Does "de" mean "to" in this sentence?
I read a sentence:Traté de aprender español, pero es muy difícil. (I tried to learn Spanish, but it is very difficult. What does de mean here? Does it mean "to"?
9 Answers
Technically, yes (that is to say that the phrase 'tratar de' is equivalent to the English 'to try to') but rather than try to break it down and translate it literally it's probably better to just think of it as a set phrase: trater de = to try to
Hola, Observer y HackerKing,
Thank you both for your sound advice. However, you might not understand how a beginner learns a brand new language. Since I don't live in a Spanish-speaking neighborhood, I have no chance to immerse myself in such an environment; therefore, I have to depend heavily on the sentences I saw from the videos or example sentences I found from the online dictionary. In my opinion, learning grammar systematically is the effective way to acquire a new language if you can find no one to listen to or talk to.
When I saw the sentence:"Traté de aprender español, pero es muy difícil", my original question was "Why is a "de" needed after the verb "Traté"? But after thinking twice, I guessed there must have been some reason for "de" to exist in this sentence, so I changed my question as the above. Of course, I know I had better not apply my English learning experience to Spanish learning. However, I just can't help! I think it is interesting to know about the similarities and differences between the two languages when I translate one into the other in order to figure out its meaning.
I think it's no harm to know about some set phrases for beginners like me because they, more or less, will save our time to grope for the correct usage. Thank each of you for taking your valuable time to answer my question. And any teaching, opinion and discussion from you all is more than welcome.
I read a sentence:Traté de aprender español, pero es muy difícil. (I tried to learn Spanish, but it is very difficult. What does de mean here? Does it mean "to"?
No. It doesn't mean "to."
A word of advice (take it or leave it as you like): Whether your goal for learning Spanish is to be able to communicate with others in another language or simply to be able to translate into English what you read or hear in Spanish, one pitfall that is best to avoid is trying to force the structure of one language on to another. Simply put, Spanish is not English, and English is not Spanish. While there are many similarities between the two that can often allow for one-to-one translations, do not allow these similarities to fool you into thinking that such literal translations are always possible.
The English and Spanish languages have developed separately and over time in their own unique ways, a process that has led to grammatical and linguistic features that do not overlap entirely, and in some cases not at all.
If you consider that the English verb "try" and the Spanish verb "tratar" originated from different sources, it should be no wonder that they have developed there own distinct grammatical idiosyncrasies. If you are dead set on conserving the original flavor of the Spanish preposition "de," then you could in fact translate "tratar de" as meaning "to attempt the accomplishment of some end." In this case, the preposition "de" shares a one-to-one correlation with the English preposition "to," so that your original sentence "Traté de aprender español" might easily be worded in English as "I attempted the accomplishment of learning Spanish." It might be worth noting here that in modern Spanish, there is no gerund form; therefore, all verbal nouns in Spanish (in this case, the infinitive "aprender" ) can be translated into English as either gerunds or infinitives depending upon which form is more appropriate for the occasion.
I'm not sure if a 'full' list exists. I found two links for you, the majority of verbs seem to overlap because these are probably the most frequently used verbs:
Linked verbs in Spanish - this one lists all of its selected verbs in one page
Spanish verbs with prepositions - this one has several separate links based on preposition + infinitive or object; the number of listed verbs seems slightly bigger
Hope this helps!
I commented this but this is a huge trap a lot of people make when they learn languages: Do not look for lists for set phrases. Don't force-feed yourself some artificial sentences in order to simply get more examples. Instead, learn to recognize these set phrases so that as you come across them you'll naturally pick them up.
So don't google for a list of set phrases and get that "soñar + con + infinitive" = "to dream about _____". That sentence is utterly meaningless. You have no clue if people even talk like that (some phrases are correct Spanish but no one even says). Do not learn artificial textbook Spanish.
Instead, every time you don't understand a piece of actual Spanish that you heard or read in a (spanish) book or article, learn that phrase and how the words in the sentence fit together.
This is very confusing because the infinitive of all verb is translated as "to ....." So in this case it seems like a redundant "to". But sometimes it is just the rule. There is a huge list of verbs that take prepositions to create phrasal verbs for a better term. I posted the entire list about a year ago and now I cannot find it.
In general the are verbs that take the proposition "a", other that take "de", others that take "en", etc. Sometimes before another verb and sometimes before a noun. If you have a Barrons 500 verbs book the lists are in the back.
Kiwi-Girl, would you please tell me where I can find the list of set phrases? Or where I can find the similar question you answered before? Could you give me the link? - joygogo
Hacker King makes a good point and it really is best to learn the prepositions by listening to native speakers use them and by mimicking them.
Don't look for a set phrase list. Instead, every time you come across a verb (either through reading or listening) note how you link it to other verbs.Each verb takes a different preposition (some none at all) that you should learn one by one in context; - HackerKing
Having said that though, there's nothing wrong with doing a little research along the way too, so here you go!
List of Spanish Verbs and the prepositions that follow them.
you might not understand how a beginner learns a brand new language.
At various times in my life I have attempted to tackle, probably at the very least, half a dozen different languages from scratch, so I might have at least some inkling as to some of the more common methodologies and strategies involved in language learning.
However, I just can't help! I think it is interesting to know about the similarities and differences between the two languages when I translate one into the other in order to figure out its meaning.
Don't get me wrong. I also share a similar fascination in comparing the various structures and forms exhibited by different languages. Likewise, I enjoy the pursuit of figuring out satisfying translations from one language to another; however, in my own experiences I have found that prematurely focusing (or focusing too heavily, too soon ) on grammar and frequently attempting to translate from one language to another usually hinders rather than helps with fluency.
That's not to say that grammar should be avoided altogether or that comparisons should never be made between languages. Unfortunately though, attempting to understand one's target language by simply translating it into the various terms and structures with which one is already familiar (i.e those forms found in one's native tongue) can become a stumbling block that inhibits, or at the very least delays, one's ability to progress as a confident speaker or writer.
Again, I am only speaking from my personal experiences--experiments, successes and failures--with language learning. As with any anecdotal evidence, take mine with a grain of salt, and happy learning whatever method you so choose.
To me, a set list should be used as a reference. The expressions on them learnt on a case-by-case basis after you hear/see them in real life.
A simple list like this is probably ok. But my main problem is English (or any language) learners who learn set phrases like "it's raining cats and dogs" and "on cloud nine" and end up using them all the time. 99% of the time, most English speakers don't say these words. Sure we understand them, but (at least where I live) you'll look out of place and funny.
Essentially, I stress that learning active vocabulary should be done after encountering it, not from lists.
