daijobu Posted February 1, 2016 Share Posted February 1, 2016 My daughter is unable to reach her Spanish teacher and has a question about this sentence: ¿Adónde piensan tus amigos correr? She asks: Does it make sense grammatically because I don't think correr should be in the infinitive form, but rather in the -ing form. Thank you for your help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockhopper Posted February 1, 2016 Share Posted February 1, 2016 Tell her to make sure she's paying attention to the verb conjugation, piensAN. Who's the subject? Also remember that pensar can have the sense of "plan to/intend". 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matryoshka Posted February 1, 2016 Share Posted February 1, 2016 (edited) No, the sentence is correct. Even in English, 'to run' would be in the infinitive. It means "Where do your friends plan to run?" (pensar is usually translated as 'to think', but in this context means more 'to plan' or 'to think about') The present participle (the 'ing' form) can only be used in a verb phrase with 'to be' and a very few other verbs as the conjugated verb - this is the progressive form. You can be running, or continue running (to continue is 'seguir' in Spanish, which is also used with the present participle), but you can't think running or plan running. Edited February 1, 2016 by Matryoshka 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daijobu Posted February 1, 2016 Author Share Posted February 1, 2016 DD looking over my shoulder: "OOOHHHHH!" I think she just got the meaning of the sentence. "Where do they go to run?" Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barnwife Posted February 1, 2016 Share Posted February 1, 2016 Another way for the question to be phrased is: ¿Adónde piensan correr tus amigos?Seeing that way might also help her understand why "correr" needs to be in the infinitive form. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamiof5 Posted February 2, 2016 Share Posted February 2, 2016 I'd have said, "A donde piensan correr tus amigos?". Can't remember why (sorry), but the other way seems backwards 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamiof5 Posted February 2, 2016 Share Posted February 2, 2016 Another way for the question to be phrased is: ¿Adónde piensan correr tus amigos? Seeing that way might also help her understand why "correr" needs to be in the infinitive form. Didn't read the last post before responding ;) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SA Homeschooler Posted February 25, 2016 Share Posted February 25, 2016 The sentence as stated means: To where do your friends plan to run? Stated another way: Where are you friends planning on running to? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welltrainedmami Posted February 25, 2016 Share Posted February 25, 2016 Are the friends going for a run or running away from/to something? ¿A donde piensan ir a correr tus amigos? (going for a run) ¿A donde piensan correr tus amigos? (running to/from) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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