Learn Hardcore Spanish (Latin America): Ayer compré un jabón suave porque mi piel es sensible. - Yesterday I bought a mild soap because my skin is sensitive.

Compré is the first-person singular of the preterite (simple past) tense for –ar verbs. In Spanish, the preterite forms of –ar verbs (como comprar) on yo always carry an accent on the final é (compré, hablé, trabajé) to distinguish them from other forms.

When should I use the preterite (compré) instead of the present perfect (he comprado)?

Use the preterite for actions completed at a specific time in the past, especially when you mention or imply that moment (here, ayer). The present perfect (he comprado) is more common when the focus is on the experience or if no definite time is given (e.g., He comprado jabón suave antes, “I have bought mild soap before”).

Why is ayer placed at the very beginning of the sentence? Can I move it?

Spanish allows flexible word order. Placing ayer first emphasizes “yesterday.” You could also say Compré un jabón suave ayer…, but starting with ayer sets the temporal scene immediately.

Why do we say un jabón suave rather than just jabón suave? Is the article mandatory?

In Spanish, countable nouns like jabón generally take an article. The indefinite article un corresponds to “a” or “one” in English. Omitting it (jabón suave) sounds unnatural unless you’re listing items in a catalog or recipe.

Why does the adjective suave come after jabón, not before it?

The default Spanish order is noun + adjective. Placing most adjectives after the noun is standard (e.g., casa grande, libro interesante). Putting suave jabón before is unusual and would sound poetic or emphatic.

Could I have used a different adjective like delicado or blando? What’s the nuance of suave?

Suave means soft to the touch or mild (skin-friendly).
Delicado implies something fragile or requiring care.
Blando refers strictly to physical softness (e.g., a sponge).
Here, suave is best for cosmetics because it suggests gentle, non-irritating.

Why is it porque in one word, not por qué or por que?

Porque (one word) means “because.”
Por qué (two words, with accent) means “why?”
Por que (two words, no accent) can appear in certain relative clauses or with subjunctive.
Since you’re giving a reason (“because my skin is sensitive”), you use porque.

Why do we use es (from ser) for mi piel es sensible, instead of está (from estar)?

Ser describes inherent or defining qualities: mi piel es sensible means “my skin is intrinsically sensitive.” Estar would imply a temporary state (e.g., mi piel está sensible might suggest it’s feeling sensitive right now, perhaps after sunburn).

Why say mi piel instead of just la piel? When do I use a possessive pronoun vs. a definite article for body parts?

When the body part is the subject and you need clarity on whose it is, you use mi.
With reflexive verbs (like me lavo la cara) Spanish normally drops the possessive pronoun and uses la plus the reflexive pronoun.
Here, you’re stating a property of your skin, so mi piel is natural. Saying la piel es sensible would sound generic—“skin is sensitive”—not “my skin.”

Why doesn’t suave change to suava for feminine or suavos for plural? How do adjectives ending in -e agree?

Adjectives ending in -e (like suave, grande, inteligente) have the same singular form for masculine and feminine. They only change for number: plural is suaves (e.g., jabones suaves, cremas suaves). This invariable gender makes them simpler to use.