Es difícil acostumbrarse al matrimonio.

Questions & Answers about Es difícil acostumbrarse al matrimonio.

Why is it al matrimonio instead of just el matrimonio?
The verb acostumbrarse (to get used to) always requires the preposition a when you mention what you are getting used to. Because matrimonio is a masculine noun (el matrimonio), the preposition a and the article el combine to form the mandatory contraction al.
Why is se attached to the end of acostumbrarse?
Acostumbrarse is a reflexive verb in Spanish. When speaking generally about getting used to something, we leave the verb in its infinitive form and keep the general reflexive pronoun se attached directly to the end of it.
Why isn't acostumbrarse conjugated here?
After general statements like es difícil (it is difficult) or es fácil (it is easy), the action that follows stays in the infinitive (dictionary) form. You don't conjugate it because you aren't talking about a specific person doing the action.
Can matrimonio also mean a married couple?
Yes! While in this sentence el matrimonio refers to the institution of marriage, native speakers also frequently use it to mean the married couple themselves.

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