Rescheduling Because of Icy Roads | Learn Spanish in English

Sentence explanations

1. Las carreteras están heladas y hay poca visibilidad esta mañana.

   The roads are icy, and visibility is poor this morning.

   carreteras

   roads

   están

   are

   heladas

   icy / frozen

   hay

   there is / there are

   poca

   little / poor

   visibilidad

   visibility

   esta mañana

   this morning

   More detail

   carreteras means “roads” here. Its singular base form is carretera; the plural ending -s marks more than one. It is feminine plural, which is why the adjective heladas has the same gender and number. Example: La carretera está cerrada. — “The road is closed.” están is the present-tense third-person plural form of estar, “to be.” It agrees with the plural subject las carreteras. The pattern Las carreteras están + adjective is reusable for describing the roads' current condition. heladas describes the roads as icy or frozen. It is the feminine plural form of helado, agreeing with carreteras. With estar, an adjective commonly describes a current state: Las calles están mojadas. — “The streets are wet.” hay is the invariant existential form meaning “there is” or “there are.” Unlike están, it does not change to agree with the number of what follows: Hay poca luz. — “There is little light”; Hay muchas luces. — “There are many lights.” poca means “little” or, in this context, “poor” in the sense of a small amount of visibility. It is the feminine singular form of poco, agreeing with the feminine singular noun visibilidad. The forms are poco (masculine singular), poca (feminine singular), pocos (masculine plural), and pocas (feminine plural). This adjective expresses a small amount; it does not assert a specific numerical count. visibilidad means “visibility.” It is a feminine singular noun. The phrase poca visibilidad describes limited ability to see. esta mañana means “this morning.” Esta is the feminine singular demonstrative form agreeing with mañana; together they form a time expression. Example: Trabajo esta mañana. — “I am working this morning.” The sentence first describes the roads with Las carreteras están heladas (“The roads are icy”), then adds the existential observation y hay poca visibilidad esta mañana (“and there is poor visibility this morning”). Together: “The roads are icy, and visibility is poor this morning.”

2. Parece arriesgado conducir hasta la reunión.

   Driving to the meeting sounds risky.

   Parece

   seems

   arriesgado

   risky

   conducir

   to drive

   hasta

   to

   reunión

   meeting

   More detail

   Parece is the present-tense third-person singular form of parecer, “to seem.” In this sentence, it introduces an evaluation rather than stating the risk as an absolute fact: parece + adjective means “seems + adjective.” Example: Parece fácil. — “It seems easy.” Arriesgado means “risky” here and describes the situation expressed by the infinitive clause conducir hasta la reunión. It is an adjective; its usual feminine counterpart is arriesgada, and plural forms are arriesgados and arriesgadas when the noun or referent requires them. Here the masculine singular form is used for the situation as a whole, not because conducir itself has grammatical gender. Example: Es arriesgado conducir con poca visibilidad. — “Driving with poor visibility is risky.” Conducir is the infinitive “to drive.” Spanish commonly uses an infinitive as the subject of an evaluation: Es difícil esperar. — “Waiting is difficult.” In the fixed sentence, conducir names the activity being evaluated; it does not specify a separate person who is driving. Hasta marks the endpoint or destination of movement. With la reunión, conducir hasta la reunión means “drive to the meeting.” It can also mark a time limit, as in Trabajo hasta las cinco. — “I work until five.” Reunión is a feminine noun meaning “meeting.” Its plural is reuniones; the article changes with number: la reunión / las reuniones. The feminine article la belongs with this noun; it does not express who is attending the meeting. Together, conducir hasta la reunión is the activity “driving to the meeting.” Parece arriesgado presents that activity as seeming risky, so the complete utterance means “Driving to the meeting sounds risky.”

3. No me gusta cambiar los planes, pero la seguridad debe ser lo primero.

   I hate to reschedule, but safety should come first.

   No me gusta

   I don't like

   cambiar

   to change

   los planes

   the plans

   pero

   but

   la seguridad

   safety

   debe ser

   should be

   lo primero

   the first priority

   More detail

   No me gusta means “I don’t like it” here, with cambiar los planes as the thing disliked. Spanish uses gustar differently from English like: me marks the person experiencing the feeling, while the liked thing functions as the grammatical subject. Because that subject is the infinitive phrase cambiar los planes, gusta is singular. No negates the construction. For a plural thing, the verb changes: No me gustan los cambios = “I don’t like the changes.” cambiar is the infinitive “to change.” After gustar, an infinitive can name an activity: Me gusta caminar = “I like walking.” Its form does not show a person or time; the surrounding verb supplies the present-time meaning here. In this sentence, cambiar means changing or rearranging the plans, matching the fixed translation’s “reschedule.” los planes means “the plans.” Planes is the plural of plan; los agrees with it as a masculine plural definite article. The phrase refers to the plans being changed, but the sentence does not specify what those plans are. Compare el plan = “the plan” and los planes = “the plans.” pero connects two contrasting ideas and means “but.” It does not replace the first idea: the speaker dislikes changing the plans, while the second clause gives the stronger priority. la seguridad means “safety.” Seguridad is a feminine noun, so it takes the feminine singular article la. The article is grammatical agreement, not a numeric statement. In this sentence, safety is the subject of the second clause and is presented as the priority. debe ser combines debe, the third-person singular present form of deber, with the infinitive ser (“to be”). With an infinitive, deber expresses what ought to happen or what is required: Debe esperar = “He, she, or it should wait” or, depending on context, “must wait.” Here debe ser means “should be”; the form agrees with singular la seguridad, not with the following phrase. lo primero means “the first thing” or, in this context, “the first priority.” Lo is the neuter article used before an adjective to turn a quality or ranking into an abstract idea. Primero is the adjective “first,” shown in its masculine singular form after lo; it is not the base form of seguridad and does not agree with that feminine noun. Compare lo importante = “what is important” and la primera opción = “the first option,” where primera agrees directly with the feminine noun opción. Together, No me gusta cambiar los planes says “I don’t like changing the plans,” and pero la seguridad debe ser lo primero says “but safety should come first.” The complete utterance is therefore: “I hate to reschedule, but safety should come first.” The contrast keeps the dislike of changing the plans while stating that safety has priority.

4. Escríbeles ahora y explícales claramente cómo están las carreteras.

   Message them now and explain the road conditions clearly.

   Escríbeles

   Message them

   ahora

   now

   explícales

   explain to them

   claramente

   clearly

   cómo están

   how they are

   las carreteras

   the roads

   More detail

   Escríbeles is the affirmative command of escribir for one tú listener: escribe + les. Here escribir is used in the practical sense “write/message,” and les is an indirect-object clitic meaning “to them.” The attached clitic makes the written form Escríbeles; the accent preserves the required stress. This is not the usted or ustedes command form. Ahora means “now” and places the requested messaging in the present time. Explícales is the affirmative tú command of explicar: explica + les, with the same plural “to them” clitic. The accent in explícales is part of the orthography after the clitic is attached. The command asks the same singular listener to explain something to those recipients; it does not itself specify their gender. Claramente is an adverb meaning “clearly.” It describes the manner of the explaining, so the explanation should be understandable or explicit. Cómo están introduces an indirect question about the condition of something: literally, “how they are.” Cómo has an accent because it is the interrogative form. Están is the present indicative form of estar for third-person plural subjects. In this sentence, the fixed translation identifies the subject as the roads, so the phrase asks about their current condition. A useful contrast is cómo están (“how they are”) versus dónde están (“where they are”): the first asks about condition or state, while the second asks about location. Las carreteras means “the roads.” Carreteras is the feminine plural noun carretera; the article las agrees with it in feminine plural. In this utterance, the roads’ condition is the information to be explained. Together, the two commands are coordinated: “Message them now, and explain clearly to them how the roads are.” In the fixed translation, this is naturally rendered as “Message them now and explain the road conditions clearly.” The understood person giving both commands is one tú listener, while les identifies the plural recipients of both actions. The next context about possibly meeting online instead of canceling supports the safety-related road-condition interpretation, without changing the commands’ literal structure.

5. ¿Debería sugerir que nos reunamos en línea en vez de cancelar por completo?

   Should I suggest meeting online instead of canceling completely?

   Debería

   should I

   sugerir

   suggest

   nos reunamos

   meet

   en línea

   online

   en vez de

   instead of

   cancelar

   cancel

   por completo

   completely

   More detail

   Debería is the conditional form of deber. Here, with the understood subject yo supported by “Should I…?”, it presents a suggestion or question about what would be advisable: “Should I…?” The same form can also correspond to “he/she should,” so the subject comes from context rather than from the form alone. sugerir is an infinitive meaning “to suggest.” After debería, the infinitive names the action being considered: debería sugerir = “should I suggest.” The infinitive does not itself mark the person; debería carries the finite verb form here. nos reunamos means “we meet” in this clause. reunamos is the first-person plural present subjunctive form of reunirse, and nos is the reflexive pronoun belonging to that verb. The subjunctive is required here after sugerir que because the meeting is proposed rather than asserted as an established fact. The first-person plural identifies the group that would meet, while the translation supplies the natural English wording “meeting.” For example: Sugiero que nos reunamos mañana. = “I suggest that we meet tomorrow.” en línea means “online.” It is a prepositional phrase describing the mode or setting of the proposed meeting. For example: La clase será en línea. = “The class will be online.” en vez de is a reusable contrast pattern meaning “instead of.” It introduces the alternative action that is not being chosen in this proposal. It is followed here by the infinitive cancelar; compare en vez de esperar = “instead of waiting.” cancelar is the infinitive “to cancel.” Here it names the alternative action after en vez de, so en vez de cancelar means “instead of canceling.” The infinitive has no expressed subject or tense by itself; its subject is understood from the surrounding proposal. por completo means “completely” or “entirely.” It modifies cancelar, making the alternative “cancel completely,” rather than merely canceling part of something. For example: No cierres el archivo por completo. = “Don’t close the file completely.” Together, Debería sugerir que nos reunamos en línea asks whether the speaker should propose that the group meet online. en vez de cancelar por completo sets that proposal against the alternative of canceling entirely. The whole utterance therefore means: “Should I suggest meeting online instead of canceling completely?”

6. Así el trabajo podría continuar sin que nadie tuviera que viajar.

   That would keep the work moving without anyone traveling.

   Así

   that way

   trabajo

   work

   podría

   could

   continuar

   continue

   sin que

   without

   nadie

   no one

   tuviera que

   had to

   viajar

   travel

   More detail

   Así means “in this way” or “that way” here. It points to the proposed way of handling the situation, without naming that proposal again. Example: Así podemos trabajar. — “That way we can work.” trabajo is the noun “work.” Its base form is trabajo; in this sentence it is singular and is the grammatical subject of podría. Example: El trabajo continúa. — “The work continues.” podría is the third-person singular conditional form of poder (“can/be able to”). The conditional presents the continuation as a possibility: “could continue.” It matches the singular subject el trabajo, not the following infinitive. A useful contrast is puede (“can”) versus podría (“could”). Example: El proyecto podría continuar. — “The project could continue.” continuar is an infinitive meaning “to continue.” After a conjugated form of poder, Spanish uses the infinitive: podría continuar = “could continue.” The infinitive does not add a separate subject here; el trabajo is the thing that would continue. sin que introduces an accompanying situation that does not occur: “without ….” Spanish normally uses a subjunctive clause after this expression. It is different from sin directly followed by an infinitive, as in sin viajar (“without traveling”); sin que is followed by a conjugated clause. nadie means “no one” or “nobody.” It is an indefinite pronoun referring to no person in the situation. Here it is the subject of tuviera, so the clause means “without anyone having to ….” Example: Se fueron sin que nadie protestara. — “They left without anyone protesting.” tuviera que is the imperfect subjunctive form tuviera of tener, followed by que; together with an infinitive, tener que + infinitive expresses obligation. Thus tuviera que viajar means “had to travel” in the subordinate situation, or more naturally here, “would have to travel.” Tuviera is singular because its subject is nadie; viajar remains an infinitive after tener que. viajar means “to travel.” In tener que viajar, it names the required action. Example: No quiero que tengas que viajar. — “I don’t want you to have to travel.” Taken together, Así introduces the proposed way, el trabajo podría continuar says that the work could keep going, and sin que nadie tuviera que viajar adds that this could happen without any person needing to travel. The complete meaning is: “That would keep the work moving without anyone traveling.”

7. Puedo preguntarles si les serviría participar por videollamada.

   I can ask whether joining by video would work for them.

   Puedo

   I can

   preguntarles

   ask them

   si

   whether

   les

   for them

   serviría

   would work

   participar

   to take part

   videollamada

   video call

   More detail

   Puedo is the first-person singular present form of poder, “to be able to/can”: puedo, puedes, puede. Here it expresses the speaker’s ability or willingness to ask. For example: Puedo ayudarte. — “I can help you.” preguntarles combines preguntar (“to ask”) with the attached indirect-object pronoun les. In this sentence, les refers to the people identified as “them” in the translation. The attached form is written as one word after the infinitive: preguntarles. Compare preguntarle for one person and preguntarles for more than one person or for a formal plural addressee. si introduces an indirect yes-or-no question and means “whether” here. It is different from sí with an accent, which means “yes.” For example: No sé si vienen. — “I don’t know whether they are coming.” les is the indirect-object pronoun repeated with serviría; Spanish commonly uses this pronoun with servir when something would be useful or suitable for someone. Its referent remains the same people indicated by “them.” serviría is the conditional form of servir, “to work/be suitable” in this use. The ending -ía marks a conditional form: serviría — “would work.” Its singular form agrees with the activity expressed by participar, not with the people represented by les. For example: ¿Te serviría llamar mañana? — “Would calling tomorrow work for you?” participar is an infinitive meaning “to take part” or “to participate.” After serviría, it names the proposed activity: taking part would work for them. The infinitive does not show a separate subject ending here. videollamada is a noun meaning “video call.” With por, the phrase por videollamada means “by/via video call.” The compound is written as one word in Spanish. For example: Hablamos por videollamada. — “We talk by video call.” Together, Puedo preguntarles means “I can ask them,” and si les serviría participar por videollamada asks whether taking part via a video call would work for them. The complete utterance is therefore: “I can ask whether joining by video would work for them.”

8. Ofréceles reunirse en persona cuando las carreteras sean más seguras también.

   Offer to meet in person once the roads are safer, too.

   Ofréceles

   Offer them

   reunirse

   to meet

   en persona

   in person

   cuando

   when; once

   las carreteras

   the roads

   sean

   are; be

   más seguras

   safer

   también

   also; too

   More detail

   Ofréceles is the affirmative command form for tú: “offer them.” Its base verb is ofrecer; the accent marks the stress in the command. The ending -les is an indirect-object clitic referring here to the people being offered this option. Compare ofrécele “offer him/her” with ofréceles “offer them.” Reunirse means “to meet,” with the reflexive pronoun se attached to the infinitive reunir. In this construction, the people addressed by les are understood as the people who will meet: ofrecerles reunirse = “to offer them the possibility of meeting.” The infinitive does not itself mark tense or person. En persona is a reusable phrase meaning “in person,” as opposed to communicating remotely. Example: Podemos hablar en persona. — “We can talk in person.” Cuando introduces the time condition “when” or, in this future-oriented sentence, “once.” With a future or not-yet-realized event, Spanish commonly uses the subjunctive: cuando las carreteras sean más seguras. Las carreteras means “the roads.” Carretera is feminine singular; carreteras is its plural, and las agrees with that feminine plural noun. Example: Las carreteras están abiertas. — “The roads are open.” Sean is a form of ser meaning “are” here. It is third-person plural present subjunctive, agreeing with las carreteras. The subjunctive appears after cuando because the roads being safer is a condition expected in the future, not an established present fact. The indicative counterpart is son in a statement such as Las carreteras son seguras — “The roads are safe.” Más seguras means “safer.” The adjective is seguro/segura, and seguras is feminine plural to agree with las carreteras. The pattern más + adjective forms the comparative: segura “safe,” más segura “safer,” la más segura “the safest.” También adds “also” or “too.” At the end, it indicates that this offer is an additional option or consideration, not a replacement for something else. Together, ofréceles reunirse en persona gives “offer them to meet in person,” and cuando las carreteras sean más seguras specifies that this would happen once the roads are safer. Final también adds “too,” producing: “Offer to meet in person once the roads are safer, too.”

9. Si prefieren esperar, mañana también me viene bien.

   If they would rather wait, tomorrow also works for me.

   prefieren

   they prefer

   esperar

   to wait

   mañana

   tomorrow

   también

   also; too

   me viene bien

   works for me

   More detail

   prefieren means “they prefer” here. Its base form is preferir; prefieren is the present indicative for third-person plural. The subject is the people referred to as “they,” and the form can also refer to a plural subject that is not explicitly stated. Example: Ellos prefieren esperar. — “They prefer to wait.” esperar is the infinitive “to wait.” After preference verbs such as preferir, an infinitive can express the action preferred: Prefiero esperar. — “I prefer to wait.” The infinitive does not show the person who prefers; prefieren supplies that information here. mañana means “tomorrow,” a time word. It can be placed at the beginning or end of a sentence: Mañana me viene bien. — “Tomorrow works for me.” también adds “also” or “too.” It says that tomorrow is another suitable possibility; it does not replace the waiting option. Example: El viernes también me viene bien. — “Friday works for me too.” me viene bien is a reusable pattern meaning “works for me,” “suits me,” or “is convenient for me.” The verb is venir, “to come”; viene is its present indicative third-person singular form. Me marks the person for whom something is suitable, while the suitable time or thing is the grammatical subject. In this sentence, mañana is the time that suits the speaker. Example: La tarde me viene bien. — “The afternoon works for me.” The opening Si introduces a condition: “if.” Thus Si prefieren esperar means “if they prefer to wait.” The comma separates that condition from the main clause, mañana también me viene bien, “tomorrow also works for me.” Together, the utterance means: “If they would rather wait, tomorrow also works for me.”

10. Unas opciones claras deberían hacer que acepten el cambio más fácilmente.

    Clear options should make the change easier to accept.

    opciones

    options

    claras

    clear

    deberían

    should

    hacer que

    make it so that

    acepten

    accept

    cambio

    change

    más fácilmente

    more easily

    More detail

    opciones means “options” here. Its base form is opción; opciones is the plural. The preceding unas marks these as some/ certain options, without asserting a specific numerical count. claras is the feminine plural form of the adjective claro, agreeing with opciones in gender and number. Compare una opción clara with unas opciones claras. deberían is the third-person plural conditional form of deber. Here it expresses what the options should be expected or intended to do: “should.” The conditional form is debería for a singular subject and deberían for a plural subject. In this sentence, the plural subject is unas opciones claras. hacer que is a causative pattern: “to make it so that” something happens. hacer is the infinitive, and que introduces the resulting clause. After this pattern, Spanish uses the subjunctive when presenting the result as something caused or brought about rather than simply stating it as an independent fact. Example: La explicación hizo que entendieran la regla. — “The explanation made them understand the rule.” acepten is the third-person plural present subjunctive form of aceptar, “to accept.” It belongs to the clause introduced by que; the intended meaning identifies the acceptors as “they,” while the sentence does not identify them more specifically. Compare the independent factual form aceptan (“they accept”) with the form here, acepten, which is selected by the causative structure hacer que. cambio is the noun “change.” Its base form is also cambio; the ending here is not marking a separate plural form. The preceding definite article el makes this “the change,” referring to a particular change in the intended translation. Example: El cambio fue importante. — “The change was important.” más fácilmente expresses “more easily.” fácilmente is an adverb formed from the adjective fácil, and más makes the adverb comparative. The comparison is with an easier degree of acceptance, not with a different noun. Example: Con esta guía, pueden trabajar más fácilmente. — “With this guide, they can work more easily.” Together, unas opciones claras is the plural subject, and deberían hacer que says those options should cause a result. The result is acepten el cambio más fácilmente: the intended plural acceptors should accept the particular change with greater ease. The full utterance therefore means: “Clear options should make the change easier to accept.”