Breakdown of Cuando estés embarazada, debes descansar un ratito todos los días.
un
a, an (masculine)
los
the (masculine plural)
el día
the day
estar
to be (location/state)
descansar
to rest
todo
all / everything
deber
must / should
cuando
when (statement)
el rato
while (period of time)
embarazada
pregnant
todos los días
every day
Questions & Answers about Cuando estés embarazada, debes descansar un ratito todos los días.
Why does this sentence use estés instead of estás after cuando?
Because we are talking about a future event that hasn't happened yet. When you use cuando to talk about a future event, Spanish requires the subjunctive mood, so we use estés. If you used the normal present tense (Cuando estás...), it would mean "Whenever you are...", referring to a general repeating habit.
Wait, doesn't embarazada mean "embarrassed"?
No, this is one of the most famous false friends in Spanish! Embarazada means "pregnant." If you want to say "embarrassed," you would use the word avergonzada.
Why do we use estar instead of ser with embarazada?
In Spanish, we use estar for physical conditions and temporary states. Even though pregnancy lasts a long time, it is considered a temporary condition rather than an inherent, permanent characteristic (which would require ser).
What is the difference between un rato and un ratito?
Un rato means "a while." By adding the diminutive ending -ito, it becomes un ratito (a little while or a short bit). Spanish speakers use diminutives frequently to make phrases sound softer, friendlier, or more casual.
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