Learn Spanish (Latin America): Como el doctor no está disponible, reprogramamos la cita. - Since the doctor is not available, we are rescheduling the appointment.

Como el doctor no está disponible, reprogramamos la cita.

Since the doctor is not available, we are rescheduling the appointment.

Breakdown of Como el doctor no está disponible, reprogramamos la cita.

to be (location/state)

la cita

appointment / date (social/romantic outing)

Questions & Answers about Como el doctor no está disponible, reprogramamos la cita.

Why do we use como here to mean 'since'? Can I use porque instead?

In Spanish, when you put the reason at the very beginning of a sentence (like 'Since...' or 'Because...'), you should use como. If you wanted to use porque (because), you would move the reason to the middle of the sentence: Reprogramamos la cita porque el doctor no está disponible.

Why is it está disponible and not es disponible?

You use estar (here, está) to talk about temporary states or conditions. The doctor isn't permanently unavailable forever; they are just busy right now. Whenever you talk about someone's current availability, always use estar.

The translation says 'we are rescheduling,' but reprogramamos is the simple present tense. Why not use the present progressive?

The simple present in Spanish (reprogramamos) frequently translates to the English '-ing' form ('we are rescheduling'). Native speakers often use the simple present for actions happening right now. Note: reprogramamos is also exactly the same in the past tense ('we rescheduled'), but the present-tense está in the first half of the sentence tells us this is happening now.

I thought cita meant a romantic date. Does it also mean appointment?

Yes! While una cita can mean a romantic date, it is also the standard word for any scheduled professional or medical appointment. The context of the sentence makes it clear which one it is.