Quiero preparar ensalada para la cena.

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Breakdown of Quiero preparar ensalada para la cena.

• querer: to want
• para: for
• la cena: the dinner
• preparar: to prepare
• la ensalada: the salad

Questions & Answers about Quiero preparar ensalada para la cena.

Why isn’t there an article before “ensalada”?

In Spanish, when talking about preparing or making a type of food in a non-specific way, it’s common to omit the article. Saying “Quiero preparar ensalada” (I want to prepare salad) is understood as preparing some salad in general. If you say “Quiero preparar la ensalada”, you’re talking about a specific salad that both the speaker and the listener already know about.

Why do we use “para la cena” instead of “por la cena”?

Spanish uses “para” to indicate purpose or intention, which works perfectly here to mean “for dinner.” “Por la cena” would sound unusual in this context—“por” can refer to cause, duration, or exchange, which doesn’t match the idea of preparing something in order to have it for dinner.

Could I replace “Quiero” with “Quisiera” or “Me gustaría” for politeness?

Yes! “Quiero preparar ensalada para la cena” is a straightforward statement of desire. However, in Spain and many other Spanish-speaking areas, using “Quisiera” or “Me gustaría” makes it more polite or tentative:
• “Quisiera preparar ensalada para la cena.”
• “Me gustaría preparar ensalada para la cena.”
Both are softer requests or expressions of desire.

Could I use “hacer” instead of “preparar”?

Yes, you could say “Quiero hacer ensalada para la cena.” Both “hacer” (to make) and “preparar” (to prepare) can work. However, “preparar” hints more at the process of putting all the ingredients together (chopping, mixing, etc.), while “hacer” can be slightly broader in meaning.

Is “ensalada” masculine or feminine, and why do we say “la ensalada” in some cases?

“Ensalada” is a feminine noun (ending in -a often, but not always, indicates feminine words in Spanish). That’s why you’d say “la ensalada” if referring to a specific one (for instance, “la ensalada que preparé anoche” – the salad I made last night). Here, in the sentence “Quiero preparar ensalada para la cena,” we’re speaking in general terms, so no article is necessary.