Can I get the keys later?

Question

does this sound ok? I am travelling to Ibiza but am going to arrive at my apartment late...

llegamos a la una de la manana el 2 de octubre, por eso seria posible de obtener las llaves por la noche? lo siento por la molestia.

Also, to sweeten what I am saying, I'd like to say, "if this is a problem, I have a friend who is Spanish and ibizan. He can collect the keys in the afternoon."

Si eso es un problema, tengo un amigo español de Ibiza. este amigo podria recoger las llaves por la tarde"

Welcome to SpanishDict. - rac1, Sep 19, 2015

Good question, you're making us think, great! - annierats, Sep 19, 2015

Welcome to the forum , we want to help you so fill out your profile If you have a problem PM a mod Bienvenido al foro. Queremos ayudarle, entonces hay que llenar su perfil. Si hay un problema, envíe un mensaje personal (PM) - ray76, Sep 19, 2015

Answer 1

This is not late in Spain, I doubt you will have a problem.

Your sentence will be understood.

Suggestion ( note I'm not a native):

No llegarémos al apartemento hasta la una.... Espero que no haya problema con la recogida de las llaves a esta hora de la mañana, no quiero molestar a ustedes.

The second sentence is good, maybe just say : Tengo A un amigo quién podría...( personal a).

Interesting, I voted for you hours ago because I liked your version of the first sentence and thought the second to be fine. I think tengo un amigo de Ibiza does not need a personal a. - bosquederoble, Sep 19, 2015

But once you change to "tengo a un amigo que" (I would say que there, but I think quien is okay?)- I also feel the need for the personal a. I will have to study what is correct with all that once I get a chance. :) - bosquederoble, Sep 19, 2015

No, no personal a, unless you mean something beyon - bosquederoble, Sep 19, 2015

Beyond simply to have. :) - bosquederoble, Sep 19, 2015

ok, mistake, but what do you mean? Beyond what? - annierats, Sep 19, 2015

I added a link. I knew there were some times the rule not to use it with tener was broken. :) - bosquederoble, Sep 20, 2015

Answer 2

I agree with Annie but the personal A is not necessary (tengo un amigo), although I can´t explain why - just that it sounds unnatural. Also in this context obtener sounds strange - recoger is better and " lo siento por la molestia" sounds better as: perdón la molestia.

Tener is just one of those exceptions to the rule regarding the personal "a" No biggie. - Daniela2041, Sep 19, 2015

Yes,Julian, I agree I was thinking what i WOuld have said , before I opned up the thread and started reading peoples' responses and I would have used recoger , too :) - FELIZ77, Sep 19, 2015

ok, I give over on personal a.. - annierats, Sep 19, 2015

This is not such a simple exception because sometimes we use the personal "A" with "tener", ie: "En mi casa tengo a mi mujer, a mis hijos, y a mi suegra". It´s more a case of associated words - 005faa61, Sep 19, 2015

Thanks Julian. - rac1, Sep 20, 2015

Thanks Julian, this eplains why I was not understood when I said tengo a mi marido. When I said he was in thecar with abroken leg, it was understood, but I made some error at teh beginning, they looked at me blankly. As so often. . - annierats, Sep 20, 2015

Answer 3

A link for Annie:

http://spanish.about.com/od/usingparticularverbs/a/tener_a.htm

Although the verb tener typically means "to have" in the sense of "possess," its meaning can change, sometimes subtly, when it precedes the preposition a.

With the personal "a"

The personal a typically doesn't need to follow tener. But when it does, it can suggest emotional closeness.

Siempre voy a tener a mis primas en mi corazón. I will always have my cousins in my heart. Tengo a mis hijos que adoro. I have my children whom I adore. The personal a similarly is retained when one person is holding another: Selena tiene a su bebe en sus brazos. Selena has her baby in her arms.

The personal a also can be retained to make clear that the object of tener is a specific person, even though no specific person is named in the sentence:

Tim Burton ya tiene a su "Alicia" para su versión de "Alicia en el País de las maravillas." Tim Burton already has his "Alice" for his version of "Alice in Wonderland." El candidato presidencial ya tiene a su vicepresidente, pero decidió mantener el suspense y no va a revelar ni una letra sobre su "número dos". The presidential candidate already has his vice president, but he decided to keep up the suspense and isn't going to reveal even a clue about his "number two." La entrenadora tiene a dos jugadores más en mente para el equipo. The coach has two more players in mind for the team.

To indicate influence

Just as "have" sometimes does in English, tener a can be used to indicate in a vague way that one is causing someone or something to behave a certain way or have a certain quality. Some examples may make this concept clearer.

A common way to do this in Spanish is to use the sentence construction of "tener + a + noun + present verbal participle." (A present verbal participle in Spanish is often known as a gerund and is the verb form that ends in -ando or -iendo.) As these examples show, a similar sentence construction can often be used in the English translation:

Tengo a alguien escribiendo mis cartas. I have someone writing my letters. Tengo a mi familia trabajando conmigo. I have my family working with me. Adobe tiene a Flash funcionando en el iPhone. Adobe has Flash working in the iPhone. Tenía a todos llorando por su salida. He had everyone crying at his departure. Hay muchos que no tienen a tanta gente pensando en ellos. There are many who don't have enough people thinking about them. Other sentence constructions can also be used with tener a with a similar meaning: Siempre tenemos a Britney como ejemplo. We always have Britney as an example. El programa de televisión tiene a Keane como protagonista. The television program has Keane as the main character. Kristina tiene al marido feliz. Kristina keeps her husband happy. El FBI tiene a la casa como centro de operaciones. The FBI uses the house as a center of operations. Nadie sabe por qué Katrina tiene al coche así. Nobody knows why Katrina keeps her car that way.

Giving birth

In context, the use of tener a can refer to giving birth, just as "to have" can in English. Ángela tiene a gemelos. Angela is having twins.

Tengo 32 años y acabo de tener a mi segundo hijo. I am 32 years old and just had my second child.

Thanks Bosque, I'm superstresed, my husband wants to watch the ruby on my computer, I'll look at it some time.. You know about me and links! - annierats, Sep 20, 2015

Rugby, I mean. - annierats, Sep 20, 2015

That's why I brought the whole link over. - bosquederoble, Sep 20, 2015

Answer 4

Hello Gerodie Spanish speaker and welcome to the SpanishDict forum )

You said/asked:

does this sound ok? I am travelling to Ibiza but am going to arrive at my apartment late... llegamos a la una de la manana el 2 de octubre, por eso seria posible de obtener las llaves por la noche? lo siento por la molestia. Also, to sweeten what I am saying, I'd like to say, "if this is a problem, I have a friend who is Spanish and ibizan. He can collect the keys in the afternoon." Si eso es un problema, tengo un amigo español de Ibiza. este amigo podria recoger las llaves por la tarde"

You made a good attempt!

I would say:

Llegaremos a la una de la mañana, el 2 de Octobre. Llegaré tarde a mi apartamento. ¿Podría recoger mis llaves en la noche? Disculpe la molestia. Si hay problema, tengo un amigo español de Ibiza que podría recoger las llaves en la tarde..

= We will arrive at one in the morning, on the 2nd of October,. I will arrive at my apartment late. Could I collect my keys at night? (during the night? I'm sorry to trouble you. If there is a problem, I have a Spanish friend from Ibiza that could collect the keys in the day..

I hope this helps