Cuando me acuesto tarde, me gusta escribir historias cortas en mi cuaderno.

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Breakdown of Cuando me acuesto tarde, me gusta escribir historias cortas en mi cuaderno.

• gustar: to like
• en: in
• mi: my
• cuando: when
• tarde: late
• acostarse: to go to bed
• el cuaderno: the notebook
• escribir: to write
• la historia: the story
• corto: short

Questions & Answers about Cuando me acuesto tarde, me gusta escribir historias cortas en mi cuaderno.

Why is it me acuesto and not just acuesto?

Because the Spanish verb acostarse is reflexive, meaning the action is done by the subject to themselves. In the first person, the reflexive pronoun me is needed to show that I am the one doing the action to myself. Without me, it would not convey the reflexive meaning.

Why do we say me gusta escribir instead of me gusta escribo?

In Spanish, after me gusta, you typically use the infinitive form of the verb, not a conjugated form. Therefore, you say me gusta escribir (I like to write) rather than me gusta escribo. The verb gustar is special and often literally translates to something like "it pleases me to write," which explains why the infinitive follows.

Can tarde refer to any time after sunset, or is it strictly for late evening?

Tarde generally refers to a late hour, but not always a precise "after sunset" scenario. It can be used for going to bed late in the night or just later than a usual or expected time. Context usually clarifies how late it is.

What is the difference between historias cortas and something like pequeñas historias?

While these phrases can sometimes be used interchangeably, historias cortas emphasizes that the stories are short in length. Pequeñas historias might imply "little stories" more in a figurative sense, possibly focusing on the stories being minor or light. But in common usage, historias cortas is more directly understood as "short stories."

Why is it en mi cuaderno and not en el cuaderno?

Using mi indicates that the notebook belongs to the speaker—it's a personal possession. Saying en el cuaderno would simply mean in the notebook without specifying whose notebook it is. Since the sentence conveys a personal daily habit, mi makes it clear it is the speaker’s own notebook.