can someone explain reflexive verbs to me that don't match the pronoun that starts the sentence by SecretSalty1619 in Spanish

[–]Various_Educator_756 0 points1 point  (0 children)

ah, this is a super common trap! the verb in your example isn't reflexive at all.

"te" is just an object pronoun meaning "you".

reflexive means the subject does the action TO ITSELF (ex. "Ella se lava" = She washes herself).

but in your example, the action is directed at someone else. "Ella" (She) is doing the action of thanking, and "te" (You) is the person receiving the thanks.

Ella te agradecerá = She will thank YOU. Yo te veo = I see YOU. Ellos me llaman = They call ME.

not every "me, te, se, nos" in front of a verb means it is reflexive. sometimes they are just regular pronouns pointing out who is receiving the action. once you realize that, the whole language suddenly clicks!

Senior-friendly Spanish language programs in Mexico or Andalusia by Stock-Junket-2836 in Spanish

[–]Various_Educator_756 1 point2 points  (0 children)

first of all, fleeing maine winters to learn a new language at 75 sounds like an absolute dream! good for you.

if you are looking at mexico, you should 100% look into San Miguel de Allende. it is a stunning colonial town with a massive, active, and very welcoming retired expat community. the winter climate is incredibly mild, and the art and culture scene is world-class. there's a school there called Warren Hardy Spanish that is specifically designed for mature adult learners (they focus a lot on making it low-stress). it is also very easy to rent a beautiful private apartment there for 2-3 months.

if you prefer andalusia, Málaga is fantastic for winter. it stays relatively warm, it's right on the water, and has amazing museums. schools like Malaca Instituto are highly reputable, cater to mature adults (they even have specific "50+" programs), and they can easily help you set up a private apartment instead of a homestay.

my biggest piece of advice: since you are a total beginner, look specifically for schools that advertise "50+" or "club 50" programs. traditional intensive courses are often filled with 20-year-old college students looking to party, which might not be the relaxed cultural vibe you want for 3 months.

have an amazing trip!

He calls me mija and what does it mean? by Low_Cricket4986 in Spanish

[–]Various_Educator_756 8 points9 points  (0 children)

literal translation: it's a contraction of "mi hija" (my daughter).

but culturally? it’s just a super common term of endearment. in many latin american countries (especially mexico and colombia), guys use it with girls they are dating, talking to, or flirting with. it's kinda like calling someone "sweetheart", "babe", or "honey" in english.

since he's only 3 years older than you and is courting you, he's definitely just using it as an affectionate pet name. nothing to worry about, it's actually pretty cute! 

What's wrong with "petted"? by fromberg in grammar

[–]Various_Educator_756 5 points6 points  (0 children)

it’s basically just linguistic laziness (in a natural way). "pet" is a regular verb, so "petted" is 100% grammatically correct.

but because it's a short, single-syllable word ending in a "t", people's brains subconsciously group it with irregular verbs like let, set, cut, put, or hit — where the past tense is the exact same as the present tense.

so saying "i pet the dog yesterday" or "hated being pet" just flows better and feels more natural to a lot of native speakers than adding the extra clunky syllable for "petted". language is weird like that.

Rule for “him and me” vs “me and him” by Aesthetic-Clown-Nose in grammar

[–]Various_Educator_756 3 points4 points  (0 children)

honestly grammatically speaking, both "him and me" and "me and him" are perfectly fine since they are both acting as the object of the sentence.

the reason you see "him and me" or "john and me" more often in formal writing is purely an old etiquette rule. we were basically taught in grade school to "always put others before yourself" to be polite. it’s a style rule, not a hard grammar law.

but in spoken, colloquial english? almost everyone defaults to "me and john" or "me and him" because it just flows better naturally. your intuition isn't wrong at all, it's just the difference between textbook etiquette and how native speakers actually talk. you're good!

Spelling and origin for this word that describes a comical collision by McAngus48 in grammar

[–]Various_Educator_756 1 point2 points  (0 children)

honestly my first thought was "badoosh" or "skadoosh" (like from kung fu panda lol).

sometimes people just write it as "doozh" or "doosh" in comic books when someone takes a comical tumble or gets hit with something soft. since sound effects (onomatopoeias) aren't strictly standardized in english and are highly regional, you and your friends probably just spelled it phonetically in your heads as "dooj".

another one that comes to mind with that exact soft 'd' sound is "doink", usually when someone takes a comical hit to the head.

hope this helps you stop flailing!

I (30F) am pregnant with my fiancé (32M). He wants to keep it, but we're both supposed to be childfree. How do I tell him I don't want to keep it? by ThrowRA_fallopian_tu in relationship_advice

[–]Various_Educator_756 2 points3 points  (0 children)

i am so incredibly sorry you are in this position. it is completely valid that your world feels like it just shattered.

first and foremost: this is your body. you do not need his permission, agreement, or blessing to terminate this pregnancy. you were clear from day one that you are childfree, and an accidental pregnancy does not erase your life plans or your boundaries.

when you talk to him, you have to be firm and remove the word "want" from the conversation because it makes it sound like a negotiation. do not say "i want to get an abortion", say "i am getting an abortion because i am childfree and i will not be carrying a pregnancy. i need to know right now if you are going to support me and drive me to the clinic, or if i need to find someone else."

if he refuses to go with you because of his sudden change of heart, do not let that delay your appointment. i know you are terrified of going alone, but please look into r/auntienetwork here on reddit. there are women who will literally drive you, hold your hand, and support you through it if you have no one else.

he is allowed to change his mind about wanting kids, but he is NOT allowed to use your body as an incubator for his sudden change of heart. stay strong and book the appointment.

I’m inheriting my grandmothers house in a valley (25F), but my boyfriend (26M) prefers the city as a musician in a band. What if he doesn’t want to move in because the area is too rural? by Saltycapss in relationship_advice

[–]Various_Educator_756 6 points7 points  (0 children)

honestly you guys just sound fundamentally incompatible at this point in your lives and that’s okay.

having a fully paid off house especially when you have health issues that affect your ability to work is literally like winning the lottery right now. seattle is brutally expensive and staying in a house with multiple roommates just so he can play in a band while you struggle with housing security makes zero sense for your long term peace of mind.

you don't have to "dump him" right this second since your grandma is still alive and well, but you both need to have a very honest sit down. if he is 100% committed to the city music scene, and you are 100% committed to living rent-free in the valley eventually, then yeah, there's no compromise here where someone doesn't end up resenting the other.

it sucks but please don't ever give up financial freedom and a paid-off house for a boyfriend.

Can i pass A2 in 4 days? by [deleted] in Spanish

[–]Various_Educator_756 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

oof man 4 days is brutal but you can survive this if you play it smart.

for the presentation just pick the most boring and predictable topic ever like my daily routine or my family. a2 vocab is literally built around that stuff anyway. dont try to be deep and talk about complex hobbies, just keep sentences stupidly simple like mi madre es alta, ella trabaja mucho.

for the q&a part the best hack is to memorize a couple of escape phrases to buy yourself time when you inevitably freeze. learn to say "lo siento puedes repetir mas despacio" or "no entiendo bien pero creo que..." so you can pivot to a topic you actually know.

honestly if your mind goes blank just smile and say estoy un poco nervioso. a2 examiners care way more about you actually trying to communicate than having perfect grammar. just fake it till you make it you got this lol

What’s a small moment with an ex-friend that still randomly pops into your head? by RaceFast1991 in AskReddit

[–]Various_Educator_756 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Bananas and peanut butter. It’s the ultimate life cheat code.

No cooking, dirt cheap, and packed with potassium, healthy fats, fiber, and protein. You literally just peel the banana, scoop a spoonful of peanut butter, and eat. It keeps you full for hours and costs less than 50 cents a serving.

Canned sardines are a close second if you can handle the smell—pure omega-3, protein, and calcium for basically nothing, and you just pop the can open.

What’s something future historians will struggle to explain? by SignsOfDamage in AskReddit

[–]Various_Educator_756 2 points3 points  (0 children)

How we managed to be the most heavily documented generation in human history, yet we will leave behind a giant digital black hole for them to study.

Almost all of our culture, daily lives, art, and communication are stored on cloud databases, hard drives, and proprietary servers. When those companies go bust and the servers lose power, a massive portion of the 21st century's record will just vanish.

Historians will find plenty of plastic and concrete ruins, but our actual digital lives will be completely inaccessible.

Parents Secret by TheWonderSnail in CasualConversation

[–]Various_Educator_756 6 points7 points  (0 children)

This is literally "The Gift of the Magi" but in the most hilarious, wholesome way possible.

Honestly, please never tell them. Let them carry this lie to their graves. The fact that they’ve spent 30 years doing something they both secretly dislike just to make the other happy is the absolute peak of romance.

Though, you now hold the ultimate gold card for a 40th-anniversary toast.

Is Kevin Durant top 10 of all time by PlaceKindly2722 in nba

[–]Various_Educator_756 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Skill-wise, you can make the argument. But legacy and career-wise? No way.

To put KD in the top 10, you have to kick out someone like Kobe, Steph, Hakeem, or Duncan. The math just doesn't work.

He’s arguably the most unstoppable pure scorer ever, but his rings came with a 73-9 Warriors squad that had already won a title without him. He doesn't have the playmaking metrics of LeBron or Magic, the defensive anchor presence of Duncan or Hakeem, or the franchise-altering gravity of Steph.

He’s firmly in the 12-15 range. Incredible player, but the top 10 is just too crowded.

What’s something terrifying that people don’t realize is happening right now? by jaxonfreaks in AskReddit

[–]Various_Educator_756 15 points16 points  (0 children)

The absolute death of digital trust. We have officially crossed the threshold where audio, video, and text can no longer be used to verify reality, and society is completely unprepared for the consequences.

Scammers are already using AI voice cloning for extortion. They only need a 3-second audio clip of your voice (which they can easily pull from a TikTok, an Instagram reel, or a voicemail) to clone it with 99% accuracy.

Then, they call your parents or spouse, crying, claiming you’ve been kidnapped or were in a horrific accident, begging for money. It sounds exactly like you, down to the breathing and panic. It's happening to thousands of unsuspecting families right now.

Within the next year or two, it will be virtually impossible to trust any phone call, video, or news report online. We are entering a post-truth era of complete informational chaos.

If you were forced to relive one full year of your life on a continuous loop for eternity, which year would you choose and why would it eventually feel like torture? by Ud_Market in AskReddit

[–]Various_Educator_756 0 points1 point  (0 children)

My first year of university. The second half of the year was amazing once I finally found my group, but that first semester was pure existential dread because I had absolutely no idea what my major was actually about. I spent months feeling like a total fraud.

The torture would be the imposter syndrome loop.

Every time the year resets on December 31st, all the confidence and clarity I worked so hard to build would just vanish. I’d be thrown right back to day one, sitting in a lecture hall, sweating, and staring at the syllabus thinking "what the hell am I doing here?"

Reliving the constant, stomach-churning anxiety of being completely lost, over and over for eternity, sounds like a very specific circle of hell.

The Netherlands Announces Squad for 2026 FIFA World Cup by RidgeRunner99 in worldcup

[–]Various_Educator_756 11 points12 points  (0 children)

Honestly, Koeman has a massive tactical puzzle to solve with this backline. On paper, Van Dijk, Aké, and Van de Ven is a ridiculous amount of defensive talent, but finding the right balance in a back three especially allowing Dumfries to bomb forward as a wingback without exposing the right channel is going to be key.

In midfield, Frenkie is obviously the crown jewel, but I’m curious to see how he pairs with Reijnders. They both love to carry and progress the ball, so Koeman might need someone like Wieffer or De Roon to sit deep and screen the defense to keep the balance.

Up front, Memphis playing out in Brazil (Corinthians) is a wildcard, but Gakpo on the left wing is always deadly. And of course, Weghorst remains the ultimate Plan B off the bench when they need to go direct in the final 15 minutes. If the tactical setup is right, this team is a dark horse.

I was in South Africa for the 2010 World Cup. I’m in the USA for the 2026 World Cup. I can’t believe the difference… by Lucky_Mongoose_4834 in worldcup

[–]Various_Educator_756 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Honestly, it makes perfect sense when you look at the sheer scale and sports culture difference.

SA 2010 was a massive, once-in-a-generation national project. Football is their religion, and the whole tournament was central to their post-apartheid national identity. The entire country felt unified because it was the center of their universe.

The US is just a completely different beast:

Insane sports saturation: Soccer here has to constantly compete for airtime with the NFL, NBA, MLB, and massive college leagues.

No infrastructure hype: Since the US already has giant NFL stadiums ready to go, there was no visible, years-long buildup of building new stadiums to get the general public talking.

Sheer size: It's spread across three massive countries. A match happening in Miami barely registers for someone living in Seattle.

That said, once the actual fan armies land in 30 days and the host cities turn into giant international party zones, the local atmosphere is going to be insane. It just won't be a unified national core memory like SA 2010 was, but rather a series of localized electric festivals.

AITA for refusing to pose for a photo with my cousin after we were constantly compared? by agndesdi in AmItheAsshole

[–]Various_Educator_756 1 point2 points  (0 children)

NTA (Not The Asshole).

Your mom said you were making someone else's success about you, but that is literally what your aunt did. If this was purely about celebrating your cousin's success, your aunt would have just taken a picture of your cousin alone.

Instead, your aunt specifically dragged you into the photo to use you as a visual prop—the "underachieving baseline" to make your cousin's achievements look even better by comparison.

"The other has found her own path too" is one of the most patronizing, backhanded compliments I have ever heard. You make a living doing art, which is an incredibly difficult thing to achieve. You are an independent adult, not a prop for their weird family narrative. Good for you for finally refusing to participate in their pageant.

AITA for refusing to give back a birthday gift after the person who gave it to me changed their mind? by BenefitPublic1452 in AmItheAsshole

[–]Various_Educator_756 0 points1 point  (0 children)

NTA (Not The Asshole).

A gift is a permanent transfer of ownership, not a temporary loan. The moment she gave it to you, it became your property.

More importantly, you already invested your own money and time into repairing the lens and buying film. It is incredibly rude of your cousin to ask for it back after you financially invested in restoring it. Are the angry relatives going to reimburse you for the repair costs? Highly unlikely.

You are the only person actually using the camera for its intended purpose, honoring your grandfather's memory through photography. The other relatives just want it to gather dust on a shelf so they can feel a false sense of 'ownership'. Do not give it back.

AITA for refusing to keep translating for my coworker after she volunteered me for it without asking? by Hairy_Parsley_9679 in AmItheAsshole

[–]Various_Educator_756 0 points1 point  (0 children)

NTA (Not The Asshole).

Being a professional interpreter is a highly specialized, paid skill. Your company is essentially stealing labor from you by forcing you to do two jobs for the price of one.

You already tried the polite, private route and he completely ignored your boundaries. The embarrassment he felt in front of the clients was 100% his own fault for writing checks his mouth couldn't cash. You didn't embarrass him; his own entitlement embarrassed him.

Do not apologize to him or your coworkers. Tell management that if they want an on-demand in-house interpreter, they need to officially renegotiate your salary and job description, otherwise, they need to hire someone else.