Breakdown of Invita a tu familia a merendar, comparte la sandía y disfruta de la tarde.
la familia
the family
la
the
a
to
y
and
de
of
tu
your
compartir
to share
invitar
to invite
la sandía
the watermelon
merendar
to have an afternoon snack
,
comma
la tarde
the afternoon
disfrutar
to enjoy
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Questions & Answers about Invita a tu familia a merendar, comparte la sandía y disfruta de la tarde.
Why is tu familia used instead of su familia here?
Tu is the informal second-person singular possessive adjective in Spanish, which corresponds to “your” when speaking to someone you’re on familiar terms with. Su would be the formal version (or could also refer to a third person), and using it might sound too distant in a casual, family-oriented context. Using tu assumes a close relationship or a friendly tone.
Why do we say invita a tu familia a merendar rather than just invita tu familia merendar?
In Spanish, certain verbs (especially those that involve directing an action toward someone) require the preposition a before a person. Thus, we say invita a tu familia because we’re inviting people (a direct object that’s a person, known as the “personal a”). Likewise, a merendar means “to have a snack,” so it’s like saying “invite your family to (have) a snack.”
What exactly does merendar mean in Spain?
Merendar refers to having a light meal or snack, usually in the late afternoon or early evening—like an afternoon tea or snack. It’s a common part of Spanish eating habits, which often include a late lunch and sometimes a late dinner, so merendar is that in-between time for a small meal.
Why is it comparte la sandía (share the watermelon) and not comparte una sandía?
Using la instead of una implies that the speaker and listener already know which watermelon they’re talking about—perhaps it’s a specific one that was bought or is available. If you said una sandía, it would sound more general, as if introducing a new watermelon. La sandía refers to a particular one, hence the definite article.
Is the phrase disfruta de la tarde common, and why is de used?
Yes, disfruta de is very common in Spanish. Typically, disfrutar is followed by de when referring to enjoying something specific: disfrutar de la tarde (“enjoy the afternoon”). Grammatically, you can also see disfrutar used without de in some contexts, but disfrutar de is the more traditional and standard form.
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