Setting boundaries for remote video meetings | Learn Spanish in English

Sentence explanations

1. Quiero reducir las reuniones de vídeo innecesarias siempre que sea posible.

   I want to reduce unnecessary video meetings where possible.

   Quiero

   I want

   reducir

   to reduce

   reuniones

   meetings

   vídeo

   video

   innecesarias

   unnecessary

   siempre que sea posible

   whenever possible

   More detail

   Quiero is the first-person singular present form of querer, “to want”: quiero = “I want.” It expresses the speaker’s current desire, with the subject understood as “I.” reducir is the infinitive “to reduce.” After a conjugated form such as quiero, Spanish commonly uses an infinitive for the action that the subject wants to carry out: quiero reducir = “I want to reduce.” reuniones is the plural of the feminine noun reunión, “meeting.” The ending -es marks the plural form here, so the utterance refers to more than one meeting. reuniones de vídeo is a reusable pattern meaning “video meetings,” with de vídeo specifying the type of meeting. vídeo means “video.” Here it specifies the type of reuniones; it is not the main noun of the phrase. The written accent is part of the observed Spanish form. innecesarias means “unnecessary” and agrees with the feminine plural noun reuniones: innecesaria is feminine singular, and innecesarias is feminine plural. The adjective describes the meetings as not needed in this context. siempre que sea posible is a condition meaning “whenever possible” or “where possible.” sea is the present subjunctive form of ser used in this expression, and posible means “possible.” This construction limits the desired reduction to situations in which it can be done; it does not make the sentence a command. Together, Quiero reducir las reuniones de vídeo innecesarias siempre que sea posible means “I want to reduce unnecessary video meetings where possible.” The speaker expresses a desire to reduce these meetings, subject to the condition that reduction is possible.

2. Lo entiendo, aunque algunas conversaciones se benefician de las reacciones visibles.

   I understand, though some discussions benefit from visible reactions.

   Lo entiendo

   I understand it

   aunque

   though

   algunas

   some

   conversaciones

   discussions

   se benefician

   benefit

   reacciones

   reactions

   visibles

   visible

   More detail

   Lo entiendo means “I understand it.” entiendo is the first-person singular present form of entender (“to understand”): entiendo, entiendes, entiende. Here lo is a direct-object clitic. The sentence does not identify exactly what “it” refers to, so its grammatical role is clear even though its concrete referent is not. aunque introduces a concession: “although” or “though.” It does not replace or exclude the clause before it. Example: Aunque es tarde, seguimos. — “Although it is late, we continue.” algunas means “some” and is feminine plural. It agrees with conversaciones; the masculine-plural counterpart is algunos. It does not state an exact number. Example: Algunas preguntas son difíciles. — “Some questions are difficult.” conversaciones means “conversations” here. Its singular base form is conversación, and its plural is formed with -es: conversación → conversaciones. The noun is feminine, which is why the accompanying form is algunas. se benefician means “benefit.” The verb is beneficiarse de (“to benefit from”); benefician is the third-person plural present form, matching conversaciones. The se belongs to this pronominal verb construction. Example: Los lectores se benefician de los ejemplos. — “Readers benefit from the examples.” reacciones means “reactions.” Its singular base form is reacción, and the plural is reacciones. In the full sentence, de las reacciones identifies what the conversations benefit from. visibles means “visible.” It is the plural form of visible and agrees in number with reacciones. Visible has the same form for masculine and feminine singular, and visibles the same form for masculine and feminine plural. Example: Las señales visibles ayudan. — “Visible signals help.” Together, Lo entiendo expresses the speaker’s understanding of an unspecified “it.” aunque then adds a concession, followed by algunas conversaciones se benefician de las reacciones visibles: “some discussions benefit from visible reactions.” The complete utterance is therefore: “I understand it, though some discussions benefit from visible reactions.”

3. Las decisiones complejas merecen una conversación en tiempo real, pero las actualizaciones a menudo no.

   Complex decisions deserve live discussion, but updates often do not.

   decisiones

   decisions

   complejas

   complex

   merecen

   deserve

   conversación

   conversation

   en tiempo real

   in real time

   pero

   but

   actualizaciones

   updates

   a menudo

   often

   no

   not

   More detail

   decisiones means “decisions” here. It is the plural of decisión, a feminine noun. Spanish marks the plural with -es in this word: decisión → decisiones. Example: Necesitamos tomar decisiones. — “We need to make decisions.” complejas describes decisiones. Its base form is the adjective complejo; the feminine plural form is complejas, matching the noun in gender and number. The adjective changes because the noun it describes is feminine and plural. Compare un problema complejo (“a complex problem”) and unas decisiones complejas (“some complex decisions”). merecen is the present-tense third-person plural form of merecer, “to deserve.” The plural subject here is Las decisiones, so the verb is plural. A useful pattern is X merece Y for one subject and X merecen Y for more than one: Estas ideas merecen atención. — “These ideas deserve attention.” conversación means “conversation” here. It is the feminine singular noun conversación; its plural is conversaciones. In merecen una conversación, the conversation is what the decisions deserve. Example: El tema merece una conversación. — “The topic deserves a conversation.” en tiempo real is a reusable phrase meaning “in real time,” emphasizing that the conversation happens live rather than after a delay. Tiempo is a masculine noun, which is why the phrase uses el when an article is included: en el tiempo real is possible in other constructions, but the fixed expression here is en tiempo real. Example: Comentamos el evento en tiempo real. — “We comment on the event in real time.” pero joins two contrasting parts and means “but.” It does not replace the first idea; it sets the second part against it. Example: Quiero participar, pero estoy ocupado. — “I want to participate, but I am busy.” actualizaciones means “updates” here. It is the plural of the feminine noun actualización; the singular/plural pair is actualización → actualizaciones. Example: Las actualizaciones llegan cada semana. — “The updates arrive every week.” a menudo is an adverbial phrase meaning “often” or “frequently.” It modifies the omitted predicate in the second part, so the intended meaning is that updates often do not deserve a live conversation. no supplies negation. In the fixed sentence it appears at the end because the predicate after it is understood from the first part: las actualizaciones a menudo no [merecen una conversación en tiempo real]. This is a common elliptical pattern; Spanish can omit repeated material when the contrast makes it clear. The no therefore negates the repeated idea, not the word a menudo by itself. Together, Las decisiones complejas merecen una conversación en tiempo real says that complex decisions deserve live discussion. pero las actualizaciones a menudo no contrasts this with updates, which often do not deserve that same kind of discussion. The full meaning is: “Complex decisions deserve live discussion, but updates often do not.”

4. Entonces deberíamos separar las reuniones para tomar decisiones de las reuniones para compartir información.

   Then we should separate decision meetings from information sharing.

   Entonces

   then

   deberíamos

   we should

   separar

   to separate

   reuniones

   meetings

   tomar

   to take

   decisiones

   decisions

   compartir

   to share

   información

   information

   More detail

   Entonces means “then” here and can also connect a conclusion to what was just discussed: “so” is a natural English rendering in some contexts. deberíamos is the first-person plural conditional of deber: deber → debemos (“we must/should” in the present) → deberíamos (“we should” as a suggestion). The ending -íamos identifies “we” in this form. Example: Deberíamos esperar. — “We should wait.” separar is the infinitive “to separate.” It follows deberíamos, because a conjugated form of deber is followed by an infinitive: deberíamos separar — “we should separate.” reuniones is the plural of the feminine noun reunión, “meeting.” The plural is marked by -es, and the article in the sentence, las, agrees with this feminine plural noun. Example: Las reuniones empiezan tarde. — “The meetings start late.” tomar is the infinitive “to take,” but in tomar decisiones it is the usual Spanish combination meaning “to make decisions.” After para, the infinitive expresses purpose: para tomar decisiones — “to make decisions.” decisiones is the plural of decisión, “decision.” In this sentence it refers to the decisions that the meetings are intended to make. Example: Necesitamos tomar una decisión. — “We need to make a decision.” compartir is the infinitive “to share.” It follows para in the parallel purpose phrase para compartir información — “to share information.” Example: Es útil compartir información clara. — “It is useful to share clear information.” información is the feminine noun “information.” It is normally used as a mass or uncountable noun in this meaning, so compartir información means “to share information,” without requiring a plural form. The structure is deberíamos + infinitive for the recommendation, followed by separar X de Y for separating one category from another. Here, X is las reuniones para tomar decisiones (“meetings for making decisions”), and Y is las reuniones para compartir información (“meetings for sharing information”). Thus the whole utterance means: “Then we should separate decision-making meetings from information-sharing meetings.”

5. Las actualizaciones por escrito permitirían que la gente respondiera con más detenimiento.

   Written updates would let people respond more thoughtfully.

   actualizaciones

   updates

   por escrito

   in writing

   permitirían

   would allow

   gente

   people

   respondiera

   responded

   con más detenimiento

   more thoughtfully

   More detail

   actualizaciones means updates here. It is the plural of actualización, an update or piece of newly provided information. The plural ending -es shows that the sentence refers to multiple updates. Example: La actualización llegó hoy. — “The update arrived today.” por escrito means in written form. This is a reusable way to specify that information is communicated through writing rather than orally. Example: Confirma la fecha por escrito. — “Confirm the date in writing.” permitirían is the conditional form of permitir for a third-person plural subject: “would allow.” Here its subject is Las actualizaciones por escrito, so the plural form agrees with actualizaciones. The conditional presents the allowing as a possible result rather than a present fact. Example: Estos cambios permitirían más flexibilidad. — “These changes would allow more flexibility.” gente means people or people in general. It is grammatically singular in Spanish, even though it refers to multiple people, so related verbs normally use singular agreement: la gente responde, not la gente responden. Example: La gente necesita tiempo. — “People need time.” respondiera is an imperfect subjunctive form of responder, “to respond.” The form itself can correspond to first-person or third-person singular; here it is third-person singular because its subject is la gente. In permitirían que la gente respondiera, the conditional main verb introduces a possible result, and the que-clause uses the subjunctive for the dependent action. Example: El cambio permitiría que Ana respondiera con calma. — “The change would allow Ana to respond calmly.” con más detenimiento describes the manner of responding: with more thought, care, or thoroughness. Detenimiento is a noun meaning careful attention or thoroughness; más makes the comparison, “more.” Example: Leeré el informe con más detenimiento. — “I will read the report more carefully.” Together, Las actualizaciones por escrito is the plural subject, and permitirían says that these updates would make something possible. que la gente respondiera identifies the enabled action, while con más detenimiento says that the response would be more thoughtful or careful. The complete meaning is: “Written updates would let people respond more thoughtfully.”

6. También crean registros, lo cual resulta útil más adelante.

   They also create records, which is useful later.

   También

   also

   crean

   create

   registros

   records

   lo cual

   which

   resulta

   is; turns out

   útil

   useful

   más adelante

   later

   More detail

   También adds this action to something already mentioned: “also” or “as well.” It does not replace the earlier point. Example: También participan. — “They also participate.” crean is the present indicative form of crear for third-person plural subjects: “they create.” The ending identifies a plural subject; it does not itself specify who the people are. Compare crea for “he/she/it creates” and crean for “they create.” Example: Crean nuevas opciones. — “They create new options.” registros is the plural of the noun registro, meaning “records” here. The plural refers to more than one record; the singular is un registro or el registro. Example: Guardan los registros. — “They keep the records.” lo cual is a neutral relative expression meaning “which.” In this sentence, it refers to the situation expressed by the preceding clause as a whole, not to a particular masculine or feminine noun. It introduces the comment about the result of creating records. Example: Llegó temprano, lo cual ayudó mucho. — “She arrived early, which helped a lot.” resulta is the third-person singular present form of resultar. Here it means “is” or “turns out to be” in the sense of having a particular result or quality. The singular form agrees with the neutral situation introduced by lo cual; it is not agreeing with plural registros. Example: La idea resulta práctica. — “The idea turns out to be practical.” útil is an adjective meaning “useful.” It has the same written form with singular masculine and feminine nouns; its plural is útiles. Example: Estas notas son útiles. — “These notes are useful.” más adelante is an adverbial expression meaning “later” or “further on.” Más means “more,” while the complete expression places the relevant time later than the current or previously understood point. Example: Lo revisaremos más adelante. — “We will review it later.” Together, También crean registros means “They also create records.” The relative clause lo cual resulta útil más adelante comments on that whole situation: “which is useful later.” The complete utterance is therefore: “They also create records, which is useful later.”

7. ¿Podríamos poner a prueba ese enfoque con una reunión recurrente?

   Could we pilot that approach with a recurring meeting?

   Podríamos

   could we

   poner a prueba

   put to the test; pilot

   ese

   that

   enfoque

   approach

   reunión

   meeting

   recurrente

   recurring

   More detail

   Podríamos is the first-person plural conditional of poder: podemos means “we can,” while podríamos means “we could.” Here it forms a suggestion or tentative request with an understood “we”: “Could we…?” Example: Podríamos empezar mañana. — “We could start tomorrow.” poner a prueba is a fixed verbal construction meaning “to test” or “to put to the test.” The verb remains in the infinitive after podríamos: podríamos poner, not a conjugated form after the modal. Example: Queremos poner a prueba el sistema. — “We want to test the system.” ese is a masculine singular demonstrative meaning “that.” In this utterance it agrees with the masculine singular noun enfoque, which is the approach identified as “that approach.” Demonstratives agree with the noun they modify: ese enfoque, but esa idea — “that idea.” enfoque is a masculine noun meaning “approach” or “method.” Its useful plural is enfoques: varios enfoques — “several approaches.” reunión is a feminine noun meaning “meeting.” The article in the full phrase is therefore una reunión; its plural is reuniones: dos reuniones — “two meetings.” recurrente is an adjective meaning “recurring” or “repeated regularly.” It agrees with reunión in number; in the singular, recurrente has the same form with masculine and feminine nouns: un problema recurrente and una reunión recurrente. Its plural is recurrentes. Together, podríamos poner a prueba ese enfoque means “we could pilot/test that approach.” The phrase con una reunión recurrente specifies using a recurring meeting as the setting or means for the pilot. The whole utterance is therefore: “Could we pilot that approach with a recurring meeting?”

8. Podemos probarlo y comparar la calidad de los resultados.

   We can test it and compare the quality of outcomes.

   Podemos

   we can

   probarlo

   test it

   comparar

   compare

   calidad

   quality

   resultados

   outcomes

   More detail

   Podemos is the first-person plural present form of poder (“can”): podemos = “we can.” It expresses ability or possibility for nosotros/nosotras; it is not the past form. Example: Podemos empezar ahora. — “We can start now.” probarlo combines the infinitive probar (“to test” or “to try”) with the direct-object clitic lo (“it”). Here it means “to test it.” The clitic is masculine singular in form, while the identity of the thing tested is not specified in the sentence. Example: Podemos probarlo mañana. — “We can test it tomorrow.” comparar is an infinitive meaning “to compare.” It is coordinated with probarlo after podemos, so the same “we can” applies to both actions: podemos probarlo y comparar. Example: Es útil comparar dos opciones. — “It is useful to compare two options.” calidad is a feminine singular noun meaning “quality.” The phrase la calidad de ... means “the quality of ...”; de introduces what is being evaluated. Example: La calidad del material es buena. — “The quality of the material is good.” resultados is the plural of the masculine noun resultado, “result.” In de los resultados, it means “of the outcomes/results.” The plural form refers to more than one result, while los agrees with this masculine plural noun. Example: Analizamos los resultados. — “We analyze the results.” Together, Podemos probarlo means “We can test it,” and y comparar la calidad de los resultados adds the coordinated action “and compare the quality of the outcomes.” The complete utterance therefore means: “We can test it and compare the quality of outcomes.”