Learn Hardcore Spanish (Latin America): Ellos van a recoger su equipaje y después vamos a regalar un libro a mi primo. - They are going to pick up their luggage, and then we are going to give a book to my cousin.

In Latin American Spanish, using ir + a + infinitive (like van a recoger) is a very common way to express an upcoming or near future event. While recogerán (the simple future) is also correct, it can sometimes sound more formal or less immediate. Both forms are acceptable, but van a recoger is more colloquial and emphasizes the proximity of the action.

Why is it su equipaje and not sus equipajes?

In Spanish, equipaje (luggage) is generally treated as a collective, singular noun referring to all of one’s luggage. Even if there are multiple pieces of luggage, Spanish speakers typically say su equipaje in the singular. Sus equipajes is grammatically correct if you really want to emphasize multiple items, but it’s not commonly used in everyday speech.

What does regalar mean, and how is it used differently from dar?

Regalar specifically means “to give as a gift,” whereas dar just means “to give.” When you say vamos a regalar un libro, you’re highlighting that the book is a present. If you just wanted to say, “We’re going to give a book,” without the context of gifting, you might use dar. But in this sentence, the focus is on the act of gifting.

Why do we use a mi primo instead of para mi primo?

In Spanish, when you give something to someone, you typically use a plus the indirect object (the person receiving the gift). So, regalar algo a alguien is the standard structure. Para can also mean “for,” but in direct expressions of giving a present to a person, a is used to show the action is directed toward that person.

Why does the sentence switch from Ellos to vamos? Isn’t that mixing subjects?

The sentence has two different actions performed by different groups:
• Ellos (they) are doing one thing: van a recoger su equipaje.
• Nosotros (we) are then doing something else: vamos a regalar un libro a mi primo.

This switch indicates that first they will pick up their luggage, and after that, we (a separate group that includes the speaker) will give a book to the speaker’s cousin. It’s perfectly normal in Spanish to change subjects mid-sentence as long as it’s clear who is performing which action.

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