Esta oración es interesante.

This sentence is interesting.

Breakdown of Esta oración es interesante.

• ser: to be
• interesante: interesting
• esta: this
• la oración: the sentence

Questions & Answers about Esta oración es interesante.

What is the role of esta in the sentence?

Esta is a demonstrative adjective that means this. It directly modifies oración, helping to specify which sentence is being referenced. Since oración is feminine and singular, esta also agrees by being feminine and singular.

Why is the verb es used instead of está?

Es comes from the verb ser, which is used for inherent, defining characteristics. In this sentence, interesante describes an intrinsic quality of the sentence, so ser is appropriate rather than estar, which typically describes temporary conditions or states.

Why is oración used to mean sentence instead of a word like frase?

In Spanish, oración generally refers to a complete sentence that includes a subject and a predicate, forming a full idea. Although frase can also be translated as “sentence” or “phrase,” it is often used for expressions or short sayings that might not have a full grammatical structure. The use of oración emphasizes that the example is a complete sentence.

Why does interesante remain the same regardless of whether it describes a masculine or feminine noun?

Adjectives ending in -e, like interesante, are typically gender-neutral in Spanish. This means they do not change form based on the gender of the noun they modify. So interesante looks exactly the same when describing both a masculine noun and a feminine noun, such as oración (which is feminine).

Can you break down the structure of the sentence?

Certainly. The sentence Esta oración es interesante is composed of:

• Esta: A demonstrative adjective meaning this, which agrees in gender and number with the noun it modifies.
• Oración: A feminine singular noun meaning sentence.
• Es: The third-person singular form of the verb ser, used to link the subject with its characteristic.
• Interesante: An adjective meaning interesting that describes the subject.