Learn Hardcore Spanish (Latin America): Es importante que firmes el permiso delante de la directora. - It’s important that you sign the permission in front of the principal.

Spanish impersonal expressions of necessity or importance (like Es importante) trigger the present subjunctive mood. That’s why you say que firmes (subjunctive of firmar) rather than firmas (indicative).

What role does the word que play in this sentence?

Here, que links the impersonal phrase Es importante to the subordinate clause firmes el permiso. It’s required when you attach a verb in the subjunctive after an impersonal expression.

Why is there no subject pronoun before firmes? Wouldn’t tú firmes make it clearer?

In Spanish you often drop subject pronouns because the verb ending -es already indicates “you” (tú). You could say tú firmes for emphasis or contrast, but it’s perfectly natural—and more common—to leave it out.

Why is el used before permiso? Could we say un permiso or omit the article?

Spanish usually uses the definite article (el permiso) when referring to a specific, known document. Saying un permiso would imply “some permission form” generically, and dropping the article (just permiso) is unidiomatic here.

What’s the difference between delante de la directora and ante la directora?

Delante de la directora means physically in front of her.
Ante la directora can also mean “in front of,” but is more formal and may emphasize being before her authority or position rather than just location.

Could I move delante de la directora to the front of the sentence?

Yes. You can say:
Delante de la directora, es importante que firmes el permiso.
Just add a comma after the introductory phrase. The meaning stays the same, though the emphasis shifts slightly to the location.

Why is directora feminine here? Would it change if the director were a man?

Spanish nouns and their articles agree in gender with the person they describe. Since this director is female, we say la directora. If it were a male director, you’d say delante del director.

Can I replace Es importante with another expression and keep the subjunctive?

Absolutely. Other impersonal expressions triggering the subjunctive include:

Es necesario que firmes... (It’s necessary that you sign...)
Es esencial que firmes... (It’s essential that you sign...)
Hace falta que firmes... (It’s needed that you sign...)

Is there any alternative way to express “sign the permission” in Spanish?

You could say flectar el permiso in some contexts, but firmar el permiso is the standard Collquially you might also hear dar tu firma en el permiso, which literally means “to give your signature on the permission.”