Phrase · 🎩 Elevated register
El escritor volvió a Montevideo, la ciudad que lo viera nacer.
The writer returned to Montevideo, the city where he had been born.
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Why every word is where it is
Eldeterminerthemasc. · sing. · definiteescritornounwritermasc. · sing.volvió3verbreturnedvolver · past · 3rd sing.a3prepositiontoMontevideonounMontevideo,ladeterminertheel · fem. · sing. · definiteciudadnouncityfem. · sing.quepronounthatlo2object pronounhimél · 3rd sing. · direct objectviera1verbhad seenver · subjunctive · imperfect · 3rd sing.nacer2verbbe borninfinitive.
- que → ciudad: que: the city
- lo → escritor: lo: the writer
- viera → nacer: ver + infinitive
- volvió → a: volver a + place: return to
Word for word: “The writer returned to Montevideo, the city that had seen him be born.”
Why it's built this way
The notes match the numbers above.
- 1Literary -ra as a pluperfect: viera = había visto. Only the -ra form works this way, never viese. Literary and archaic style →
- 2la ciudad que lo vio nacer = his birthplace, a set phrase of biographies; lo is the writer.
- 3volver a + place = to return to. Careful: volver a + infinitive means "to do again". Verbal periphrases I: acabar de, empezar a, volver a, hay que →
Variations
- El escritor volvió a Montevideo, la ciudad que lo vio nacer.
- El escritor regresó a Montevideo, su ciudad natal.
- El escritor volvió a Montevideo, la ciudad donde había nacido.