Breakdown of Mis amigos y yo iríamos al barrio nuevo, pero no confiamos en el transporte público.
yo
I
en
in
mi
my
nuevo
new
el amigo
the friend
y
and
a
to
ir
to go
pero
but
no
not
el barrio
the neighborhood
confiar
to trust
el transporte
the transportation
público
public
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Questions & Answers about Mis amigos y yo iríamos al barrio nuevo, pero no confiamos en el transporte público.
What does iríamos mean in this sentence, and why is the conditional mood used here rather than the present or future tense?
Iríamos is the conditional form of the verb ir (to go), translating as "we would go." It indicates that the action of going to the new neighborhood is hypothetical or dependent on certain conditions rather than being a definitive plan.
How is the contraction in al barrio nuevo formed, and why is al used instead of a el?
Al is a contraction of a (to) and el (the). Since barrio is masculine, a el becomes al. This contraction is a standard grammatical rule in Spanish to streamline pronunciation and maintain fluidity in speech.
Why is the adjective nuevo placed after the noun barrio rather than before it?
In Spanish, adjectives typically follow the noun when they provide a straightforward description. Here, nuevo (new) comes after barrio (neighborhood) to indicate a characteristic of the neighborhood. This word order differs from English, where adjectives usually appear before the noun, and is common in Spanish unless the adjective carries an inherent or subjective quality.
Why is confiamos in the present indicative while iríamos is in the conditional mood?
Confiamos is in the present indicative form of confiar (to trust), reflecting a current or habitual state, meaning "we don't trust." Although the plan to go to the new neighborhood is expressed conditionally with iríamos (we would go), the lack of trust in public transportation is seen as an ongoing or general attitude rather than a hypothetical situation.
Does Mis amigos y yo mean "my friends and I," and is this the typical order for listing people in Spanish?
Yes, Mis amigos y yo translates directly to "my friends and I." In Spanish, it is customary and polite to mention others first and oneself last when listing people, which is why the phrase is ordered this way.