Answers
Jun 15, 2014 - 11:15 AM
I think agua is actually a feminine noun. However, generally one uses "el" before feminine nouns that begin with a vowel sound. I guess "el agua" is easier to say than "la agua." Second question? I don't know...
Jun 15, 2014 - 12:41 PM
Question #1 solved! Thanks, James
Jun 15, 2014 - 12:58 PM
There are very good explanations here: http://forum.wordreference.com/showth... I like the first one, because it's so simple:
abcdef
"a" está al lado de "b"
"a" está cerca de "c"
abcdef
"a" está al lado de "b"
"a" está cerca de "c"
Jun 15, 2014 - 08:06 PM
Well if I understand your example with the abcdef, it is confirming my point that "al lado de" expresses a greater degree of closeness than "cerca de", and that if "al lado de" is used in the dialogue, it should be translated as "next to the river" not "close to the river".
Jun 16, 2014 - 01:02 PM
I agree.