Breakdown of ¿Alguna vez han cruzado la frontera sin planear el viaje?
el viaje
trip
la
the (feminine)
la vez
time / occasion
alguno
some / any
cruzar
to cross
haber
(auxiliary) have
planear
to plan (make plans)
sin
without
la frontera
border
Questions & Answers about ¿Alguna vez han cruzado la frontera sin planear el viaje?
Why do we use the present perfect (han cruzado) here instead of the preterite (cruzaron)?
In Latin American Spanish, the present perfect is mainly used for life experiences and open timeframes. Because we are asking if this has 'ever' happened in their lives up to this moment, triggered by the phrase alguna vez, the present perfect (han cruzado) is the correct choice here rather than the preterite.
Why does the English translation say 'planning' but the Spanish uses the infinitive planear instead of planeando?
In Spanish, whenever a verb directly follows a preposition like sin (without), you must use the infinitive form. English uses the '-ing' form for this (like 'without planning'), which is a common trap for learners. You will never use the '-ndo' gerund form directly after a preposition in Spanish!
How do we know han cruzado means 'you all have crossed' and not 'they have crossed'?
How exactly does alguna vez translate to 'ever'?
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