Breakdown of Lo mejor de la playa es el amanecer.
ser
to be
de
of
la playa
the beach
el amanecer
the sunrise
lo mejor
the best thing
Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Spanish grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Lo mejor de la playa es el amanecer.
What does the word in bold do in the phrase lo mejor?
Lo is the neuter article. With an adjective (here, mejor), it turns the adjective into a noun phrase meaning “the best thing/part/aspect.” So lo mejor = “the best thing.”
Why is it lo mejor and not el mejor?
El mejor needs a masculine noun, explicit or implied, like el mejor momento. Here we’re speaking abstractly, so Spanish uses neuter lo: lo mejor (“the best part/thing”). You could say El mejor momento de la playa es el amanecer if you add a noun.
Can I say la mejor parte de la playa es el amanecer?
Yes. It’s a fully natural, slightly more explicit version. Lo mejor is just more concise.
Why is it de la playa and not en la playa?
De marks “of/about,” i.e., the best aspect of the beach. En la playa would focus on things “at the beach” (on location). Both can be used depending on nuance, but de is the default for “the best thing about X.”
Do I need the article in de la playa? Could I say de playa?
Keep the article: de la playa. Spanish often uses definite articles for general references. De playa is used in compounds like bolsa de playa (beach bag), not in this structure.
Why is the verb es and not está?
Use ser to identify or define something (“what it is”). Here we’re stating a defining best aspect, so es fits. Estar would describe temporary states or location.
What is the grammatical subject here?
The subject is lo mejor de la playa. El amanecer is the predicate noun (the element that equals the subject).
Could I say Lo mejor de la playa son los amaneceres?
Yes. When the predicate is plural, Spanish often matches the verb to it: Lo mejor son/fueron los amaneceres. Both agreements are acceptable, and many speakers prefer the plural here.
Why does amanecer take el?
Because amanecer is a masculine noun when it means “sunrise/dawn”: el amanecer. Many nouns from infinitives are masculine: el atardecer, el anochecer.
Can amanecer also be used as a verb?
Yes. Examples:
- Impersonal: Amanece a las seis. (It gets light at six.)
- Personal/regional: Amanecimos en la playa. (We woke up/ended up at the beach in the morning.)
Why not drop the article and say just amanecer?
As a noun, Spanish typically requires an article in subject/predicate positions: El amanecer es hermoso. Without el, it’s read as the verb or feels incomplete.
How do I say “at sunrise” in Spanish?
Use the contraction al amanecer (a + el). Example: Vamos a nadar al amanecer.
Is mejor comparative or superlative here?
With lo, lo mejor is superlative: “the best (thing).” Comparative is mejor que: El amanecer es mejor que el atardecer.
Can I replace lo mejor with lo más?
Yes: Lo más bonito de la playa es el amanecer. That means “the most beautiful (thing)…” and is very natural.
Are there synonyms for amanecer?
- el alba (poetic/literary)
- la madrugada (the pre-dawn hours, not the moment of sunrise)
- la salida del sol (literal “sunrise”) In Latin America, amanecer is the most common everyday term for the event.
Any Latin American pronunciation tips for this sentence?
- ll in playa sounds like a y for most speakers: pla-ya.
- j in mejor is a breathy h-like sound.
- c before e in amanecer sounds like s (not the English “th”).
- Final r in amanecer is a light tap.
Can I flip the order: El amanecer es lo mejor de la playa?
Yes. Copular sentences with ser allow this inversion without changing the meaning.
Does mejor change for gender/number?
With lo, it’s invariable: lo mejor. As an adjective with a noun, it matches number: los mejores momentos, las mejores vistas.
Why does el in el amanecer have no accent?
Because it’s the article. The accented él is the pronoun (“he/him”). Articles before nouns never carry the accent.
Is la playa generic here or a specific beach?
It can be generic: Spanish often uses the definite article to talk about categories (“the beach” as an experience). Context will tell if a specific beach is meant.