Breakdown of Presento un reclamo en la tienda porque el producto está dañado.
yo
I
estar
to be
la tienda
the store
porque
because
en
at
un
a
presentar
to present
dañado
damaged
el producto
the product
el reclamo
the claim
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Questions & Answers about Presento un reclamo en la tienda porque el producto está dañado.
What does the verb presento mean here?
Presento is the first-person singular present tense of presentar, which in this context means I file or I submit (as in filing a complaint).
Why use un reclamo instead of just reclamo?
Spanish typically requires an article with countable nouns. Un is the indefinite article for masculine singular nouns, equivalent to a in English. Without un, the sentence would feel incomplete.
What exactly is a reclamo?
A reclamo is a complaint or claim—specifically the formal statement you make to express dissatisfaction with a product or service.
Why is it en la tienda and not a la tienda?
The preposition en means at or in, indicating the location where you’re making the complaint. A la tienda would imply movement to the store, rather than doing something at the store.
Why is porque written as one word without an accent?
Porque (one word, no accent) is the conjunction meaning because, used to introduce a reason. Other forms like por qué (two words, with accent) are used in questions (“why?”), and porqué (one word with accent) is a noun meaning “the reason.”
Why use está (from estar) instead of es (from ser)?
Estar expresses a temporary state or condition. Since the product’s condition is “damaged” right now, you say está dañado. Ser would imply a more permanent characteristic.
What does dañado mean, and why is it used here?
Dañado is the past participle of dañar, used as an adjective meaning damaged. It describes the current state of the product.
Do adjectives like dañado have to agree with the noun?
Yes. Adjectives in Spanish agree in gender and number with the noun they modify. Producto is masculine singular, so the adjective is dañado. If it were caja (feminine), it would be dañada.
Can you use a synonym for reclamo, like queja?
Yes. Presentar una queja is also common. Queja is more general (“complaint”), while reclamo often implies a formal claim seeking correction or compensation.