Learn Hardcore Spanish (Latin America): La contratista arreglará la pared a menos que llueva todo el día. - The contractor will fix the wall unless it rains all day.

Because a menos que always introduces a hypothetical/conditional situation and requires the subjunctive. You say a menos que llueva (“unless it rains”), not (incorrect) a menos que llueve. Spanish uses the present subjunctive for future situations in these clauses. Note: there is an old “future subjunctive” (lloviere), but it’s archaic—don’t use it.

What tense is arreglará, and could I say va a arreglar instead?

Arreglará is the simple future (third person singular) of arreglar. In Latin America, va a arreglar is also very common and slightly more colloquial; both are correct. For scheduled plans you might also hear the present: Arregla la pared mañana.

Why is it la contratista when the noun ends in -ista?

Nouns ending in -ista (like contratista, periodista, artista) are common-gender: the form doesn’t change, but the article does. Use la contratista for a woman and el contratista for a man.

What does a menos que mean exactly, and are there synonyms?

It means “unless.” Common synonyms are a no ser que (widely used, especially in Spain) and the more formal salvo que. All take the subjunctive.

Is a menos de que also correct?

Yes. Both a menos que and a menos de que are accepted; a menos que is more common overall, while a menos de que is frequent in parts of Latin America (e.g., Mexico). Meaning and usage are the same.

Can I put the “unless” clause first?

Yes: A menos que llueva todo el día, la contratista arreglará la pared. When the subordinate clause comes first, add a comma after it.

Why is there no personal a before la pared?

Because arreglar takes a direct object without the personal a when it’s an inanimate thing. The personal a is generally used with specific people (and some pets), not objects.

Is arreglar the best verb here? What about reparar or componer?

All three can work. Arreglar is very common and colloquial (“to fix”). Reparar is a bit more formal/technical (“to repair”). Componer is regional in this sense; some areas use it naturally, others don’t.

Should it be pared or muro?

Both mean “wall,” but there’s a nuance: pared is typically an interior wall (drywall, partition), while muro suggests an exterior or load-bearing masonry wall. Choose based on the type of wall you mean.

How would I replace la pared with a pronoun?

Use la (because pared is feminine): La contratista la arreglará. With “ir a + infinitive,” either place works: La va a arreglar or Va a arreglarla.

Why is llover only in third-person singular here?

Weather verbs like llover are impersonal in Spanish, so they use the third-person singular only: llueve, llueva, llovió, etc. There’s no expressed subject (“it”) in Spanish.

Could I rephrase with si (“if”) instead of a menos que?

Yes: Si no llueve todo el día, la contratista arreglará la pared. Another equivalent is to negate the main clause: Si llueve todo el día, la contratista no arreglará la pared. With si, use the present indicative (llueve) for real future conditions.

Should I ever say a menos que no?

Generally no. A menos que no flips the meaning (“unless … not”) and often causes confusion. For the intended idea, stick to a menos que llueva; don’t add no after que.

Do I need the article before contratista, or could I say just Contratista arreglará…?

Use the article in normal sentences: La contratista arreglará… Omitting it sounds like a headline. If you mean an unspecified person, use una: Una contratista arreglará la pared…