Learn Spanish (Latin America): Para mí, terminar la carrera es un esfuerzo grande. - For me, finishing the degree is a big effort.

Para mí, terminar la carrera es un esfuerzo grande.

For me, finishing the degree is a big effort.

Breakdown of Para mí, terminar la carrera es un esfuerzo grande.

Questions & Answers about Para mí, terminar la carrera es un esfuerzo grande.

Why does the sentence use the infinitive terminar instead of a gerund for 'finishing'?

In English, we often use words ending in '-ing' as the subject of a sentence, like 'finishing the degree'. In Spanish, you must use the infinitive form of the verb (terminar) when a verb is acting as the subject of a sentence.

Why is it Para mí and not Por mí?

When you want to express an opinion or a personal perspective, meaning 'in my opinion' or 'for me', you use para. Por would be used to mean 'because of' or if someone were doing something on your behalf.

Does carrera always mean 'degree'? I thought it meant 'career' or 'race'.

Carrera is a versatile word. While it can mean a running race or your professional career, in an academic context it specifically refers to your university degree or major.

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

Yes, you can! When grande comes after the noun, it describes a general size. If you place it before a singular noun, it drops the final syllable and becomes gran, which often implies greatness or importance. Both are correct and very common.