Learn Hardcore Spanish (Latin America): La pareja pasea por la plaza después de la cena. - The couple strolls through the plaza after dinner.

Pareja means “couple.” Grammatically it’s feminine and singular, so verbs agree in the singular: la pareja pasea. It can refer to any couple (straight or same‑sex).

Why is it pasea and not pasean, since a couple is two people?

Because the subject is the singular noun la pareja. In standard Spanish, collective nouns like gente, equipo, pareja take singular verb forms: la pareja pasea (not pasean).

What’s the nuance of pasear versus caminar?

Pasear suggests strolling/walking for leisure or to wander around. Caminar is simply “to walk” (the physical act). Both can fit here, but pasear better captures a relaxed stroll; caminar sounds more neutral.

Why por la plaza instead of en la plaza or a la plaza?

por = through/around a place (path or movement): pasear por la plaza.
en = in/at a place (location): están en la plaza.
a = to a place (destination) with motion verbs like ir: van a la plaza.
Here, they’re moving around inside the square, so por fits best.

Is La pareja pasea en la plaza wrong?

Not wrong, but it focuses on location (“in the plaza”) rather than the idea of meandering through it. For the sense of “strolling around,” por is more idiomatic.

Can I move después de la cena to the start of the sentence?

Yes: Después de la cena, la pareja pasea por la plaza. When you front the time phrase, add a comma.

Why do we need de after después?

When followed by a noun or an infinitive, después requires de: después de la cena, después de cenar. Without de, después acts as an adverb by itself: Después, salen.

Is después de cenar also correct?

Yes. Después de cenar (“after eating dinner”) is very natural and often a bit more fluid than después de la cena. Both are fine.

Where is “their” in “after dinner”? Should it be después de su cena?

Spanish often uses the definite article instead of a possessive for routine activities and context‑obvious things. Después de la cena typically implies “after their dinner.” You’d only use su to clarify ownership if needed.

How do I pronounce key words in Latin American Spanish?

pasea: three syllables, pa-se-a (the e and a are separate sounds).
plaza: the z sounds like an English “s.”
cena: the c before e sounds like “s.”
después: stress the second part, des-PUÉS; the s is clear.

Does the simple present pasea mean “is strolling” or “strolls”?

It can mean either, depending on context. If you want to emphasize an action happening right now, está paseando is also common. The simple present is very flexible in Spanish.

Is there a reflexive form pasearse? What’s the difference?

Yes, pasearse exists and can sound a bit more colloquial or emphasize the subject’s own wandering about. Here, pasea and se pasea would both be understood; pasea is the more neutral choice.

What are natural alternatives to say the same idea?

La pareja da un paseo por la plaza.
La pareja sale a caminar por la plaza.
La pareja sale a dar una vuelta por la plaza.

Why the definite articles la pareja, la plaza, la cena? Could I use una pareja?

Spanish uses definite articles more than English, especially when the reference feels specific or known (like in a photo caption). If you’re introducing the couple for the first time, Una pareja pasea… is also perfectly natural.

Can I say pasea a la plaza?

No, not for destination. A la plaza needs a motion verb like ir: van a la plaza. With pasear, a is used when you take someone/something for a walk: pasea al perro.

Anything to know about contractions like del?

Yes: de + el = del. For masculine nouns you’d say, for example, después del almuerzo. There’s no contraction with feminine nouns: después de la cena.

Is plaza (and cena) always feminine?

Yes: la plaza, la cena are feminine. Many nouns ending in ‑a are feminine, though there are exceptions (e.g., el día). Learn nouns with their article to lock in gender.