Ch 34 · Lesson 10Spanish · Chapter 34 · Lesson 10 · Grammar primer
Terminada la reunión: the absolute participle
A participle and a noun at the start of a sentence stand for a whole clause: terminada , (once the meeting was over, they left). Plus the mistakes.
The short version
A whole clause in two fronted words
Terminada , .
Why?Hide
Front a participle and its noun and you compress an entire subordinate clause: no conjunction, no extra verb. , . , . The participle agrees with the noun it heads, which is why it is terminada and not . English needs 'once' or 'after' plus a verb to say the same thing.
Absolute clauses: a clause in two words
Put a participle and its noun at the start of a sentence and they stand for a whole "once this was done" clause, with no conjunction:
| Use | Spanish | English |
|---|---|---|
| once | , . | Once the meeting was over, they left. |
| with | , . | With the work done, I rest. |
, . | Once the problem was solved, we celebrated. | |
| plural | Terminadas , . | When classes were over, we left. |
| set phrase | , . | That said, we'll begin. |
The participle comes first and agrees with the noun after it. The clause usually means the action was finished before the main verb. In speech, says the same thing; the absolute clause is tighter and common in writing and news.
Mistakes English speakers make
| Wrong | Right | Why |
|---|---|---|
| ... | . | after : frozen |
| it describes | |
| agrees with | |
| . | . | agrees with the object |
| abridas | | irregular: |
Going further: The participle at a glance and the rest of the guide, when you want them. This lesson does not need them.
Practice
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One question at a time, mixed across the exercises in this lesson. Miss one and it comes back round before the end.
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