Questions & Answers about Al final estudiamos español en la sala.
Does estudiamos mean we study or we studied here?
It can mean either, depending on context.
- Present tense (we study): Nosotros estudiamos español en la sala. = We (regularly/currently) study Spanish in the room.
- Preterite past (we studied): Ayer estudiamos español en la sala. = Yesterday we studied Spanish in the room.
In this sentence, al final (in the end) usually makes speakers interpret it as past:
- Al final estudiamos español en la sala.
→ In the end, we studied Spanish in the room.
Spanish uses the same form estudiamos for we study (present) and we studied (preterite). Only context tells you which one is meant.
Why is there no nosotros before estudiamos?
In Spanish, subject pronouns (yo, tú, él, nosotros, etc.) are often dropped because the verb ending already shows who the subject is.
- Estudiamos can only mean we (1st person plural), so nosotros is not necessary.
- You can say Nosotros estudiamos español en la sala, but it usually sounds more emphatic:
→ We (as opposed to others) studied Spanish in the room.
So the default, neutral version is without nosotros:
Al final estudiamos español en la sala.