Learn Spanish (Latin America): El sol brilla detrás de aquella nube.

El sol brilla detrás de aquella nube.

The sun shines behind that cloud.

Breakdown of El sol brilla detrás de aquella nube.

Questions & Answers about El sol brilla detrás de aquella nube.

Why do we use aquella here instead of esa for that?

Both mean that, but esa is used for things somewhat close to you or the listener. aquella is used for things that are physically far away from both the speaker and the listener. Since a cloud is high up in the sky and far away, aquella is the perfect choice.

Why is there a de after detrás?

In Spanish, many location words need de when they are followed by the specific thing you are talking about. While detrás on its own means behind or in back, if you want to say behind that cloud, you have to use the full phrase detrás de.

nube ends in -e. How do we know to use the feminine aquella instead of the masculine aquel?

Nouns that end in -e can be either masculine or feminine, so you just have to memorize their gender as you learn them. nube happens to be a feminine noun (la nube). Because demonstrative words must match the noun they describe, we use the feminine form aquella.

Is the verb brilla related to any English words to help me remember it?

Yes! brilla comes from the verb brillar, which means to shine or sparkle. It is very closely related to the English word brilliant. Thinking of a brilliant, shining sun is a great way to remember this verb.