Breakdown of La disculpa de mi primo es importante.
ser
to be
mi
my
de
of
importante
important
el primo
the cousin
la disculpa
the apology
Questions & Answers about La disculpa de mi primo es importante.
What does disculpa mean in this sentence?
Disculpa translates to "apology" in English. In this context, it refers to the act of apologizing or offering an excuse, meaning "my cousin's apology."
What role does the preposition de play in the sentence?
The preposition de indicates possession. It functions similarly to the English apostrophe‐s or the word "of," showing that the apology belongs to my cousin (i.e., "my cousin’s apology").
Why is the definite article la used before disculpa?
The definite article la is used because disculpa is a feminine noun referring to a specific apology. In Spanish, nouns almost always require an article unless there’s a particular stylistic or grammatical reason to omit one.
What does mi primo mean, and does it specify gender?
Mi primo means "my cousin." The word primo is masculine, so it specifically refers to a male cousin. If you were talking about a female cousin, you would use mi prima.
Why is the verb es used here instead of another form?
The verb es is the third-person singular present form of ser, which is used to describe inherent qualities or characteristics. In this sentence, it links the subject (La disculpa de mi primo) with the adjective importante, meaning "is important."
How does the adjective importante work with the feminine noun disculpa?
Adjectives in Spanish that end in -e—like importante—do not change form between masculine and feminine. Therefore, even though disculpa is feminine, importante remains unchanged.
What is the overall structure of the sentence?
The sentence follows a simple structure: a noun phrase subject followed by a linking verb and an adjective. Here, La disculpa de mi primo forms the subject (with a definite article, a noun, and a possessive construction), es serves as the linking verb, and importante acts as the predicate adjective describing the subject.
More from this lesson
AI Language TutorTry it ↗
“How does verb conjugation work in Spanish?”
Spanish verbs change form based on the subject, tense, and mood. Regular verbs follow predictable patterns depending on whether they end in ‑ar, ‑er, or ‑ir. For example, "hablar" (to speak) becomes "hablo" (I speak), "hablas" (you speak), and "habla" (he/she speaks) in the present tense.
Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor
Start learning SpanishMaster Spanish — from La disculpa de mi primo es importante to fluency
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods.
- ✓ Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
- ✓ Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
- ✓ Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
- ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions