Read and Translate #1

Hello everyone and welcome to Your Daily Pinch of Spanish! Today I want to start this new Category in the Blog in which I will give you a short reading, and then its translation. I will also explain some of the words inside and give you the vocabulary list.

So let's get right to it! Today's short reading will be something I apply to my life, and I hope you can apply it to yours as well, as long as you agree : )

Here it is:

Tenemos que usar lo que tenemos y hacer con ello lo máximo que podemos en el momento. No podemos detenernos por creer que nos faltan recursos; si queremos hacer algo, usemos lo que en el momento tenemos disponible, y comencemos a hacerlo. 

Now I'll give you the English translation. If you're an advanced learner, try to translate it yourself before reading this part.

We have to use what we have and do with it the most we can do in the moment. We can't stop ourselves because of believing we lack resources; if we want to do something, let's use what we have available in the moment, and start doing it. 

Now I want to explain a couple of things that appear in the reading I gave you. The first is the verb Tenemos. It comes from the verb Tener which means 'to have'. It's the indicative form when it's you plus other people, nosotros tenemos - we have. To create this form of verbs when referring to yourself and others, use the stem of the verb, and add the ending 'emos'. Tener - Tenemos.

We see this used again in this short paragraph in the following verbs:

Podemos - We can

Queremos - We want

There is also something quite similar in the following words, but pay attention to the use:

Comencemos - Let's start

Usemos - Let's use

The -emos ending in these ones adds a different meaning: 'let us do', instead of 'we do'. To make them like the others, in these ones it would be: Comenzamos - we start; Usamos - we use. Using the ending -amos, instead of -emos.

Vocabulary list:

1) Tener - to have

2) Usar - to use

3) Hacer - to do

4) Poder - can; power

5) Máximo - Maximum; the most

6) Momento - moment

7) Detener - to stop

*Detenernos - to stop ourselves; to stop us

8) Creer - to believe

9) Faltar - to lack, to be missing

10) Recursos - resources

11) Querer - to want

12) Algo - something

13) Disponible - disponible

14) Comenzar - to start

*If you have doubt with pronunciation, I created a guide in a separate page; just follow the link above titled "Spanish pronunciation", or click here. (** Update: this page doesn't exist for now, while I rebuild my blog here. Sorry about that!)

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This is it for today! I hope you found this post interesting, and that you learned something with me. If you have any doubt, or want to know more, just contact he in my Twitter page or Facebook page. :)

Until next time!