Phrase · 🙄 Colloquial reactions
¡Pilas, que el examen es mañana!
Heads up, the exam is tomorrow!
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Why every word is where it is
¡Pilas1nounheads up (lit. batteries)pila · fem. · pl.,queconjunction(because)eldeterminerthemasc. · sing. · definiteexamen3nounexammasc. · sing.es2verbisser · present · 3rd sing.mañana2adverbtomorrow!
- que → es: que + reason
- examen → es: el examen: subject of es
- es → mañana: ser: when an event takes place
Word for word: “Batteries, for the exam is tomorrow!”
Why it's built this way
The notes match the numbers above.
- 1¡Pilas! (Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Peru) = heads up!, stay sharp!: from "batteries". Ponerse las pilas = to get your act together. Lexicalised imperatives and pragmatic particles →
- 2ser for when an event takes place: el examen es mañana, not está. Ser vs estar II: meaning changes, events and results →
- 3el examen = exam, test; plural exámenes, with an accent.
Variations
- ¡Ojo, que el examen es mañana!
- ¡Ponte las pilas, que el examen es mañana!
- ¡Aguas, que el examen es mañana!