La memoria del proyecto explica el proyecto.

Not usually in this sentence.

Although memoria can mean memory in many contexts, in Spain it very often means a written report, project write-up, or technical document when talking about academic, administrative, or professional work.

So in La memoria del proyecto, memoria is likely the document that describes or justifies the project, not someone’s mental memory.

Because de + el = del.

This contraction is mandatory in normal Spanish:

• de el proyecto → incorrect here
• del proyecto → correct

A very common exception is when El is part of a proper name, such as:

• de El Escorial
• de El Greco

But proyecto is not a proper name, so you must use del.

It tells you which memoria we are talking about.

So:

• la memoria = the report / write-up
• del proyecto = of the project / for the project

Grammatically, del proyecto is a complement attached to memoria. It narrows it down: not just any report, but the project report.

Because Spanish usually uses definite articles more often than English.

Here:

• la memoria because memoria is feminine singular
• el proyecto because proyecto is masculine singular

The articles agree with the nouns:

• memoria → feminine → la
• proyecto → masculine → el

Because memoria is simply a feminine noun in Spanish.

You can see that in the article and adjective agreement:

• la memoria
• una memoria
• memoria técnica completa

There is no special reason you have to work out from the sentence itself; it is just a property of the noun that learners need to remember.

Because the subject is La memoria del proyecto, which is treated as one thing.

The core subject is la memoria.
del proyecto only adds information about it.

So:

• La memoria ... explica = singular subject + singular verb

If the subject were plural, the verb would change:

• Las memorias del proyecto explican el proyecto

Because el proyecto is a direct object, not an indirect object, and it is not a person.

Spanish uses the personal a mainly before specific human beings (and sometimes personified animals/pets). For example:

• Veo al profesor
• Conozco a María

But here el proyecto is a thing, so there is no a:

• explica el proyecto

Yes, it can. The sentence is grammatically correct.

• La memoria del proyecto = the project report
• explica el proyecto = explains the project

So the first proyecto is part of a noun phrase modifying memoria, and the second proyecto is the direct object of the verb.

That said, stylistically it sounds a bit repetitive. In real writing, a speaker might prefer:

• La memoria del proyecto lo explica
• La memoria explica el proyecto
• La memoria del proyecto lo describe

Whether you can replace the second proyecto with lo depends on how clear the reference is in context.

No, that is not the normal structure.

With explicar, Spanish usually uses a direct object:

• explicar algo
• explicar un problema
• explicar el proyecto

So the natural form is:

• La memoria del proyecto explica el proyecto

Not:

• explica sobre el proyecto ❌

Spanish often uses fewer prepositions than English with verbs like explain.

It is grammatical, but depending on context it may sound a little awkward or repetitive.

In Spain, memoria is very natural in formal or technical contexts, especially for a report or project document. The slightly odd part is the repetition of proyecto.

A more natural formal sentence might be:

• La memoria del proyecto describe el proyecto
• La memoria del proyecto lo explica detalladamente
• La memoria explica en qué consiste el proyecto

So the sentence works, but it may sound more like a teaching example than polished real-world prose.

Yes. In this kind of Spanish, especially in Spain, those are often better translations than memory.

Depending on the exact context, memoria could refer to:

• a report
• a project write-up
• a technical document
• a statement of the project
• a supporting document

The best English choice depends on the setting: university, engineering, architecture, administration, funding applications, and so on.

It follows a very common Spanish pattern:

Subject + verb + direct object

Breakdown:

• La memoria del proyecto = subject
• explica = verb
• el proyecto = direct object

So structurally it is straightforward Spanish word order.

Yes, but the original order is the most neutral.

Neutral order:

• La memoria del proyecto explica el proyecto.

Other orders are possible for emphasis, but they are less neutral:

• El proyecto lo explica la memoria del proyecto.
• La memoria del proyecto, el proyecto lo explica. (much less natural in ordinary speech)

For a learner, the original subject + verb + object order is the safest and most standard.