Ella tiene un problema en el hombro.

Questions & Answers about Ella tiene un problema en el hombro.

Why is it un problema and not una problema if the word ends in -a?
Most Spanish words ending in -a are feminine, but problema is a major exception. It comes from Greek, and many Greek origin words ending in -ma (like el idioma, el sistema, and el programa) are masculine. That is why we use un instead of una.
Why does the sentence say el hombro (the shoulder) instead of su hombro (her shoulder)?
In Spanish, when talking about body parts, you almost always use the definite article (el, la, los, or las) instead of possessive words like mi or su. Since we already know the sentence is about Ella (her), Spanish just says the shoulder (el hombro).
Is hombro (shoulder) related to the word hombre (man)?
They look very similar, but they have different roots and mean totally different things! Hombre ends in an -e and means man, while hombro ends in an -o and means shoulder. It is a very common mix-up for learners, so pay close attention to that final vowel.
In English we might say she has a problem 'with' her shoulder. Why does Spanish use en here?
The preposition en translates to in, on, or at. While English speakers often say a problem 'with' a body part, Spanish naturally says a problem in or on the body part (en el hombro). You could also say con el hombro (with the shoulder), but en is the most standard and natural choice for physical aches and injuries.

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