about "de"

Question

When I looked up the online dictionary, I found the following expressions:

(1) alguno de ellos (one of them)

(2) algunos de nosotros (some of us)

(3) algunos amigos míos (some of my friends)

(4) Aquella es de mis nietos, cuando eran bebes todavía ('Those are my grandchildren, when they were still babies.)

I can understand (1) and (2), but can I say "algunos de amigos míos"? Or, is "de" simply unnecessary?

And why is there a "de" in (4)? Does (4) omit "la foto" behind "es"? Or, could it be modified as "Aquellos son mis nietos, cuando eran bebes todavía"?

Answer 1

Aquella es de mis nietos, wrong

Aquella es una de mis nietas,

Those are my grandchildren = esos son mis nietos

I have a question for you, jeje :) - Kiwi-Girl, Oct 14, 2013

Thank you, chileno. - joygogo, Oct 14, 2013

You're welcome joygogo and shoot! Kiwi. :) - chileno, Oct 14, 2013

Answer 2

Hi there!

can I say "algunos de amigos míos"? Or, is "de" simply unnecessary?

de is unnecessary.

• Algunos amigos míos ? Some friends of mine.
• Algunos de mis amigos ? Some of my friends.

And why is there a "de" in (4)? Does (4) omit "la foto" behind "es"?

• Aquella (foto) es de mis nietos, cuando eran bebes todavía. ? That (picture) is my grandchildren's, when they were still babies. This is: my grandchildren appear in that picture and it was taken when they were still babies. Aquella is a pronoun, just like when in English you say that but you are really saying that picture.

Or, could it be modified as "Aquellos son mis nietos, cuando eran bebes todavía"?

Yes, it could. Chileno gave you a nice answer.
[Revise my English, please]

Crystal! Muchas gracias! - joygogo, Oct 14, 2013

Answer 3

but can I say "algunos de amigos míos"?

No, but you can say: Algunos de mis amigos. You would only want to use this wording to talk about a specific group within the group of friends that you have already mentioned earlier.

Chileno´s answer for # 4 is possible and so are yours. Without context it´s difficult to know, but for me Aquella referring to la foto makes the most sense.

To refer to a family member with aquel(la) rather than él(la) would not indicate a very loving relationship, but this too might be regional.

Thank you very much! - joygogo, Oct 14, 2013

Answer 4

chileno

Aquella es de mis nietos, cuando eran bebes todavía - wrong

How about if someone was pointing out some family photos and they pointed to one photo way down the hallway and said the above?

Thanks! - joygogo, Oct 14, 2013