Breakdown of El profesor dice que es importante estar atento para tener éxito en el examen.
ser
to be
en
in
estar
to be
que
that
para
for
importante
important
el profesor
the teacher
decir
to say
el examen
the exam
atento
attentive
tener éxito
to succeed
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Questions & Answers about El profesor dice que es importante estar atento para tener éxito en el examen.
What does the sentence mean in English?
It means "The professor says that it is important to be attentive in order to succeed on the exam." The sentence delivers advice: by remaining alert, one can achieve success on the exam.
What is the role of que immediately after dice?
Que functions as a conjunction. It introduces the subordinate clause that contains the professor’s statement—similar to the English word "that" in indirect speech.
Why is the verb estar used in the phrase estar atento instead of ser?
Estar is used because it describes a temporary state or condition. In this context, being attentive is seen as a condition needed at the moment (for the exam), not as an inherent or permanent trait, which would require ser.
How does the phrase para tener éxito en el examen function within the sentence?
The phrase expresses purpose. Para introduces an explanation of why being attentive is important—it shows that the goal or outcome is to succeed on the exam, much like "in order to" in English.
How is the sentence structured in terms of main and subordinate clauses?
The sentence comprises a main clause (El profesor dice) and a subordinate clause introduced by que (es importante estar atento para tener éxito en el examen). This common structure is used in Spanish to report indirect speech or someone’s advice.