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Puede que la fontanera vuelva mañana para revisar la tubería otra vez.

Puede que la fontanera vuelva mañana para revisar la tubería otra vez.
The plumber might come back tomorrow to check the pipe again.
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Questions & Answers about Puede que la fontanera vuelva mañana para revisar la tubería otra vez.

Why does the sentence start with Puede que instead of something like Quizá or A lo mejor?

Puede que means it may be / it’s possible that, and it strongly signals uncertainty. In Spanish, puede que + subjunctive is a very common pattern.

  • Puede que + subjunctive: fairly standard, slightly formal/neutral.
  • Quizá(s) + subjunctive/indicative: can take either mood depending on certainty.
  • A lo mejor + indicative (typically): also common in speech, usually followed by indicative.
Why is vuelva in the subjunctive?

Because Puede que triggers the subjunctive. The speaker isn’t stating a fact; they’re expressing a possibility.

  • Infinitive/base verb: volver
  • Present subjunctive (3rd person singular): vuelva So Puede que… vuelva = It may be that… she comes back.
Is vuelva present tense even though it refers to the future (mañana)?

Yes. Spanish often uses the present subjunctive to talk about a possible future after expressions of doubt/possibility:

  • Puede que vuelva mañana = “She might come back tomorrow.” It’s “present” in form, but “future” in meaning due to context.
Why does it say la fontanera? Is that common in Spain?

In Spain, fontanero is the standard word for plumber. Fontanera is simply the feminine form and is used when the plumber is a woman (or when the speaker chooses to specify that). Using la here matches the feminine noun: la fontanera.

Could I replace la fontanera with el fontanero or la fontanero?
  • el fontanero: correct (male plumber or generic “the plumber” depending on context).
  • la fontanera: correct (female plumber).
  • la fontanero: incorrect (article and noun gender don’t match).
Does mañana mean “tomorrow” or “morning” here?

Mañana can mean both:

  • tomorrow (most common without extra context)
  • morning (often in plural or with clarification: por la mañana, esta mañana, mañana por la mañana) Here, vuelva mañana is most naturally understood as come back tomorrow.
Why is it para revisar and not por revisar?

Because para + infinitive expresses purpose (“in order to”):

  • vuelve para revisar la tubería = “she comes back to check the pipe” / “in order to check…” Por + infinitive is used for different ideas (cause, reason, “because of,” “for doing,” movement through, etc.), not purpose in this way.
What’s the difference between revisar and ver or mirar?

Revisar means to check / inspect / look over carefully (often for problems, correctness, or maintenance).

  • ver = to see
  • mirar = to look (at) So for plumbing, revisar la tubería fits well because it implies a careful inspection.
Why is it la tubería and not el tubo?

They’re related but not identical:

  • tubo = a tube/pipe as a physical object (a piece of pipe)
  • tubería = the piping / pipework / pipeline system (often the installation, the line, or the plumbing run) In plumbing contexts, tubería is very common when referring to the pipework being inspected.
Is otra vez redundant with vuelva (“come back again”)?

It can feel repetitive in English, but in Spanish it’s normal for emphasis:

  • vuelva = she returns (implies again)
  • otra vez = explicitly again, stressing repetition (“once again,” “another time”) So it adds emphasis: she’s coming back to check it again.
Could I say volver a revisar instead of volver… para revisar?

Yes, but the meaning shifts slightly:

  • vuelva mañana para revisar la tubería = she may return tomorrow in order to check the pipe.
  • vuelva mañana a revisar la tubería = she may return tomorrow to check the pipe again (focuses more on the repeated action of checking). Both are natural; volver a + infinitive highlights repetition of the action.
Can the word order change, like Puede que vuelva mañana la fontanera?

Yes. Spanish allows flexible word order, and moving parts can shift emphasis:

  • Puede que la fontanera vuelva mañana… (neutral)
  • Puede que vuelva mañana la fontanera… (slightly more emphasis on tomorrow / the returning, with the subject added after) Both are grammatical; the original is the most straightforward for learners.