Breakdown of El autobús se detiene antes de la curva para dejar pasar a los peatones.
para
for
a
to
antes de
before
el autobús
the bus
pasar
to pass
dejar
to let
el peatón
the pedestrian
detenerse
to stop
la curva
the curve
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Questions & Answers about El autobús se detiene antes de la curva para dejar pasar a los peatones.
Why does the sentence use se detiene instead of just detiene?
The verb detenerse is pronominal/reflexive and means to stop or come to a halt. The se is required; without it, detiene would mean (he/she) detains or arrests.
What function does para serve in para dejar pasar?
Para + infinitive introduces a purpose clause (in order to). So para dejar pasar = in order to let (them) pass.
Why is there an a in dejar pasar a los peatones?
Spanish uses the personal a when the direct object is a person or animal. Since peatones are people, we say dejar pasar a los peatones.
Could we use antes de que instead of antes de in this sentence?
No. Antes de que requires a following verb in the subjunctive because it introduces a temporal clause (before something happens). Here antes de la curva is spatial (before the curve in the road), so you use antes de + noun.
How do I know if antes de la curva is talking about time or place?
Look at the context: it describes the bus’s physical location (just before the turn). If it were time, you’d see an event after antes de que. Here it’s about position, so it’s spatial.
Why does autobús have an accent on the ú?
Autobús is an aguda (stress on the last syllable) ending in s, so Spanish orthography requires a written accent on the final ú.
Can I say frena instead of se detiene?
Yes. Frenar means to brake (emphasizing the mechanical action), while detenerse is more general (to stop). Both work, but the nuance differs.
Is camión interchangeable with autobús in Latin America?
In many regions (especially Mexico), camión is the everyday term for a city bus. Elsewhere people might say autobús, bus or ómnibus.
Why do we say los peatones instead of just peatones?
When speaking about a whole category in general, Spanish uses the definite article. So los peatones = pedestrians (in general).
What does curva mean here, and why is it feminine?
Curva means curve or bend of the road. Spanish nouns have gender; curva is feminine, so it takes la.