Breakdown of El marcador cambia y muestra una esfera verde cuando el entrenador presiona el botón correcto.
verde
green
y
and
cuando
when
una
a
cambiar
to change
mostrar
to show
el botón
the button
presionar
to press
correcto
correct
el entrenador
the coach
el marcador
the scoreboard
la esfera
the sphere
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Questions & Answers about El marcador cambia y muestra una esfera verde cuando el entrenador presiona el botón correcto.
What does marcador mean in this context?
In this sentence, marcador refers to a scoreboard or display (like a digital indicator) that shows information.
Why is cambia in the third-person singular present indicative?
Because the subject el marcador is singular (“the scoreboard”), and we describe a current or general action. Spanish uses the present indicative for actions happening now or habitually.
Why do cambia and muestra share the same subject without repeating el marcador?
In Spanish, you can coordinate two verbs with y (and) when they share the same subject. So El marcador cambia y muestra means “the scoreboard changes and shows.’
What’s the role of una before esfera verde?
Una is the feminine singular indefinite article (“a”). It agrees in gender (feminine) and number (singular) with esfera (sphere), which is a feminine noun.
Why is verde placed after esfera and not before?
Most descriptive adjectives in Spanish come after the noun. So esfera verde literally reads “sphere green,” which we translate as “green sphere.”
How does cuando function in this sentence?
Cuando introduces a subordinate temporal clause (“when the coach presses the correct button”). It links the timing of the main action (the scoreboard changing) to the coach’s action.
Why is entrenador masculine here, and can it be feminine?
Entrenador means “coach/trainer” and is masculine by default here. If the coach were female, you would use la entrenadora instead.
Why is presiona chosen over synonyms like pulsa or oprime?
All three verbs mean “to press” (a button), but presionar is very common in Latin American Spanish. Pulsar is more frequent in Spain, and oprimir can sound more formal or technical.
Could the adjective correcto appear before botón, as in correcto botón, or change form?
No. Adjectives describing qualities normally follow the noun in Spanish. So you say botón correcto (“correct button”). Also, correcto agrees in gender and number (masculine singular) with botón.