Word
Aunque el peaje me parezca caro, prefiero esa ruta porque hay menos tráfico.
Meaning
Although the toll seems expensive to me, I prefer that route because there is less traffic.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Lesson
Breakdown of Aunque el peaje me parezca caro, prefiero esa ruta porque hay menos tráfico.
yo
I
aunque
although
porque
because
esa
that
Questions & Answers about Aunque el peaje me parezca caro, prefiero esa ruta porque hay menos tráfico.
Why is it parezca and not parece?
Because aunque often triggers the subjunctive when the speaker is presenting something as a concession, opinion, or something not being stated as a firm fact.
Here, Aunque el peaje me parezca caro... means something like Even if / although the toll seems expensive to me...
The verb parezca is the present subjunctive of parecer.
A learner-friendly way to think about it:
- parece = it seems
- me parece = it seems to me
- me parezca = it may seem to me / even though it seems to me
So the subjunctive helps express a more subjective or concessive idea.
Can I also say Aunque el peaje me parece caro?
Yes, you can, but the nuance changes slightly.
- Aunque el peaje me parece caro... uses the indicative and sounds more like you are stating a fact or something you clearly accept as true: Although the toll seems expensive to me...
- Aunque el peaje me parezca caro... uses the subjunctive and sounds a bit more concessive: Even though it may seem expensive to me... / Although I may find it expensive...
In real life, both are possible, but the subjunctive version is very natural in this kind of sentence.
What does me parezca caro literally mean?