Learn Hardcore Spanish (Latin America): Tu sombra es larga al anochecer.

Anochecer refers to the time when daylight fades and evening begins—literally “dusk” or “the onset of night.” In this sentence, al anochecer means “at dusk” or “when night falls.”

Why is it Tu sombra and not La sombra?

Tu is the possessive adjective “your,” indicating the shadow belongs to “you.” La sombra would mean “the shadow” in a general sense. Here we’re specifying your shadow.

Why do we say es larga instead of está larga?

We use ser (es) with adjectives that express inherent or characteristic qualities. Saying your shadow “is long” describes a general property of your shadow at that time. Estar (está) is for temporary states or locations, but length in this context is seen as a characteristic under those lighting conditions.

Why do we say al anochecer instead of en la noche?

Al anochecer literally means “upon dusk” or “at dusk,” focusing on the transition from day to night. En la noche simply means “at night,” which is a more general time frame. Using al anochecer pinpoints the specific moment when shadows grow long.

How does the adjective larga agree with sombra?

In Spanish, adjectives must match the gender and number of the noun they modify. Sombra is a feminine singular noun, so we use the feminine singular adjective larga (not largo).

Can I say Tu sombra se hace larga al anochecer instead?

Yes. Tu sombra se hace larga al anochecer means “Your shadow becomes long at dusk.”
• se hace emphasizes the process of becoming long.
• es larga simply states the condition.
Both are correct; the nuance is that se hace larga highlights the change.

How is anochecer pronounced?

Break it into syllables: a-no-che-cer.
• a as in “father”
• no like “no” in English
• che like “che” in “cheese” but shorter
• cer with an “θ” (Spain) or “s” (Latin America) sound for c before e—so in Latin American Spanish, it sounds like a-no-CHÉ-ser.