Compro veintiocho manzanas en el supermercado.

Questions & Answers about Compro veintiocho manzanas en el supermercado.

Why is "veintiocho" written as one word instead of three?
Numbers from 21 to 29 are always written as a single word in Spanish. You take veinte (twenty), change the final -e to an -i, and attach the second number. So veinte and ocho become veintiocho. When you reach the 30s, you start using three separate words, like treinta y ocho (38).
Do I need to make "veintiocho" feminine because "manzanas" is feminine?
No, the number veintiocho stays exactly the same. The only number in the twenties that changes for feminine nouns is 21, which becomes veintiuna before a feminine word like manzanas. Numbers ending in 2 through 9, like 28, do not change based on gender.
Where is the word for "I" in this sentence?
It is hidden inside the verb compro. In Spanish, the -o ending on present-tense verbs like comprar (to buy) already tells us that "I" am doing the action. You can say yo compro, but native speakers usually drop the yo unless they want to be emphatic.
Why does the sentence use "en" instead of a word for "at"?
The Spanish word en is very flexible and can translate to "in", "on", or "at" depending on the situation. When you are talking about an event happening at a standard location like el supermercado, en is the correct preposition to use.

Learn Compro veintiocho manzanas en el supermercado and more in Spanish

All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.

  • ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
  • ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
  • ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free