Learn Hardcore Spanish (Latin America): ¿Ves esa nube? La nube parece una piedra gigante. - Do you see that cloud? The cloud looks like a giant stone.

Ves is the second-person singular present tense of the verb ver (“to see”), so it means “you see.” It’s spelled v-e-s. In contrast, vez (with z) is a noun meaning “time” or “instance” (as in una vez, “one time”).

Why don’t we say ves a esa nube? Shouldn't we use “a” before a direct object?

The “personal a” in Spanish is used only with animate direct objects (people, pets). Since nube (cloud) is inanimate, you omit the “a.”

Why is esa used instead of esta or aquella?

Spanish demonstratives mark distance:

esta “this” (very close to the speaker)
esa “that” (a bit farther away)
aquella “that over there” (far from both speaker and listener)
You use esa because the cloud is neither right next to you nor extremely far off.

How do we know nube is feminine?

Spanish nouns ending in -e can be masculine or feminine, so you have to learn each one’s gender. Nube is feminine—evident because it uses la nube, esa nube, etc.

Why is La capitalized at the start of the second sentence?