Learn Spanish (Latin America): Nosotros aprovechamos el tiempo, pero ese agente se aprovecha de la gente. - We make the most of the time, but that agent takes advantage of people.

Nosotros aprovechamos el tiempo, pero ese agente se aprovecha de la gente.

We make the most of the time, but that agent takes advantage of people.

Breakdown of Nosotros aprovechamos el tiempo, pero ese agente se aprovecha de la gente.

Questions & Answers about Nosotros aprovechamos el tiempo, pero ese agente se aprovecha de la gente.

Why does the verb change from aprovechar to aprovecharse in the second half of the sentence?

This is a perfect example of a pronominal verb changing its meaning. Without the pronoun, aprovechar means to make the most of or to put to good use, like we do with the time. When you add the pronoun to make it aprovecharse, the meaning shifts to something negative: to exploit or to take unfair advantage of.

Why is there a de before la gente but not before el tiempo?

The negative, exploitative version of the verb requires a specific structure: aprovecharse de plus the victim. The positive version, aprovechar, takes a direct object without a preposition, which is why it connects directly to el tiempo.

Is it possible to use the positive aprovechar with a person instead of a thing?

Generally, no. The positive form aprovechar is used for things, situations, or opportunities. If you use this root verb with a person, you must use the pronominal form aprovecharse de, which always carries the negative meaning of exploiting them.

A quick refresher: why is gente singular here when it translates to the plural people?

In Spanish, la gente is a collective noun that is always grammatically singular and feminine, even though it refers to multiple individuals. While it is the object in this sentence, remember that if it were the subject, it would take a singular verb, unlike the English word in English.