Phrase · 🙄 Colloquial reactions
¡Toma ya! ¡He aprobado el carné a la primera!
Yes! I passed my driving test first time!
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Why every word is where it is
¡Toma1verbtake that (lit. take)tomar · imperative · 2nd sing.ya1adverb(now)!¡He2verbI havehaber · present · 1st sing.aprobado2verbpassedaprobar · participle · masc. · sing.eldeterminerthemasc. · sing. · definitecarné3noundriving licence (test)masc. · sing.a4prepositionatla4determinertheel · fem. · sing. · definiteprimera4adjectivefirst (attempt)primero · fem. · sing.!
- Toma → ya: ¡Toma ya!: one particle
- He → aprobado: he + participle: perfect
- aprobado → carné: aprobar + exam
- a → primera: a la primera (vez)
Word for word: “Take now! I have passed the licence at the first!”
Why it's built this way
The notes match the numbers above.
- 1¡Toma ya! (Spain) = yes!, take that!: delight at a success. A plain ¡Toma! can also mean "here you are". Lexicalised imperatives and pragmatic particles →
- 2aprobar = to pass (an exam). Spain uses the present perfect for news from today. Present perfect vs preterite (Spain vs Latin America) →
- 3el carné (de conducir) = driving licence (Spain); Latin America says la licencia (de manejo).
- 4a la primera = at the first attempt (vez is understood).
Variations
- ¡Toma ya! ¡Aprobé el carné a la primera!
- ¡Bien! ¡Saqué la licencia a la primera!
- ¡Olé! ¡He aprobado el carné a la primera!