Word
Compré el destornillador en la ferretería, arreglé el interruptor y cambié cada tornillo.
Meaning
I bought the screwdriver at the hardware store, fixed the switch, and changed each screw.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Lesson
Breakdown of Compré el destornillador en la ferretería, arreglé el interruptor y cambié cada tornillo.
yo
I
y
and
comprar
to buy
arreglar
to fix
Questions & Answers about Compré el destornillador en la ferretería, arreglé el interruptor y cambié cada tornillo.
Why is there no yo before the verbs?
Spanish normally drops subject pronouns because the verb ending already shows the subject. The -é in compré/arreglé/cambié tells us it’s “I.” Adding yo is possible but adds emphasis (e.g., Yo compré...).
What do the accents in compré, arreglé, and cambié indicate?
They mark the preterite, first person singular, and place stress on the last syllable. Without the accent (compre/arregle/cambie), the forms are present subjunctive or a formal command, not simple past.
Why is the preterite used here instead of the imperfect?
These are completed, sequential actions: you bought, then fixed, then changed. The imperfect (compraba, arreglaba, cambiaba) is for ongoing, habitual, or background actions.
Why use el destornillador and la ferretería instead of un/una?
The definite article suggests a specific screwdriver and the specific hardware store (often the local one). If they’re not specific, say Compré un destornillador en una ferretería.
Why en la ferretería and not a la ferretería?