Breakdown of Estoy a punto de salir, pero mi perro comienza a ladrar junto a la puerta.
yo
I
mi
my
estar
to be
el perro
the dog
la puerta
the door
a
to
salir
to leave
pero
but
a punto de
about to
comenzar
to start
ladrar
to bark
junto a
next to
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Questions & Answers about Estoy a punto de salir, pero mi perro comienza a ladrar junto a la puerta.
What does estar a punto de mean?
Estar a punto de is an expression used to say you are about to do something, indicating the action will happen very soon.
Why is salir in the infinitive after estar a punto de?
The structure estar a punto de always takes an infinitive verb. You never conjugate the main action; you simply use a punto de + infinitive.
Why is pero used instead of y?
Pero means but and introduces a contrast. You intend to leave, but your dog starts barking. Y would just add information without that opposing sense.
Why is the verb comienza used, and how do I know its form?
Comienza is the third-person singular present of comenzar. The subject is mi perro (he), so you use comienza, not comienzo (first person) or comienzan (third-person plural).
Why do we say comenzar a ladrar using the infinitive ladrar, not a gerund?
Verbs like comenzar and empezar follow the pattern comenzar a + infinitive. The gerund (ladrando) would be used with estar to form a progressive tense, e.g. está ladrando.
What does junto a mean here, and could I say al lado de instead?
Junto a means next to or beside. Al lado de is a common synonym, though junto a often conveys a slightly closer, more immediate proximity.
Could I use empezar a instead of comenzar a?
Yes. In Latin American Spanish, empezar a + infinitive and comenzar a + infinitive are interchangeable in most contexts.
Can I rephrase the sentence using a progressive tense, like está ladrando?
Absolutely. You could say:
Estoy a punto de salir, pero mi perro está ladrando junto a la puerta.
This version emphasizes that the barking is happening right now.