Phrase · 🧲 Persuasion and rhetoric
No digo que sea fácil, pero sí que es posible.
I'm not saying it's easy, but it is possible.
C2conceding, then insistingAudio · coming soon
Why every word is where it is
No1adverbnotdigo1verbI saydecir · present · 1st sing.que1conjunctionthatsea1verbit isser · subjunctive · present · 3rd sing.fáciladjectiveeasysing.,peroconjunctionbutsí2adverbindeed (lit. yes)que2conjunctionthates2verbit isser · present · 3rd sing.posibleadjectivepossiblesing..
- digo → sea: no digo que + subjunctive
- sí → que: sí que: emphatic yes
- que → es: sí que + indicative
- sea → fácil: ser fácil
Why it's built this way
The notes match the numbers above.
- 1Negated no digo que + subjunctive: the speaker does not commit to the claim (it may not be easy). Mood alternation I: meaning changes and negation →
- 2sí que + indicative = emphatic affirmation against the negation: "but it IS possible". Mood alternation I: meaning changes and negation →
Variations
- No digo que sea fácil, pero es posible.
- Fácil no es, pero posible sí.
- No es que sea fácil, pero desde luego es posible.