Phrase · 😔 Regrets and reproaches
Habría sido mejor decírselo a la cara.
It would have been better to tell him to his face.
B2regretting reproachingAudio · coming soon
Why every word is where it is
Habría1verbit would havehaber · conditional · 3rd sing.sido1verbbeenser · participle · past · masc. · sing.mejoradjectivebettersing.decírselo2verbto tell (him) (it)decir · infinitivea3prepositiontoladeterminertheel · fem. · sing. · definitecara3nounfacefem. · sing..
- sido → mejor: agree
- decírselo → a: prep
- cara → la: agree
Why it's built this way
The notes match the numbers above.
- 1Habría sido mejor + infinitive = it would have been better to…: judging a past choice. Past unreal conditions: pluperfect subjunctive and conditional perfect →
- 2decírselo = decir + se + lo: le becomes se before lo; both attach to the infinitive, which gains an accent. Double object pronouns (se lo) and clitic placement →
- 3a la cara = to someone's face, directly.
Variations
- Hubiera sido mejor decírselo a la cara.
- Habría sido mejor decírselo en persona.