Question 1

Why do we use por here instead of para?

Accepted Answer

In this sentence, por is used to show the cause or reason for something, translating to "because of" or "due to." They are taking a long time because of the roadworks. This is one of the main uses of por.

Question 2

Why can't I use porque instead of por to say "because"?

Accepted Answer

The word porque means "because" and must be followed by a phrase with a verb (like porque hay obras, meaning "because there are roadworks"). Since las obras is just a noun, you use por, which translates to "because of."

Question 3

I thought obras meant "works" of art. Why does it mean "roadworks" here?

Accepted Answer

While obras can mean works of art or theater plays, in everyday street contexts it refers to construction sites, building works, or roadworks. You will often see street signs saying en obras (under construction).

Question 4

The translation says "we take a long time." How does tardamos mucho mean all of that without a word for "time"?

Accepted Answer

The Spanish verb tardar specifically means "to take time" or "to be delayed." Because the idea of "time" is already built into the verb itself, simply adding mucho (a lot) creates the full meaning "to take a long time." You don't need a word-for-word translation from English!

Question 5

Could tardamos also mean "we took a long time" in the past tense?

Accepted Answer

Yes, it absolutely can! For regular verbs ending in -ar, the "we" form is exactly the same in both the present tense (tardamos) and the simple past tense (tardamos). In a real conversation, you would use context clues to know if the delay is happening now or already happened.

Tardamos mucho por las obras.

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