Breakdown of Yo pienso en mis amigos antes de dormir.
yo
I
dormir
to sleep
el amigo
the friend
antes de
before
mis
my
pensar en
to think about
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Questions & Answers about Yo pienso en mis amigos antes de dormir.
Why is the subject pronoun yo included in Yo pienso en mis amigos antes de dormir? Is it necessary?
In Spanish, subject pronouns are often optional because the verb ending (pienso) already indicates the subject. You can drop yo and still be correct: Pienso en mis amigos antes de dormir. Including yo adds emphasis or clarity (e.g., to contrast with someone else).
Why do we use pensar en instead of just pensar?
When you “think about” something in Spanish, you need the preposition en: pensar en algo. Without en, pensar often needs a clause introduced by que (e.g., pienso que...) or expresses an opinion with de (e.g., ¿Qué piensas de esto?).
What’s the difference between pensar en, pensar que, and pensar de?
- pensar en
- noun/pronoun = to think about someone/something.
- pensar que
- clause = to think that (give an idea or opinion).
- pensar de
- noun = to have an opinion about something (often in questions: ¿Qué piensas de…?).
Why do we say mis amigos instead of los amigos?
mis amigos uses the possessive adjective mis to show these are specifically my friends. los amigos would mean “the friends” in general, without indicating whose friends they are.
Why is dormir in the infinitive after antes de? Could we use another verb form?
After the preposition de, you must use an infinitive: antes de + infinitive. If you want a full clause, you’d say antes de que me duerma, using the subjunctive because it’s a dependent clause referring to a future/tentative action.
Could I say antes de acostarme or antes de dormirme instead of antes de dormir?
Yes. acostarme (to lie down) or dormirme (to fall asleep) are reflexive infinitives that add nuance:
- antes de acostarme = before I lie down for the night
- antes de dormirme = before I actually fall asleep
Can I move antes de dormir to the beginning of the sentence?
Absolutely. Spanish word order is flexible. You can say:
Antes de dormir, pienso en mis amigos.
Both orders are correct; moving the time phrase to the front simply shifts the emphasis.