"She can start a family."
Translation:Ella puede formar una familia.
9 Comments
I wrote "Ella puede empezar una familia." Spanishdictionary says I'm right but Duo says I'm wrong.
While there is more than one verb which means "to start" the "correct" selection depends on customary usage. In this case DuoLingo has the support of Wordreference.com where they say formar una familia = (casarse y tener hijos)
935
What about the personal a? I noticed in this construction there seems to be no need for the personal a. "Ella puede formar una familia" is shown as correct (vs. Ella puede formar a un familia). I struggle to understand why personal a is not needed here.
- 935
So is it also correct to say: Ella puede comenzar una familia? If comenzar is also correct, should it be 1) Ella puede comenzar una familia or 2) Ella puede comenzar a una familia? (adding the "personal A")
"Start a family" is the most common way to express it in English. "begin", "form", "iniitiate", "create", "have a" etc. are all possible but not as clear, and in some cases may be misleading. Same in spanish, it's a question of what the common usage is that expresses the idea. If it is "formar" then that is what it is, and I just have to learn it.
