Hoy quiero salir a pasear con mi amigo.

Today I want to go out for a walk with my friend.

Breakdown of Hoy quiero salir a pasear con mi amigo.

• el amigo: the friend
• yo: I
• querer: to want
• mi: my
• con: with
• hoy: today
• salir a pasear: to go out for a walk

Questions & Answers about Hoy quiero salir a pasear con mi amigo.

What does hoy mean in this sentence?

Hoy translates to "today." It sets the time frame, indicating that the action is happening on the current day.

Why is the subject pronoun omitted here (i.e., why isn’t yo used before quiero)?

In Spanish, subject pronouns are often dropped because the conjugated verb already makes the subject clear. Quiero means "I want," so it isn’t necessary to include yo unless you want to emphasize the subject.

Why is quiero conjugated while the verbs salir and pasear remain in the infinitive form?

The structure here follows a common Spanish pattern: a conjugated verb expressing desire or intention (in this case, quiero) is followed by another verb in its infinitive form (here, salir a pasear). This is similar to the English "I want to go out for a walk," where "want" is conjugated and "to go" remains in its base form.

What is the difference between salir and ir, and why is salir used in this context?

Both salir and ir can mean "to go," but salir specifically implies "to go out" or leave one’s usual place for an activity. In this sentence, salir conveys the idea of going out for leisure, which fits the context of taking a stroll, whereas ir is more general.

Why is there an a before pasear in the sentence?

The preposition a is used to connect salir with pasear, expressing purpose or intent. It functions much like the English "to" in the phrase "go out to walk" or "go out for a stroll."

What does pasear mean, and how does it differ from other walking-related verbs like caminar?

Pasear means "to stroll" or "to go for a walk" in a leisurely, relaxed manner. While caminar also means "to walk," it is a more general term that doesn’t necessarily imply the relaxed, enjoyable purpose suggested by pasear.

How could I modify this sentence to refer to a different time or a different companion?

You can change hoy to another time expression, such as mañana (tomorrow) or esta tarde (this afternoon), and replace mi amigo with another noun, like mi familia (my family) or mis amigos (my friends). For example, Mañana quiero salir a pasear con mi familia means "Tomorrow I want to go out for a walk with my family."