Phrase · 🙄 Colloquial reactions
¡No inventes! ¿Ganaste la beca?
No way! You got the scholarship?
C2surprisecolloquiales-MXAudio · coming soon
Why every word is where it is
¡No1adverbdon'tinventes1verbmake (it) upinventar · subjunctive · present · 2nd sing.!¿Ganaste2verbyou wonganar · past · 2nd sing.ladeterminertheel · fem. · sing. · definitebeca3nounscholarshipfem. · sing.?
- No → inventes: no + subjunctive: negative imperative
- Ganaste → beca: ganar una beca
Word for word: “Don't invent! Did you win the scholarship?”
Why it's built this way
The notes match the numbers above.
- 1¡No inventes! (Mexico) = no way!, you're kidding!: a negative tú imperative turned into a reaction of surprise. Lexicalised imperatives and pragmatic particles →
- 2Preterite for a completed event: ¿Ganaste…? Mexico uses it even for news from a minute ago. Present perfect vs preterite (Spain vs Latin America) →
- 3la beca = scholarship, grant.
Variations
- ¡No te creo! ¿Ganaste la beca?
- ¡No me digas! ¿Te dieron la beca?
- ¡Órale! ¿Ganaste la beca?