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El termómetro marca 38 grados, así que tomaré el jarabe.

El termómetro marca 38 grados, así que tomaré el jarabe.
The thermometer reads 38 degrees, so I’ll take the syrup.
FromLesson 18inHardcore Spanish (Spain)
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Questions & Answers about El termómetro marca 38 grados, así que tomaré el jarabe.

What does bold marca bold mean here, and why not bold dice bold?

Here bold marca bold means “shows/reads/indicates” (a device’s reading). Spanish uses bold marcar bold with instruments:

  • bold El termómetro marca 38. bold
  • bold El reloj marca las tres. bold
  • bold El velocímetro marca 120. bold Using bold decir bold sounds odd for a device in this context.
Do I need the definite article bold el bold before bold termómetro bold and bold jarabe bold?

Yes, it’s natural in Spanish to use the definite article when referring to a specific, context-known item:

  • bold El termómetro bold (the thermometer you’re using).
  • bold El jarabe bold (the syrup that’s been prescribed or is on hand). If speaking generically, you could say bold tomar jarabe bold (“to take syrup/medicine”) or bold un jarabe bold (“a syrup”) when it’s not a specific one.
Why is there no article before bold 38 grados bold (why not bold los 38 grados bold)?

Measurements often appear without an article in Spanish when stating a reading:

  • bold Marca 38 grados. bold
  • bold Mide 2 metros. bold Adding bold los bold would usually be for a specific, previously mentioned set of degrees, which isn’t the case here.
Are the degrees assumed to be Celsius in Spain?

Yes. In Spain, bold grados bold defaults to Celsius. If you mean Fahrenheit, you specify:

  • bold 100 grados Fahrenheit (100 °F) bold
  • bold 38 grados Celsius/centígrados (38 °C) bold In everyday speech, Spaniards just say bold 38 grados bold for fever.
Is the comma before bold así que bold necessary?
It’s recommended because bold así que bold introduces a consequence and the comma reflects the pause: bold …, así que … bold. You will see it without a comma in short clauses, but the comma is good style and improves clarity.
What’s the difference between bold así que bold, bold entonces bold, bold por eso bold, and bold por lo tanto bold?

All express consequence, but register and placement differ:

  • bold así que bold: very common and conversational. Connects two clauses: bold …, así que … bold
  • bold entonces bold: adverb (“then/so”); often starts a clause: bold Entonces, tomaré el jarabe. bold
  • bold por eso bold: “for that reason,” neutral/informal: bold …; por eso, … bold
  • bold por lo tanto bold / bold por consiguiente bold: more formal/logical connectors.
Why use the simple future bold tomaré bold instead of bold voy a tomar bold or present bold tomo bold?

All are possible, with nuances:

  • bold Tomaré bold: a decision made at the moment of speaking; sounds a bit more decisive/formal.
  • bold Voy a tomar bold: very common for near future/intention; slightly more colloquial.
  • bold Tomo bold: present used for scheduled/regular actions; less natural for a decision right now.
Can I say bold me tomaré el jarabe bold or bold me tomo el jarabe bold?

Yes. The pronominal form bold tomarse algo bold is very common in Spain with drinks/medicine and can sound more colloquial or emphatic:

  • bold Me tomo el jarabe. bold
  • bold Me voy a tomar el jarabe. bold
  • bold Me tomaré el jarabe. bold All are correct; the non‑reflexive bold tomar bold is also fine.
Should I use bold tomar bold or bold beber bold with medicine?
Use bold tomar bold. It’s the standard verb for taking medicine (pills, syrups, drops). bold Beber bold is for drinking beverages and is unusual with medicine.
Does bold jarabe bold mean any syrup, or specifically cough syrup?

bold Jarabe bold is “syrup” in general, but in medical contexts it implies medicinal syrup. If you want to be explicit:

  • bold jarabe para la tos bold (cough syrup)
  • bold jarabe infantil bold (children’s syrup) For food syrups, Spanish typically uses bold sirope bold (e.g., bold sirope de arce bold).
Could I say bold un jarabe bold instead of bold el jarabe bold?
Yes, if you mean “a syrup” in a non-specific sense (any appropriate syrup). bold El jarabe bold refers to a specific, known one (e.g., the one the doctor prescribed or the bottle you have).
Where do the stress accents go, and how are these words pronounced?
  • bold termómetro bold: stress on bold mó bold (ter‑MÓ‑me‑tro). The accent mark shows the stress moves from the expected penultimate syllable.
  • bold así bold: stress on bold sí bold (a‑SÍ).
  • bold tomaré bold: stress on bold ré bold (to‑ma‑RÉ). The accent marks the future tense ending.
Can I omit bold grados bold and just say bold El termómetro marca 38 bold?
Yes, in context it’s common and understood (fever talk). In speech you might also hear bold El termómetro marca 38 y pico bold (“thirty‑eight and a bit”).
How do I say decimal temperatures?

Spanish uses a comma for decimals:

  • Written: bold 38,5 °C bold
  • Said aloud: bold treinta y ocho coma cinco (grados) bold If you include the unit symbol, the SI style is a space before bold °C bold: bold 38,5 °C bold.
Are there alternative cause–effect wordings?

Yes:

  • Cause first: bold Como el termómetro marca 38 grados, tomaré el jarabe. bold
  • Cause after: bold Tomaré el jarabe porque el termómetro marca 38 grados. bold
  • Slightly more formal: bold El termómetro marca 38 grados; por lo tanto, tomaré el jarabe. bold
Are there other verbs besides bold marcar bold for the instrument reading?

Yes, depending on style:

  • bold indicar bold: bold El termómetro indica 38 grados. bold
  • bold dar bold (colloquial): bold El termómetro da 38. bold
  • With temperature as subject: bold La temperatura está a 38 grados. bold / bold Tengo 38 de fiebre. bold

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