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Letter a
A expensas de
Expression equivalent to "a costa de", but not to "a la espera de".
Ejemplo:
Incorrect: Estamos a expensas de que empiece la película.
Correct: Vive a expensas de sus padres.
A la mayor brevedad
This expression is incorrect. It should be "con la mayor brevedad".
Ejemplo:
Te haré llegar el paquete con la mayor brevedad.
A lo largo de
This expression is equivalent to "durante". But it sounds comical used in expressions that indicate very short periods of time..
Ejemplo:
Habló a lo largo de un minuto. This should be avoided. Better, Habló durante un minuto.
A merced de / merced a
A merced de: means to be subject to something.
Merced a: means "gracias a" (thanks to), "por causa de" (because of).
Ejemplo:
El barco estaba a merced de las olas.
Se compró una casa merced al premio de la lotería.
A nivel de
Prepositional phrase of foreign origin that is equivalent to certain prepositions in Spanish. Avoid it and use the Spanish prepositions.
Ejemplo:
Incorrect: El problema será estudiado a nivel de la dirección.
Correct: El problema será estudiado por la dirección.
A punta de pistola
A robbery occurs "a punta de navaja" or "de cuchillo", but never "a punta de pistola". The correct expression is pistola en mano.
Ejemplo:
Entraron en el banco pistola en mano.
Le robaron el bolso a punta de cuchillo.
Acerbo / acervo
Do not confuse the two words:
Acerbo: cruel, sharp to the taste.
Acervo: a lot of small things, accumulation of goods.
Ejemplo:
Hicieron muchos comentarios acerbos que le molestaron.
Esa nación tiene un gran acervo cultural.
Acordarse de / recordar (a)
Although these are synonyms they do not have the same structure. Acordarse is a reflexive verb and takes the preposition de. Recordar is a transitive verb and does not take a preposition, except in cases when the direct object requires the preposition a.
Ejemplo:
Me acuerdo de las vacaciones.
Recuerdo las vacaciones.
Another possible mistake is the following:
* "Me recuerdo…". Because the verb "recordar" is not reflexive, it does not use the pronoun. The correct expression is: "Recuerdo…"
Aparte / A parte
Aparte can be an adverb, an adjective or a noun.
Example: Ese tema es aparte.
A parte is a construction made up of a preposition and a noun, "parte" (which can take determiners and be pluralized).
Ejemplo:
Nos quedaremos en casa. No iremos a parte alguna.
Aterrizaje de emergencia
Literal translation from English. In Spanish use "aterrizaje forzoso".
Ejemplo:
Por un problema con un motor, el avión tuvo que hacer un aterrizaje forzoso.
Autodefensa
The term "autodefensa" is a loan from the English term "self-defense". Avoid it, and use "defensa propia", the correct expression in Spanish.
Ejemplo:
El acusado usó el arma en defensa propia.
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Remember that besides these words, you can consult our data base for Spanish Words (Word of the day)
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