Breakdown of Camino por el desierto con mi perro.
yo
I
con
with
mi
my
caminar
to walk
el perro
the dog
por
through
el desierto
the desert
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Questions & Answers about Camino por el desierto con mi perro.
What does camino mean here? Is it a noun or a verb?
Camino is the first person singular present tense of caminar (“to walk”), so it means I walk or I’m walking.
Why is por used before el desierto instead of para?
Por indicates movement through or along something (through the desert), while para would express purpose or destination, which isn’t the case here.
Why do we say el desierto instead of just desierto?
In Spanish, general places often need the definite article. Por el desierto sounds natural; dropping el feels awkward.
Could I say Camino a través del desierto instead of Camino por el desierto?
Yes—a través de also means through. Camino a través del desierto is correct and slightly more formal.
Why is con used before mi perro? Can any other preposition be used?
Con means with and denotes accompaniment. You wouldn’t use a or en here; con mi perro is the right choice.
Can I change the word order, for example say Con mi perro camino por el desierto?
Absolutely. Spanish word order is flexible: Con mi perro camino por el desierto or Camino con mi perro por el desierto both work.
Could I use andar instead of caminar, as in Ando por el desierto con mi perro?
Yes. Andar also means to walk. Ando por el desierto con mi perro is perfectly fine, though caminar is more specific.
Is it possible to emphasize the ongoing action by saying Voy caminando por el desierto con mi perro?
Yes. Voy caminando highlights the ongoing nature (I am walking), similar to the English progressive tense.
Why doesn’t desierto have an accent mark?
Desierto follows the rule for words ending in a vowel: the stress falls on the penultimate syllable (si), so no written accent is needed.