Quiero asistir al estreno el jueves.

I want to attend the premiere on Thursday.

Breakdown of Quiero asistir al estreno el jueves.

• yo: I
• a: to
• querer: to want
• asistir: to attend
• el jueves: the Thursday
• el estreno: the premiere

Questions & Answers about Quiero asistir al estreno el jueves.

Does Spanish asistir mean “to attend” or “to assist/help”?

In this context it means “to attend.” Asistir a + event = to attend. For “to help,” use ayudar (or in professional contexts, asistir a alguien, as in a nurse assisting a patient). Examples: Quiero asistir al concierto. vs Quiero ayudar en el concierto.

Why is it al estreno and not a el estreno?

Spanish contracts a + el into al when el is the masculine article. So a el estreno must become al estreno. Note: there’s no contraction with the pronoun él (he/him): a él stays separate.

Do I need the article before the day of the week? Why el jueves?

Yes. Spanish uses the definite article with days to mean “on [day].” So el jueves = “on Thursday.” For habitual actions, use the plural: los jueves = “on Thursdays.”

How do I say “this Thursday” vs “next Thursday”?

• This Thursday: este jueves.
• Next Thursday: el próximo jueves or el jueves que viene.
  Plain el jueves often means the upcoming Thursday from context, but adding este/próximo removes ambiguity.

Is the word order flexible? Can I move the time phrase?

Yes. Common options:

• Quiero asistir al estreno el jueves.
• El jueves quiero asistir al estreno.
• Quiero asistir el jueves al estreno.
  All are natural; moving the time to the front can add emphasis on when.

Can I drop the subject pronoun yo?

Yes. The verb ending in quiero already shows the subject. Yo quiero… is fine for emphasis, but most of the time Spaniards and Latin Americans just say Quiero…

Should I use asistir a or ir a here?

Both work. Asistir a is a bit more formal and event-focused (“attend”), while ir a is broader (“go to”): Quiero ir al estreno el jueves. In casual speech, ir a is extremely common; asistir a sounds a touch more official.

Is the a after asistir the “personal a”?

No. It’s the preposition required by the verb asistir. The “personal a” marks animate direct objects (e.g., Veo a María). Here, asistir a means “to attend,” and the event is the object of the preposition.

Can I say asistir el estreno without the a?

No. With the meaning “to attend,” asistir requires a: asistir a. Correct: asistir al estreno. Incorrect: asistir el estreno.

How can I be more polite than Quiero…?

Use softer forms:

• Me gustaría asistir al estreno el jueves.
• Quisiera asistir al estreno el jueves.
• Querría asistir… (formal/less common in Latin America).
  These sound more courteous or tentative than Quiero.

How do I add a time of day, like “Thursday night”?

Common in Latin America: el jueves en la noche; also widely understood: el jueves por la noche. Other times: por/en la mañana, por/en la tarde. Example: Quiero asistir al estreno el jueves por la noche.

Is estreno the right word for any kind of “opening”?

Estreno is the first presentation/release of a film, play, show, etc. For a store or museum opening, use inauguración. If it’s an advance showing, say preestreno. Example: el preestreno de la película.

Any quick pronunciation tips for these words?

• jueves: initial j is a guttural sound (like a strong English “h”), stress on the first syllable: JUE-ves.
• asistir: si like “see,” stress on the last syllable: a-sis-TIR.
• estreno: initial es- (never start with plain “s”), stress on the middle: es-TRE-no.

Why isn’t there a subjunctive here?

Because there’s no subordinate clause. Quiero asistir… uses an infinitive with the same subject. If the subject changes, use subjunctive: Quiero que tú asistas al estreno el jueves.

How do I say I go every Thursday?

Use the plural article: Voy los jueves. For this sentence’s structure: Quiero asistir a los estrenos los jueves (if there are regular premieres) or simply Quiero ir los jueves.

Can I replace al estreno with a pronoun?

You wouldn’t use a direct-object pronoun because asistir takes a. You could use a prepositional pronoun: Quiero asistir a él, or more naturally, Quiero asistir a eso (to that). In practice, speakers usually repeat the noun: …al estreno.

Is en jueves or en el jueves ever correct for “on Thursday”?

For specific days, Spanish uses the article: el jueves. En jueves is rare and only used for a nonspecific “on a Thursday (some Thursday),” which is better expressed as un jueves. For normal scheduling, stick with el jueves.