Breakdown of Al anochecer apagamos la luz de la sala antes de dormir.
nosotros
we
de
of
dormir
to sleep
antes de
before
la sala
the living room
a
at
apagar
to turn off
la luz
the light
el anochecer
the dusk
Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Spanish grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Al anochecer apagamos la luz de la sala antes de dormir.
Why do we use Al anochecer + infinitive here?
Al + infinitive expresses that two actions happen simultaneously. Al anochecer literally means “upon nightfall” or “when it gets dark.” It’s a concise way to set the time frame for the main action (turning off the light).
Can I say Cuando anochece instead of Al anochecer?
Yes. Cuando anochece also means “when it gets dark,” but it uses cuando + a conjugated verb. Al anochecer (with the infinitive) is more idiomatic for narrating events or routines. Both are correct, though Cuando anochece can feel a bit more conversational.
What’s the difference between anochecer and atardecer?
- Atardecer refers to the late afternoon or sunset (“dusk”).
- Anochecer refers to the moment it becomes dark (“nightfall”).
They mark different stages in the day-to-night transition.
Why is apagamos in the preterite tense rather than the imperfect?
The preterite (apagamos) describes a completed action at a specific point in the past—here, the precise moment of nightfall. The imperfect would suggest an ongoing or habitual background action, which isn’t the focus.
Why don’t we include the subject pronoun nosotros?
Spanish often drops subject pronouns because the verb ending (-amos) already indicates “we.” Adding nosotros would be grammatically correct but redundant unless you want emphasis.
Why does antes de require an infinitive like dormir?
After prepositions (including antes de), Spanish uses the infinitive. So antes de dormir means “before sleeping.” Using a conjugated form (e.g., antes de dormimos) would be incorrect.
Could I say antes de acostarnos instead of antes de dormir?
Yes. Acostarnos is the infinitive of the reflexive verb acostarse (“to go to bed”).
- Antes de acostarnos emphasizes “before going to bed.”
- Antes de dormir emphasizes “before falling asleep.”
Both are grammatically correct and commonly used.
Why la luz de la sala rather than luz en la sala?
- La luz de la sala implies “the light that belongs to/comes from the living room,” focusing on that specific fixture.
- La luz en la sala simply means “the light in the living room,” which is also acceptable but slightly less specific about ownership.
In Latin America, does sala mean the same as salón?
Generally yes. In Latin American Spanish, sala is the common term for “living room” or “family room.” In Spain, you might more often hear salón, but both words refer to the main reception or living area.