Vimos al general en la estación.

Vimos is the preterite form of ver (to see) for nosotros/nosotras (we).

• ver → vimos
• This tense is used for a completed action in the past
• So vimos = we saw

This is one of the common past-tense forms you need to memorise.

Because Spanish uses the personal a before a specific person who is the direct object of the verb.

Here, the general is the person being seen, so Spanish says:

• Vimos al general
• literally: We saw to-the general

Also, a + el = al, so:

• a el general → al general

This only happens with el, not with la, los, or las.

The personal a is the a used before a person or sometimes a personified being/animal when that person is the direct object of the verb.

Examples:

• Veo a María = I see María
• Conocemos al profesor = We know the teacher
• Ayudé a mi hermano = I helped my brother

In your sentence, the general is a person, so you need a:

• Vimos al general

English does not do this, so it often feels strange to learners at first.

Because a and el do different jobs.

• a marks the direct object as a person
• el means the

So both are needed:

• a
  • el general → al general

You are still saying the general, just with the extra object marker required in Spanish.

Usually, no.

In Spanish, job titles and ranks are normally not capitalised unless they are part of a formal name or appear in certain official styles.

So:

• el general = the general

Not usually:

• el General

This is different from some English usage, where titles are sometimes capitalised more often.

It means at the station or in the station, depending on context.

• en can mean in, on, or at
• la estación = the station

In a sentence like this, English usually prefers at the station:

• We saw the general at the station

If the context is very physical/interior, in the station could also make sense.

Yes. Estación can mean several things depending on context, for example:

• train station
• bus station
• sometimes other types of station

It can also mean season in other contexts:

• la estación de verano = the summer season

In this sentence, because of en la estación, it most naturally means station rather than season.

The accent mark shows where the stress goes:

• es-ta-ción

Without the accent, Spanish pronunciation rules would suggest a different stress pattern. The written accent tells you that the final syllable is stressed.

So:

• estación sounds roughly like es-ta-see-ON

It can suggest either, depending on context, which is normal in Spanish and English.

Usually, the most natural reading is:

• We saw the general at the station

That often implies the seeing happened there, and probably the general was there too.

But grammatically, prepositional phrases like en la estación can sometimes attach a bit loosely. If you wanted to be extra clear, you might rephrase:

• Vimos al general cuando estábamos en la estación = We saw the general when we were at the station
• Vimos al general, que estaba en la estación = We saw the general, who was at the station

This is a very normal Spanish word order:

• verb: Vimos
• direct object: al general
• place phrase: en la estación

Spanish word order is often flexible, but this version sounds completely natural and neutral.

You could also hear variations for emphasis, such as:

• En la estación vimos al general

That gives extra emphasis to at the station.

Yes, but nosotros is usually unnecessary.

Spanish verb endings already tell you who the subject is:

• vimos = we saw

So the normal sentence is simply:

• Vimos al general en la estación

You add nosotros only for emphasis, contrast, or clarity:

• Nosotros vimos al general, no ellos = We saw the general, not them

Because estación is a feminine noun in Spanish.

So it takes feminine articles:

• la estación
• una estación

You have to learn the gender of nouns as part of the word.

Yes, a little.

Vimos can mean:

• we saw
• or in some contexts, we used to see is not correct here, so that would be veíamos

However, vimos can also be the same form as the verb ver in some other uses, like:

• vimos que... = we saw that...

But in this sentence, the meaning is clearly we saw.

Also, learners should note the contrast:

• vimos = we saw (completed action)
• veíamos = we were seeing / we used to see

In this sentence, it most naturally means the general as a military rank or title.

But general can also be an adjective in Spanish, meaning general in the ordinary sense:

• una idea general = a general idea

Here, because it follows al and refers to a person, it is clearly the noun/title:

• al general = the general

Because in Spanish, a + el always contracts to al.

So:

• a el → al

That is a fixed rule.

Compare:

• Voy al mercado = I’m going to the market
• Vimos al general = We saw the general

But there is no contraction with la:

• a la estación = to the station, not ala estación