Phrase · 🎩 Elevated register
Quiso responder, mas las palabras no le salían.
She wanted to reply, but the words would not come.
C2literary narrationliteraryAudio · coming soon
Why every word is where it is
Quiso2verbshe wantedquerer · past · 3rd sing.responderverbto replyinfinitive,mas1conjunctionbut (literary)lasdeterminertheel · fem. · pl. · definitepalabrasnounwordspalabra · fem. · pl.noadverbnotle3object pronoun(for her)ella · 3rd sing. · indirect objectsalían3verbwould come outsalir · imperfect · 3rd pl..
- Quiso → responder: querer + infinitive
- palabras → salían: las palabras → salían (pl.)
- salían → le: salirle a alguien: dative
Why it's built this way
The notes match the numbers above.
- 1mas without an accent = but, only in literary style. más with an accent = more. In speech: pero. Literary and archaic style →
- 2quiso: preterite of querer (stem quis-): a single attempt at that moment. Preterite II: irregular stems and -ir stem changes →
- 3no le salían: the words are the subject and she is in the dative. The imperfect stretches the struggle out.
Variations
- Quiso responder, pero las palabras no le salían.
- Intentó contestar, mas no halló las palabras.
- Quiso responder; sin embargo, no le salían las palabras.