Conjugation Question Help

Question

Hola Amigos! I am in the process of learning Spanish and I am trying to wade my way through some grammatical problems I am encountering. We know that when a second, third, fourth, etc. verb follows one that is conjugated, they are generally left in the infinitive. However, I have a book that doesn't do a good job explaining some things, so I hope that you can help me. Please excuse the lack of accent marks, but here is where I am having a problem. The sentence reads: Segun mi padre, los jovens deben asistir a clase todos los dias. This sentence follows the rule about not conjugating the verbs that follow one that is conjugated, but this next sentence doesn't seem to and I am trying to figure out why: Por eso nosotros leemos o escribimos. Why would "escribimos" be conjugated in this situation? Thank you, Mike

So any time any word other than a verb follows a conjugated verb, it too is conjugated? Or only when “o” is used? If that be the case, what if you had some other verb following escribimos, would that too be conjugated, or left in the infinitive? Thank y - RW1982, Mar 26, 2014

Answer 1

The latter sentence translates to: That's why we read or we write. "Nosotros" corresponds to both "read" and "write," so they are both conjugated. In Spanish you do not always have to use the subject before the verb, that's why this sentence can be a little confusing.

Thanks, but I am trying to figure out what this exception is so that I may apply it. - RW1982, Mar 26, 2014

Answer 2

It's not conjugated because it has an "or" (o) in between the two words. This separates the grouping.

You totally missed it. The verbs must be conjugated in that sentence. - DualG, Mar 26, 2014