A veces es difícil ignorar las ideas interesantes.

to be

Breakdown of A veces es difícil ignorar las ideas interesantes.

• a veces: sometimes
• difícil: difficult
• interesante: interesting

Questions & Answers about A veces es difícil ignorar las ideas interesantes.

Why does the sentence start with A veces? What does it literally mean?

A veces means sometimes.

Literally, it is at times:

• a = at / to
• veces = times

This is a fixed expression in Spanish. You do not normally translate it word-for-word in natural English; you just understand it as sometimes.

Why is it es difícil and not está difícil?

Here, es difícil is used because difícil describes something in a general way: it is difficult.

Spanish often uses ser for:

• general characteristics
• definitions
• things seen as generally true

So es difícil ignorar las ideas interesantes means ignoring interesting ideas is difficult or it’s difficult to ignore interesting ideas in a general sense.

Está difícil can exist in Spanish, but it usually suggests a current situation or temporary state, such as it’s difficult right now. In this sentence, the general statement fits es better.

What is the role of ignorar here?