Ustedes no van al trabajo temprano.

Questions & Answers about Ustedes no van al trabajo temprano.

Why do we use van with ustedes? Isn't van for 'they'?
Yes, van is the 'they' form of the verb ir (to go). However, in Spanish, the plural 'you' (ustedes) always uses the exact same verb form as 'they' (ellos or ellas). In Latin America, ustedes is the only way to say 'you all', so it always pairs with van.
Where does the word al come from?
al is a contraction of two words: a (to) and el (the). When we use the verb ir (to go), we follow it with a to show our destination. Since trabajo is a masculine noun (el trabajo), the a and el combine into al. You will never see 'a el' written as two separate words in Spanish!
I thought trabajo meant 'I work'. Why is it used as a place here?
trabajo can be two different words depending on context. It is the 'I' form of the verb trabajar (I work), but it is also a noun meaning 'the job' or 'work' (el trabajo). In this sentence, the word al ('to the') gives us a big clue that we are dealing with the noun.
Where exactly does the no go when making a sentence negative?
In Spanish, the negative word no must always go immediately before the verb. Since the verb here is van, the no has to sit right in front of it to make no van (do not go).

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