Learn Spanish (Spain): Debes tomar dos pastillas al día.

Debes tomar dos pastillas al día.

You should take two pills a day.

Breakdown of Debes tomar dos pastillas al día.

Questions & Answers about Debes tomar dos pastillas al día.

Why is "tomar" used for "to take" here instead of "llevar"?

In Spanish, you use tomar when talking about taking medicine or pills, just like you use it for having food or a drink. Llevar means to take in the sense of transporting someone or something from one place to another.

Could I say "Tienes que tomar" instead of "Debes tomar"?

Yes, but there is a slight difference in tone. Tienes que sounds like a strict obligation (you have to take). Debes is often used for strong advice, such as a recommendation from a doctor (you should or you must take).

Why does "a day" translate to "al día" instead of "un día" or "por día"?

When expressing frequency like "per day" or "a week", Spanish uses the preposition a followed by the definite article (el, la, etc.). Because día is masculine, a and el combine into the contraction al. This is why "a day" becomes al día.

Is "día" masculine or feminine since it ends in an "a"?

Día is a masculine word, which is why it pairs with masculine articles like el (creating the contraction al). It is a very common exception to the general rule that words ending in "a" are feminine.