Nosotros iniciamos un debate sobre la lección.

We start a debate about the lesson.

Breakdown of Nosotros iniciamos un debate sobre la lección.

• nosotros: we
• la lección: the lesson
• sobre: about
• iniciar: to start
• el debate: the debate

Questions & Answers about Nosotros iniciamos un debate sobre la lección.

Why is the subject pronoun nosotros explicitly included in the sentence?

In Spanish the subject pronoun is often dropped because the verb conjugation already indicates the subject. Nosotros is included here for clarity or emphasis, especially when contrasting different groups or when you want to stress “we” as the ones taking the action.

What does iniciamos mean and why is this form used?

Iniciamos is the first-person plural form of the verb iniciar, which means “to start” or “to initiate.” Depending on context, it can be interpreted as either present (“we start/initiate”) or as the preterite (“we started/initiated”). In the given sentence, the meaning provided suggests it refers to a completed action.

Why is the preposition sobre used in the phrase sobre la lección, and can it be replaced with another preposition?

The preposition sobre translates to “about” or “concerning.” It is used to indicate the subject matter of the debate. While sobre is common, you might also encounter acerca de in other contexts, since both prepositions serve a similar purpose in referring to a topic or subject.

Why does la lección have the feminine article la even though “lesson” in English does not have a gender?

In Spanish, every noun has a grammatical gender. The word lección is feminine, so it takes the feminine article la. Unlike English, Spanish requires nouns to agree with their corresponding articles and adjectives in gender and number.

Is debate used here the same as the English word “debate,” and are there any nuances to consider?

Yes, debate is a cognate and means essentially the same as in English—a discussion or argument about a certain topic. However, while the basic meaning is the same, the cultural context of debates might differ between Spanish-speaking regions and English-speaking ones, so usage nuances might occasionally arise.