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Questions & Answers about El tema es delicado.
Why is the masculine article el used before tema even though the word ends with an a?
In Spanish, many words ending in -a are feminine, but there are notable exceptions. Tema is one such exception; it is masculine due to its Greek origin. Hence, it correctly takes the masculine article el.
What is the nuance of delicado in this sentence? Does it mean "fragile" in a physical sense or something else?
In El tema es delicado, delicado usually means that the topic is sensitive or potentially controversial—it requires careful handling. It does not imply physical fragility but rather emotional or conceptual sensitivity.
Is tema a cognate with the English word theme? How should I interpret its meaning?
Yes, tema is a cognate with English words like theme or topic. In everyday usage in Latin America, it most often refers to the subject or issue being discussed. However, context can determine if it’s used in a more artistic sense as well.
Why does the sentence follow the structure El tema es delicado (subject-verb-adjective)? Can the adjective be placed before the noun?
The typical sentence structure in Spanish is subject-verb-predicative complement, so El tema es delicado follows that pattern naturally. While adjectives sometimes appear before nouns for stylistic reasons, placing delicado after the noun is standard when stating an inherent quality, and moving it could change the nuance or make the sentence sound less natural.
Are there any related adjectives I should be aware of that might be confused with delicado, such as sensible?
Yes, it’s good to note that although delicado can suggest sensitivity, it is different from sensible. While sensible in Spanish usually means sensitive in an emotional or perceptual sense (similar to the English sensible sometimes meaning “reasonable”), delicado specifically indicates that a topic or situation is touchy or requires careful handling. Understanding the subtle differences will help you choose the right word based on context.