Phrase · 🫂 Difficult conversations
Una cosa es que llegues tarde y otra que no avises.
Arriving late is one thing; not letting anyone know is another.
C2criticising preciselyAudio · coming soon
Why every word is where it is
Una1determineroneuno · fem. · sing. · indefinitecosa1nounthingfem. · sing.esverbisser · present · 3rd sing.que2conjunctionthatllegues2verbyou arrivellegar · subjunctive · present · 2nd sing.tardeadverblateyconjunctionandotra1pronounanother (thing)otro · fem. · sing.que2conjunctionthatnoadverbnotavises2verbyou let (us) knowavisar · subjunctive · present · 2nd sing..
- Una → otra: una cosa es… y otra…
- que → llegues: que + subjunctive (topic)
- que → avises: que + subjunctive
- otra → cosa: otra = otra cosa
Word for word: “One thing is that you arrive late and another that you don't warn.”
Why it's built this way
The notes match the numbers above.
- 1Una cosa es… y otra (es)… separates a forgivable fact from the real problem; the second es is usually dropped. Emphasis and information structure: clefts and lo … que →
- 2que + subjunctive as a subject: the facts are topics under judgement, not news. Portuguese would use infinitives here. Mood alternation I: meaning changes and negation →
Variations
- Una cosa es llegar tarde y otra no avisar.
- Que llegues tarde, pase; que no avises, no.
- Llegar tarde pasa, pero no avisar es otra cosa.