Phrase · 💭 Hypotheses in every register
De ser cierto lo que dicen, estaríamos ante un caso muy grave.
If what they say is true, we would be facing a very serious case.
C2hypotheses in argument (formal)formalAudio · coming soon
Why every word is where it is
De1prepositionif (of)ser1verbbeinginfinitiveciertoadjectivetruemasc. · sing.lo2determinerwhat (the)el · definiteque2pronoun(that)dicen2verbthey saydecir · present · 3rd pl.,estaríamos3verbwe would beestar · conditional · 1st pl.ante3prepositionfacing, beforeundeterminerauno · masc. · sing. · indefinitecasonouncasemasc. · sing.muyadverbverygraveadjectiveserioussing..
- De → ser: de + infinitive: condition
- cierto → lo: cierto: its subject is lo que dicen
- lo → que: lo que: what
- estaríamos → ante: estar ante
Word for word: “Of being true what they say, we would be before a very serious case.”
Why it's built this way
The notes match the numbers above.
- 1de ser cierto = if it is true: de + infinitive, with its subject (lo que dicen) after it. The extended conditional system: de + infinitive, hubiera and colloquial patterns →
- 2lo que dicen = what people say: the impersonal 3rd person plural, nobody in particular. Impersonal and passive se; reciprocal se →
- 3estar ante = to be facing: a formal way to frame the consequence.
Variations
- Si es cierto lo que dicen, estamos ante un caso muy grave.
- Si fuera cierto lo que dicen, estaríamos ante un caso gravísimo.
- De confirmarse lo que dicen, se trataría de un caso muy grave.