Two Spanish verbs ‘to know’

Of the two verbs to know, the irregular saber is generally applied to facts, and the almost regular conocer to people and places. There are areas, however, where the two overlap, and either verb could be used—languages, for example:

• él sabe español, means he knows Spanish, and
• él conoce el español means he knows, or is acquainted with, the Spanish language.

One way to determine whether conocer can be used is to test whether the phrase “is acquainted with,” could be substituted for “know.”

When applying conocer to people, the preposition a is used. So:

• conoce Cervantes, means he knows the work of the author of Don Quixote, while
• conoce a Cervantes would mean he knows the writer.

Saber is used for “to know how to,” for example:

• ellos saben nadar (they know how to swim), and
• ella sabe tocar el piano (she knows how to play the piano).

Two Spanish verbs ‘to have’

The two verbs “to have” are tener and haber, and both irregular.

• Tener is used to show possession, tengo dos perros (I have two dogs), and
• haber as the auxiliary verb for forming compound tenses, for example,
• hemos llegado por fin (we have arrived at last).

The expression hay, derived from haber, is used to say “there is” or “there are.”  Hubo or había mean “there was/were.”

The verb haber can also be used in some instances for “must,” “should,” or “ought to.” For example,

• ha de ser difícil, (it must be difficult), or,
• has de conocer esta regla, (you ought to know this rule).

Dealing with the imperative

For indicating an imperative, such as tenemos que tomar el camión (we have to take the bus),  tener is used when the subject is specific. Tengo que ir (I have to go), tienes que entender (you have to understand), but haber can be used when you want something done, don’t want to do it yourself, wish someone else would do it, but would rather not appear to be pushy. This is all possible with the not so subtle “hay que…” Hay que recoger la mesa means the table has to be cleared. This is also useful for broad statements like hay que tener paciencia. The English equivalent “one has to be patient” is somehow stilted in comparison.

This article reviews a selection of common prepositions found in everyday language conversations,  and learning to use these will help you to increase your ability to express yourself more fully in Spanish.

Uses of the Spanish preposition “a”

Spanish prepositions are generally less troublesome as there are no phrasal verbs to contend with, although there are some exceptions and one good example is the multi-purpose “a,” which means: “to,” “at,” and can even mean “from” or “for.”

When you buy something from someone, in Spanish you use “a” and not “de.”

• Le compré el coche a mi vecino (with the shortened “se lo compré“), can mean I bought the car from my neighbor, or I bought the car for my neighbor.
• Likewise, le compré flores a mi esposa, can mean I bought flowers for my wife, or I bought flowers from my wife.

The context is usually sufficient for an understanding, unless you’re dealing with someone with extraordinary habits in durable goods purchases, or who is married to a florist.

In the event of possible confusion, “para” can be used to stress “for.”  Es para ti —it’s for you— but it would be wrong to use “de” to stress “from.”

Using the prepositions “at” and “to” in Spanish

The words “at” and “to” are usually translated with the simple “a“:

• At six o’clock, a las seis.
• We’re going to school. Vamos a la escuela.

There are some exceptions, for example:

• At once, would be de una vez, or en este instante.
• The expression “at all” becomes del todo.

Uses of the Spanish preposition “en”

For in and on, the word “en” covers many of the bases, but there are exceptions.

• On the table. En la mesa.
• In the spring. En la primavera.
• Speak in Spanish. Habla en español.
• He was hit on the head. Le pegaron en la cabeza.

Sobre also means “on” and can be used to specify “on top of” if there could be some doubt between in and on, and en could be ambiguous.

For example, dejé la carta sobre el escritorio, meaning the letter was left on top of the desk and not in a drawer or a tray or an integrated filing cabinet.

Sobre also means on in the sense of “about:”

• Una discusión sobre política, or even
• Una discusión de política.
• But not una discusión en política.

Acerca de is another way of saying “about.” I want to speak to you about the Christmas party. Quiero hablar contigo acerca de la fiesta de Navidad.

Sobre can also mean “over.” El avión voló sobre la ciudad. The plane flew over the city.  

Uses of the Spanish preposition “de”

Arriba de and encima de are used for “over” and “above,” but can also mean “on.”

• Sus calificaciones están por encima de las de sus compañeros. Her grades are above those of her classmates.
• El cepillo está encima del tocador. The hairbrush is on the dresser.
• Los viajeros ya están arriba del tren. The travelers are already on the train.

Uses of the Spanish preposition “en”

For months and years, Spanish uses en, just as English uses “in.”

• It usually rains in July. Normalmente llueve en julio.
• I was born in 1985. Nací en 1985 (mil novecientos ochenta y cinco).

But for days, where English uses “on,” Spanish uses the definite article, and always masculine since the word día is one of those that ends in ‘a’ but is masculine.

• She arrived late on Friday. Ella llegó tarde el viernes.
• He goes to church on Sundays. Él va a la iglesia los domingos. 

Quick reminder: days and months aren’t capitalized in Spanish.

Uses of the Spanish preposition “de” and “del”

The prepositions De and del mean both “of” and “from.”

• I came straight from work. Vine directo del trabajo.
• They have three of those dogs. Tienen tres de esos perros.

Using prepositions in Spanish related to “under”

Where English has several synonyms for under, such as beneath, underneath, and below, Spanish has abajo, debajo, and bajo. These are also often interchangeable.

• The dog is under the table. El perro está abajo de la mesa, or el perro está debajo de la mesa.
• Also, por abajo and por debajo. Los precios en esta tienda están por debajo del promedio de la zona. The prices in this store are below the average for the area.
• But “under no circumstances” is always: bajo ninguna circunstancia.

Por & Para: Spanish has two words for “for” — por and para, which is dealt with in this related article.

Using prepositions in Spanish related to “behind”

In a similar vein, atrás de, detrás de, and tras are words for behind.

• No lo vi atrás de la puerta. I didn’t see him behind the door.
• Se escondió detrás del árbol. She hid behind the tree.
• El ladrón ya está tras las rejas. The thief is now behind bars.

Prepositions used in comparisons

And then there are prepositions used in comparisons. In English you can say “different from,” “different to,” or even “different than”  (some people frown on the use of than), but “not the same as.”

Likewise in Spanish you can say este color es diferente (or distinto) de este otro, or mi opinión es diferente al tuyo, but if you say something is not the same as something else, you would use the preposition que. For example:

• No es lo mismo correr en el bosque que correr en la ciudad.
• Es diferente tomar agua que tomar cerveza.

The phrase igual a, literally equal to, also means “the same as” when comparing two people or things.

• Este cuadro es igual al original. This painting is the same as the original.
• La niña es igualita a su mamá. The girl is just like (or identical to) her mother—here using the diminutive igualita. [

Diminutives can be used in Spanish to enhance as well as diminish a word’s meaning, as described in this related article.

Expressions that don’t require a preposition

Some expressions in Spanish don’t require a preposition.

• Look at me is just mírame.
• Speak to him is háblale.

Actually, the ‘at’ and the ‘to’ are implicit in the pronoun referring to the indirect object. For example, throw her the ball is échale la pelota, while throw it (the ball) is échala. Throw it (the ball) to her is then échasela (la referring to la pelota.)

Speaking Spanish gives you access to the local culture and enables you to engage with people in ways that are simply not possible through third party translation and will enhance every experience you encounter in Mexico.

Conversation is the key to language fluency

It’s the everyday interactions with other people that give us the most value and most pleasure from being able to communicate in another language.  Developing your ability to converse in Spanish requires a regular exercise of your vocabulary, and confidence.

The online course offered by our associate is helpful when

• you visit Mexico frequently and want to converse in Spanish for leisure, lifestyle, or for work;
• you’re already living in Mexico and want to improve your Spanish language conversation skills;
• you plan to move to Mexico and you’d like to arrive prepared to converse more confidently.

You can choose from pricing plans depending on how many lessons you want per week.

Each course is tailored based on your current skill level and language learning goals, and your free assessment also includes a lesson test-run over a video call.

True beginner

When you want to get started speaking Spanish for the first time, a coach will help you to build a solid foundation and get you conversing in Spanish.  You will be speaking Spanish from day one of the course.  This is ideal for those who have never studied Spanish before or those who studied it many years ago but don’t remember much, or anything, from those studies.

False beginner

When you’re someone who’s had previous experiences with trying to learn Spanish but still can’t string a sentence together, this course can help you to retrieve the information you’ve stored over the years, unlock what you already know, and develop new vocabulary and skills while building confidence speaking Spanish in everyday situations.   It’s ideal when you understand more Spanish than you can speak or lack confidence when you need to express yourself in Spanish.

Intermediate learner

When you have a good basic grasp of Spanish, but you sense that you’ve reached a plateau you can’t overcome or need to develop confidence to speak Spanish with strangers or in public, this course can help you to make material advances in your current Spanish language capabilities.  Most language students get stuck in a loop and need some help at some point, and a coach will assess your current level with a view to structuring a course to help you reach your goals.  This is ideal when you’ve tried other courses that don’t seem to work, or sense that your vocabulary and sentence structure need to be sharper or more refined.

Intermediate-advanced learner

When you’re seeking to improve your Spanish language capabilities for specific purposes, for example, as part of a career development plan or due to some other specialized interest, your intermediate-advanced skills can benefit by having the course structured to your more advanced needs or professional goals.   For example, you might need to learn Spanish in the context of medical, scientific, business, educational, or technical disciplines.  This course is ideal for those who have a decent command of the Spanish language, but who want to sharpen their abilities and gain others’ trust when speaking in Spanish, especially in formal or business situations.

Someone who wants to learn Spanish for living in Mexico

If you’re living in Mexico, or plan to make a move here in the future, this online course can also help you to improve your Spanish language skills to face everyday lifestyle situations in Mexico.  Language lifestyle conversations are helpful when you are already living here and want to improve your language skills, or you visit Mexico frequently, or plan to move to Mexico in future—so that you can arrive prepared with language and vocabulary skills that will enable you to converse confidently in lifestyle situations you’ll encounter when you’re here.

Every course is tailored to your current skill level

Every course is tailor-made for each student.

Request a free consultation today and our language associate will take the time to assess your current language skill level on a video call and talk about your goals and intentions in regard to improving your Spanish language conversation skills, with no obligation.

Your free assessment also includes a lesson test-run via video-call, and if you enjoy the format you can choose to sign-up for a course that will be tailored to your current Spanish language proficiency and language learning goals.

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Pero – the most commonly used

The most commonly used is pero, and it will do for most instances, e.g.

• Llegué tarde, pero sin sueño. I arrived late, but I’m not sleepy;
• No hay tortillas, pero sí hay pan. There are no tortillas, but there is bread;
• No sé si es correcto, pero lo voy a decir. I don’t know if this is right, but I’m going to say it.

Pero can also be used as a noun, as in no pongas peros, which means don’t make excuses, and is roughly equivalent to the English expression “no ifs, ands, or buts.”

Mas – without an accent

Mas without an accent —it has an accent when it means ‘more’— can substitute pero, although its use is generally more literary and it’s not heard often in everyday speech:

• Me gusta el rojo, mas [pero] no el verde. I like the red one but not the green one;
• Te perdono, mas [pero] no lo vuelvas a hacer. I forgive you, but don’t do it again.

Sino – used to describe an alternative

Sino should be used for constructions of  “not this, but that,” e.g.

• La casa no es roja, sino amarilla. The house isn’t red, but yellow.
• El camión de basura no viene los martes sino los miércoles. The garbage truck doesn’t come on Tuesdays but on Wednesdays.

Nouns or adjectives following sino can stand alone, their context being clear from what went before.

You could say: “El camión de basura no viene los martes, pero sí viene los miércoles“.

However, if you said just “no viene los martes pero los miércoles” the listener would be left waiting for the rest of the clause implied by the use of pero.  If that listener were a grumpy grammarian, he might say, ¿pero los miércoles qué?

Sino can also be followed by longer clauses or sentences, for example:

• No me molesta que las películas siempre tengan violencia, sino que siempre tengan finales larguísimos.

Substitutions in Spanish for the word ‘But’

Like English, Spanish has longer words that can be substituted for but, such as however, or nevertheless:

• Sin embargo is the most common; and
• No obstante, can mean ‘however’ or ‘nevertheless’, but can also be followed by a noun and mean ‘despite,’ or ‘notwithstanding’; for example,
• “No obstante la lluvia, dimos un paseo por el bosque.” Despite the rain we went for a walk in the woods.

Applying grammar as you build vocabulary

One argument used for this approach is that if small children can speak and understand language without knowing grammar, why shouldn’t adults?  This is of course nonsense.  Children may not know it, but when they start to speak they are in fact applying grammar as they gradually build up their vocabulary.

As with other skills that contain a practical and a theoretical side, the theory is useless to anyone who hasn’t got a handle on the basics.  The theory of chess openings is meaningless to someone who hasn’t learned how the pieces move.  An academic could define scales, stops, and intervals until the cows come home and be unable to play the simplest tune.  Reading about the grammatical rules of Spanish before you can say buenos días can test the patience of most.

Grammar is the framework for language mastery

Unless the language student is a fan of grammar for grammar’s sake, this is a sure way to make the language boring, and the learning of it intolerable. Hence the kind of outburst mentioned above.

One advantage of learning —perhaps by heart— a basic set of grammar rules is that they can be applied to new vocabulary and situations with a fair amount of success. One rule for conjugating regular verbs, for example, will be applicable to all those verbs.

Most people agree that Spanish grammar is fairly straightforward, so to learn the basic rules as you go along makes more sense than to reject grammar out of hand as some unnecessary obstacle to speaking and understanding.

In the end, it doesn’t matter whether you learn “book Spanish” first and then add conversation and listening comprehension, or take a conversation course first and then begin to synthesize the rules.

To master the language, you will have to do both in the end.

Same things, different names

Some changes are merely the use of different names for things: whereas Americans say elevator and the British say lift, the Spanish use ascensor when in Mexico it is known as elevador.  Americans say faucet and the British say tap, while in Mexico llave is used exclusively, and the word grifo is virtually unknown.

Mexican Spanish hasn’t adopted its own spelling for certain words, as the US ‘er’ and ‘or’ endings instead of ‘re’ and ‘our’, probably because the Spanish language is phonetic.

Spanish language adoption of English words

Also, both Spain and Mexico have adopted certain English words, the so-called anglicismos, but not necessarily the same ones. The Spanish call donuts (doughnuts) donuts, and not donas as they’re called in Mexico.  Apparently no one uses the actual Spanish word rosquilla.  The Spanish use the word bacón for bacon, and in Mexico it’s known as tocino.

On the other hand, while Mexicans use the anglicized computadora, the Spanish refer to their PCs as ordenadores.  Mexicans call a laptop una laptop (feminine like computadora) or even “la lap” for short, while the Spanish use many more syllables and call it an ordenador portátil.

Apparently no one is consistent in their fussiness.

Grammatical difference with second person plural

A major grammatical change is in the second person plural.  Whereas the Spanish still use vosotros, and its verb endings ‘eis’, ‘ais‘, and ‘is‘, in Mexico the plural ‘you’ is ustedes, and the verb endings are those which apply to the third person plural, ellos and ellas.

For some Spanish people, this use of language is nothing short of barbaric, while for most Mexicans, to use vosotros, unless you are Spanish, is pompous and old-fashioned.

Being mindful of language-nuance sensitivities

If you happen to be British, it’s probable that at some point your Mexican friends and acquaintances will congratulate you on speaking the true English.  Most “Brits” will respond to this with “por supuesto” —of course— and perhaps only a few will give the Americans credit for making some logical and sensible adaptations to the language.

But one thing you would be wise not to do is suggest that, just as ‘British English’ is the real language, the peninsular use of Spanish is probably the right way to speak castellano.

Two verbs to ‘be’ in Spanish

Translated literally —”Neither are all those that are, nor are all those that are”— it’s nonsensical.  But among the grammatical complications of Spanish are its two verbs “to be:”

• ser is used for permanence or existence; whereas
• estar refers to a temporary state, such as in a place, condition, or situation.

One correct translation of the phrase this article began with would be: “Neither are all those that are here the ones, nor are all those that are the ones here.”

Implicit subjects in verb conjugations

Spanish also allows for implicit subjects, which are usually clear from the context and the verb conjugation.

So “no está” can mean “he’s not here,” while “no es” would be “it’s not him,” or “he’s not the one.”  Since things can’t be permanent and temporary at once (?), rarely are the two verbs interchangeable without changing the meaning.

One exception could be marriage. “Está casada“ means “she’s married,” so does “es casada.“  But rather than a reflection on the likely duration of the marriage, the former could be left as “she’s married” and the latter —applying the implicit noun or pronoun— “she’s a married woman.”

Both verbs are irregular, although ser is a bit more irregular that estar.

One similar expression, “¿me explico?“ —am I explaining myself?, or am I making myself clear?— is fairly common in Mexico, and particularly galling.

Like its counterpart “¿me entiendes?,” “¿me explico?” comes across as speaking down to the listener, with the added poison of fake humility.  Both carry the  implication that any failure to comprehend (and of course agree) is caused by the faulty intellect of the receiver.

The online discussion at BBC Mundo brought to mind MAD magazine’s series of snappy answers to stupid questions.

These annoying inserts are usually rhetorical and don’t require a response, although using one of the following replies to “¿me explico?” can throw the speaker off for a second, elicit a puzzled look, cause him (o ella, ¿me entiendes?) to lose the thread of the commentary, and sooth the injured self-esteem of the listener:

• 1. “No.“
• 2. “Sí por favor.“
• 3. “Sí, pero no entiendo.“
• 4. “No sé, ¿te explicas?“

The problem with this is that it assumes the listener is as sensitive as the speaker is insensitive and feels insulted by what is most likely an inadvertent use of a phrase, in which case it would be better to just get over it—supéralo, o sea.

Language opens your access to the culture

Language is a primary instrument that gives you access to a foreign culture, and being able to converse in Spanish —even at a basic conversational level— will make every experience you encounter in Mexico richer, and more meaningful to you.

Spanish is an important language that is widely spoken around the the world, and Mexican Spanish is polite, clear, and easy to understand.  The speed at which the language is spoken in Mexico is not as accelerated as it is Spain and some South American countries, and the pronunciation is softer, which makes the language easier to ‘pick-up’ and easier for beginners to learn.

PinPoint Spanish series shares valuable insights

PinPoint Spanish is an extensive series of articles which help you to study Mexican Spanish language usage and additionally, provide context and nuance of the language as it’s contemporarily spoken and applied in everyday situations across Mexico.

The series is an ideal study resource for beginners who want to get a wider perspective of the language beyond the basic mechanics and grammar, while intermediate and advanced students of the language will particularly enjoy the insights the articles share about the subtle nuances and everyday practical uses of Mexican Spanish.

Spanish language resources on Mexperience

Mexperience offers you knowledge and connections to help you learn and improve your Spanish language capabilities:

• Enjoy dozens of language insight articles through our PinPoint Spanish series
• Connect to our Learning Spanish section for more advice
• Find online Spanish courses to help you develop your conversation skills
• Discover language schools in Mexico where you can participate in a class in-person, or online

Common terms for streets in Mexico

The most common term seen and used in Mexico is “calle” —street— with calle principal indicating a main route, usually crossing or connecting smaller streets adjacent.  The fancier avenida, or avenue, and even bulevar may also be employed when the need for distinction arises.

Camino, the equivalent of ‘road’ or ‘way’ in English, is less commonly seen and used in Mexico, and is a word that can also serve to describe a person’s journey: va en camino, he’s on his way—or distinctly, va por su camino which translates to ‘he’s making his own way (in life)’.

Callejón indicates a narrow road or alley, and retorno stipulates a dead-end or cul-de-sac, with the Spanish in this case more practical in letting the wanderer know there’s no point going there without a specific reason.  Retorno can also indicate a loop or opportunity to U-turn or double-back over a bridge or under a tunnel to cross-over to the other side of a road; on some roads it could also be a wide space within a camellón (median strip) reserved for that purpose.

Related to retorno is cerrada, which is oftentimes used to describe a private road with a dead-end; privada might also be used in this context.

Another term you’ll come across when driving in Mexico the word crucero which means junction.  Related to crucero is the word entronque, which means to connect, or merge.  Junctions are most often signed when they require additional precautions to be exercised, —for example, Entronque Peligroso— where a road merges with another on the left hand side of the adjoining highway (overtaking lane) instead of the (more-usual) merge lane on the right.

Freeways and tolled highways

Moving onto trunk roads, there are two ways of referring to a highway: carretera and autopista; and these are sometimes referred to (or signed on highways) as ‘Libre‘ (freeway) or ‘Cuota‘ (tollway), respectively.

Carretera is akin to the U.S. freeway and most often refers to the federally-funded interstate roads which connect main towns and cities, but may also refer to a primary trunk road around a town or city.  These are usually not tolled, and most are two-lane highways; some have stretches for overtaking slow vehicles.  You might see these signed as ‘Libre‘ on highways.

Autopista (and its related term, ‘cuota’) are words reserved to describe tolled interstate highways in Mexico—some of which run alongside, or nearby, carreteras federales. You might see these signed as ‘Cuota‘ on highways.

The toll fee is called peaje although tolled highways in Mexico are rarely if ever referred to using that word.

Streets alongside ocean scenes

Seaside resorts, and the roads or highways connecting them, have their costeras, or coast roads.  These describe streets or roads which can vary in size and importance, but which invariably run along the seafront.  Inside coastal towns alongside some costeras you may find el malecón—a pedestrian boardwalk or esplanade facing the waterfront, some of which might also include a lane for pedal-bikers, and those using skates and skateboards.

Miscellaneous street terms in Mexico

Some other related terms you may encounter in journey parlance here include:

• lateral, which refers to a parallel side road that may be situated alongside any main urban road, or carretera, or autopista, and separated by a camellón—a central reservation or median strip;
• libramientos, which can sometimes be part of a carretera or autopista refer to ‘relief roads,’ built specifically to route passing traffic away from, or around, a town or city center;
• periférico refers to a ring road (or beltway) around a town, city, or place;
• in Mexico City, the stretches of tolled elevated beltway raised primarily above the capital’s original beltway (anillo periferico) is colloquially referred to as El Segundo Piso.  You need a ‘Tag’ on your vehicle’s dashboard or windshield to use the electronically controlled gates which give drivers access to the tolled level of roadway;
• for those traveling on foot: footpaths, nature trails, and ancient pathways are commonly described as senderos, whereas formal pedestrian walkways, or shopping streets closed to traffic, are referred to as a paseo peatonal; and
• paseo that means a walk or a drive, and pasear means to go for a walk, or a ride, or a drive. The word pasear is somewhat more versatile than what the average dictionary can accommodate: it can also mean go out with no particular purpose or plan, maybe hang out at the mall, grab a coffee, browse the stores, watch a movie, or just wander about. It’s also used as a term to mean going away, being away, or having been away on vacation—voy/estoy/estuve de paseo.

But Mexican speech is polite even by Spanish or Latin American standards. As with many modern languages, English excepted, Spanish has two forms for the word you: the formal usted and the informal tú.

Most people form their own ideas about when and to whom the polite form should apply, and when the chummier tú is in order.

You may imagine that the difficulties only exist with people you don’t know well, since friends and family will almost always be tú.

But what would appear to be a straightforward matter of categorizing other people —and ultimately yourself— actually turns out to be a rather complex maze in which it’s beyond most people’s ability to be congruent.

There’s no getting away from the class element which lies at the heart of the matter, but it’s not always a case of superior and inferior (although it can be). It’s often a case of like and unlike, and age also plays a role. You may think to address the plumber as tú, except that he may be twenty years your senior and was probably called-in after you flooded the kitchen trying to repair what started out as a simple drip. Usted would be quite correct.

In nearly all the service trades in Mexico, the formal usted is the preferred usage in conversations between the provider and the customer, whether it’s at the corner shop, in a restaurant, a taxi, or at the hairdressers. One’s elders ought to be addressed as usted, at least to start with, so probably ought figures of authority, and grumpy-looking people in general.

Tú is the common form used to children, among teachers and their students, co-workers—and strangers arguing over parking spaces: it’s hard to vent in the polite form.

Children can call everyone tú, so can the outgoing and self-confident; while people just learning Spanish can happily get them mixed up along with their corresponding verb forms. (Usted takes the same verb form as the third person singular, and this can be a source of confusion even among native speakers, particularly when using the imperative which takes a subjunctive form with usted.)

Grammar aside, what happens when you’re calling somebody tú and they’re addressing you as usted, or vice-versa? Often this seems normal and no one is uncomfortable with it, but occasionally it can make a conversation stilted, with each speaker trying to avoid any direct reference to the other as a way out of the dilemma. Anyway, it’s better to start with the polite form and progress to the informal, than it is to go the other way.

No one I know of has ever suffered any serious emotional damage from being wrongly addressed, and so the problem, if there is one, is of perception. And you know you may be going native if someone calls you tú and you think they might not unreasonably have addressed you as usted.

As for the Colombian student, some people politely agreed that he was probably right about the expression mande. Of course there’s no reason for the speaker to ‘command.’  It might have been more in-keeping with the time and place to point out that it doesn’t mean ‘command’ at all, it means ‘pardon?’ Otherwise, why would people who always address each other using the informal tú say ¿mande? when it’s in the imperative polite form?

¿Qué? I hear someone saying.

More about language and social etiquette

More insights about the the use of language and social etiquette in Mexico

• Guide to social etiquette in Mexico
• Articles about local customs
• PinPoint Spanish: learn about the nuances of Mexican Spanish

Ability to use ‘to be able’

It so happens that the equivalent “to be able” is also a cause of many headaches for Spanish speakers learning English, starting with the baffling infinitive, and progressing through the maze of different uses of “could.”

The conditional and imperfect subjunctive of poder are formed in the same way as with other verbs:

• podría, podrías, podríamos, etc., and
• pudiera (pudiese), pudieras, pudiéramos etc.

The tenses apply as they do for other verbs mentioned in the related article.

It could get confusing

The problem lies more in the English word “could,” which can be simple past, imperfect, conditional, or even a sort of implied subjunctive. English speakers usually don’t consider which of these is the case, making the choice of the right Spanish tense more difficult. Here are some examples:

• I could watch that film a dozen times — yo podría ver esa película una y otra vez*
• I would go there every year if I could — iría allá todos los años si pudiera

The simple past and imperfect

Less straightforward is when to use the imperfect “podía“ and when the simple past tense “pude” etc. In some cases the very same expression can have two different meanings.

Usually the imperfect suggests a temporary or ongoing ability to do, or not do, something, while the simple past refers to something that’s finished, for example:

• No pudimos ir a tu fiesta — we couldn’t go to your party; but
• No podíamos ir a fiestas — we couldn’t, or weren’t allowed, to go to parties;
  and
• Él no podía hacer su tarea — he couldn’t do his homework  (because he didn’t understand the subject); but
• No pudo hacer su tarea — because he was sick or didn’t have a pencil.

* No one in Spanish uses the word “docena” for dozen in the figurative sense, only literally, such as una docena de huevos—a dozen eggs. On the other hand, Spanish does use decenas to convey many but not necessarily hundreds, for which “tens” in English would be a poor translation; see also Ordinal Numbers in Spanish