Question 1

Why is it la radio when radio ends in an -o? Shouldn't it be el radio?

Accepted Answer

It is an exception! Most Spanish words ending in -o are masculine, but radio is feminine. It is actually short for a longer word, la radiodifusión (broadcasting), which kept its feminine gender when it was shortened over time.

Question 2

Why isn't there a word for "to" after escucho?

Accepted Answer

In Spanish, the verb escuchar already means "to listen to". You do not need to add an extra word for "to" unless you are listening to a person or a pet, which requires a special grammar rule called the personal "a". For things like the radio, just mention the object directly: escucho la radio.

Question 3

Does en el coche mean "in the car" or "on the car"?

Accepted Answer

Here it means "in the car". The Spanish word en is very versatile and can mean "in", "on", or "at" depending on the context. Since you usually sit inside a vehicle, "in the car" is the natural translation here.

Question 4

I learned that "carro" means car. Is coche different?

Accepted Answer

Both words mean "car", but they are used in different regions. In Spain, coche is the standard everyday word for a car. In Latin America, you will much more commonly hear carro or auto.

Escucho la radio en el coche.

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