Telling Time, a + el = al and the verb comenzar

¿Qué hora es?

El señor López termina el desayuno y grita de nuevo: — ¿Dónde está mi abrigo, dónde está mi sombrero?

A las siete en punto el señor López llega a la fábrica, a las siete y media visita los talleres, a las ocho y media habla con el director, a las nueve menos cuarto o menos diez comienza a trabajar y trabaja hasta las cuatro. El señor López regresa a casa de buen humor y por el camino compra flores para la señora de López.

Vocablos

Notes & Explanations

Pronunciation

In the word hora [ora], the consonant h is not pronounced. In the word ocho, the consonant ch is pronounced like the English sound [ch].

The meaning of words and expressions

If a possessive pronoun precedes a noun, the definite article before this noun is omitted.

According to this model:

Learn the expressions:

Telling Time in Spanish

In Spanish, cardinal numbers are used to indicate time.

Note that the feminine article la/las refers to the word la hora, which is usually omitted.

Remember:

Grammar points

1. The merge of the preposition a with the definite article

If the preposition a comes before the masculine singular definite article el, they usually merge, for example — a + el = al.

Before the feminine singular definite article la, the preposition a doesn’t change.

2. The conjugation of the verb comenzar in the present tense

The verbs whose conjugation deviates from the regular conjugation rules are called irregular verbs.

Depending on the degree of their deviation from the norm and the features that appear during conjugation, irregular verbs in Spanish can be divided into two categories:

1. Verbs of deviating conjugation
2. Verbs of individual conjugation

Verbs of deviating conjugation have fewer changes from the norm, but they are divided into five groups based on their deviations.

One of such verbs is the stem-changing verb comenzar — to begin, to start, which belongs to Group I of verbs of deviating conjugation.

Presente

comenzar to begin, to start

Note:

The verb comenzar is always used in combination with the preposition a and the infinitive form of a conjugated verb, for example:

The verb comenzar, as was mentioned earlier, belongs to the first group of verbs of deviating conjugation. During the conjugation of this verb, there is a certain deviation from the usual conjugation rules, namely: in all three persons of the singular and in the 3^rd person plural in the present tense, the stressed root vowel -e- is replaced by the diphthong -ie-. This deviation from the norm must be memorized, as it is a characteristic feature of all verbs in this group. More detailed information on the conjugation of this group of verbs will be provided in lesson 57.

Exercises

I. Answer the following questions:

¿Dónde está el sombrero? ¿Dónde está el abrigo? ¿A qué hora toma López el desayuno? ¿A qué hora llega a la fábrica? ¿A qué hora habla con el director? ¿Por qué compra flores López?

II. Fill in the blanks with the appropriate hour:

López toma el desayuno , llega a la fábrica en punto, visita los talleres , habla con el director , comienza a trabajar y trabaja hasta .

III. Translate into Spanish:

I begin to work at seven o’clock. I finish at three o’clock. We have breakfast at eight o’clock. We don’t work at the factory. They go to the factory at ten past eight and return at five to five. Mr. Lopez and Mrs. Lopez have breakfast and talk. At seven o’clock Mr. Lopez goes to the factory. She doesn’t work. When Mr. Lopez returns home, he buys flowers for Mrs. Lopez. Mr. Lopez comes back always at five o’clock sharp.

IV. Translate the given verbs into Spanish:

I shout
you shout (sing.)
he shouts
we shout
you shout (pl.)
they shout
you shout (p.f.)

they leave
you leave (pl.)
we leave
he leaves
you leave (sing.)
you leave (p.f.)
I leave