Checking presentation equipment | Learn Spanish in English

Sentence explanations

1. Deberíamos revisar el equipo de presentación antes de que lleguen los clientes.

   We should check the presentation equipment before the clients arrive.

   Deberíamos

   we should

   revisar

   check; review

   equipo

   equipment

   presentación

   presentation

   antes de que

   before ...

   lleguen

   arrive

   clientes

   clients

   More detail

   Deberíamos is the first-person plural conditional form of deber. Here it means “we should” and presents the checking as a recommendation or obligation for the speaker together with others. The useful pattern is deberíamos + infinitive: Deberíamos salir means “We should leave.” revisar is the infinitive “to check” or “to review.” After deberíamos, Spanish uses the infinitive because the same “we” is understood as the actor of the action. Revisar el documento means “to check the document.” el equipo means “the equipment.” Equipo is a masculine singular noun, so the article here is el; the form is not plural even though equipment can consist of several items. In another context, equipo can also mean “team,” but “equipment” is the intended meaning here. de presentación specifies what kind of equipment it is: equipment for presentations. Presentación is a feminine singular noun; its form is singular here, and the preposition de links it to equipo rather than changing its gender or number. For example, material de oficina means “office supplies,” where oficina identifies the type of material. antes de que is a temporal conjunction meaning “before.” It introduces an event that is viewed as not yet completed relative to the checking. Spanish commonly uses antes de que + a conjugated clause: Salimos antes de que anochezca means “We leave before it gets dark.” lleguen is the present subjunctive form of llegar for third-person plural: “they arrive.” The subject in this sentence is los clientes, and the form is plural to agree with that subject. The subjunctive here is used in the subordinate time clause after antes de que; this is not a command. The present indicative form would be llegan, while lleguen presents their arrival as the event that has not yet occurred at the reference point. los clientes means “the clients.” Clientes is a plural noun whose grammatical gender is masculine in this use; as a common-gender noun, cliente can refer to a man or a woman, while the plural article los is used for a group treated as masculine or for a mixed-gender group in standard Spanish. The noun clientes is the subject of lleguen, not the object of revisar. Together, deberíamos revisar el equipo de presentación means “we should check the presentation equipment.” The clause antes de que lleguen los clientes adds the time condition “before the clients arrive.” Thus the complete utterance means: “We should check the presentation equipment before the clients arrive.”

2. Primero puedo conectar el portátil al proyector.

   I can connect the laptop to the projector first.

   Primero

   first

   puedo

   I can

   conectar

   connect

   el portátil

   the laptop

   al

   to the

   proyector

   projector

   More detail

   Primero means “first” here and places the action before other actions in the sequence. It is an adverb, so it does not change for gender or number. Example: Primero leo y después escribo. — “First I read and then I write.” puedo is the first-person singular present form of poder, “to be able to” or “can.” The form identifies the speaker as the subject: puedo, “I can”; puedes, “you can”; puede, “he, she, or you formal can.” In this sentence it expresses ability or possibility, not a command. Puedo ayudar. — “I can help.” conectar is the infinitive of the verb “to connect.” After puedo, Spanish uses the infinitive: puedo conectar, “I can connect.” The infinitive does not itself show the subject here; puedo supplies the first-person subject. Quiero conectar el cable. — “I want to connect the cable.” el portátil means “the laptop.” Portátil is a masculine noun in this use, shown by the masculine singular article el. Its plural is los portátiles. The adjective portátil can also describe something portable, but here it is the noun referring to the laptop. al is the required contraction of a plus el: a + el = al. Here a introduces the destination or endpoint of the connection, and el agrees with the following masculine singular noun. Spanish does not keep these as two separate words in standard writing in this context. With a feminine noun, use a la, as in conectar el cable a la pantalla — “to connect the cable to the screen.” proyector means “projector.” It is a masculine singular noun, so it appears with el inside the contraction al. Its plural is los proyectores. Together, puedo conectar expresses “I can connect,” while el portátil al proyector identifies the object being connected and the endpoint: “the laptop to the projector.” Placing Primero at the beginning makes this the first step. The complete meaning is: “I can connect the laptop to the projector first.”

3. La imagen se ve, pero parece un poco estirada.

   The image is showing, but it looks a little stretched.

   imagen

   image

   se ve

   is visible

   parece

   looks; seems

   un poco

   a little

   estirada

   stretched

   More detail

   imagen means “image.” Its plural is imágenes, and it is a feminine noun. That feminine singular form matters for the adjective estirada later in the sentence. Example: La imagen es clara. — “The image is clear.” se ve means “is visible” or “is showing” here. It uses the pronominal verse construction, but it does not mean that the image sees itself. ve is the present-tense third-person singular form of ver, “to see,” while se belongs to the construction that presents the image as visible. Example: La pantalla se ve bien. — “The screen looks good.” parece is the present-tense third-person singular form of parecer, “to seem” or “to look.” It presents an appearance rather than making a definite claim about the object's physical condition. Example: El texto parece pequeño. — “The text looks small.” un poco means “a little” and reduces the degree of the following description. Here it modifies estirada, so the image looks stretched to a small degree. estirada means “stretched” here. It is the feminine singular form of the participle estirado, used adjectivally to agree with the feminine singular noun imagen. The base verb is estirar, “to stretch.” With a masculine singular noun, the adjective is estirado; with plural nouns, it becomes estirados or estiradas according to gender. Example: Las letras están estiradas. — “The letters are stretched.” Together, La imagen se ve says that the image is visible or showing. pero parece un poco estirada contrasts that visibility with its slightly stretched appearance. The complete meaning is: “The image is showing, but it looks a little stretched.”

4. Puedo ajustar la configuración de la pantalla y volver a probar las diapositivas.

   I can adjust the display settings and test the slides again.

   Puedo

   I can

   ajustar

   adjust

   la configuración

   the settings

   la pantalla

   the screen/display

   volver a probar

   test again

   las diapositivas

   the slides

   More detail

   Puedo is the first-person singular present form of poder (“to be able to”): puedo, “I can”; puedes, “you can”; puede, “he/she/you formal can.” Here it expresses the speaker’s ability to carry out the actions that follow. Spanish uses poder plus an infinitive: Puedo ayudar. = “I can help.” ajustar is an infinitive meaning “to adjust.” After puedo, it remains in the infinitive rather than taking a personal ending. The speaker is the understood subject of this action because puedo is first-person singular. Example: Puedo cambiar la vista. = “I can change the view.” la configuración means “the settings” or “the configuration.” Configuración is a feminine singular noun, so it takes the feminine singular article la. Its plural is las configuraciones. In this sentence it refers to the settings being adjusted, without specifying individual settings. la pantalla means “the screen” or “the display.” Pantalla is a feminine singular noun, which is why it appears with la; its plural is las pantallas. The phrase de la pantalla identifies the configuration as belonging to or concerning the display. In this context, “display settings” is the natural English rendering. volver a probar is a reusable pattern meaning “to test again” or “to try again.” Here volver is an infinitive followed by a and the infinitive probar; it marks repetition of the action. Probar means “to test” in this context, while volver on its own can also mean “to return,” so the full pattern is important. Example: Voy a volver a comprobarlo. = “I am going to check it again.” las diapositivas means “the slides.” Diapositiva is a feminine singular noun, so its plural form is diapositivas with the feminine plural article las. Example: Reviso las diapositivas. = “I review the slides.” The structure is Puedo + ajustar ... + y + volver a probar ...: “I can adjust ... and test ... again.” The two infinitives, ajustar and volver, are coordinated under Puedo, and the settings concern the display while the repeated testing concerns the slides. Together, the utterance means: “I can adjust the display settings and test the slides again.”

5. ¿También podrías comprobar el volumen del micrófono?

   Could you also check the microphone volume?

   También

   also

   podrías

   could you

   comprobar

   check

   volumen

   volume

   micrófono

   microphone

   More detail

   También adds this action to something already mentioned: “also” or “too.” It does not replace the earlier action. Example: También reviso el cable. — “I also check the cable.” podrías is the conditional form of poder (“can/to be able to”). In this question, podrías + infinitive makes a polite request: “could you …?” The form podrías is second-person singular, normally addressing tú; it is not the usted form, which is podría. Compare puedes comprobar (“you can check”) with podrías comprobar (“could you check?”, commonly used as a softer request). comprobar is an infinitive meaning “to check” or “to verify.” After podrías, the second verb stays in the infinitive: podrías comprobar, not a finite form. Example: ¿Podrías comprobar la configuración? — “Could you check the settings?” volumen is a masculine noun meaning “volume,” here the sound level. The noun phrase el volumen uses the masculine singular article el; volumen itself is the noun, not an adjective. Example: El volumen está bajo. — “The volume is low.” micrófono is a masculine noun meaning “microphone.” In del micrófono, del is the contraction of de + el, marking the microphone as the associated device: “of the microphone” or “the microphone’s.” Example: El cable del micrófono está conectado. — “The microphone cable is connected.” Together, podrías comprobar asks whether the listener would check something, while el volumen del micrófono identifies that something as the microphone’s volume. También connects this request with the previously mentioned adjustments and testing. The whole utterance means: “Could you also check the microphone volume?”

6. Se oye claro, pero puede que la última fila necesite más volumen.

   It sounds clear, but the back row may need more volume.

   Se oye

   it sounds

   claro

   clear

   puede que

   may / might

   la última

   the last

   fila

   row

   necesite

   need

   más

   more

   volumen

   volume

   More detail

   Se oye expresses how something sounds here: “it sounds.” The form oye comes from oír (“to hear”) and is third-person singular present; with se, this is a common way to describe how something is perceived. Example: La grabación se oye bien. — “The recording sounds good.” claro contributes “clear” to the description of the sound. In Se oye claro, the source does not identify a separate noun that this adjective must agree with, so do not infer a specific omitted referent from its form alone. With an explicit noun, the adjective agrees with that noun: La voz se oye clara. — “The voice sounds clear.” puede que introduces an uncertain possibility, roughly “it may be that” or “perhaps.” It is followed here by the subjunctive because it presents the need as possible. Example: Puede que llegue tarde. — “I may arrive late.” la última means “the last” and is the feminine singular form of the adjective último. It agrees with fila in la última fila. Here, “last” identifies the row’s position in an ordered set, not its most recent time. fila means “row.” It is a feminine noun, as shown by la última fila. Example: La primera fila está libre. — “The first row is free.” necesite is the third-person singular present subjunctive form of necesitar, “to need.” The subject here is la última fila, so the singular form is used. Puede que accounts for the subjunctive: the sentence presents the row’s need for more volume as a possibility. Example: Es posible que necesite ayuda. — “It is possible that it needs help.” más means “more” and indicates a greater amount or degree. Here it modifies volumen, so the sentence says that a greater volume may be needed. It is invariable: it does not change for gender or number. Example: Necesitamos más tiempo. — “We need more time.” volumen means “volume,” here specifically the loudness level of the sound. The surrounding context about checking microphone volume supports this audio-related sense. Its masculine gender is shown by forms such as el volumen, although the unmarked phrase más volumen does not itself show gender. Together, Se oye claro says that the sound is clear. pero marks a contrast: despite that clarity, puede que la última fila necesite más volumen says that it is possible that the back row needs a higher sound level. The complete meaning is: “It sounds clear, but the back row may need more volume.”

7. Traje las diapositivas en una unidad de respaldo.

   I brought the slides on a backup drive.

   Traje

   I brought

   diapositivas

   slides

   unidad de respaldo

   backup drive

   More detail

   Traje is the first-person singular preterite of traer (“to bring”): traer → traje for “I brought.” The preterite presents the bringing as completed. For example, Traje los documentos means “I brought the documents.” diapositivas means “slides” here, referring to presentation slides. Its singular form is diapositiva; the plural ending -s marks more than one: una diapositiva → unas diapositivas. The feminine form belongs to the noun and is reflected by las in the full sentence. unidad de respaldo is the noun phrase for a backup drive or backup storage unit. unidad is feminine, so it appears with una; de respaldo specifies its backup function. In this context, en presents the drive as the medium or location where the slides were carried: en una unidad de respaldo means “on a backup drive.” Together, Traje las diapositivas en una unidad de respaldo means “I brought the slides on a backup drive.” The completed action is Traje, its object is las diapositivas, and en una unidad de respaldo identifies the medium used to bring them.

8. Hagamos un ensayo rápido con la diapositiva inicial.

   Let's do a quick rehearsal with the opening slide.

   Hagamos

   let’s do

   ensayo

   rehearsal

   rápido

   quick

   diapositiva

   slide

   inicial

   opening

   More detail

   Hagamos is the first-person plural form of hacer (“to do/make”). Here it is used as an affirmative exhortation: “let’s do.” The speaker includes themself and the listener or listeners. Compare hagamos (“let’s do”) with hacemos (“we do/are doing”) when simply stating an action. Example: Hagamos una pausa. — “Let’s take a break.” ensayo means “rehearsal” here. It is a masculine singular noun; its plural is ensayos. The word can also mean an essay in other contexts, so the surrounding activity identifies the intended meaning here. Example: El ensayo empieza a las tres. — “The rehearsal starts at three.” rápido describes ensayo. It is the masculine singular form of the adjective rápido, agreeing with the masculine singular noun; the feminine singular form is rápida, and the plural forms are rápidos and rápidas. Here it means that the rehearsal will be brief or quick. Example: Necesitamos una revisión rápida. — “We need a quick review.” diapositiva means “slide,” as in a presentation. It is a feminine singular noun; its plural is diapositivas. Example: La diapositiva muestra un mapa. — “The slide shows a map.” inicial modifies diapositiva and means “opening” or “initial” here. It is singular, matching diapositiva; its form is the same for masculine and feminine singular nouns, while the plural is iniciales. Example: La página inicial contiene el título. — “The opening page contains the title.” The preposition con introduces what the rehearsal is carried out with: con la diapositiva inicial, “with the opening slide.” The feminine singular article la belongs with diapositiva, and inicial further identifies that slide. Together, Hagamos un ensayo rápido con la diapositiva inicial means “Let’s do a quick rehearsal with the opening slide.”

9. La diapositiva inicial funcionó, así que ahora todo parece estar listo.

   The opening slide worked, so everything seems ready now.

   diapositiva

   slide

   inicial

   opening; initial

   funcionó

   worked

   así que

   so; therefore

   ahora

   now

   todo

   everything

   parece

   seems

   estar

   to be

   listo

   ready

   More detail

   diapositiva means “slide.” It is a feminine noun: la diapositiva. Example: La diapositiva contiene una imagen. — “The slide contains an image.” inicial means “initial” or “opening” here. It describes diapositiva and is singular. The adjective inicial has the same form with masculine and feminine singular nouns; the feminine marking here is carried by the article la, not by a change in inicial. Example: el documento inicial — “the initial document.” funcionó is the third-person singular preterite of funcionar, “to work” or “to function.” Here it presents the slide’s successful performance as a completed event. Example: La prueba funcionó. — “The test worked.” así que is a linking construction meaning “so” or “therefore.” It introduces a result of the preceding statement. Example: Terminamos, así que podemos salir. — “We finished, so we can leave.” ahora means “now.” It locates the situation at the current time. Example: Ahora todo está claro. — “Everything is clear now.” todo means “everything” here. It is a masculine singular form functioning as the subject of the following clause. Example: Todo cambió. — “Everything changed.” parece is the third-person singular present form of parecer, “to seem” or “to appear.” The pattern parecer + infinitive expresses an appearance or assessment: parece funcionar means “it seems to work.” Example: La solución parece útil. — “The solution seems useful.” estar is the infinitive of estar, “to be,” used here after parece. In this sentence, estar presents listo as a current state or condition. Example: Parece estar tranquilo. — “He/She seems to be calm.” listo means “ready” in this sentence. It is an adjective describing todo, so it is masculine singular to agree with that form. The feminine singular form is lista, as in La presentación está lista — “The presentation is ready.” Together, La diapositiva inicial funcionó means “The opening slide worked.” Así que connects that completed result to the next conclusion: ahora todo parece estar listo, “so everything seems ready now.” The complete utterance is therefore: “The opening slide worked, so everything seems ready now.”

10. Con esta revisión técnica, tenemos una preocupación menos.

    This tech check gives us one less thing to worry about.

    Con

    with

    esta

    this

    revisión

    review

    técnica

    technical

    tenemos

    we have

    preocupación

    concern

    menos

    less

    More detail

    Con is the preposition “with.” Here it introduces what accompanies or contributes to the result: “with this technical review.” Example: Con práctica, mejoras. — “With practice, you improve.” esta means “this” and is the feminine singular demonstrative. It agrees with the feminine singular noun revisión; demonstratives change for gender and number, for example este informe (“this report”) and estas revisiones (“these reviews”). revisión is a feminine noun meaning “review” or “check.” In this sentence it refers to the technical review/check named by the fixed translation. Example: La revisión fue útil. — “The review was useful.” técnica means “technical.” It is the feminine singular form of técnico and agrees with revisión. The masculine form is técnico, as in un informe técnico (“a technical report”); the plural feminine form is técnicas. tenemos is the first-person plural present form of tener, “to have”: tener → tenemos. The subject is “we,” and Spanish often leaves the subject pronoun unstated because the verb ending identifies it. Here tenemos una preocupación menos expresses that we have one fewer concern. preocupación is a feminine noun meaning “concern” or “worry.” The indefinite article una and the adjective menos fit this noun phrase. Example: Tenemos una preocupación importante. — “We have an important concern.” menos means “less” or, with a countable noun such as preocupación, “fewer.” It is the opposite of más (“more”) and does not change form for the gender of the noun. In una preocupación menos, the complete phrase means “one fewer concern”; the sense comes from the construction, not from treating una alone as a numeric gloss. Example: Ahora tengo una tarea menos. — “Now I have one fewer task.” Together, Con esta revisión técnica means “With this technical review/check,” and tenemos una preocupación menos means “we have one fewer concern.” The whole utterance therefore means: “This tech check gives us one less thing to worry about.”