two different ways to smell
I know "oler" means to smell but there are 2 different ways...
Jonathan smells (bad) Jonathan smells (the roses)
One is an oder you give off and the other is the act of using your sense of smell
How do I differentiate between the two in Spanish?
1 Answer
How do you the same in English?
It has to do with whether you use it transitively or intransitively (and what is the subject). Is something smelling something, or does something just smell?
In your sentence- Jonathan smells, he is not smelling something unless you put what he is smelling. Otherwise I get the sense he has a strong odor. And note the difference between Jonathon smells roses and Jonathon smells of roses.
http://www.spanishdict.com/translate/oler
TRANSITIVE VERB
- (to perceive the smell of)
a. to smell
Huelo el humo en la ropa de mi esposo cuando fuma.I smell the smoke on my husband's clothes when he smokes.
INTRANSITIVE VERB
- (to have a scent)
a. to smell
"Huele a gas" en este cuarto.It smells like gas in this room.
Este jabón huele muy rico.This soap smells very nice.
Note in the sentence- Huele a gas- it smells of gas, if you take out "a" - Huele gas- it now can be interpreted as he smells gas.
