Sólo - I need help with adjective placement before and after a noun.

Question

Meaning changing adjective placement

sólo Adjective Placement

Before the noun - one

After the noun - lonely

I was just looking through the grammar lesson on adjective placement.

If I say, "para mí sólo", am I saying "for lonely me?"

And is this right? "Tengo sólo cababllo". (I have one horse).

Any examples would be great to help me understand how to use these.

I added the link for reference. - katydew, Mar 9, 2012

Sorry I forgot to vote - gringojrf, Mar 9, 2012

Did you ever look at the Spanish grammar leason located under learn at the top? It helped me.:) - rac1, Mar 9, 2012

I mean lesson - rac1, Mar 9, 2012

Yes, that is the lesson I'm talking about, under Learn (see my link). They help a lot but I wonder if the solo is written wrong in the lesson? - katydew, Mar 9, 2012

Answer 1

Sólo (with the tilde like you wrote in you title) is an adverb meaning "only, solely, merely or just". So as an adverb it would not be used with a noun.

Solo (without the tilde) is generally an adjective (although it can be an adverb as well). When used as an adjective it can go in front or behind the noun.

Quiero solo café, nada más. I want only coffee, nothing else.

¡Dejame solo! Leave me alone.

Vivo (yo) solo. I live alone.

Thanks Gringo. The article had 'sólo' as an adjective in the listing. This helps and confuses me too. - katydew, Mar 9, 2012

I read that the tilde was removed from "sólo". - NikkiLR, Mar 9, 2012

You know I think I heard that as well. But I bet it takes years for people to adapt. - gringojrf, Mar 9, 2012

Thanks you guys for your help. - katydew, Mar 9, 2012

Answer 2

I would say, "Tengo un caballo." for "I have one horse." There is no need to use "solo" here, unless you want to emphasize "only". Even if you do use it, it won't replace the article.

So how is sólo used before the noun placement to mean 'one'? - katydew, Mar 9, 2012

"Tengo un solo caballo." = "I have a single horse." - ciscocaja, Mar 9, 2012

Ok. Thanks. - katydew, Mar 9, 2012

No problem! ;) - ciscocaja, Mar 9, 2012

Answer 3

Katy, su significado depende del contexto, más que de la posición:

Por ejemplo:

"Mis amigos no quieren acompañarme, así que voy al cine solo" (sin nadie más) = "Mis amigos no quieren acompañarme, así que voy solo al cine" (en este caso, no se puede sustituir por solamente).

"Íbamos a ir al cine y a cenar, pero, al final, vamos al cine solo" (= vamos solo al cine, no al restaurante). En este caso, puedes sustituir "solo" por "solamente".

"Antes tenía muchos, pero ahora tengo un solo caballo" = "Antes tenía muchos, pero ahora tengo uno solo" = "ahora tengo solamente uno/uno solamente".

I think I'm starting to understand it a little more now. - katydew, Mar 10, 2012

Answer 4

Según las últimas normas de la Real Academia (2010), "solo" no debe llevar tilde en ningún caso:

"Por eso, a partir de ahora se podrá prescindir de la tilde en estas formas incluso en casos de ambigüedad. La recomendación general es, pues, no tildar nunca estas palabras."

Solo (punto 5)

Ok, that is helpful. So the rules have changed. - katydew, Mar 10, 2012

Answer 5

Just wanted to share...

Solo o sólo:. Hasta hace poco tiempo la palabra solo podía llevar acento si funcionaba como adverbio. (Ej. sólo quiero este libro). Sin embargo, las últimas reglas ortográficas disponen que no se escribe con tilde en ningún caso.

I have a hard time with this... jeje. :D

Thank you for the answer. - katydew, Mar 10, 2012