Breakdown of Cada página tenía una letra grande al inicio para facilitar la lectura.
tener
to have
cada
each, every
para
to
grande
large
la lectura
the reading
a
at
la página
the page
la letra
the letter
el inicio
the beginning
facilitar
to facilitate
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Questions & Answers about Cada página tenía una letra grande al inicio para facilitar la lectura.
What does Cada mean, and when do I use it?
Cada means “each” or “every.” It always goes before a singular noun (here página) to indicate you’re referring to every individual item. You don’t say cada páginas, only cada página.
Why is tenía in the imperfect tense instead of tuvo?
The imperfect tense (tenía) describes an ongoing or habitual state in the past—each page had that feature as a normal condition. The preterite (tuvo) would suggest a one-time, completed event, which doesn’t fit this background description.
Why does letra mean “font” or “typeface” here, instead of a single letter?
While letra often means a single character, in contexts about printing or design it can refer to typography—size, style, or typeface. So una letra grande means “a large font” (big printed text), not one huge letter.
Why is the adjective grande placed after letra? Could I say grande letra?
In Spanish, descriptive adjectives normally follow the noun. Una letra grande is the standard word order. Saying grande letra sounds awkward and is not how native speakers would phrase it.
What does al inicio mean, and can I use al principio instead?
Al inicio means “at the start” or “at the beginning,” often emphasizing a physical beginning (like the top of the page). Al principio means “at first” or “initially,” focusing more on sequence or time. You could use al principio, but al inicio highlights the starting point of each page.
How does para + infinitive work in para facilitar?
Para introduces purpose—“in order to.” When you want to explain why something is done, you use para + infinitive. So para facilitar means “in order to make easier.”
Why is there la before lectura, and why isn’t there a preposition?
Lectura is a noun meaning “reading,” and facilitar is a transitive verb that takes a direct object. The article la marks “the reading.” No preposition is needed because lectura is the direct object of facilitar.
Could I rephrase para facilitar la lectura as para que la lectura fuera más fácil?
Yes. Para que + subjunctive (fuera) also expresses purpose (“so that the reading would be easier”). The original para facilitar … is more concise, while para que la lectura fuera más fácil is slightly more elaborate or formal.