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Questions & Answers about El mensaje es secreto.
What does each word in the sentence “El mensaje es secreto” mean?
“El” is the masculine singular definite article meaning the. “Mensaje” means message. “Es” is the third-person singular form of the verb ser, meaning is. “Secreto” is an adjective meaning secret.
Why is the verb “ser” used instead of “estar” in this sentence?
Ser is used to describe inherent or permanent qualities. In “El mensaje es secreto,” being secret is considered an essential, defining characteristic of the message, rather than a temporary condition, which is why ser is appropriate instead of estar.
How does adjective agreement work in this sentence?
In Spanish, adjectives must agree in gender and number with the noun they describe. Here, “mensaje” is a masculine singular noun, so the adjective “secreto” is also in its masculine singular form.
What is the structure of the sentence “El mensaje es secreto”?
The sentence follows the basic subject-linking verb-predicate adjective structure: El mensaje (subject) + es (linking verb) + secreto (predicate adjective).
How would this sentence change if written in the plural?
In the plural, the sentence becomes: “Los mensajes son secretos.” The article “el” changes to “los” (masculine plural), “mensaje” becomes “mensajes,” the verb “es” changes to “son” (third-person plural of ser), and “secreto” becomes “secretos” to match the masculine plural noun.
How can I express “a secret message” using a similar structure?
To express “a secret message,” you would say “un mensaje secreto.” In this case, “un” is the masculine singular indefinite article meaning a, followed by the noun and the adjective in agreement.