Torrevieja Forum

[Ellsam]

I'd like to know which is the correct word to use, is it 'quisiera' or is it 'querría' (as per the verb table)

Ellsam

[Jane C]

Whichever takes your fancy. For some reason "quisiera" sounds a bit more South American, but it ALL DEPENDS on the context. We don't use either word very much for requesting things.

Jane

[Ellsam]

Whichever takes your fancy. For some reason "quisiera" sounds a bit more South American, but it ALL DEPENDS on the context. We don't use either word very much for requesting things.

Jane

Would 'gustaría' be a better verb to use

Lo preferiría si había sólo una opción (I think that's right)

Ellsam

[Jane C]

It just depends ... quiero, quisiera, me gustaría, there's no right answer.

Lo preferiría si había sólo una opción

Preferiría que hubiera sólo una opción.

If there was only one option when speaking a language, life would be very very dull indeed.

Jane

[reddragon]

What is the plural of "el menu del dia"?

[Jane C]

Los menús del día.

Usually an accented weak vowel at the end of a word takes -es (marroquí - marroquíes) but I THINK it's menús and not menúes because menú is a word of foreign origin. Not hundred per cent though, so if that was the reason for the question (!) I'll try and find out. It is definitely menús though.

Jane

[beastess]

We usually ask for "Tres menús del día" and it seems to work...

[Jane C]

My uncertainty isn't whether it's menús, but why it's menús.

Jane

[reddragon]

Gracias, Jane
Saw it somewhere on the forum with the word "dia" made plural and knew this was surely not right, which got the old brain cells wondering as to what in fact was correct.

[Info]

Jane you are 100% correct in your assumption - menú is a foreign word so it doesn't follow the Spanish rule for nouns ending in the accented ú vowels (which would be es like el tisú, los tisúes, el hindú, los hindúes etc) - it maintains the pluralisation rules of the originating language just adding 's' for the plural

exceptions for the accented é vowel ending: el café - los cafés

exceptins for the accented á vowel ending : el papá, los papás, la mamá, las mamaás, el sofá, los sofás

Now I have promptly forgotten all that again

Bee

[Jane C]

I thought the rule was to do with strong and weak vowels (again I'm dredging up old memories without checking my facts - always dangerous).

i and u are what are called weak vowels and a, e and o are strong vowels. The rule is that -es linked to an accented weak vowel (as in the examples above - often nationalities), but does not apply to accented strong vowels. Therefore papá - papás is regular.

Menú is irregular because it's an accented weak vowel which ought to make menúes - but the other overriding rule is that words of foreign origin just add s.

I've got a horrible feeling that's not the whole story. When I've got time (joke) I'll check it more thoroughly, or maybe one of you could.

Jane

(and there was Red just wondering how to order a couple of menus)

[reddragon]

Been doing it for years, just wondering if I was doing it correctly!

[Flamenco Girl]

What is the plural of "el menu del dia"?

I was always taught that everything was to be made plural in the sentence therefore it would be:

los menús de los dias


Could be wrong though as it really doesn't look right and haven't done lessons for some time and do not know if there is some special ruling on the 'dia' part.

It would actually be easier to abbreviate as many Spanish do - so ask for:

tres menús, por favor

[beastess]

I think it has to be menus del día - only thing that makes sense logically. The days are not plural. Menus of the day change from day to day therefore you after more than one menu from the same day.