Mi amigo asiste a la clase de música los viernes.

My friend attends music class on Fridays.

Breakdown of Mi amigo asiste a la clase de música los viernes.

• mi: my
• el amigo: the friend
• el viernes: the Friday
• asistir a: to attend
• la clase de música: the music class

Questions & Answers about Mi amigo asiste a la clase de música los viernes.

Why isn’t there an article before mi amigo?

In Spanish, you don’t use an article with a possessive adjective. You say mi amigo (my friend), not el mi amigo. The possessive mi already defines whose friend it is, so an extra article would be redundant.

What does the verb asistir mean here, and why is it followed by a?

Asistir a means “to attend” or “to be present at.” It’s always constructed with the preposition a before the event or place you attend:
• asistir a la clase – to attend the class
• asistir a un concierto – to attend a concert
You cannot drop the a (i.e., asistir la clase is incorrect).

Could I use ir a or toma(r) instead of asiste?

Yes, but each verb has a slightly different nuance:
• va a la clase (he goes to class) – focuses on the act of going there
• asiste a la clase (he attends the class) – emphasizes participation/attendance
• toma la clase (he takes the class) – very common in Latin America, influenced by English “take a class”
All are grammatically correct; choose based on the shade of meaning you want.

Why is it a la clase and not al clase?

a la is formed by combining a (to) + la (the, feminine). Clase is a feminine noun, so you use la.
al (a + el) would be used only with masculine singular nouns, e.g., al examen (to the exam).

Why do we say clase de música? Can’t we just say música clase?

Spanish indicates the subject of a class with clase de + [subject]:
• clase de música – music class
• clase de matemáticas – math class
You cannot invert it to música clase. You might also see clase musical, but that generally describes a type or style of class rather than “a class about music.”

What does los viernes mean, and why not just viernes?

los viernes means “on Fridays” (repeatedly). The plural definite article los plus the day expresses a habitual or routine event:
• los lunes – on Mondays
• los fines de semana – on weekends
If you refer to one specific Friday, you’d say el viernes (this Friday).

Why is the simple present (asiste) used instead of the present progressive (está asistiendo)?

In Spanish, the simple present tense often covers habitual actions.
• Mi amigo asiste – My friend attends (as a routine).
The present progressive (está asistiendo) would highlight that he is attending right now, at this very moment, not as a regular schedule.