Sospecho que Mariana no lavó la servilleta, porque aún está sucia en la mesa.

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Breakdown of Sospecho que Mariana no lavó la servilleta, porque aún está sucia en la mesa.

• en: in
• estar: to be
• la mesa: the table
• que: that
• porque: because
• sucio: dirty
• lavar: to wash
• aún: still
• no: not
• ,: comma
• la servilleta: the napkin
• sospechar: to suspect
• Mariana: Mariana

Questions & Answers about Sospecho que Mariana no lavó la servilleta, porque aún está sucia en la mesa.

What does sospecho mean, and why is it in the first person singular present tense?

Sospecho means “I suspect.” It is in the first person singular present because the speaker is expressing their current personal opinion. In Spanish, the verb conjugates to match the subject (yo), so sospecho reflects that the speaker themselves is doing the suspecting.

Why is the word que placed right after sospecho in this sentence?

In Spanish, que acts as a complementizer to introduce a subordinate clause. Here, it connects sospecho with the clause Mariana no lavó la servilleta. This structure is very similar to English, where you might say “I suspect that Mariana did not wash the napkin.”

Why is lavó used in the preterite tense instead of the present perfect or imperfect?

Lavó is in the preterite tense to indicate a completed action in the past. In Latin American Spanish, the preterite is commonly used to express actions that are finished. This implies that Mariana’s action of washing (or not washing) the napkin is viewed as a concluded event.

Why is the negative marker no placed before the verb lavó?

In Spanish, the negative word no is placed directly before the verb to negate it. Thus, no lavó clearly indicates that Mariana did not perform the action of washing the napkin. This is the standard word order for negation in Spanish sentences.

What does porque mean in this sentence, and how does it function?

Porque means “because.” It is used to introduce a reason or explanation—in this case, the reason for the suspicion. The clause following porque explains why the speaker suspects that Mariana did not wash the napkin, namely, because the napkin is still dirty on the table.

What role does aún play in the sentence, and why is it written with an accent?

Aún means “still” in this context, stressing that the napkin remains dirty up to the present moment. The accent on aún distinguishes it from the unaccented aun, which can mean “even” or “although.” Here, the accent ensures the intended meaning of “still” is clear.

Could the sentence be structured with a different past tense, such as using the present perfect (ha lavado) instead of the preterite (lavó)? What nuance would that create?

Yes, the sentence could be rephrased as “Sospecho que Mariana no ha lavado la servilleta, porque aún está sucia en la mesa.” Using the present perfect (ha lavado) would emphasize a connection between a past action and its bearing on the present. However, in Latin American Spanish, the preterite (lavó) is preferred for indicating a completed past action without necessarily linking it directly to the present, which is why the original sentence uses the preterite.