El problema principal es difícil.

to be

Breakdown of El problema principal es difícil.

• difícil: difficult
• el problema: the problem
• principal: main

Questions & Answers about El problema principal es difícil.

What is the grammatical structure of "El problema principal es difícil"?

In this sentence, "El problema principal" is the subject, "es" is the linking verb (the third-person singular form of ser), and "difícil" is a predicate adjective describing the subject. The structure follows the pattern: subject → linking verb → complement.

Why is the noun "problema" masculine even though it ends with an a?

Although many Spanish nouns ending in -a are feminine, "problema" is masculine because it is of Greek origin. Spanish retains its original gender, meaning we use el problema rather than la problema.

What does "principal" mean in this sentence, and why is it placed after "problema"?

"Principal" means main or primary. In Spanish, descriptive adjectives typically follow the noun they modify. Placing "principal" after "problema" clarifies that it is the main or most important problem being referred to.

Why is the verb "es" used instead of "está"?

The verb es is the third-person singular form of ser and is used to indicate an inherent or defining characteristic. In this sentence, "difícil" is presented as an essential quality of the problem. In contrast, estar is reserved for temporary states or conditions, which is not the case here.

Does the adjective "difícil" change its form to agree with the noun's gender or number?

In the singular form, "difícil" remains the same for both masculine and feminine subjects. However, when the noun is plural, the adjective changes to "difíciles". This adjective does not have a gender variation in the singular because its ending does not signal a typical masculine or feminine form.