Para descubrir la mejor ruta, revisa los mapas antes de viajar.

To discover the best route, review the maps before traveling.

Breakdown of Para descubrir la mejor ruta, revisa los mapas antes de viajar.

• de: of
• viajar: to travel
• para: to
• antes: before
• descubrir: to discover
• la mejor ruta: the best route
• revisar: to review
• el mapa: the map

Questions & Answers about Para descubrir la mejor ruta, revisa los mapas antes de viajar.

Why is para used here instead of por?

In Spanish, para expresses the idea of purpose or a goal—like saying "in order to do something." In this sentence, para indicates the purpose (discovering the best route) for checking the maps. If you said por, it would suggest a reason or cause, which doesn't fit the intended meaning of "in order to."

What verb form is revisa, and why is it used?

Revisa is an informal (tú) command form in the present tense. In Latin American Spanish, you can use this form when giving a direct command or instruction to someone you address as tú. It tells the listener to "check" the maps before traveling.

Is it common to drop the subject pronoun before a command?

Yes. In Spanish, subject pronouns (like tú) are usually omitted before imperative forms. You typically just say revisa instead of tú revisa. Using the pronoun can sound redundant in everyday conversation.

Why is antes de viajar used instead of antes que viajar?

When antes de is followed by an infinitive, it simply means "before (doing something)." If you wanted to use a full clause, such as "before you travel," you would use antes de que plus a subjunctive verb (antes de que viajes). Since we’re giving an instruction about an action (to check maps) before traveling, the infinitive form viajar after antes de is concise and correct.

Why do we say los mapas instead of unos mapas or mis mapas?

Using los mapas implies a generic reference to "the maps" that one would normally consult (like a common resource). If the sentence referred to some specific maps or your personal maps, you might opt for other articles or possessives (e.g., tus mapas, unos mapas). But here, los points to maps in general that are relevant for planning the trip, hence the definite article.