Discussing rebooking after a possible missed connection | Learn Spanish in English

Sentence explanations

1. Puede que pierda mi conexión por este retraso.

   I might miss my connection because of this delay.

   Puede que

   it may be that

   pierda

   miss

   conexión

   connection

   este

   this

   retraso

   delay

   More detail

   Puede que introduces a possibility: “it may be that…” or “might…”. In Spanish, this construction is followed by the subjunctive, so it presents the event as uncertain rather than stating it as a fact. Compare puede que llegue (“they/he/she may arrive”) with the indicative in a factual statement such as llega (“arrives/is arriving”). pierda is the present subjunctive form of perder (“to miss,” “to lose”). Here its meaning is “miss,” specifically missing a connection. The form is compatible with a singular subject; the fixed translation identifies that subject as the speaker: “I might miss.” The same form can also serve a third-person singular subject in another context, so the form alone does not encode whether the subject is “I” or “he/she.” conexión is a feminine singular noun meaning “connection.” In this sentence it refers to the scheduled connection the speaker may fail to catch. Its plural is conexiones. este means “this” and is a masculine singular demonstrative. It agrees with the noun it modifies, retraso, which is masculine singular. Demonstratives change to match the relevant noun’s grammatical gender and number: este retraso (“this delay”), but esta demora (“this delay,” with a feminine noun). Este itself is not the noun’s meaning; it marks the delay as “this” one. retraso is a masculine singular noun meaning “delay.” Its plural is retrasos. The phrase por este retraso gives the reason for the possible missed connection: “because of this delay.” Together, Puede que + pierda expresses an uncertain outcome, mi conexión identifies what may be missed, and por este retraso identifies the cause. The complete meaning is: “I might miss my connection because of this delay.”

2. El mostrador de atención puede consultar otras rutas cuando se confirme el retraso.

   The service desk can check other routes once the delay is confirmed.

   mostrador

   counter; desk

   atención

   service; assistance

   puede

   can; is able to

   consultar

   check; consult

   otras

   other; additional

   rutas

   routes

   cuando

   when; once

   se confirme

   is confirmed

   retraso

   delay

   More detail

   mostrador means a counter or desk. In el mostrador, the masculine singular article el agrees with this noun. Here, together with de atención, it refers to a service desk. Mostrador can also refer to a physical shop counter in other contexts. atención is a noun meaning service or assistance here. The pattern de + noun links it to mostrador: mostrador de atención is a desk for service or assistance. Example: atención al cliente = “customer service.” puede is the third-person singular present form of poder (“to be able to; can”). Its subject here is el mostrador de atención, treated as singular. Poder + infinitive expresses ability or possibility: puede consultar = “can check.” consultar is an infinitive meaning “to check” or “to consult.” After puede, the infinitive stays unchanged rather than showing the subject’s person or number. Example: Puedo consultar la información. = “I can check the information.” otras is the feminine plural form of otro (“other; additional”). It agrees with the feminine plural noun rutas: otras rutas. The form changes for gender and number: otro, otra, otros, otras. rutas is the plural of ruta, meaning routes or paths. The plural ending -s marks more than one route. Example: Buscamos otras rutas. = “We are looking for other routes.” cuando is a conjunction meaning “when” or, in this context, “once.” It introduces the time condition that determines when the checking can take place. It is different from the question word cuándo, which is written with an accent: ¿Cuándo llega? = “When does it arrive?” se confirme is a passive se construction with the present subjunctive form confirme of confirmar. In se confirme el retraso, el retraso is the thing confirmed, so the meaning is “the delay is confirmed.” The subjunctive appears because this event is introduced as a pending time condition after cuando, not as an already asserted event. Example: Cuando se confirme la fecha, avisaremos. = “Once the date is confirmed, we will let you know.” retraso is a masculine singular noun meaning delay. The article el in el retraso agrees with it. Here it refers to the delay already relevant in the fixed meaning; the sentence does not specify its cause. As a whole, El mostrador de atención puede consultar otras rutas says that the service desk can check additional routes. cuando se confirme el retraso sets the time condition: this can happen once the delay is confirmed. Thus the full meaning is: “The service desk can check other routes once the delay is confirmed.”

3. Prefiero hacer un plan ahora que tener que apresurarme después.

   I would rather make a plan now than rush later.

   Prefiero

   I prefer

   hacer

   to make

   plan

   plan

   ahora

   now

   tener que

   to have to

   apresurarme

   to hurry

   después

   later

   More detail

   Prefiero is the first-person singular present form of preferir, “to prefer.” The ending -o identifies the speaker as the subject: prefiero. A useful pattern is prefiero X que Y or prefiero X a Y: “I prefer X rather than Y.” hacer is the infinitive “to make” here. After prefiero, the infinitive introduces the action the speaker chooses. Example: Prefiero esperar. — “I prefer to wait.” In un plan, plan is a masculine singular noun meaning “plan.” The article un agrees with it; here it introduces the plan being made and does not by itself assert a numerical count. Example: Necesitamos un plan. — “We need a plan.” ahora means “now” and places the preferred action in the present time. It modifies the action of making the plan. tener que is the reusable pattern “to have to” or “to need to,” followed by an infinitive. In this sentence, tener que apresurarme means “to have to hurry,” so the comparison includes an unwanted obligation, not merely the action of hurrying. Example: Tengo que salir. — “I have to leave.” apresurarme means “to hurry” in this sentence. It consists of the infinitive apresurar plus the attached pronoun me; me marks the first-person participant who would hurry. The form is reflexive in use: apresurarse means “to hurry oneself / hurry.” Example: Tengo que apresurarme. — “I have to hurry.” después means “later” or “afterward,” placing the possible hurrying at a later time. Together, prefiero hacer un plan ahora states the speaker’s preferred present action. que tener que apresurarme después supplies the alternative being rejected: having to hurry later. Thus the whole utterance means, “I would rather make a plan now than rush later.”

4. Entonces comparemos las opciones, pero ten en cuenta que pueden cambiar.

   Then let us compare the options, but keep in mind they may change.

   Entonces

   Then

   comparemos

   let’s compare

   opciones

   options

   pero

   but

   ten en cuenta

   keep in mind

   pueden

   may

   cambiar

   change

   More detail

   Entonces means “then” here, linking this proposal to what has just been said. It can also mean “so” when it introduces a consequence. Example: Entonces, empezamos. — “Then, we’ll start.” comparemos is the first-person plural form of comparar, “to compare,” used here as an exhortation: “let’s compare.” The form includes the speaker and one or more other people; it does not specify how many other people there are. Example: Comparemos los precios. — “Let’s compare the prices.” las opciones means “the options.” opciones is the plural of opción; the article las marks this noun phrase as feminine plural. The definite article presents the options as identifiable in the situation, rather than as an unspecified set. Example: Estas opciones son claras. — “These options are clear.” pero introduces a contrast and means “but.” It does not cancel the proposal to compare the options; it adds an important consideration. ten en cuenta is a fixed expression meaning “keep in mind” or “take into account.” The verb form ten is the affirmative command for tú of tener; en cuenta completes the expression. Example: Ten en cuenta el horario. — “Keep the schedule in mind.” pueden is the third-person plural present form of poder, “to be able to” or “may/can.” In this sentence, the intended meaning is possibility: the options may change. Its plural form agrees with the plural subject understood from las opciones. Example: Las fechas pueden cambiar. — “The dates may change.” cambiar is the infinitive “to change.” After pueden, Spanish uses the infinitive: pueden cambiar means “may change” or literally “are able to change,” with the context selecting the possibility meaning here. Example: El plan puede cambiar. — “The plan may change.” Together, Entonces comparemos las opciones proposes comparing the identifiable options: “Then let’s compare the options.” pero ten en cuenta que adds the instruction to keep something in mind, and pueden cambiar states what should be kept in mind: the options may change. The complete meaning is: “Then let us compare the options, but keep in mind they may change.”

5. ¿Puedes comprobar si aquí ofrecen cambios de reserva flexibles?

   Can you check whether flexible rebooking is available here?

   Puedes

   can you

   comprobar

   check

   si

   whether

   aquí

   here

   ofrecen

   offer

   cambios

   changes

   de reserva

   of a booking

   flexibles

   flexible

   More detail

   Puedes is the tú-singular form of poder in the present tense. Here it asks whether the listener is able or willing to do something: ¿Puedes comprobar...? = “Can you check...?” The subject is understood as tú; this form is not the usted form (puede) or the plural form (pueden). Comprobar is an infinitive meaning “to check” or “to verify.” After a conjugated form of poder, Spanish uses the infinitive: puedes comprobar = “you can check.” Example: ¿Puedes comprobar la hora? = “Can you check the time?” Si here is the conjunction “whether/if,” introducing what is being checked. It is different from accented sí, meaning “yes.” In this sentence, comprobar si... means “check whether...” rather than “check if” as a conditional instruction. Aquí means “here,” identifying the place relevant to the availability being checked. It carries the location meaning itself; it does not mean “this” before a noun. Example: Aquí ofrecen asistencia. = “They offer assistance here.” Ofrecen is a present-tense form of ofrecer, “to offer” or “to make available.” Its ending marks third-person plural: “they offer” or, depending on context, formal plural “you offer.” In this sentence, the intended meaning is that the service is offered or available at this place; the specific provider is not identified. The verb agrees with an understood plural subject, not with cambios, which appears later as the offered item. Cambios is the plural of cambio, “change.” In cambios de reserva, it refers to changes to a booking, naturally “rebooking” or “booking changes” in this context. The singular is un cambio; the plural ending -s indicates more than one change or the service category in general. Example: Necesito un cambio de reserva. = “I need a booking change.” De reserva specifies what kind of changes are meant: changes related to a booking or reservation. Reserva is a feminine noun meaning “booking” or “reservation”; de links it to cambios without making it a separate quantity or a possessive statement. The compact reusable pattern is cambios de + noun = “changes to/related to + noun.” Flexibles is the plural form of the adjective flexible, meaning “flexible.” It agrees in number with cambios; the adjective does not change for masculine versus feminine here, but it does have singular and plural forms: flexible / flexibles. It describes the booking changes as allowing adaptable terms or arrangements. Example: Busco fechas flexibles. = “I am looking for flexible dates.” Together, puedes comprobar asks the listener to check something, and si aquí ofrecen introduces the question of whether that service is available at this place. The noun phrase cambios de reserva flexibles identifies the service: flexible changes to a booking, or flexible rebooking. Thus the whole utterance means: “Can you check whether flexible rebooking is available here?”

6. Puedo preguntar, pero la empresa operadora tiene que aprobarlo.

   I can ask, but the operator has to approve it.

   Puedo

   I can

   preguntar

   ask

   empresa

   company

   operadora

   operator

   tiene que

   has to

   aprobarlo

   approve it

   More detail

   Puedo is the first-person singular present form of poder (“can, be able to”). It agrees with “I”: puedo, while puedes means “you can” and puede can mean “he/she/you formal can.” Here it expresses the speaker’s ability or permission to ask, not a completed action. Example: Puedo ayudarte. — “I can help you.” preguntar is the infinitive “to ask.” After puedo, the infinitive states the action that the speaker can perform: puedo preguntar = “I can ask.” Preguntar is used for asking a question or requesting information; pedir is a different verb, commonly “to ask for” or “to request” something. Example: Quiero preguntar algo. — “I want to ask something.” empresa means “company.” It is a feminine singular noun, as shown by la empresa. In the sentence, it is the head noun of the noun phrase la empresa operadora. operadora describes empresa here as an operating/operator company. It is the feminine singular form of operador; it matches the feminine singular noun empresa in gender and number. This form is not the verb “operates”; it is a descriptive word modifying the company. Example: una empresa operadora ferroviaria — “a railway operating company.” tiene que is the third-person singular present form of tener followed by que. Together, tener que + infinitive expresses obligation: “has to” or “must.” The singular form tiene matches la empresa; tienen que would be used with a plural subject. Example: La empresa tiene que responder. — “The company has to respond.” aprobarlo combines the infinitive aprobar (“to approve”) with the attached direct-object pronoun lo (“it”). In an infinitive, this pronoun is written together with the verb: aprobarlo. Lo is masculine singular and refers here to the thing that must be approved; the fixed sentence does not specify exactly what that thing is. If the direct object were a feminine singular noun, the corresponding form would be aprobarla; plurals use aprobarlos or aprobarlas. Example: Necesitan aprobar la solicitud. → Necesitan aprobarla. — “They need to approve it.” The utterance first gives the speaker’s ability or permission: Puedo preguntar (“I can ask”). Pero introduces a contrast. La empresa operadora tiene que aprobarlo then states that the operator company is required to approve the unspecified item. Together: “I can ask, but the operator has to approve it.”

7. Busca, por favor, rutas con tiempo suficiente entre los transbordos.

   Please look for routes with enough time between transfers.

   Busca

   look for; search for

   por favor

   please

   rutas

   routes

   tiempo

   time

   suficiente

   enough; sufficient

   transbordos

   transfers

   More detail

   Busca is the affirmative command form of buscar (“to look for, search for”) for tú, one listener. The command asks that person to perform the search. Compare busca (“look for!”) with busque (the formal singular usted command). Example: Busca una solución. — “Look for a solution.” por favor is a polite request marker meaning “please.” It softens the command but does not change who the command addresses or the action requested. rutas is the plural of the feminine noun ruta (“route”). The plural ending -s indicates more than one route here. Example: Necesito dos rutas. — “I need two routes.” tiempo is the masculine singular noun tiempo, meaning “time” here. In tiempo suficiente, it refers to an adequate amount or interval of time, not to a route or transfer. suficiente means “sufficient” or “enough.” It modifies tiempo and is singular because tiempo is singular. The form is the same for masculine and feminine singular nouns; its plural is suficientes. Example: Tenemos tiempo suficiente. — “We have enough time.” transbordos is the plural of the masculine noun transbordo (“transfer,” especially a change from one service or vehicle to another). The phrase entre los transbordos means “between the transfers”: los is the plural masculine article agreeing with transbordos. Together, rutas con tiempo suficiente entre los transbordos means “routes with enough time between the transfers.” con introduces the feature the routes should have, and entre locates that time in the intervals separating the transfers. The complete utterance is therefore a polite command: “Please look for routes with enough time between transfers.”

8. Daré prioridad a esas rutas.

   I will put those first.

   Daré

   I will give

   prioridad

   priority

   esas

   those

   rutas

   routes

   More detail

   Daré is the first-person singular future of dar (“to give”): dar → daré (“I will give”). In this sentence, the future form presents the speaker's planned action. The accent mark is part of the correct written form. A reusable pattern is dar prioridad a + [person or thing], meaning “to give priority to …”. Example: Daré prioridad a la seguridad. — “I will prioritize safety.” prioridad is the noun “priority.” In dar prioridad a, it names what receives preference. The feminine noun commonly appears with la: la prioridad. Example: La seguridad es una prioridad. — “Safety is a priority.” esas means “those” and is a feminine plural demonstrative. It agrees with the plural feminine noun rutas; it does not itself identify a specific referent beyond the context. In this utterance, the fixed translation identifies the routes as the things being put first. Compare esa ruta (“that route”) with esas rutas (“those routes”). rutas is the plural of the feminine noun ruta, “route.” The plural ending -s marks more than one route. Example: Estas rutas son directas. — “These routes are direct.” Together, Daré prioridad a esas rutas uses dar prioridad a to say that the speaker will put those routes first in consideration or selection. Thus the whole utterance means “I will put those routes first.”

9. Así no tendremos que correr para tomar el próximo tren.

   So we are not running for the next train.

   Así

   so

   no tendremos que

   will not have to

   correr

   run

   tomar

   take

   próximo

   next

   tren

   train

   More detail

   Así means “so” here, linking this sentence to the preceding plan: in this way, the speakers will avoid needing to hurry. It can also mean “in this way” when it points to a method or manner. no tendremos que is the negative future form of tener que for nosotros: tendremos que = “we will have to,” and no tendremos que = “we will not have to.” The future form is tendremos, from tener; que completes the necessity pattern. This says that running will not be necessary, not that the speakers are simply unable to run. correr is the infinitive “to run.” After tener que, Spanish normally uses an infinitive: Tenemos que salir = “We have to leave.” Here, correr is also connected to the following purpose phrase with para. tomar is the infinitive “to take.” With a means of transport, tomar el tren means “to take the train”; in this context, the natural English sense is “to catch the train.” para tomar expresses the purpose: running would be done in order to take the train. próximo means “next” or “upcoming” here. It is the masculine singular form of the adjective próximo, agreeing with tren; the feminine singular form is próxima, as in la próxima estación. This adjective is different from siguiente, another common word for “next.” tren means “train.” Its plural is trenes: un tren / dos trenes. Together, Así no tendremos que correr means “So we will not have to run,” and para tomar el próximo tren gives the purpose of running. The complete utterance means: “So we will not have to run to catch the next train.” The Spanish uses the future tendremos, while the fixed translation presents the same intended situation as “So we are not running for the next train.”