Learn Spanish (Latin America): Es un problema grande, hay que actuar ahora.

Es un problema grande, hay que actuar ahora.

It is a big problem, one has to act now.

Breakdown of Es un problema grande, hay que actuar ahora.

Questions & Answers about Es un problema grande, hay que actuar ahora.

Why use hay que here instead of tenemos que?

Hay que is used to express an impersonal obligation, meaning "it is necessary to" or "one must" do something. It doesn't specify who needs to act, just that action is required in general. If you wanted to specifically say "we have to act," you would use tenemos que actuar.

Why is it un problema and not una problema if the word ends in "-a"?

Problema is one of a few tricky Spanish words of Greek origin that end in "-a" but are actually masculine. Because of this, it must be paired with masculine words like un. Other common examples you might know are el sistema (the system) and el tema (the topic).

Why does the sentence use es instead of está for "it is"?

We use es (from the verb ser) because being a "big problem" is a core characteristic or defining fact of the situation. The verb estar is used for temporary conditions, emotions, or locations, which doesn't fit when labeling what something is.

Could I say un gran problema instead of un problema grande?