Choosing an Activity When the Weather May Change | Learn Spanish in English

Sentence explanations

1. El tiempo puede cambiar, así que resulta difícil elegir una actividad.

   The weather may change, so choosing an activity feels difficult.

   tiempo

   weather

   puede

   may; can

   cambiar

   change

   así que

   so

   resulta

   feels; turns out

   difícil

   difficult

   elegir

   choose

   actividad

   activity

   More detail

   tiempo means “weather” here, as fixed by the translation. Spanish el tiempo can also mean “time,” so the surrounding meaning is important. In this sentence it is a masculine singular noun, shown by el. puede is the third-person singular present form of poder (“to be able to; can/may”). With an infinitive, poder + infinitive expresses ability or possibility: puede cambiar means “may/can change.” The form agrees with the singular subject el tiempo. cambiar is the infinitive “to change.” After a conjugated form of poder, Spanish keeps the following verb in the infinitive: puede cambiar, not a second conjugated verb. Example: El plan puede cambiar. — “The plan may change.” así que introduces a consequence: “so” or “therefore.” It connects the possible change with the difficulty described next. resulta is the third-person singular present form of resultar. Here resultar + adjective presents something as having a particular result or impression: resulta difícil means “is difficult” or, in the fixed translation, “feels difficult.” It is not the same as sentir, which means “to feel” in the sense of experiencing a feeling. difícil is an adjective meaning “difficult.” It has the same written form for masculine and feminine singular nouns; its plural form is difíciles. In resulta difícil, it describes the activity of choosing expressed by the following infinitive phrase. elegir is the infinitive “to choose.” The pattern resulta + adjective + infinitive evaluates an action: resulta difícil elegir means “choosing is difficult” or “it is difficult to choose.” Example: Resulta fácil aprender. — “Learning is easy.” actividad is a feminine singular noun meaning “activity.” The indefinite article una marks it as an unspecified activity; it does not by itself state a numerical count. The plural is actividades. The whole utterance follows this structure: El tiempo puede cambiar (“The weather may change”), así que (“so”), and resulta difícil elegir una actividad (“choosing an activity feels difficult”). Together: “The weather may change, so choosing an activity feels difficult.”

2. Elige algo que también se pueda hacer bajo techo si llueve.

   Pick something that still works indoors if it rains.

   Elige

   choose

   algo

   something

   también

   also

   se pueda

   can be

   hacer

   do

   bajo

   under

   techo

   roof

   llueve

   it rains

   More detail

   Elige is the affirmative command form of elegir for one person addressed as tú: “choose.” The corresponding formal singular command is elija, for usted. Example: Elige una actividad. — “Choose an activity.” algo means “something.” It is an indefinite pronoun referring to an unspecified thing. Example: Quiero algo sencillo. — “I want something simple.” también means “also” or “too.” Here it adds indoor suitability as an additional property of the thing to choose; it does not exclude the other possibilities. Example: También podemos caminar. — “We can also walk.” In se pueda hacer, pueda is the present subjunctive of poder, and hacer is the infinitive “to do” or “to carry out.” The passive-style se construction means that the activity can be done, without naming who would do it. The subjunctive appears in the relative clause que se pueda hacer, which describes a possible or desired choice rather than asserting a definite fact about an already identified activity. Example: Busco una actividad que se pueda hacer en casa. — “I’m looking for an activity that can be done at home.” bajo means “under” here. techo is the noun “roof.” Together, bajo techo is the reusable location phrase “indoors” or “under a roof.” Example: Podemos comer bajo techo. — “We can eat indoors.” llueve is the present indicative form of llover, “to rain.” Spanish weather statements commonly use this verb without an expressed personal subject. In si llueve, the present form introduces the possible condition “if it rains.” Example: Si llueve, nos quedamos aquí. — “If it rains, we’ll stay here.” Together, Elige algo means “Choose something.” también se pueda hacer bajo techo specifies that the choice should additionally be an activity that can be done indoors, and si llueve gives the condition under which that option matters. The complete meaning is: “Pick something that still works indoors if it rains.”

3. El mercado al aire libre parece divertido, pero la lluvia podría hacerlo incómodo.

   The outdoor market sounds fun, but rain could make it uncomfortable.

   mercado

   market

   al aire libre

   outdoors; in the open air

   parece

   seems

   divertido

   fun

   lluvia

   rain

   podría

   could; might

   hacerlo

   make it

   incómodo

   uncomfortable

   More detail

   mercado means “market” here. Its base form is the masculine noun mercado; the article el and later masculine forms agree with it. Example: El mercado está abierto. — “The market is open.” al aire libre is a reusable expression meaning that something is outdoors or in the open air. al combines a + el; this fixed expression is not the same as simply saying that an object is “free.” Example: Comemos al aire libre. — “We eat outdoors.” parece comes from parecer, “to seem” or “to appear.” It is the present-tense third-person singular form, matching el mercado: parece = “seems.” It presents divertido as an impression rather than a definite fact. Example: La idea parece buena. — “The idea seems good.” divertido is the masculine singular form of the adjective divertido, “fun.” It agrees with masculine singular mercado. The feminine singular form is divertida, as in una actividad divertida (“a fun activity”); plural forms are divertidos and divertidas. lluvia is the feminine noun “rain.” In la lluvia, the article shows its grammatical gender; the noun itself refers to the weather phenomenon, not to a person causing an action. Example: La lluvia empezó. — “The rain started.” podría comes from poder, “to be able to” or “can.” It is the conditional third-person singular form, used here for a possible consequence: “could” or “might.” The conditional is not a command. Example: El plan podría funcionar. — “The plan might work.” hacerlo combines the infinitive hacer, “to make/do,” with the attached direct-object pronoun lo: hacer + lo. Here lo refers to the market, the masculine singular object already identified in the utterance, so hacerlo means “make it.” With a feminine singular object, Spanish uses hacerla; with plural objects, hacerlos or hacerlas. In podría hacerlo incómodo, hacer has the pattern hacer + direct object + adjective: something causes the object to have a quality. lo is the object, and incómodo describes that object as a result. Example: El ruido puede hacerlo difícil. — “The noise can make it difficult.” incómodo is the masculine singular form of incómodo, “uncomfortable.” It agrees here with the masculine singular object represented by lo, namely the market. The feminine singular form is incómoda, and the plural forms are incómodos and incómodas. Together, El mercado al aire libre parece divertido says that the outdoor market seems fun. pero introduces a contrast: la lluvia podría hacerlo incómodo says that rain might make that market uncomfortable. Thus the whole utterance means: “The outdoor market sounds fun, but rain could make it uncomfortable.”

4. Un museo sería más fácil si el tiempo empeora.

   A museum would be easier if the weather turns bad.

   museo

   museum

   sería

   would be

   más fácil

   easier

   si

   if

   tiempo

   weather

   empeora

   gets worse

   More detail

   museo means “museum” here. It is a masculine noun, shown by the article un: un museo. Its plural is museos. Example: El museo está abierto. — “The museum is open.” sería is the third-person singular conditional form of ser: ser → sería. Here it means “would be” and presents the result as dependent on a condition. Example: Sería útil. — “It would be useful.” más fácil means “easier.” The adjective is fácil; más fácil expresses a higher degree without naming the comparison point. Because fácil agrees with a plural noun, the form is más fáciles. Example: Este camino es más fácil. — “This route is easier.” si introduces the condition “if.” Spanish commonly uses si with a present indicative condition and a conditional result, as in si ... empeora and sería ... here. This presents the result as dependent on the stated condition. tiempo can mean “time” or “weather.” The fixed translation identifies the intended meaning here as “weather”; with the article, el tiempo is a common expression for the weather. Example: El tiempo cambia rápido. — “The weather changes quickly.” empeora is the third-person singular present indicative form of empeorar: empeorar → empeora, “gets worse” or “worsens.” In this sentence, its explicit subject is el tiempo, so the verb is singular. Example: La situación empeora. — “The situation gets worse.” Together, Un museo is the subject, sería más fácil describes it as easier under a condition, and si el tiempo empeora states that condition: if the weather gets worse. The whole utterance means: “A museum would be easier if the weather turns bad.”

5. Eso nos da flexibilidad sin cancelar el día.

   That gives us flexibility without canceling the day.

   Eso

   That

   nos da

   gives us

   flexibilidad

   flexibility

   sin cancelar

   without canceling

   el día

   the day

   More detail

   Eso means “that” here and refers to an already identifiable situation or idea, rather than naming it again. As a demonstrative pronoun, it stands on its own; esto usually points to something closer or currently presented, while eso points to something less immediate. Example: Eso es importante. — “That is important.” nos da combines dar (“to give”) with da, the present-tense form for a third-person singular subject, and nos, meaning “to us.” The subject is Eso, so the verb is singular: Eso nos da tiempo. — “That gives us time.” Nos is the first-person plural indirect-object form; it does not itself identify a gender. flexibilidad is a feminine noun meaning “flexibility,” the ability to adapt or choose among alternatives. Its related adjective is flexible: un plan flexible — “a flexible plan.” sin cancelar uses sin (“without”) followed by the infinitive cancelar (“to cancel”). This construction presents an action that does not happen while the main situation does happen: Podemos cambiar el plan sin cancelar la actividad. — “We can change the plan without canceling the activity.” el día is the noun phrase “the day.” Día is masculine, so it takes the masculine singular article el; the plural is los días. Here it is the thing that is not canceled. Together, Eso nos da flexibilidad means “That gives us flexibility,” and sin cancelar el día adds “without canceling the day.” The complete utterance is therefore: “That gives us flexibility without canceling the day.”

6. Diles a todos el plan principal y la opción bajo techo antes de que se vayan.

   Tell everyone the main plan and the indoor option before they leave.

   Diles

   tell them

   a todos

   everyone

   plan

   plan

   principal

   main

   opción

   option

   bajo techo

   indoors

   antes de que

   before

   se vayan

   leave

   More detail

   Diles is the affirmative tú command of decir (“to tell/say”) with the indirect-object clitic les (“to them”) attached: di + les → diles. The exact command form addresses one person as tú; les marks the people who should receive the message. Example: Diles la verdad. — “Tell them the truth.” a todos identifies that recipient group as everyone. The preposition a marks the people receiving the communication; todos is the masculine plural form used here for an all-inclusive group, including mixed or unspecified gender. Example: Escríbeles a todos. — “Write to everyone.” plan is a masculine singular noun meaning “plan.” Its plural is planes: un plan, dos planes. Here it is the first thing being told to everyone. principal means “main” or “primary.” It is an adjective modifying plan, so it appears in the masculine singular form that agrees with that noun. Compare la opción principal, where the same adjective is feminine singular because it modifies opción. y joins the two things being communicated. It means “and,” not a replacement of one item by the other. la opción means “the option.” Opción is a feminine singular noun; its plural is opciones. The definite article la agrees with it: la opción, las opciones. bajo techo is a compact expression meaning “indoors” or “under cover.” Bajo is followed here by the noun techo (“roof”), describing an option that takes place under a roof. Example: La actividad será bajo techo. — “The activity will be indoors.” antes de que introduces an event that must happen later than the telling. With a future or not-yet-realized event, Spanish commonly uses the subjunctive in the following clause. se vayan comes from the pronominal verb irse, “to leave” or “to go away.” Vayan is the third-person plural present subjunctive form of ir, and se belongs to the pronominal form irse; together here they mean “they leave.” The subject is understood as plural from the verb and is rendered as “they” in the fixed translation. Example: Avísame antes de que se vayan. — “Let me know before they leave.” Together, Diles a todos means “Tell everyone,” and the coordinated objects are el plan principal y la opción bajo techo: “the main plan and the indoor option.” The time clause antes de que se vayan sets the deadline for telling them. The complete meaning is: “Tell everyone the main plan and the indoor option before they leave.”

7. Les enviaré las dos opciones antes de que nos reunamos.

   I will send both choices before we meet.

   Les

   to them

   enviaré

   I will send

   dos

   two

   opciones

   choices; options

   antes de que

   before

   nos reunamos

   we meet

   More detail

   Les means “to them” here: it is the plural indirect-object clitic, marking the recipients of sending. It does not identify who those people are by itself. Compare le for one recipient with les for more than one. enviaré is the first-person singular future of enviar (“to send”): enviar → enviaré (“I will send”). The ending -é shows “I” and the future meaning. Example: Te enviaré el archivo. — “I will send you the file.” dos explicitly states the number two. It modifies opciones, so las dos opciones means “the two options.” opciones is the plural of opción, “choice” or “option.” The feminine plural article las agrees with it. Singular: la opción; plural: las opciones. antes de que introduces an event that happens earlier than another event. It is a reusable pattern meaning “before …”; a following clause commonly uses the subjunctive when it refers to an event viewed as pending or not yet realized. Example: Avísame antes de que salgas. — “Let me know before you leave.” nos reunamos means “we meet” in this sentence. It is the first-person plural present subjunctive form of the pronominal verb reunirse: reunamos supplies the “we” verb form, and nos is the pronoun used with this verb. In this context, reunirse means “to meet” or “to get together”; the form does not by itself identify the people involved. The subjunctive fits the event introduced by antes de que, which is presented as upcoming relative to the sending. Example: Es importante que nos reunamos pronto. — “It is important that we meet soon.” Together, Les enviaré gives “I will send to them,” las dos opciones gives “the two options,” and antes de que nos reunamos gives “before we meet.” The complete meaning is: “I will send both choices before we meet.”

8. La gente acepta mejor los cambios cuando conoce pronto la alternativa.

   People handle changes better when they know the alternative early.

   gente

   people

   acepta

   accepts

   mejor

   better

   cambios

   changes

   cuando

   when

   conoce

   knows

   pronto

   early

   alternativa

   alternative

   More detail

   gente means “people” here, but grammatically it is a singular collective noun. That is why the verb appears as acepta, not a plural form. Its plural is gentes, though that form is much less common and has different uses; normally Spanish uses la gente for people in general. acepta comes from aceptar, “to accept.” In this sentence it is present tense, third-person singular, agreeing with la gente: la gente acepta. The nearby meaning is that people deal with or accept the changes more favorably; the fixed translation supports “handle” as the intended practical sense of aceptar here. mejor means “better” in this use and modifies how people accept the changes, so it functions adverbially. It is the comparative form associated with bien: bien → mejor. For example, Ahora entiende mejor means “Now he or she understands better.” los cambios means “the changes.” cambios is the plural of cambio, “change,” and los is the masculine plural definite article agreeing with it. The noun cambio can refer to an alteration or a change in circumstances, as it does here. cuando introduces a time condition: “when.” It connects the main statement with the circumstance in which it applies. For example, Te llamaré cuando llegue means “I will call you when I arrive.” conoce comes from conocer, “to know” or “to be familiar with.” Here it is present tense, third-person singular. The understood subject is the same group expressed by la gente, and the direct object is la alternativa: the people know the alternative. Spanish uses conocer for knowing a person, place, or option through familiarity; saber is generally used for knowing a fact or piece of information. pronto means “early” here, as specified by the fixed translation. It is an adverb, so it describes when the group becomes familiar with the alternative rather than changing form to agree with a noun. Depending on context, pronto can also mean “soon,” but “early” is the intended time meaning in this sentence. la alternativa means “the alternative.” alternativa is a feminine noun, and la agrees with it. It identifies the alternative that was already part of the surrounding discussion about two options, without claiming more about which option it is. Together, la gente acepta mejor los cambios says that people handle or accept changes better. cuando conoce pronto la alternativa adds the time condition: this happens when they learn the alternative early. The complete meaning is: “People handle changes better when they know the alternative early.”