A Close Deadline | Learn Spanish in English

Sentence explanations

1. ¿Se acerca pronto la fecha límite?

   Is the deadline coming up soon?

   Se acerca

   is approaching

   pronto

   soon

   fecha límite

   deadline

   More detail

   Se acerca means “is approaching” here. It is the third-person singular present form of acercarse, “to approach” or “to come near.” The se belongs to this pronominal verb; it is not a separate object pronoun in this sentence. The singular form agrees with la fecha límite, which is the thing approaching. Example: Se acerca el verano. — “Summer is approaching.” Pronto means “soon” and places the approach in the near future. It is an adverb, so it does not change for gender or number and can be reused with different subjects: El tren llega pronto. — “The train arrives soon.” Fecha límite means “deadline.” Fecha is a feminine noun meaning “date,” and límite specifies which date: the limiting or final date. The noun phrase is feminine singular because of fecha; this is why the article is la. Límite keeps the same form here as a modifier rather than showing separate masculine and feminine forms. Together, Se acerca pronto and la fecha límite form a yes-or-no question: “Is the deadline approaching soon?” Spanish places the subject noun phrase after the verb in this utterance, while the question marks show that the whole sentence is a question. The supplied context confirms that la fecha límite is the deadline being discussed.

2. La fecha límite está cerca.

   The deadline is close.

   fecha

   date

   límite

   deadline; limiting

   está

   is

   cerca

   near; close

   More detail

   fecha means “date.” Here it combines with límite to form fecha límite, “deadline”: the date that marks a limit. Fecha is a feminine noun, which is why it appears with la. Example: La fecha de la reunión cambió. — “The meeting date changed.” límite means “limiting” in fecha límite, so the whole expression means “deadline.” In this use, límite is an adjective modifying fecha; it does not show a separate masculine form. The word can also be a noun meaning “limit” in other contexts. Example: Hay un límite de tiempo. — “There is a time limit.” está is the third-person singular present form of estar, “to be.” Spanish uses estar here for the deadline’s current state. The form agrees with the singular subject la fecha límite in person and number; it is not the form used with yo (estoy) or ellos/ellas/ustedes (están). Example: La oficina está cerca. — “The office is nearby.” cerca means “near” or “close.” Here it expresses the deadline’s proximity and commonly follows estar: estar cerca means “to be near/close.” A useful opposite is lejos, “far.” Example: El examen está cerca. — “The exam is near.” Together, La fecha límite is the subject, está states its current condition, and cerca describes that condition. The complete meaning is: “The deadline is close.”

3. Entonces, vamos a empezar con la parte principal.

   So let's start with the main part.

   Entonces

   So

   vamos a empezar

   let’s start

   parte

   part

   principal

   main

   More detail

   Entonces means “so” here and connects this utterance to what has just been established. It can also mean “then” when it indicates time or sequence; the surrounding meaning determines which use is intended. vamos a empezar is a reusable way to say “we are going to start” or, as here, “let’s start.” Vamos is the first-person plural present form of ir (“to go”), and empezar is the infinitive “to start.” The pattern vamos a + infinitive expresses an upcoming action; with vamos used in this way, it can also function as an inclusive suggestion or proposal. Example: Vamos a estudiar. — “Let’s study.” Parte means “part” or “section” here. Its base form is the feminine singular noun parte; the plural is partes. Example: Lee esta parte. — “Read this part.” Principal means “main” here. It is an adjective and agrees with the noun in number, while its form is the same for masculine and feminine singular nouns: el tema principal, la parte principal; the plural is principales. Example: La idea principal es clara. — “The main idea is clear.” Together, la parte principal means “the main part”: the feminine singular article and noun la parte are modified by principal. The full utterance, Entonces, vamos a empezar con la parte principal., means “So let’s start with the main part.” The preposition con links the starting action to the section that will be addressed first.

4. ¿Quieres ocuparte de eso ahora?

   Do you want to take that on now?

   ¿Quieres

   do you want

   ocuparte de

   to take care of; to take on

   eso

   that

   ahora

   now

   More detail

   ¿Quieres is the second-person singular present form of querer (“to want”): quiero, quieres, quiere. Here it asks whether you want to do something, rather than stating that you will do it. Example: ¿Quieres venir? — “Do you want to come?” ocuparte de comes from the pronominal verb ocuparse de, “to take care of” or “to take on.” Ocuparte contains the infinitive ocupar plus the attached pronominal clitic te, which marks the person addressed, tú. The preposition de introduces what someone takes care of: Me ocupo del informe — “I take care of the report.” With querer, the infinitive follows directly: ¿Quieres ocuparte...? — “Do you want to take care of...?” Eso is the neuter demonstrative pronoun “that,” used here for an already identifiable matter or task. Unlike a masculine or feminine demonstrative referring to a noun, eso does not show masculine/feminine agreement. Example: Eso es importante — “That is important.” Ahora is the time adverb “now,” locating the proposed action in the present moment. Example: Lo hago ahora — “I’ll do it now.” Together, ¿Quieres introduces a yes-or-no question about willingness; ocuparte de eso names the proposed action, with eso as the matter being taken on; and ahora specifies when. The complete meaning is: “Do you want to take that on now?”

5. Puedo empezar mientras tú revisas el archivo.

   I can start while you check the file.

   Puedo

   I can

   empezar

   to start

   mientras

   while

   tú

   you

   revisas

   check

   archivo

   file

   More detail

   Puedo is the first-person singular present form of poder, used here to express present ability or possibility: “I can.” The useful pattern is puedo + infinitive. For example, Puedo ayudarte. means “I can help you.” empezar is an infinitive meaning “to start” or “to begin.” After a conjugated form such as puedo, the following verb remains in the infinitive: Puedo empezar = “I can start.” mientras introduces an action that happens at the same time as another action. Here it means “while,” linking the speaker’s starting with the other person’s checking. For example, Leo mientras esperas. means “I read while you wait.” tú is the stressed second-person singular pronoun, “you,” used for one person. It is written with an accent to distinguish it from tu, the possessive word meaning “your.” Spanish often omits subject pronouns when the verb ending already identifies the subject, but tú is explicit here. revisas is the second-person singular present form of revisar, “to check” or “to review.” Its ending identifies a tú subject: tú revisas. For example, Tú revisas el documento. means “You check the document.” archivo is a masculine singular noun meaning “file.” In the sentence it appears as el archivo, “the file”; the article el marks this noun as singular and masculine. For example, Abro el archivo. means “I open the file.” Together, Puedo empezar says “I can start,” and mientras tú revisas el archivo says “while you check the file.” The complete utterance means “I can start while you check the file.”

6. ¿Qué debo buscar primero?

   What should I look for first?

   ¿Qué

   what

   debo

   should

   buscar

   look for

   primero

   first

   More detail

   ¿Qué asks for the thing the speaker should look for. In this question it is an interrogative pronoun, so it stands for an unspecified thing rather than naming a particular object. The written accent distinguishes interrogative qué from the unaccented relative or conjunction que. debo is the first-person singular present form of deber. Here deber + infinitive expresses what the speaker ought to do: debo buscar = “I should look for.” Other useful forms are debes buscar for “you should look for” and debe buscar for “he, she, or usted should look for.” buscar is the infinitive meaning “to look for” or “to search for.” After deber, the verb remains in the infinitive: debo buscar, not a second conjugated form. Example: Debo buscar las notas. — “I should look for the notes.” primero is an adverb meaning “first,” marking the initial step in an order. It modifies buscar here: the speaker asks what to look for before other things. Compare después — “afterward” — when referring to a later step. Together, ¿Qué debo buscar primero? asks which thing the speaker should look for as the first step: “What should I look for first?”

7. Asegúrate de que las notas coincidan con la solicitud.

   Make sure the notes match the request.

   Asegúrate

   make sure

   de que

   that

   notas

   notes

   coincidan

   match

   solicitud

   request

   More detail

   Asegúrate is the affirmative command form of asegurarse for tú singular. Here it means “make sure” or “ensure.” The reflexive ending -te refers to the person being addressed. Compare the formal singular command asegúrese and the plural command asegúrense; these are different forms, not interchangeable with asegúrate. de que introduces what the listener should make sure of: “that …”. The reusable pattern is asegurarse de que + clause. Do not confuse it with asegurarse de + noun, as in Asegúrate de la fecha (“Make sure about the date”). notas is the plural of the feminine noun nota, “note.” In this sentence it refers to multiple notes. The singular is nota; the plural adds -s. The article las also marks this noun phrase as feminine plural. coincidan is the present subjunctive, third-person plural form of coincidir, “to match” or “to coincide.” The plural form agrees with las notas: las notas coincidan. The subjunctive appears because this clause expresses the content of what the listener is being asked to ensure, rather than a separate assertion. For example: Quiero que los datos coincidan. — “I want the data to match.” solicitud is a feminine singular noun meaning “request” or “application,” depending on context. Here the fixed translation supports “request.” Its plural is solicitudes. The article la marks the noun as feminine singular. Together, Asegúrate de que sets up the instruction, las notas is the subject of the subordinate clause, and coincidan con la solicitud says what those notes must match. The whole utterance means: “Make sure the notes match the request.”

8. Luego escribiré una actualización breve.

   Then I'll write a short update.

   Luego

   then

   escribiré

   I will write

   actualización

   update

   breve

   short

   More detail

   Luego means “then” here, placing the writing action after an understood earlier point or action. It is an adverb, so it does not change for person or number. Example: Luego hablamos. — “Then we’ll talk.” escribiré means “I will write.” Its base form is escribir (“to write”); the ending -é marks the first-person singular simple future: “I will write.” The same future pattern appears with other regular verbs, such as hablaré (“I will speak”). Do not confuse escribiré with present escribo (“I write” or “I am writing”). actualización means “update” in this sentence. It is a feminine noun: la actualización, plural las actualizaciones. The accent mark is part of the spelling. It can refer to an update to information or a status report, depending on context. breve means “short” here, describing the length of the update. Its base form is breve; unlike many Spanish adjectives, it has the same form for masculine and feminine singular nouns, and breves is the plural form. Example: un mensaje breve — “a short message”; dos mensajes breves — “two short messages.” Together, Luego sets the timing, escribiré states a first-person future action, and una actualización breve identifies what will be written: “Then I’ll write a short update.”

9. Cuando esté lista, podemos compartirla.

   When it's ready, we can share it.

   Cuando

   when

   esté

   is

   lista

   ready

   podemos

   we can

   compartirla

   share it

   More detail

   Cuando introduces a time condition: “when/once …”. It is reusable before a clause, as in Cuando llegue, te aviso (“When I arrive, I’ll let you know”). Esté is the present subjunctive form of estar for a third-person singular subject. Here it describes a state that is expected or not yet established at the relevant time: “is ready.” The subjunctive in cuando clauses is common when the event is future or pending. Compare present indicative está for a time or situation treated as established: Cuando está lista, la enviamos (“When it is ready, we send it”). Lista is the feminine singular form of the adjective listo, meaning “ready” here. It agrees with the singular feminine thing referred to by the subject of esté; the adjective is not the verb’s base form. The masculine singular form is listo, and plural forms are listas and listos when agreement requires them. Example: El informe está listo means “The report is ready.” Podemos is the first-person plural present form of poder: poder → podemos. It expresses ability or possibility for “we”: “we can.” Example: Podemos empezar means “We can start.” The following infinitive names the action that is possible. Compartirla combines the infinitive compartir (“to share”) with the attached direct-object pronoun la (“it/her” in a feminine singular reference). In this sentence, la refers to the feminine singular thing that is ready; its exact grammatical form is feminine singular, and the context does not require naming that thing. With other direct objects, the clitic changes: compartirlo for a masculine singular object and compartirlas for feminine plural objects. Example: Voy a compartir la solicitud → Voy a compartirla (“I’m going to share the application” → “I’m going to share it”). Together, Cuando esté lista sets the time condition “when it is ready.” Podemos compartirla then says that we can share that feminine singular item. The complete meaning is: “When it’s ready, we can share it.”