Learn Hardcore Spanish (Latin America): El ingeniero presenta un proyecto avanzado que usa algas para producir energía. - The engineer presents an advanced project that uses seaweed to produce energy.

In Spanish the simple present (indicative) often covers both the English “he presents” and “he is presenting.” The present continuous (está presentando) is used mainly to emphasize that an action is happening right this moment. Here, presenta simply states the engineer’s action in a neutral, general way: “The engineer presents (or is presenting) a project.”

Why is there a definite article el before ingeniero, when in English we often say “engineer presents…” without “the”?

Spanish requires an article before professions when you refer to someone in a specific or habitual context. Saying El ingeniero (“the engineer”) signals that you have a particular engineer in mind (or that it’s a defined role). In English, titles or professions often drop the article, but in Spanish it’s almost always needed:
• El médico vs. “Doctor”
• La profesora vs. “Teacher”

Why is there an indefinite article un before proyecto, and could you omit it?

Un proyecto means “one (of many) project” or simply “a project.” Omitting the article (proyecto avanzado) would sound more like a label or title than a full sentence. The indefinite article un shows that it’s one example of a project, not a specific one already known to the listener.

How do I know that proyecto is masculine and alga is feminine? How do you form their plurals?

Spanish nouns ending in –o are usually masculine (el proyecto, un libro), and those ending in –a are usually feminine (la alga, la mesa). To pluralize:
• For nouns ending in a vowel, add –s: proyectos, algas.
• If a noun ends in a consonant, you add –es (e.g. ciudad → ciudades).

Why is the adjective avanzado placed after proyecto, instead of before it?

Most Spanish adjectives follow the noun when they describe a characteristic or quality: proyecto avanzado (“advanced project”). Placing an adjective before the noun (e.g. avanzado proyecto) can sound poetic or emphasize it. The neutral, standard order is noun + adjective.

What does the relative pronoun que do in que usa algas? Does it mean “which,” “that,” or something else?

Here que introduces a relative clause and means both “that” and “which.” Spanish uses que for people and things in non-formal contexts:
• El libro que leí – “The book that/which I read.”
• El ingeniero que presenta... – “The engineer who/that presents...”
You don’t need to change que for “which” or “who” as you do in English.

Why is usa in the indicative mood and not the subjunctive (e.g. use)?

The indicative is used because this is a factual statement: the project really does use algae. You’d use the subjunctive (e.g. use) only when expressing doubt, desire, or non-existence:
• Indicative: Busco un proyecto que usa energía solar. (I’m looking for a project that actually uses solar energy.)
• Subjunctive: Busco un proyecto que use energía solar. (I’m looking for any project, real or hypothetical, that would use solar energy.)

Why is para used before producir energía? Could you say a producir or por producir instead?

Para + infinitive expresses purpose or goal: “in order to produce.”
• Para producir energía – “to produce energy.”
Using a producir doesn’t convey purpose here, and por producir would suggest cause or reason (“because of producing energy”), not purpose.

Why does energía have an accent on the í, and how do I know where to place stress in Spanish words?

Energía is an example of a hiato (a stressed weak vowel í next to another vowel a), which breaks the diphthong and forces an accent. General stress rules:
1. Words ending in vowel, n, or s are stressed on the penultimate syllable (llanas)—no accent needed.
2. Words ending in other consonants are stressed on the last syllable (agudas)—no accent needed if they follow rule 1 or 2.
3. If a word breaks these defaults, you add an accent.
Because energía has stress on gí (the penultimate of four), you might think rule 1 applies, but the hiato rule forces you to mark the stressed í with ´.