¿A qué se dedica Alicia?

Question

What does that sentence mean? I am reading a letter that was written by Alicia, and I need to answer that question. There is another sentence exactly like that except it says, "¿A qué se dedica su padre'

Answer 1

Lazarus: Your 3rd example looks to me like a special case of the 1st (i.e. the danger=condenado eterno").

Answer 2

The complement with "de" can be omitted, if it is understood form the context

If that's the case, then why was SoKuhl "Siempre me salvas" not correct? The implication seems clear to me (Siempre me salvas cuando estoy en un lío/cuando no entiendo algo/cuando cometo un error...).

Answer 3

I can see you haven't checked the previous messages in this thread. Let me post it again:

:

In "siempre me salvas", the direct object is a person ("me"), and when this object is a person, the only compatible meanings of this verb with this construction in Spanish are these (Diccionario Manuel Seco): 1. Poner [a alguien o algo (cd)] a salvo [de un peligro]. 2. Evitar la muerte o la destrucción [de alguien o algo (cd)]. 3. Evitar que [alguien (cd)] se condene eternamente.

Answer 4

James said:

Interesting what Lazarus says about "Me salvas" sounding incomplete. I do see quite a few Internet hits with that phrase, and without being followed by "de...," but I don't doubt what L says. I also see that Psalm 18:35 of the Bible in Spanish is: Tú me proteges y me salvas, me sostienes con tu mano derecha; tu bondad me ha hecho prosperar.

The complement with "de" can be omitted, if it is understood form the context:

Sé que si me intentan pegar, tú me salvas (del peligro).

If the direct object is not a person, then no complement with "de" is required:

Supermán siempre me salva (la vida)

In "Tú me proteges y me salvas" it is the soul-saving meaning that I mentioned earlier (the 3rd possible option) for constructions with human CDir.

Answer 5

Interesting what Lazarus says about "Me salvas" sounding incomplete. I do see quite a few Internet hits with that phrase, and without being followed by "de...," but I don't doubt what L says.

I also see that Psalm 18:35 of the Bible in Spanish is:

Tú me proteges y me salvas, me sostienes con tu mano derecha; tu bondad me ha hecho prosperar.

Answer 6

Marco said:

lazarus1907 said:

SoKuhl said:

Ah! Gracías Lazarus! Siempre me salvas.

You're too kind! The sentence "Me salvas" doesn't make sense unless you specify what am I saving you from, even if this thing is implicit. An alternative here could be "Siempre vienes al rescate" (James is good at this kind of things).However, I appreciate, not just your politeness, but also the entry on "salvar" on my dictionary, which really helps me.

Hi lazarus, what is the infinitive verb form for "vienes"? I couldn't find it.Thank you,Marco

If you learn the rules for stem-changing verbs, they will help you when coming across forms like these to decipher what the infinite should be. venir is actually an irregular verb, not a typical stem-changing one, but still it's similar.

Answer 7

Dunia said:

Lazarus: I'm not a a teacher, but I don't agree at all about your opinion regarding the expression "siempre me salvas". For me it makes perfect sense and it is totally understandable. We have too the expression "salvado/a/s", that doesn't need any complement. I would like that other Spanish people could add a comment because I'm a little perplexed about it.

In "siempre me salvas", the direct object is a person ("me"), and when this object is a person, the only compatible meanings of this verb with this construction in Spanish are these (Diccionario Manuel Seco):

1. Poner [a alguien o algo (cd)] a salvo [de un peligro].
2. Evitar la muerte o la destrucción [de alguien o algo (cd)].
3. Evitar que [alguien (cd)] se condene eternamente.

The dictionary of Real Academia Española agrees with these meanings, but it doesn't explain how to use them. Which meaning exactly would be the one that fits into "SIempre me salvas"? Save him from a danger? Prevent his death or eternal damnation? To me that sounds like "save the day" in English, but maybe some people who speak English have used so often by imitating the English counterpart, that to them it sounds right. To me, it doesn't.

Answer 8

Lazarus,
I'm not a a teacher, but I don't agree at all about your opinion regarding the expression "siempre me salvas". For me it makes perfect sense and it is totally understandable.
We have too the expression "salvado/a/s", that doesn't need any complement.

I would like that other Spanish people could add a comment because I'm a little perplexed about it.

Answer 9

Marco said:

Hi lazarus, what is the infinitive verb form for "vienes"? I couldn't find it.

The infinitive is "venir", as other said", but your word should be written without the accent; otherwise it means "de la ciudad de Viena" (Viennese).

Answer 10

Marco said:

lazarus1907 said:

SoKuhl said:

Ah! Gracías Lazarus! Siempre me salvas.

You're too kind! The sentence "Me salvas" doesn't make sense unless you specify what am I saving you from, even if this thing is implicit. An alternative here could be "Siempre vienes al rescate" (James is good at this kind of things).However, I appreciate, not just your politeness, but also the entry on "salvar" on my dictionary, which really helps me.

Hi lazarus, what is the infinitive verb form for "vienes"? I couldn't find it.Thank you,Marco

Present form
(yo) vengo
(tú) vienes
(él) viene
(nosostros) venimos
(vosotros) venís
(ellos) vienen

Answer 11

Hi lazarus, what is the infinitive verb form for "vienes"? I couldn't find it.

Hope I'm not butting in, but Lazarus seems to be away from his computer for the moment.

Vienes is from venir meaning to come.

Answer 12

lazarus1907 said:

SoKuhl said:

Ah! Gracías Lazarus! Siempre me salvas.

You're too kind! The sentence "Me salvas" doesn't make sense unless you specify what am I saving you from, even if this thing is implicit. An alternative here could be "Siempre vienes al rescate" (James is good at this kind of things).However, I appreciate, not just your politeness, but also the entry on "salvar" on my dictionary, which really helps me.

Hi lazarus, what is the infinitive verb form for "vienes"? I couldn't find it.

Thank you,

Marco

Answer 13

SoKuhl said:

Ah! Gracías Lazarus! Siempre me salvas.

You're too kind! The sentence "Me salvas" doesn't make sense unless you specify what am I saving you from, even if this thing is implicit. An alternative here could be "Siempre vienes al rescate" (James is good at this kind of things).

However, I appreciate, not just your politeness, but also the entry on "salvar" on my dictionary, which really helps me.

Answer 14

lazarus1907 said:

SoKuhl said:

You can reply, "Mi padre se dedica medico (maestro, dentista, etc)".

You have the right idea, but not the right examples. The construction is:

se dedica a + [infinitive]

So you should say "Se dedica a limpiar / enseñar / construir /...:". Otherwise, change the structure, and say: "Es profesor / dentista /...".

Wow, that's exactly what I needed, thanks!

Answer 15

SoKuhl said:

You can reply, "Mi padre se dedica medico (maestro, dentista, etc)".

You have the right idea, but not necessarily the right examples. The construction is:

se dedica a + [infinitive]

So in theory you should say "Se dedica a limpiar / enseñar / construir /...:". Otherwise, change the structure, and say: "Es profesor / dentista /...".

Often there is a "ser" implicit, but it is not always advisable: "Se dedica a (ser) consejero".

The phrase "dedicarse a + [infinitive]" means "to have something as a regular activity", but this doesn't have to be a job: "Juan se dedica a coleccionar sellos".