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Questions & Answers about Yo ignoro el ruido.
Why is the subject pronoun yo included in the sentence, when Spanish often omits subject pronouns?
In Spanish, the subject pronoun is frequently dropped because the verb’s conjugation already indicates who is performing the action. However, including yo can add emphasis or clarity—especially for learners—and makes it clear that it is “I” who is doing the action.
What does ignoro represent in this sentence, and how is it conjugated?
Ignoro is the first person singular (yo) form of the regular -ar verb ignorar, meaning “to ignore.” The sentence “Yo ignoro el ruido” translates directly to “I ignore the noise.”
Why is the definite article el used before ruido?
In Spanish, nouns are typically preceded by a definite article. Ruido is a masculine singular noun, so it correctly takes el as its article, making “el ruido” translate to “the noise.”
Does ignorar ever mean “not to know,” and how do I know which meaning is intended here?
Yes, in some contexts ignorar can also mean “to be unaware of” or “not to know.” However, in Latin American Spanish—and in this sentence—the context clearly indicates the meaning “to ignore” (i.e., to deliberately pay no attention to the noise). Context is key to understanding which meaning to apply.
Is ignorar a regular verb, and does it follow typical conjugation patterns in Spanish?
Yes, ignorar is a regular -ar verb. It follows the standard conjugation pattern (yo ignoro, tú ignoras, él/ella ignora, etc.), which makes learning its different forms relatively straightforward.
Could this sentence be translated in any other way into English to capture its nuance?
The most literal translation is “I ignore the noise,” which emphasizes a deliberate act of not giving attention to the noise. If you wanted to imply that you don’t even notice the noise by stealth, you might choose a different phrasing in English. However, in the given context, “I ignore the noise” is the most accurate translation.