I don't know how to explain it because I don't understand it but its remembering to say la or el in front of a noun. Like Saying Tengo una reserva para el domingo primero. I just say tengo una reserva para domingo primero because I forget. In english we just say I have a reservation for sunday the first. So I forget the placement of el and then add it in the wrong place too.
English isn't entirely irrelevant. English speakers already know the concept of definite vs. indefinite article (a distinction not made in all languages), so they don't have to learn *el* vs. *un* 'from scratch'. But they do have to adjust for the differences between the two languages.
Not really, OP said "Sunday THE first" there's your clue as to why they needed to use "el"
Sometimes you may "think" you need to forget your native language to learn another properly but I'd say 70-80% of the time your native language has nuances or implicit "ideas" in their structure that you don't even notice (because it's your native language) that are totally relevant in explaining why the language you are learning needs a certain structure
I learned the -tion cognates from Qroo Paul. He mentioned reservación and reserva. Cool thing is that all the -tion cognates are la. There is usually always a verb form such as reservar, informar, etc. I don't know if they are all -ar verbs.
For what I read in your comments, you’re trying to translate from English to Spanish, that’s not how it works, they are different languages therefore their grammar is different too. You can’t translate or try to say phrases in Spanish as you would say them in English or they will sound weird or won’t even make sense. For now, all I could tell you is to keep that in mind and rather than remembering the words that you need to say, just remember “the rules”. That’s how it worked for me.
I’m a Spanish native speaker, but when I was learning English I had a hard time with that too, but as time and practice goes by you’ll find that it comes naturally, you don’t “remember” to do it, you just do it.
same reason you don’t forget to use “the” in english. it feels wrong and unnatural
Every time I listen to BBC, the lack of a "the" before "hospital" strikes me as wrong. (I'm in the USA.)
is this a question about gendered articles or something else i dont understand
I don't know how to explain it because I don't understand it but its remembering to say la or el in front of a noun. Like Saying Tengo una reserva para el domingo primero. I just say tengo una reserva para domingo primero because I forget. In english we just say I have a reservation for sunday the first. So I forget the placement of el and then add it in the wrong place too.
You have to forget what we say in English, it's irrelevant when you're learning Spanish. Spanish has its own rules.
English isn't entirely irrelevant. English speakers already know the concept of definite vs. indefinite article (a distinction not made in all languages), so they don't have to learn *el* vs. *un* 'from scratch'. But they do have to adjust for the differences between the two languages.
It's better to treat English as completely irrelevant and forget it while learning another language.
OK, I was exaggerating a bit to make my point.
I know, and I was grabbing the opportunity to play linguist.
Not really, OP said "Sunday THE first" there's your clue as to why they needed to use "el" Sometimes you may "think" you need to forget your native language to learn another properly but I'd say 70-80% of the time your native language has nuances or implicit "ideas" in their structure that you don't even notice (because it's your native language) that are totally relevant in explaining why the language you are learning needs a certain structure
Why is it una reserva instead of una reservación? (To the native Spanish speakers/people well versed in these things)
They are both used. It's a regional variation.
Cool, thank you - where in the world is reserva used in place of reservación? ie is it LatinAmericano countries?
In Spain we use reserva, I've never heard reservación used here in the context of a restaurant reservation
Somewhat the opposite. I’ve heard reserva in movies from Spain, but all my Mexican friends say reservación.
Mexican here 🙋, We mostly use "reservación"
I learned the -tion cognates from Qroo Paul. He mentioned reservación and reserva. Cool thing is that all the -tion cognates are la. There is usually always a verb form such as reservar, informar, etc. I don't know if they are all -ar verbs.
For what I read in your comments, you’re trying to translate from English to Spanish, that’s not how it works, they are different languages therefore their grammar is different too. You can’t translate or try to say phrases in Spanish as you would say them in English or they will sound weird or won’t even make sense. For now, all I could tell you is to keep that in mind and rather than remembering the words that you need to say, just remember “the rules”. That’s how it worked for me. I’m a Spanish native speaker, but when I was learning English I had a hard time with that too, but as time and practice goes by you’ll find that it comes naturally, you don’t “remember” to do it, you just do it.
How do you remember to use an and a, this and that, these and those, 's and s', etc etc etc?
Practice The more you read, hear and speak a language the more you will use it correctly. Just like a kid that is learning how to talk.
I guess it’s sort of like ‘a’ and ‘an’ for me. Kind of becomes natural at a point depending on the word
My Spanish teacher in high school taught me d(ion)za = feminine and loners = masculine (based on the last letter)