Si adoptáramos otro pez, tendríamos que limpiar el acuario más a menudo.

Because this sentence is talking about a hypothetical situation: if we adopted another fish. In Spanish, a common pattern for unreal or unlikely present/future situations is:

si + imperfect subjunctive + conditional

So here:

• Si adoptáramos otro pez = If we adopted another fish
• tendríamos que limpiar... = we would have to clean...

This is the Spanish equivalent of English If we did X, we would do Y.

Tendríamos is the conditional form of tener. In this sentence, it means we would have to.

The structure is:

• tener que + infinitive = to have to do something
• tendríamos que limpiar = we would have to clean

It is in the conditional because it matches the hypothetical idea introduced by si adoptáramos.

Because after si in this kind of hypothetical sentence, Spanish does not use the conditional. It uses the imperfect subjunctive.

So this is correct:

• Si adoptáramos otro pez, tendríamos...

Not this:

• Si adoptaríamos otro pez... ❌

A very useful rule is:

• si + imperfect subjunctive
• conditional in the main clause

Example:

• Si tuviera tiempo, iría. = If I had time, I would go.

Adoptáramos is the first person plural form of the imperfect subjunctive of adoptar.

It corresponds to we adopted in a hypothetical sense, or more naturally in English here, if we adopted.

Breakdown:

• infinitive: adoptar
• imperfect subjunctive stem: adoptara-
• -mos ending for we
• written form here: adoptáramos

So adoptáramos means we were to adopt / if we adopted.

The accent is there because of the nosotros form of the imperfect subjunctive ending in -áramos.

Compare:

• adoptara
• adoptaras
• adoptara
• adoptáramos
• adoptarais
• adoptaran

The accent helps keep the stress in the correct place. It is a normal spelling feature of this verb form, not something special about this sentence only.

Yes. In many cases, Spanish has two equivalent forms of the imperfect subjunctive:

• adoptáramos
• adoptásemos

So this sentence could also be:

Si adoptásemos otro pez, tendríamos que limpiar el acuario más a menudo.

Both are grammatically correct. In everyday usage, the -ra form, like adoptáramos, is usually more common.

Because otro normally does not take un before it in Spanish.

So Spanish says:

• otro pez = another fish
• otra casa = another house

Not:

• un otro pez ❌

This is different from English, where another already includes the idea of an + other.

El acuario suggests a specific aquarium, probably the one the speakers already have. Since the sentence is about adding another fish, it makes sense that they are talking about their aquarium or a known aquarium.

So:

• limpiar el acuario = clean the aquarium

If you said un acuario, it would sound less specific, as if any aquarium were meant.

Tener que + infinitive means to have to do something.

In this sentence:

• tendríamos que limpiar
• literally: we would have to clean

This is one of the most common ways to express obligation in Spanish.

Examples:

• Tengo que estudiar. = I have to study.
• Tenemos que salir. = We have to leave.
• Tendríamos que limpiar. = We would have to clean.

Because after tener que, the second verb stays in the infinitive.

So the pattern is:

• tener que + limpiar
• tener que comer
• tener que ir

Only tener changes form. The second verb does not.

Here:

• tendríamos changes
• limpiar stays as the infinitive

Yes, it is a common expression. Más a menudo means more often.

So:

• a menudo = often
• más a menudo = more often

It is a natural way to talk about frequency.

Examples:

• Voy al gimnasio a menudo. = I go to the gym often.
• Deberíamos vernos más a menudo. = We should see each other more often.

It is about a hypothetical future or present situation, not a real event that is definitely happening.

The speaker is not saying they will adopt another fish. They are saying that if they did, then there would be a consequence.

So the meaning is something like:

• In the hypothetical case that we adopted another fish, we would have to clean the aquarium more often.

This kind of sentence is often used for imagined situations, suggestions, or consequences.

Yes, but that means something slightly different.

• Si adoptamos otro pez, tendremos que limpiar el acuario más a menudo. = If we adopt another fish, we’ll have to clean the aquarium more often.

This sounds more real or possible, as if adopting another fish is a genuine option.

But:

• Si adoptáramos otro pez, tendríamos que limpiar el acuario más a menudo. = If we adopted another fish, we’d have to clean the aquarium more often.

This sounds more hypothetical or less direct.

So both are correct, but they express different levels of certainty or realism.