Learn Hardcore Spanish (Latin America): De hecho, el perro duerme mucho en la casa. - In fact, the dog sleeps a lot in the house.

De hecho is an introductory phrase meaning “actually,” “in fact,” or “as a matter of fact.” You use it to highlight or clarify information, often after a previous statement, to emphasize the reality of what follows.

Why is it el perro instead of un perro?

Using el (the) marks a specific, known dog—one both speaker and listener recognize. Un (a) would introduce a dog for the first time or refer to any dog in general.

What form is duerme, and why does it change from dormir?

Duerme is the third-person singular (él/ella/usted) present-tense form of dormir. Dormir is an o→ue stem-changing verb, so the “o” in the stem becomes “ue” in all forms except nosotros and vosotros (e.g., duermo, duermes, duerme, dormimos, dormís, duermen).

Why is it duerme mucho and not duerme muy?

Mucho is an adverb meaning “a lot” that modifies the verb duerme. Muy (very) only modifies adjectives or other adverbs (e.g., muy cansado, muy rápido), so it wouldn’t work with a verb.

Why do we use en la casa instead of a la casa?

En indicates location (“in” or “at”). Here the dog is sleeping inside the house. A would suggest movement toward the house (“to the house”), which isn’t the case.

Can I say en casa without the article?

Yes. En casa (without la) means “at home” in a general sense. En la casa refers to a specific house as a physical location, while en casa emphasizes being at one’s own home.

Is it always correct to place mucho after the verb?

Generally, adverbs like mucho that modify verbs come after the verb: duerme mucho. Putting mucho before (mucho duerme) is rare, poetic, or archaic.

Do I need a comma after De hecho?

Yes. When De hecho starts a sentence, you normally follow it with a comma, since it functions like an introductory phrase.