa.

[Yo] Vi un objecto muy extraño y me acerqué. [obviously, "al objecto"]

[Él] Se acercó y me saludó. [obviously, "a mí"]

Do not forget that in Spanish it is possible to put the subject after the verb too, which is what happens in "La Navidad se acerca" / "Se acerca la Navidad".

The problem with prepositions is that, like in English, in many cases you just have to memorize which preposition is conventionally used. You can't reason with prepositions, like you can do with the subjunctive or the past tenses. I can't write an article explaining one by one what prepositions go with every adjective, noun and verb in the dictionary.

:P - Destroyed99, Jun 19, 2011

My favorite part: "You can't reason with prepositions." - Fredbong, Jun 19, 2011

Lazarus. Ok, thank you for the explaination, I appreciate what you are saying. I think prepositions are something I am just going to have to "suck and see" lol. Hopefully the more practice I get, the more familiar they may become. - billygoat, Jun 19, 2011

So sad. Having such an article would be a fantastic fantasy. Note, though, that learning prepositions in English is an even worse nightmare! - territurtle, Jun 19, 2011

I have a dictionary that focuses only on prepositions in Spanish. It is 817 pages long. That would be quite an article! - lazarus1907, Jun 19, 2011

I couldn't write one for the English prepositions either. Which are often "post"positions anyway. - ian-hill, Jun 19, 2011

Answer 2

HI billy, I would be very happy if Lazarus accepted to write an article about that topic, I am sure it would help a lot.

Maybe if you call him to this thread and ask him personally?

should I lol, I'm a bit shy :red:. oh ok then ill pm him :-) - billygoat, Jun 19, 2011