Question 1

Why does the sentence use al partido instead of a el partido?

Accepted Answer

In Spanish, whenever the preposition a (to/at) is followed immediately by the masculine article el (the), they must combine to form the contraction al. It is grammatically incorrect to leave them separated as a el. Since partido is a masculine noun, a + el partido becomes al partido.

Question 2

In English we just say "enter the game". Why is there an a (hidden inside al) here at all?

Accepted Answer

In Spanish, the verb entrar (to enter) is almost always followed by the preposition a (or sometimes en) when you are talking about entering a physical space or an event. So, Spanish speakers literally say they "enter to the game" (entran al partido).

Question 3

The English translation says "are entering". Why does the Spanish sentence use the simple present tense entran?

Accepted Answer

In Spanish, the simple present tense (like entran) is frequently used to describe actions happening right now. Because the sentence includes the word ahora (now), it is already clear that the action is currently in progress. While Spanish does have a progressive tense equivalent to "are entering", using the simple present is very natural and much more common than it is in English.

Question 4

Does partido mean any type of game, like a board game?

Accepted Answer

No, partido is specifically used for sports matches or sporting events (like a soccer match, basketball game, etc.). If you want to talk about a board game, card game, or video game, you would use the word juego instead.

Los chicos entran al partido ahora.

Breakdown of Los chicos entran al partido ahora.

Questions & Answers about Los chicos entran al partido ahora.

Learn Los chicos entran al partido ahora and more in Spanish