Breakdown of Quiero elogiar a mi hermana por su canción bonita.
yo
I
querer
to want
bonito
pretty
la canción
the song
mi
my
a
to
la hermana
the sister
su
her
por
for
elogiar
to praise
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Questions & Answers about Quiero elogiar a mi hermana por su canción bonita.
Why do we use a before mi hermana in elogiar a mi hermana?
In Spanish, when a verb’s direct object is a specific person (or a beloved pet), you must use the “personal a.” It doesn’t translate into English; its only job is to mark that the object is human, so elogiar a mi hermana is correct.
Why is it por su canción bonita instead of para su canción bonita to explain why I want to praise her?
Use por to express motive or cause (“because of her nice song”). Para indicates purpose or goal (“in order to”), so para su canción bonita would sound like “in order to her nice song,” which doesn’t make sense here.
Can I say por su bonita canción instead of por su canción bonita?
Yes. Adjectives normally follow the noun in Spanish (canción bonita) for a neutral description. Placing the adjective before (bonita canción) adds emphasis or a poetic touch, but both orders are grammatically correct.
What’s the difference between elogiar and alabar?
Both mean “to praise.” Elogiar is general “to praise” or “to commend.” Alabar can carry a more formal or even religious sense (“to laud,” “to worship”), though in everyday contexts they’re often interchangeable.
Why is Quiero elogiar followed by the infinitive elogiar?
Spanish verbs like querer can be directly followed by an infinitive to express “to want to do something.” So Quiero elogiar literally means “I want to praise.”
Why do we use su instead of de ella to show possession in su canción bonita?
Su is the possessive adjective placed before a noun (“his/her/their/your formal”). You could say la canción de mi hermana for clarity (“my sister’s song”), but su canción is shorter and very common.
Does su in su canción bonita ever cause confusion because it can mean “his,” “her,” or “their”?
Yes, it can be ambiguous out of context. You rely on surrounding sentences or known subjects. If you need to be crystal-clear, you can use la canción de mi hermana.
Could I use another adjective instead of bonita, like hermosa or preciosa? Would the meaning change?
Absolutely. Hermosa, preciosa, linda, etc., are all synonyms meaning “beautiful” or “pretty.” Some are stronger or more poetic (preciosa, hermosa), while bonita is more neutral. Choose based on the tone you want.