Question 1

Why is it hasta el parque instead of hacia el parque?

Accepted Answer

This comes down to the current lesson! Hacia means "towards" (movement in a direction), but hasta means "until" or "as far as" (the limit). So hasta el parque means you go all the way up to the park, whereas hacia el parque just means you are heading in that general direction.

Question 2

Why doesn't this use al parque? Doesn't a mean "to"?

Accepted Answer

If you used a + el (which combines into al), it would simply mean "to the park." Using hasta emphasizes the limit of the journey—you must go "all the way to" or "as far as" the park before stopping or turning. You don't use a and hasta together, which is why it is just hasta el parque.

Question 3

Wait, doesn't derecho mean "right"?

Accepted Answer

This is a very common mix-up! Derecho means "straight" or "straight ahead." If you want to tell someone to turn to the "right," you use the feminine word derecha (usually in the phrase a la derecha).

Question 4

The translation says "You have to", so why doesn't this sentence use tienes que?

Accepted Answer

Hay que is an impersonal way of saying "one must" or "it is necessary to." It doesn't point to a specific person, which makes it perfect for giving general directions to anyone. Tienes que would mean specifically you have to do it. Both work, but hay que sounds a bit more like a general instruction.

Hay que ir derecho hasta el parque.

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