Breakdown of El clima está tan húmedo hoy que la ropa tarda en secarse al aire libre.
en
in
estar
to be
hoy
today
que
that
la ropa
the clothes
tan
so
el clima
the weather
al aire libre
outside
húmedo
humid
tardar
to take time
secarse
to dry
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Questions & Answers about El clima está tan húmedo hoy que la ropa tarda en secarse al aire libre.
What does the structure tan … que signify in this sentence?
The structure tan … que is used to express cause and effect by indicating a degree of intensity followed by a result. In this example, tan means so and que means that. Thus, “El clima está tan húmedo hoy” translates as “The weather is so humid today,” and the following clause “que la ropa tarda en secarse al aire libre” explains that the high humidity causes the clothes to take a long time to dry outdoors.
Why is estar used with el clima instead of ser in this sentence?
In Spanish, estar is used to describe temporary conditions or states, whereas ser is used for more permanent characteristics. Since weather conditions like humidity can change from day to day, el clima está tan húmedo correctly reflects its temporary nature.
What does tarda en secarse mean, and why is the verb secarse used in its reflexive form?
Tarda en secarse means “takes a long time to dry.” The reflexive form secarse is used because the action of drying is happening to the clothes themselves without an external agent actively drying them. This construction is common in Spanish when describing processes that occur naturally or by themselves.
What does the phrase al aire libre mean in this sentence?
Al aire libre literally translates as “in the open air” and is equivalent to outdoors in English. It specifies that the drying process is occurring outside, exposed to natural conditions rather than in an enclosed space.
Why is la ropa treated as singular even though it refers to multiple items?
In Spanish, ropa is a collective noun that refers to clothing in general and is always treated as singular. Even though it represents multiple items (like shirts, pants, etc.), it takes a singular article and singular verb agreement. This is a typical feature of many collective nouns in Spanish.
What is the difference between húmedo and mojado, and why is húmedo used in this context?
Húmedo means “humid,” referring to the level of moisture in the air, while mojado means “wet” and is used for something that is physically soaked with water. Since the sentence describes a condition of high moisture in the air rather than items being drenched, húmedo is the appropriate choice.