"Yo siempre hago la compra los sábados."
Translation:I always buy groceries on Saturdays.
64 Comments
210
I think "hacer la compra" means do the shopping as in a regular chore, so generally refers to grocery shopping. "Ir de compras" refers to shopping for clothes, accessories, etc. A wife might ask her husband "will you do the shopping this week" (to go buy food) - hacer la compra. Then she might say "Do you want to go with me. I need go shopping for some new clothes" - ir de compras. So he says, "Errr, uuh, ok, you can go shopping, I'll get the groceries." - Yo hago la compra. Think of hacer as to do something, a task. This link should help. https://forum.wordreference.com/threads/ir-de-compras-hacer-la-compra.140571/
As a native Spanish speaker, I share the same opinion with grace780329, I have never heard the expression hacer la compra, it just sounds so unnatural to me, maybe it's a regionalism, in my country we say "Hacer (el) mercado". This might be more commonly used since the expression actually appears on RAE's dictionary.
hacer el mercado
- loc. verb. Comprar lo necesario para el consumo doméstico. https://dle.rae.es/srv/search?m=30&w=mercado
- 1065
Interesting because in different parts of the US I have also heard variations in the English equivalent. I have heard: 'I am going for groceries' 'I am going food shopping" 'I am going grocery shopping'
I almost never hear "I am doing the shopping" unless the context of groceries was set up earlier in the conversation. Doesn't mean it isn't said, correct or common someplace I haven't been, I just very rarely hear it.
Here in Massachusetts, I would definitely expect "do the shopping" or "out shopping" or "we need to go shopping" to mean doing the grocery shopping. "Shopping with friends" though is definitely not groceries.
Was "hacer la compra" an inferred definition of groceries or was there a word left out. I was looking for a Spanish word equivalent to groceries besides the stated phrase. I found this confusing.
- 11
I really didn't understand where "groceries" comes from here. After doing some research I learned that the meaning of "hacer la compra" translates roughly as "buy groceries" but that there is no specific word in Spanish that translates directly as "groceries".
Yeah that confused me also, and I got dinged. It seems to me they should be translating that as 'going shopping', and not implying words that are not part of the original sentence as part of the translation.
My answer was I always go shopping on Saturdays. DL marked it correct.
I answered "do the shopping" and got marked wrong. I think that phrasing might be more English than American though.
"Do the shopping" is what we'd say for going grocery shopping here in Massachusetts.
- 814
Same here. Then I recall a tutor one time stating that here is Ecuador at least it is generally referred to as the groceries. I can see that as reason here where I live culturally as many shop for food ( fish or veges) almost daily so it is just assumed UNLESS you state something different. I know espanol es muy dificil! NO, ingles is mas dificil! Sort of a common banter we have here. I am sure i did not type the phrase correctly either!!
It seems to be regional according to wordreference. In general, "hacer la compra" means to "go shopping." The implication of groceries appears to be specific to Spanish-speaking people in the United States.
http://www.wordreference.com/es/en/translation.asp?spen=hacer%20la%20compra
Hablo español y soy Argentina. Esta oración no tiene mucho sentido para mí. Si la dijera así, alguien me preguntaría: ¿De qué compra estás hablando? y yo le tendría que explicar que voy al supermercado a hacer las compras para el hogar.
Hi sguthrie1. We don't have a special phrase for buying something. If I need some food or something for cleaning my house, etc. then I say: I go to the market. If I need medicine: I go to the pharmacy. If I need a dress or some clothes: I go to buy a dress or pants, shoes, etc. If I need bread: I go to the bakery and on and on. Hope this helps you. Saludos
- 1831
It sounds really odd to me. "I always do the shopping ..." would be fine, but we don't use "buying" like that in American English.
- 717
Yeah I guess, shopping makes more sense than buying. Does hacer la compra always mean grocery shopping?
I wrote [I always make purchase on Saturdays], never expected DL will accept it, but surprisingly, it was accepted. however, I can not see anything indicate "groceries" in the Spanish sentence.
I stole these from some one on the internet.
Ir de compras- going out shopping, like at the mall. The "fun" shopping, may not even buy anything, window shopping
Hacer la compra- going shopping for necessities- food, cleaning supplies- the "chore" shopping, so that groceries came in this case.
Ir a comprar- to go to buy something specific
Ir a comprar (by itself), similar to hacer la compra.
"I always go shopping on Saturdays" was accepted, although not a literal translation. This is a perfect example of understanding without 'translating'. GO DL!!! ;-)))) Que Padre!!
- 117
A lot better translation would be "i always do the groceries on saturdays", it's a natural and legit sentence + it's almost the exact same as the spanish sentence.
This wouldn't sound natural in American English--or at least not in any of the places I've lived. We "get grocery" or "go grocery shopping," but I've not heard of anyone "doing groceries."
Dialect is a funny thing.
- 117
Search "do the groceries" on google, with the quotation marks, and gander upon the thousands of examples. I can't belive you've never heard this expression.
- 11
We would say "do the groceries" where I live in Canada, but it would be very colloquial and a bit uncommon, as in: "Hey honey, I'm gonna do the groceries now."
To be fair, I didn't know it was correct until I did a Google search. Doesn't seem like it's very commonplace in America.
English is a vast language, with millions of dialects, and variations. It is really amazing how different it can be.
For example, the people in Australia say "sport" instead of plural "sports". I thought it was simply incorrect English until I googled it. You learn something new every day.
No need to be so condescending.
- 117
I wasn't. I was merely baffled, by the fact that he had never heard it. We really do learn something new every day.
I have never heard "do the groceries" or "doing groceries" or "get grocery" in UK English. But "buy (some) groceries", "get the groceries" or "shop for groceries" are common, however "go to the store" is more usual.
UK English native here:- to go shopping - can mean any kind of shopping
to do the shopping - means regular/food shopping (US= grocery shopping)
Yes (go to the store.) That is our similar phrase. It don't even mention groceries but that's what it means. Same as hace la compra i guess.
- 245
I agree. "Do the groceries" might be said, but not very common in places in the U.S.
I think ‘do the groceries ‘ is a more modern term and more familiar with younger people. I myself have never used the term but i would have understood it when a younger person would have said it.
"Do the groceries" is definitely something I'd say and expect to hear in Massachusetts.
Ir de compras= go to the shop. Hacer la/las compras= do the action (buy something)
- 245
I suggest that "ir de compras" = "go to shop", more literally. The "the" is unnecessary, and makes less sense in English.
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I put "I always shop for groceries on Saturdays" (as a tester!) - it was marked wrong. I've reported it, as I think this is a valid option.
the words for groceries are 'comestibles' or 'provisiones'. 'La compra' translates as 'the shopping'.
the sentence states you are buying it on Saturdays. It doesn't specify groceries
Not really. To make a purchase is to buy something specific. But here they're talking about routine shopping in general. Hope this helps.
- 245
Using the "the" makes it specific. But saying "on Saturdays" is a statement in general.
Combining the two into one sentence creates a someone confusing sentence.-- Not "more" sense.
However, it can work in some contexts -- for example, the specific "it" could refer to the Sunday newspaper.
"I always make the purchase (of the paper)...." But this is a very wordy thing to say, and I doubt people would really say that.
"I buy..." is so much simpler.
There are a few words to describe groceries...abastos...provisiones....mandados....despensas...... ...but cant find that here?????strange way to teach
I think strange way to teach literal translations. But not as far as teaching. This is a phrase that often times would be lost in translation. Duos attempt to translate do that there is less lost in translation.
You might buy groceries if your american but in england its SHOPPING. I hate that this app is geared up for americans to latin american spanish and not traditional castilian for europeans. Pronounciations are quite different. I would like to be able to choose.
- 245
You could try another language program, if you want to learn a different forms of Spanish or English.
Duo doesn't hide what it's about.
By the way, we can "shop for groceries". We shop for all sorts of items. The same is true for the word "buy".
Comestibles = groceries in Spanish. Otherwise who is to say that he wasn't going shopping for automobile parts
Hi JayJay. "Hago" (hacer) la acción de ir al mercado a comprar lo que necesito para mi casa y mi vida. Se llama "Hacer las compras", también "hago la cama" o sea, después de levantarme arreglo las sábanas, las almohadas y pongo el cubrecama. ¿Entiendes? "Hago la acción". Espero que esto te ayude. Regards
- 245
Keep in mind two things: 1) the "h" is silent in Spanish. 2) Spanish speakers tend to run words together, as they are in the sound here. Thus it takes awhile for us to learn to "hear" Spanish.
But I assume you know this, by now.
I heard "siempreago". So it seems correct to me. Perhaps a Spanish speaker can confirm or disconfirm?
the dictionary said i always go the buy on saturdays. the correct solution says i always go buy groceries on saturdays. can someone please explain this
