Practice sentences...

Question

I wrote some sentences at random to practice using questions, the preterite, irregular common verbs (ir, ser, estar, etc.) and a couple impersonal statements. I feel certain that I got the verb conjugations correct, but I'd like to know if I messed up on grammar, or said anything awkwardly. So, I'm putting it up here!

I will appreciate any help you can give!

• Estás usando el computadora. You are using the computer. I remember learning "computadora" as masculine. Is that incorrect?

• Fuiste estudiante en mi esquela. You were a student in my school.

• ¿Pasas tiempo con tu familia cada semana? Do you spend time with your family each week

• Fuimos al cine antes de comer. We went to the movies before eating.

• Estás sacando la basura. Gracias. You are taking out the garbage. Thanks.

• Se está feliz cuando se celebra la Nochevieja. One is happy when one celebrates new year's eve.

• Michael nada en el mar. Michael swims in the ocean.

• Tenemos que hacer muchas sillas hoy. We have to make many chairs today.

• ¿Cómo se trabaja cuando hace viento? How do you work when it is windy?

• Le di un regalo a mi hermano ayer. I gave a gift to my brother yesterday.

• Dibujaste una casa roja. You drew a red house.

• Los estudiantes vieron los animales. The students saw the animals.

• Bailé cuando estuve aburrido en Berkeley. I danced when I was bored en Berkeley.

• Tuve cuarenta y dos dólares. I had forty-two dollars.

• Se hablaron sobre sus viajes. They talked to each other about their travels.

¡Gracias por leerlo y ayudarme!

Answer 1

Well done, Aracoun!

Estás usando la computadora/el computador/el ordenador.

Fuiste estudiante en mi escuela.

Bailé cuando estuve aburrido en Berkeley. Perhaps: Bailé cuando me aburría...although I think I would say: Me puse a bailar/empecé a bailar cuando me aburrí or Me puse a bailar cuando estaba aburrido.

Tuve cuarenta y dos dólares. I would say: (Yo) tenía cuarenta y dos dólares.

(Ellos) hablaron sobre sus viajes.

Thanks! Now I know about aburrir, and a little bit more about the imperfect tense. - arocoun, Jan 29, 2012

You're welcome, Arocoun :) - Cordobesa, Jan 29, 2012

Answer 2

Computador OR computadora.

If you use it as computador, it is masculine, computadora is always feminine.

In Spain we say ordenador, ordenadora, that is the feminine version, does not exist, unlike the feminine version of computador.

I understood that part but why masc. and feminine for computadora personal or computadora electrónica?? - 0074b507, Jan 29, 2012

You seem pretty confident in your answer, so it's settled! La computadora. Gracias! - arocoun, Jan 29, 2012

Answer 3

I remember learning "computadora" as masculine. Is that incorrect?

I can't link to the exact page, but enter computadora in the R A E dictionary and see what you think. It lists computadora electrónica as being masculine in one definition and feminine in another. However, I'm not sure when it it referring to a computer and when it is referring to a programmable calculator. It has an entry for computadora personal (PC) which it also says in one definition that it is feminine while in another it says that it is masculine.

ordenador is masculine if that adds to the confusion.

Now that I double check both RAE and SpanishDict, it appears that computadora as masculine is acceptable in Latin American Spanish, at least. - arocoun, Jan 29, 2012

Further, feminine computadora seems to be a computer of smaller capacity. Anyways, I really appreciate you lookin this up! - arocoun, Jan 29, 2012

I was wondering if the difference was between a mainframe computer and a PC. - 0074b507, Jan 29, 2012