Breakdown of Es imposible que terminemos la propuesta hoy.
ser
to be
hoy
today
terminar
to finish / to end
que
that / than
la propuesta
the proposal
imposible
impossible
Questions & Answers about Es imposible que terminemos la propuesta hoy.
Why does this sentence use terminemos instead of terminamos?
The phrase Es imposible que is an impersonal expression. Whenever you use es + [adjective] + que to state an opinion, valuation, or doubt, Spanish requires the following verb to be in the subjunctive mood. That is why the regular present tense terminamos changes to the subjunctive terminemos.
The English translation says "for us to finish", but I don't see words for "for us" in the Spanish sentence. How does that work?
English often uses "for [someone] to [do something]" after phrases like "It is impossible." Spanish handles this differently by using que (that) followed by a conjugated verb. The phrase que terminemos literally means "that we finish." The "us" part from the English translation is built right into the "we" ending of the verb terminemos.
Can I just use the infinitive and say Es imposible terminar la propuesta?
Yes, but the meaning becomes more general. When you drop the que and use the infinitive terminar, it means "It is impossible to finish the proposal" for anyone. By using que and the conjugated verb terminemos, you are specifically pointing out that we are the ones who cannot finish it.
What if I want to say it is impossible for you to finish the proposal?
You would keep the same starting phrase, Es imposible que, but change the verb to the informal "you" form in the present subjunctive. The sentence would become Es imposible que termines la propuesta hoy.
Learn Es imposible que terminemos la propuesta hoy and more in Spanish
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free