Learn Hardcore Spanish (Spain): En verano nos sentamos cerca de la fuente porque hace fresco. - In summer we sit near the fountain because it’s cool.

Spanish often drops the article after time prepositions like en when speaking generally about seasons: En verano = “in (the) summer (in general).” Using en el verano is not wrong, but it can sound a bit more specific or marked. Both are acceptable in Spain; the bare form is just more common for general habits.

Why isn’t verano capitalized?

In Spanish, names of seasons, months, and days are not capitalized unless they start a sentence. So verano is lowercase.

What tense is nos sentamos? Could it also mean “we sat down”?

Nos sentamos is present indicative (we sit/we sit down). For -ar verbs, the first-person plural present and preterite look the same in writing: nos sentamos can also be “we sat (down).” Context resolves it. Here, En verano signals a habitual present. Past habit would be nos sentábamos (imperfect).

Why do we need nos before sentamos?

Because sentarse is a pronominal verb meaning “to sit (oneself) down.” Without the pronoun, sentar is transitive: sentamos a alguien = “we seat someone.” To say “we sit (down),” you must include the reflexive pronoun: nos sentamos.

Can I say Nosotros nos sentamos? Are subject pronouns required?

Subject pronouns (like nosotros) are usually omitted because verb endings show the subject. Nosotros nos sentamos is fine when you want emphasis or contrast, but the neutral choice is nos sentamos.

Where does the pronoun go with other verb forms (infinitive/gerund/commands)?

With a conjugated verb: pronoun before it: nos vamos a sentar.
Attached to an infinitive/gerund: vamos a sentarnos, estamos sentándonos.
Affirmative nosotros command: sentémonos; negative: no nos sentemos.

Why is it cerca de and not cerca a or just cerca la fuente?

The fixed pattern is cerca de + noun/pronoun. So: cerca de la fuente. In Spain, cerca a is not standard. With pronouns: cerca de mí/ti/él/ella… (note the accent on mí).

Why de la and not del?

Del is the contraction of de + el (masculine singular). Here the noun is feminine (la fuente), so no contraction: de la.

Could I say una fuente instead of la fuente?

Yes, but it changes the meaning:

cerca de la fuente = near the (known/specific) fountain.
cerca de una fuente = near a/any fountain (not specific).

What exactly does fuente mean here? Doesn’t fuente also mean “source” or “dish”?

In this context, la fuente means a fountain (e.g., in a square/park). Fuente also means “source,” “serving dish/platter,” “font” (typography), or “power supply” (e.g., fuente de alimentación). Context decides.

Why is porque written as one word and without an accent?

porque = because.
por qué = why (in questions/exclamations).
por que = “for which/that,” in certain formal structures.
el porqué = the reason (a noun). Here it’s causal “because,” so porque.

Why hace fresco and not está fresco or es fresco?

Weather conditions like “it’s cool/cold/hot” are typically expressed with hacer: hace fresco/frío/calor.

Está fresco usually describes the temperature of a specific thing/place (“the room/beer is cool”). Some speakers use it for weather, but hace fresco is the standard.
Es fresco does not describe weather; in Spain, ser fresco can even mean “to be cheeky.”

How do I talk about how I feel: cold/hot?

Use tener: Tengo frío/calor (I’m cold/hot). Avoid estoy caliente unless you mean “I’m aroused.” For objects/food, use está caliente/frío. For weather: hace frío/calor/fresco.

Is the word order En verano … porque … natural? Can I move parts around?

Yes. Fronting time is very common: En verano, …
Other natural orders:

Nos sentamos cerca de la fuente en verano porque hace fresco.
Porque hace fresco, nos sentamos cerca de la fuente.
Starting with Porque is fine in everyday Spanish; in more formal writing, Como or Ya que often sounds better at the start: Como/Ya que hace fresco, …

Are there good synonyms for cerca de?

al lado de = right next to, beside (closer than “near”).
junto a = right by/next to (very close).
cerca de = near/close to (proximity, not necessarily adjacent).

How would I negate the sentence? Where does no go?

Place no before the pronoun and verb: En verano no nos sentamos cerca de la fuente porque hace fresco.
If you also want to negate the reason: … porque no hace fresco.

Does porque ever take the subjunctive?

Normally porque + indicative expresses a real cause: porque hace fresco. Subjunctive can appear in special “not because” contrasts:
No nos sentamos cerca de la fuente porque haga fresco, sino para ver a la gente.
This means “not because it’s cool (that’s not the reason)…”

How is cerca pronounced in Spain?

In most of Spain, ce/ci are pronounced with a “th” sound: cerca ≈ “THER-kah.” In much of Latin America, it’s an “s” sound: “SER-kah.”