Breakdown of Distinguimos idiomas de origen e idiomas de destino.
y
and
distinguir
to distinguish
el idioma de origen
the source language
el idioma de destino
the target language
Questions & Answers about Distinguimos idiomas de origen e idiomas de destino.
Why is it e and not y before idiomas?
In Spanish, y changes to e before a word that begins with an i sound, to avoid an awkward repetition of the same sound.
So:
- padre e hijo
- España e Italia
- idiomas de origen e idiomas de destino
Since idiomas starts with an i sound, e is used instead of y.
A useful detail: this change depends on the sound, not just the letter. So before a word like hielo, you also use e, because it begins with an i sound: e hielo.
Why is there no nosotros in front of distinguimos?
Spanish often leaves out subject pronouns when the verb already makes the subject clear.
Distinguimos already means we distinguish, so nosotros is not necessary.
You could say:
- Nosotros distinguimos idiomas de origen e idiomas de destino.
But in most contexts, Spanish prefers the shorter version:
- Distinguimos idiomas de origen e idiomas de destino.
Adding nosotros usually gives extra emphasis, contrast, or clarity.
Does distinguimos mean we distinguish or we distinguished?