Learn Hardcore Spanish (Latin America): Una voluntaria prepara una merienda sencilla con fruta y yogur. - A volunteer prepares a simple snack with fruit and yogurt.

It means the subject is a woman and that she’s an unspecified person. Una is the feminine singular indefinite article (“a”), and voluntaria is the feminine form of “volunteer.” If it were a man, it would be un voluntario. If we already knew which volunteer, we’d use the definite article: la voluntaria.

Why is the subject pronoun (like ella) missing?

Spanish normally drops subject pronouns when the verb ending already tells you the subject. Prepara is the third-person singular form, so it implies ella (she) or él (he). Here, una voluntaria makes the subject clear.

Why is sencilla placed after merienda? Could it go before?

By default, descriptive adjectives follow the noun: una merienda sencilla. You can put it before for emphasis or a more subjective tone: una sencilla merienda. Before the noun, it often feels more evaluative or stylistic, but both are correct.

What’s the difference between sencillo/a and simple?

Both can mean “simple,” but:

sencillo/a often suggests “uncomplicated/straightforward” with a neutral or positive tone.
simple can mean “simple,” but in some contexts it may sound blunt or even pejorative (“simple-minded”). In many places, simple is fine, but sencillo/a avoids unwanted connotations.

Why is it prepara and not está preparando?

Spanish present simple (prepara) can refer to:

something happening now, or
a habitual action. The progressive está preparando emphasizes “is in the middle of preparing right now.” Spanish uses the progressive less often than English does.

What exactly does merienda mean in Latin America?

It’s a light snack, often in the afternoon or early evening. Usage varies:

Common alternatives/synonyms: refrigerio, tentempié; in Mexico, everyday “snack” can also be botana (often salty/appetizer-like). In some countries, colación is used (especially in school/health contexts).
Merendar is the verb “to have a snack.”
In this sentence, merienda refers to the food (the snack) being prepared.

Why not use the verb merendar instead of preparar?

Merendar means “to eat/have a snack,” not to make it. Preparar una merienda is “to prepare a snack.” If the person were eating it, you’d say merienda (she snacks) or está merendando (she is snacking).

Why is it con fruta y yogur and not de fruta y yogur?

con lists components present: “with fruit and yogurt.”
de can indicate substance or flavor: gelatina de fruta (fruit gelatin), yogur de fresa (strawberry yogurt).
Here, con is the natural choice for ingredients mixed into a snack.

Why is fruta singular? Should it be frutas?

Both are possible:

con fruta treats “fruit” as a general/mass ingredient (fruit in general).
con frutas suggests a variety or multiple pieces/kinds.
In recipes or general descriptions, the mass singular (fruta) is very common.

Is fruta the same as fruto?

No. Fruta is what we eat as fruit (apples, bananas, etc.). Fruto is a broader botanical term (fruit of a plant) and also figurative (“the fruit/result” of something). For food, use fruta.

How is yogur spelled and pronounced in Latin America?

Spelling: You’ll see both yogur and yogurt; both are accepted. Yogur is preferred by many style guides; yogurt is very common in the Americas.
Pronunciation: Typically yo-GOOR (IPA: [ʝoˈɣuɾ]).
Plural: yogures.

Is yogur countable in Spanish?

It can be either:

Mass: con yogur (with yogurt in general).
Count: un yogur (a yogurt container/serving); plural dos yogures.
In the sentence, it’s mass.

Does sencilla agree with merienda in gender and number?

Yes. Merienda is feminine singular, so the adjective is sencilla (feminine singular). With a plural: meriendas sencillas.

Could the sentence use le to show for whom the snack is prepared?

Yes, if you want to mark the recipient: Una voluntaria le prepara una merienda sencilla (a alguien). The indirect object pronoun (le/les) is common even when the recipient is later named.

When do we change y to e in Spanish, and does it apply here?

Change y to e before words starting with an “i” sound (i- or hi-): padres e hijos. It doesn’t apply to yogur, which starts with a “yo” sound, so fruta y yogur is correct.

Can I say hacer una merienda instead of preparar una merienda?

In general Spanish, preparar una merienda is the standard way to say “prepare a snack.” Hacer is very general; in some regions you might hear hacer la merienda with specific meanings, but preparar is the safest, clearest choice.

Is it okay to drop the articles and say “Voluntaria prepara merienda”?

No. Spanish usually needs an article with singular count nouns in this kind of sentence. Una voluntaria prepara una merienda is the natural form. Articles can be dropped with professions after ser (e.g., Es voluntaria), but not here.

Any quick pronunciation tips for the sentence?

voluntaria: vo-lun-TA-ria (stress on “ta”).
merienda: me-rye-EN-da (the “ie” is a diphthong; stress on “en”).
fruta: FRU-ta.
yogur: yo-GOOR.
In most of Latin America, “y/ll” sound like an English “y,” though in parts of Argentina/Uruguay they can sound like “zh/sh.”