Learn Hardcore Spanish (Latin America): Una decisión rápida puede causar problemas.

In Spanish, descriptive adjectives normally follow the noun when you want a neutral description. Saying una decisión rápida simply tells you it’s a quick decision. If you instead say una rápida decisión, you’re adding extra emphasis or a stylistic touch—perhaps to highlight the speed more dramatically.

Why does rápida end in -a?

Adjectives in Spanish must agree in gender and number with the noun they modify. Decisión is a feminine, singular noun, so the adjective also takes the feminine, singular ending: rápida rather than rápido (masculine) or rápidas (feminine plural).

Why is there a written accent on rápida?

Rápida is an esdrújula word (stress on the third-to-last syllable: RÁ-pi-da). By Spanish spelling rules, all esdrújulas carry a tilde. That’s why you see the accent on the á.

Why is the indefinite article una necessary? Could I drop it?

In a normal sentence, Spanish nouns usually need a determiner (definite or indefinite article, demonstrative, etc.). Una decisión rápida tells the listener you’re talking about “a quick decision” in general. You could omit una only in certain contexts—like newspaper headlines or bullet points—where articles are often dropped (“Decisión rápida puede causar problemas”), but not in standard spoken or written sentences.

What does puede causar mean, and why use poder + infinitive?

Puede causar is the third-person singular present of poder (can/may) plus the infinitive causar (to cause). Together they express possibility or capacity: “can cause” or “may cause.” It’s a common way to say that something has the potential to produce an effect.

Why is problemas plural? Can I say un problema instead?

Using the plural (problemas) gives the idea of “problems in general” or multiple issues. If you say puede causar un problema, you’re referring to a single, specific problem: “it may cause one problem.” Both are grammatically correct; the choice depends on whether you mean “one problem” or “problems in a general sense.”

Are causar, provocar and ocasionar interchangeable here?

They’re near-synonyms but carry slight nuances:

causar is neutral and very common.
provocar often implies a more sudden or forceful effect.
ocasionar feels a bit more formal.
Example: Una decisión rápida puede provocar/ocasionar problemas works, but the tone shifts subtly with each verb.

What’s the difference between puede causar and puede que cause?

Puede causar problemas uses the indicative and states a straightforward possibility.
Puede que cause problemas uses puede que
- subjunctive (cause) and feels slightly more hypothetical or speculative. Both convey “it may cause problems,” but the subjunctive version can sound a bit more uncertain or tentative.

If I want to add muy (very), where does it go?

Adverbs like muy go directly before the adjective:

una decisión muy rápida
Putting muy between the article and noun (una muy rápida decisión) is also possible but gives a slightly more formal or poetic feel.