Question 1

Since fue is the past tense for both ser (to be) and ir (to go), how do I know which one it is here?

Accepted Answer

Context is your best friend! If it meant went, it would usually be followed by a destination. Here, it is followed by the adjective inolvidable (unforgettable), which describes the trip. Because it links the subject to a description, it comes from ser and means was.

Question 2

Why do we use fue (from ser) instead of estuvo (from estar) to say was?

Accepted Answer

We use ser to describe the fundamental characteristics of a person, thing, or event. Saying the trip was unforgettable is a lasting, core description of that specific event, so we use fue rather than estuvo.

Question 3

What exactly is al short for?

Accepted Answer

The word al is a mandatory contraction of the preposition a (to) and the masculine article el (the). In Spanish, whenever a is followed directly by el, they must merge into al.

Question 4

The word inolvidable looks quite long. How is it built?

Accepted Answer

You can break it down into familiar parts! It starts with the negative prefix in- (un- or not), uses the root of the verb olvidar (to forget), and ends with the suffix -able (-able). Put together, it matches English perfectly: un-forgett-able.

Question 5

The word viaje ends in an e. Is there a rule to remember that it is masculine (el viaje)?

Accepted Answer

Yes! As a general rule, Spanish nouns that end in -aje are masculine. This is a very handy pattern to learn, as it also applies to common words like el mensaje (the message) and el paisaje (the landscape).

El viaje al castillo fue inolvidable.

Breakdown of El viaje al castillo fue inolvidable.

Questions & Answers about El viaje al castillo fue inolvidable.

Learn El viaje al castillo fue inolvidable and more in Spanish