Phrase · ✋ Concession and insistence
Sea quien sea, dile que estoy en una reunión.
Whoever it is, tell them I'm in a meeting.
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Why every word is where it is
Sea1verbbe itser · subjunctive · present · 3rd sing.quien1pronounwhosea1verbit may beser · subjunctive · present · 3rd sing.,dile2verbtell him/herdecir · imperative · 2nd sing.queconjunctionthatestoy3verbI amestar · present · 1st sing.en3prepositioninunadeterminerauno · fem. · sing. · indefinitereuniónnounmeetingfem. · sing..
- Sea → sea: sea quien sea: whoever it is
- dile → que: decir que + indicative
- estoy → en: estar en: location
- una → reunión: una agrees with reunión
Why it's built this way
The notes match the numbers above.
- 1sea quien sea = whoever it is: the present subjunctive repeated, with quien in the middle. Mood alternation II: -quiera relatives, concessive así / porque, speaker commitment →
- 2dile = di (irregular tú imperative of decir) + le, the caller. Negative imperative and imperative with pronouns →
- 3estar en una reunión: location and temporary situation take estar.
Variations
- Sea quien sea, dile que no estoy.
- Quienquiera que sea, dile que estoy reunida.
- Sea quien fuere, dígale que estoy en una reunión.