Learn Hardcore Spanish (Latin America): Mi primo enciende su linterna en el bosque oscuro. - My cousin turns on his flashlight in the dark forest.

Enciende is the third-person singular present indicative of the verb encender, which means “to turn on” (a light, a device) or “to ignite.” In this sentence, Mi primo enciende… means “My cousin turns on…” or “My cousin is turning on…” depending on context.

Why is su used before linterna, and could I say la linterna instead?

Su is a possessive adjective meaning “his,” “her,” “your (formal),” or “their.” Here it means “his,” indicating that the flashlight belongs to the cousin. If you say la linterna, you get “the flashlight” with no indication of whose it is. You cannot say la su linterna, but you could say la linterna de él to stress “his flashlight.”

What does linterna mean, and how do I know it’s feminine?

Linterna means “flashlight.” In Spanish, most nouns ending in -a are feminine, so you use the article la: la linterna.

Why is it en el bosque and not just en bosque or en un bosque?

With concrete, countable places, Spanish typically requires an article after en, so you say en el bosque (“in the forest”). If you want to make it indefinite (“in a dark forest”), you can use en un bosque oscuro.

Why does oscuro come after bosque, and can I place it before?

Descriptive adjectives generally follow the noun in Spanish: bosque oscuro (“dark forest”). Placing the adjective before (oscuro bosque) is grammatically possible but sounds poetic or emphatic, not everyday speech. Also, adjective position can sometimes change nuance (e.g., un gran hombre vs. un hombre grande).

Could we say prende su linterna instead of enciende? What’s the difference between prender and encender?

Yes. In many Latin American regions, prender and encender are interchangeable when talking about turning on lights or devices: prender la luz, encender la luz. Encender is more universal across Spanish dialects, while prender is very common in Mexico and parts of Central and South America.

Why is the simple present enciende used instead of a progressive like está encendiendo?

Spanish uses the simple present for both habitual actions and actions happening now. Mi primo enciende su linterna can mean “My cousin turns on his flashlight” (habitually) or “is turning it on” (right now). The progressive está encendiendo emphasizes that the action is in progress, but for a quick action like flipping a switch, the simple present is more natural.

Why is bosque masculine even though it ends in -e?

Nouns ending in -e don’t follow a single rule for gender; they can be either masculine or feminine. Bosque happens to be masculine (el bosque). You learn each noun’s gender individually. That’s why it’s el bosque oscuro (not la bosque or bosque oscura).