Question 1

Why does the sentence use comentó que instead of dijo que?

Accepted Answer

Both verbs mean “to say,” but they carry different nuances. Comentó que implies the pilot made a remark or comment, often sharing information in a slightly more formal or explanatory tone. By contrast, dijo que is more neutral and simply reports what was said. In this context, comentó que highlights that the pilot was giving an update or observation.

Question 2

Why is había cerrado used, and what’s the difference with cerró?

Accepted Answer

Había cerrado is the past perfect (pluperfect). It places the airport’s action of closing the runways before another past action (the pilot’s comment). If you used cerró (preterite), you’d just state a completed action in the past without emphasizing this sequence. So:  
- Había cerrado → “had closed” (first the closing, then the comment)  
- Cerró → “closed” (simply a past event)

Question 3

What is the role of por in por falta de gasolina?

Accepted Answer

Here por introduces the cause or reason, equivalent to English “due to” or “because of.” It links the closure of the runways to the lack of fuel:  
- por falta de gasolina = “because of a lack of fuel.”

Question 4

Could we use debido a la falta de gasolina instead of por falta de gasolina?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Debido a la falta de gasolina and por falta de gasolina are largely interchangeable. Debido a is a bit more formal, while por is more neutral and common in spoken and written Spanish.

Question 5

What does pistas mean in this context?

Accepted Answer

In an airport context, pistas means “runways.” Although pista can also mean “track” or “hint,” in aviation it always refers to the runways where planes take off and land.

Question 6

What are vehículos de servicio?

Accepted Answer

Vehículos de servicio are the ground support vehicles at an airport—fuel trucks, baggage loaders, maintenance carts, pushback tugs, etc. They provide essential services to aircraft on the tarmac.

Question 7

Why is para used in para los vehículos de servicio?

Accepted Answer

Para indicates purpose or beneficiary. Here it shows that the gasoline shortage affected those vehicles’ ability to operate:  
- para los vehículos de servicio = “for the service vehicles” (i.e., the vehicles that needed the gasoline).

Question 8

Why do we need que after comentó?

Accepted Answer

Que is a conjunction (complementizer) that introduces the subordinate clause reporting what the pilot said. In Spanish, most reporting verbs (commented, said, explained) require que before the clause:  
- El piloto comentó que …  
Without que, the sentence would be ungrammatical.

El piloto comentó que el aeropuerto había cerrado dos pistas por falta de gasolina para los vehículos de servicio.

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