Log inSign up

El autobús se detiene antes de la curva para dejar pasar a los peatones.

El autobús se detiene antes de la curva para dejar pasar a los peatones.
The bus stops before the curve to let pedestrians pass.
FromLesson 17inHardcore Spanish (Latin America)

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

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.
AI Language TutorTry it ↗
“How does verb conjugation work in Spanish?”
Spanish verbs change form based on the subject, tense, and mood. Regular verbs follow predictable patterns depending on whether they end in ‑ar, ‑er, or ‑ir. For example, "hablar" (to speak) becomes "hablo" (I speak), "hablas" (you speak), and "habla" (he/she speaks) in the present tense.

Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor

Start learning Spanish

Master Spanish — from El autobús se detiene antes de la curva para dejar pasar a los peatones to fluency

All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods.

  • ✓ Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
  • ✓ Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
  • ✓ Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
  • ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions
Start learning Spanish freeBrowse the full course