Resolving a Small Work Disagreement | Learn Spanish in English

Sentence explanations

1. Creo que no estamos de acuerdo porque hicimos suposiciones diferentes.

   I think we disagree because we made different assumptions.

   Creo que

   I think that

   no estamos de acuerdo

   we do not agree

   porque

   because

   hicimos

   we made

   suposiciones

   assumptions

   diferentes

   different

   More detail

   Creo que introduces the speaker’s opinion: creo is the first-person singular present of creer (“to believe” or “to think”), and que introduces the content of that thought. The pattern Creo que + statement is a useful way to say “I think that …”. Example: Creo que es correcto. — “I think it is correct.” no estamos de acuerdo says that the speakers do not agree. Estamos is the first-person plural present of estar, used here in the fixed expression estar de acuerdo (“to agree” / literally, “to be in agreement”); no negates the expression. The subject is understood as “we” from the verb form. Example: No estamos de acuerdo con esa decisión. — “We do not agree with that decision.” porque introduces the reason for the preceding statement and means “because”. It connects a result or situation with its cause. Example: Me fui porque estaba cansado. — “I left because I was tired.” hicimos means “we made” here. It is the first-person plural preterite of hacer (“to make” or “to do”), so it presents the making of the assumptions as completed in the past. Example: Hicimos un plan. — “We made a plan.” suposiciones means “assumptions” here. It is the plural of the feminine noun suposición; the singular refers to one assumption, while the plural refers to more than one. In hacer suposiciones, the noun forms a common combination with hacer: “to make assumptions.” Example: No hagas suposiciones. — “Don’t make assumptions.” diferentes describes suposiciones and means “different”. It is the plural form of the adjective diferente, agreeing with the plural noun; in this sentence it indicates that the assumptions were not the same. Example: Tenemos opiniones diferentes. — “We have different opinions.” Together, Creo que introduces the speaker’s view, no estamos de acuerdo states the disagreement, and porque hicimos suposiciones diferentes gives its reason: “I think we disagree because we made different assumptions.”

2. Pensaba que el cliente quería primero una versión sencilla.

   I thought the client wanted a simple version first.

   Pensaba

   I thought

   cliente

   client

   quería

   wanted

   primero

   first

   versión

   version

   sencilla

   simple

   More detail

   Pensaba is the first-person singular imperfect of pensar (“to think”): yo pensaba. Here it means “I thought,” presenting the thought as a past state or viewpoint rather than as a completed event. The same form can also mean “I was thinking” when the context focuses on ongoing mental activity. cliente means “client” here. The noun cliente can refer to a male or female client; in this sentence, el cliente is a masculine singular noun phrase because el is masculine singular. The article identifies the grammatical gender and number of this phrase; it does not by itself add further information about the client. quería is the third-person singular imperfect of querer (“to want”): él/ella quería. Here it means “wanted.” The imperfect presents the client’s desire as ongoing or current at the past reference point. Example: El cliente quería cambios means “The client wanted changes.” primero means “first.” Here it places the desired version at the beginning of an intended sequence, without stating what would come later. As an adverb, it does not change for gender or number. versión means “version.” It is feminine singular, as shown by una versión. The indefinite article introduces an unspecified version; it does not by itself assert a numerical count in the broader situation. sencilla means “simple” or “straightforward” here. It is the feminine singular form of the adjective sencillo, agreeing with feminine singular versión: una versión sencilla. The masculine singular form is sencillo, as in un diseño sencillo; the adjective changes to match the noun it describes. The structure Pensaba que ... introduces the content of the speaker’s past thought. Inside that clause, el cliente quería identifies the client as the person whose desire is described, and una versión sencilla is what the client wanted. Primero places that desired version first in the intended sequence. Together, the utterance means: “I thought the client wanted a simple version first.”

3. Pensaba que el cliente esperaba una versión completa con todas las funciones.

   I thought they expected a complete version with every feature.

   Pensaba

   I thought

   cliente

   client

   esperaba

   expected

   versión

   version

   completa

   complete

   todas

   all

   funciones

   features

   More detail

   Pensaba is the first-person singular imperfect of pensar (“to think”): pensar → pensaba. The imperfect presents the thought as ongoing or as background at a past time. Example: Pensaba en el proyecto. — “I was thinking about the project.” el cliente means “the client.” cliente can refer to a person of any gender; a gendered article or modifier can show the intended grammatical agreement, as in el cliente satisfecho or la cliente satisfecha. Here, el marks the noun phrase as masculine singular, while the English translation uses singular “they” without specifying the client’s gender. esperaba is the third-person singular imperfect of esperar (“to expect; to wait”): esperar → esperaba. In this sentence it means “expected,” as established by the fixed translation and context, rather than “was waiting.” Example: Esperaba una respuesta. — “I expected an answer.” una versión means “a version.” versión is a feminine singular noun, so the article is una. The adjective and article agree with the noun: una versión completa. completa means “complete” here and modifies versión. Its base form is the adjective completo; completa is the feminine singular form agreeing with versión. Example: una lista completa — “a complete list.” todas means “all” in its feminine plural form. It agrees with the plural feminine noun funciones, and todas las funciones means “all the features” or “every feature” in this context. The masculine plural counterpart is todos, as in todos los detalles; this is an agreement contrast, not a change in the core meaning. funciones means “features” in this technical context. Its singular base form is función, and the plural is funciones. Depending on context, función can also mean a function or role, but here the fixed translation identifies product features. The structure pensaba que ... introduces the content of the thought: “I thought that ...”. Inside that clause, el cliente is the subject of esperaba, and una versión completa is what the client expected. con todas las funciones adds the included contents or specification of that version: it was to come with every feature. Together, the utterance means: “I thought they expected a complete version with every feature.”

4. Revisemos las notas en vez de discutir de memoria.

   Let's check the notes instead of arguing from memory.

   Revisemos

   let’s review; let’s check

   notas

   notes

   en vez de

   instead of

   discutir

   to argue; to discuss

   de memoria

   from memory

   More detail

   Revisemos means “let’s review/check” here. It is the first-person plural present subjunctive form of revisar, used as an affirmative exhortation: the speaker includes themself and the listener(s). Compare revisamos, which normally states “we review” rather than making this suggestion. Example: Revisemos el informe. — “Let’s review the report.” notas means “notes” here. It is the plural of the feminine noun nota; the article in the full sentence is las because the noun is feminine plural. Example: Las notas están aquí. — “The notes are here.” en vez de means “instead of” and introduces the alternative that is not chosen. Before an action, it is followed by an infinitive, as in en vez de discutir. Here, the sentence chooses checking the notes rather than arguing from memory. discutir is an infinitive meaning “to argue” in this context. The same verb can also mean “to discuss,” depending on the situation; here, the fixed translation supports “argue.” After en vez de, the infinitive keeps the alternative action general rather than marking a separate subject or tense. Example: Escuchamos en vez de discutir. — “We listen instead of arguing.” de memoria is a fixed expression meaning “from memory” here. It describes arguing without relying on the notes. Memoria is a feminine noun, but this expression is used with the preposition de and no article. Example: Puedo recitar el poema de memoria. — “I can recite the poem from memory.” Together, Revisemos las notas proposes checking the notes, while en vez de discutir de memoria contrasts that proposal with arguing from memory. The complete meaning is: “Let’s check the notes instead of arguing from memory.”

5. Las notas dicen que la rapidez es lo más importante, pero todavía se necesita una función avanzada.

   The notes say speed matters most, but one advanced feature is still required.

   notas

   notes

   dicen

   say

   rapidez

   speed

   lo más importante

   the most important

   todavía

   still

   se necesita

   is needed

   función

   feature; function

   avanzada

   advanced

   More detail

   notas means “notes” here. Its base form is nota; notas is the plural form. In this sentence, the notes are the source of the statement. Example: Las notas están aquí. — “The notes are here.” dicen comes from decir, “to say” or “to state.” It is present indicative, third-person plural, matching the plural subject las notas: “the notes say.” Example: Ellos dicen la verdad. — “They tell the truth.” rapidez is a feminine singular noun meaning “speed” or “quickness.” It names the quality being evaluated here, not an action performed by a particular person. Example: La rapidez es útil. — “Speed is useful.” lo más importante is the Spanish pattern lo + más + adjective, used to express “the most important thing/aspect” or “what is most important.” más marks the highest degree, while importante is the adjective; it does not change for masculine or feminine gender in this form. The neuter lo makes the phrase refer to an idea or quality rather than naming a specific masculine noun. Compare más importante (“more important”) with lo más importante (“the most important thing/aspect”). Example: La seguridad es lo más importante. — “Safety is the most important thing.” Here, todavía means “still,” indicating that the need remains at this point. It does not mean “again.” Example: Todavía estamos esperando. — “We are still waiting.” se necesita means “is needed” in this sentence. It comes from necesitar, “to need,” and uses se in a construction that presents the needed item without specifying a person who needs it. The singular verb necesita agrees with the singular item introduced afterward, una función, rather than with an expressed human subject. Example: Se necesita una firma. — “A signature is needed.” función can mean “function” or, in a software or product context such as this one, “feature.” Its plural is funciones. Here it refers to the feature required in the sentence; the fixed translation identifies it as one advanced feature. Una marks an indefinite singular noun phrase, but an indefinite article is not by itself a numerical claim. Example: La función funciona bien. — “The feature works well.” avanzada means “advanced” here and describes función. The adjective’s base form is avanzado; avanzada is its feminine singular form, agreeing with the feminine singular noun función. The masculine singular form is avanzado, and the plural feminine form is avanzadas. Example: Necesitamos una herramienta avanzada. — “We need an advanced tool.” The sentence first presents the source of the information: Las notas dicen que... — “The notes say that...”. The clause after que states that la rapidez is lo más importante, meaning that speed ranks highest in importance. Pero then introduces a contrast: todavía se necesita una función avanzada says that an advanced feature is still required. Together, the utterance means: “The notes say speed matters most, but one advanced feature is still required.”

6. Una versión más sencilla que incluya esa función parece el compromiso adecuado.

   A simpler version that includes that feature sounds like the right compromise.

   versión

   version

   más sencilla

   simpler

   incluya

   includes

   esa

   that

   función

   feature

   parece

   seems; sounds

   compromiso

   compromise

   adecuado

   suitable; right

   More detail

   versión means “version” here. It is a feminine singular noun; its plural is versiones. The adjective modifying it is therefore sencilla. más sencilla describes the version as simpler. sencilla is the feminine singular form of sencillo, and más marks comparison: sencillo = “simple,” más sencillo = “simpler,” and el más sencillo = “the simplest.” With versión, the corresponding superlative would be la más sencilla, because the adjective agrees with that feminine singular noun. incluya means “includes” in this sentence. It is the third-person singular present subjunctive of incluir; its subject is the proposed versión, and esa función is what it includes. In una versión que incluya..., the subjunctive presents the relative-clause description of a version being proposed or sought. It is not an affirmative command. The present indicative incluye would state “it includes” more directly. esa means “that” here. It is a feminine singular demonstrative modifying función; compare ese with a masculine singular noun and esas with a feminine plural noun. Here it identifies the feature under discussion. función means “feature” here. It is a feminine singular noun; its plural is funciones. The accent mark is part of the spelling. In this sentence, it is the feature included by the proposed version. parece means “seems” or “sounds.” It is the third-person singular present form of parecer, and its subject is the whole noun phrase Una versión más sencilla que incluya esa función. For example, La propuesta parece clara means “The proposal seems clear.” compromiso means “compromise.” It is a masculine singular noun, with plural compromisos. In el compromiso adecuado, the article and adjective agree with this masculine singular noun. adecuado means “suitable” or “right” here. It is the base masculine singular form of the adjective; the feminine form is adecuada, and the plural forms are adecuados and adecuadas. For example, una solución adecuada means “a suitable solution.” Together, Una versión más sencilla means “a simpler version.” The relative clause que incluya esa función specifies a version that includes that feature. The predicate parece el compromiso adecuado says that this version seems to be the suitable compromise. Thus the whole utterance means: “A simpler version that includes that feature sounds like the right compromise.”

7. Puedo aceptar eso si explicamos claramente ese equilibrio.

   I can accept that if we explain the trade-off clearly.

   Puedo

   I can

   aceptar

   to accept

   eso

   that

   si

   if

   explicamos

   we explain

   claramente

   clearly

   ese

   that

   equilibrio

   trade-off

   More detail

   Puedo is the first-person singular present form of poder (“can” or “be able to”). It agrees with the speaker: puedo, puedes, puede, podemos. Here it is followed by the infinitive aceptar, giving the reusable pattern poder + infinitive. Aceptar is an infinitive meaning “to accept.” After puedo, it stays in the infinitive rather than agreeing separately with the subject. Example: Podemos aceptar la propuesta. — “We can accept the proposal.” Eso is a neuter demonstrative pronoun meaning “that.” Here it refers to the matter being accepted, without naming a masculine or feminine noun. Example: Eso es posible. — “That is possible.” Si introduces a condition and means “if.” In this sentence, the condition follows the main clause: Puedo aceptar eso si .... It does not mean “yes” here; the unaccented si is the conditional conjunction, unlike accented sí (“yes”). Explicamos is the first-person plural present form of explicar: “we explain.” With si, the present tense presents the condition as an open or realistic possibility: si explicamos ... — “if we explain ...”. The ending -amos identifies “we” in this form. Claramente is an adverb meaning “clearly.” It describes how the explaining is done and commonly follows the verb or its object. Example: Lo explicamos claramente. — “We explain it clearly.” Ese is the masculine singular demonstrative adjective “that.” It agrees with the noun it modifies, equilibrio: ese equilibrio. Demonstratives change with the noun’s grammatical gender and number, for example esa idea, esos puntos, and esas condiciones. Equilibrio is a masculine singular noun meaning “balance.” In this utterance, the fixed translation identifies the intended sense as “trade-off,” namely a balance between competing considerations. The phrase ese equilibrio therefore means “that trade-off,” with ese pointing to an already understood matter. Together, Puedo aceptar eso states “I can accept that.” The conditional clause si explicamos claramente ese equilibrio adds the condition “if we explain that trade-off clearly.” The complete utterance is: “I can accept that if we explain the trade-off clearly.”

8. Podemos enfocarlo en las prioridades del cliente.

   We can frame it around the client's priorities.

   Podemos

   we can

   enfocarlo

   frame it around / focus it on

   prioridades

   priorities

   cliente

   client

   More detail

   Podemos is the first-person plural form of poder in the present tense: “we can” or “we are able to.” The subject is nosotros/nosotras, usually understood rather than stated. Poder + infinitive expresses ability or possibility: Podemos cambiarlo = “We can change it.” enfocarlo combines the infinitive enfocar (“to focus” or “to frame”) with the direct-object pronoun lo. Here, lo refers to the matter being discussed, with the intended meaning “it.” The pronoun is attached to the infinitive, so enfocar + lo becomes enfocarlo; it is not a separate word in this form. Compare Lo podemos enfocar—the same object pronoun appears before the conjugated verb instead. In this sentence, enfocar algo en/en torno a... presents or directs something around a chosen focus. las prioridades means “the priorities.” Prioridades is the plural of the feminine noun prioridad; the article las agrees with that noun in feminine plural. A useful contrast is la prioridad = “the priority” and las prioridades = “the priorities.” del cliente means “of the client” or, here, “the client’s.” Del is the contraction of de + el; it marks a relation such as ownership or association. Cliente is a noun meaning “client” and is singular here. The phrase identifies whose priorities they are. Together, Podemos + enfocarlo gives “we can frame it,” while en las prioridades del cliente specifies the focus: “around the client’s priorities.” The complete utterance is: “We can frame it around the client’s priorities.”

9. Actualizaré la descripción de la tarea para que coincida con la decisión.

   I'll update the task description to match the decision.

   Actualizaré

   I'll update

   descripción

   description

   tarea

   task

   para que

   so that

   coincida

   match

   decisión

   decision

   More detail

   Actualizaré is the first-person singular future of actualizar (“to update”). The ending -é identifies “I” in this future form: actualizaré = “I will update.” Example: Actualizaré el informe mañana. — “I will update the report tomorrow.” descripción is a feminine noun meaning “description.” Its plural is descripciones. In the sentence, la descripción is the thing being updated. Example: La descripción es clara. — “The description is clear.” tarea is a feminine noun meaning “task.” Here, la tarea specifies which description is being updated. Example: La tarea es importante. — “The task is important.” para que introduces a purpose clause: “so that.” It is followed here by coincida, a subjunctive form, because the clause expresses the intended result or purpose of the update. Example: Lo reviso para que coincida con el original. — “I review it so that it matches the original.” coincida is the third-person singular present subjunctive of coincidir, “to match” or “to coincide.” With coincidir, the thing that matches is commonly followed by con: La descripción coincide con la decisión. — “The description matches the decision.” The subjunctive here does not mean that the speaker doubts the match; para que selects this form because the match is the intended result. decisión is a feminine noun meaning “decision.” In coincidir con la decisión, it is the reference against which the description is to match. Its plural is decisiones. Example: La decisión coincide con el plan. — “The decision matches the plan.” Together, Actualizaré la descripción de la tarea means “I will update the task description.” The phrase para que coincida con la decisión adds the purpose: the updated description is intended to match the decision. The whole utterance therefore means “I’ll update the task description to match the decision.”

10. Entonces, el desacuerdo no debería retrasar el proyecto.

    Then the disagreement should not slow the project down.

    Entonces

    Then

    desacuerdo

    disagreement

    no debería

    should not

    retrasar

    delay; slow down

    proyecto

    project

    More detail

    Entonces means “then” here, linking this sentence to the preceding situation or conclusion. It can also introduce a consequence in a sequence: Entonces, empezamos. — “Then, we’ll start.” desacuerdo means “disagreement” here. Its base form is the noun desacuerdo; the related verb is discrepar, but that is a separate word, not the source of this form. The article el makes this a definite singular noun phrase: “the disagreement.” no debería expresses that something should not happen. Debería is the third-person singular conditional form of deber, used here as a modal before an infinitive: debería + infinitive means “should” or “ought to do.” The negation no reverses that recommendation or expectation. For example, La reunión no debería durar mucho. — “The meeting should not last long.” retrasar is an infinitive meaning “to delay” or “to slow down.” After the modal debería, Spanish uses the infinitive: debería retrasar — “should delay/slow down.” The subject of retrasar is el desacuerdo, while el proyecto is the thing affected. In this sentence, retrasar does not mean that the project itself performs the delaying. proyecto means “project.” It is a masculine singular noun, shown here with the definite article el: “the project.” A useful plural contrast is los proyectos, “the projects.” Together, Entonces introduces the conclusion, el desacuerdo identifies the possible cause, no debería retrasar says that this cause ought not to delay something, and el proyecto identifies what might be delayed. The complete meaning is: “Then the disagreement should not slow the project down.”