Question 1

Since this lesson is about negatives triggering the subjunctive, why are ganó and usó in the indicative mood?

Accepted Answer

The rule about negative statements triggering the subjunctive (like no creo que) applies to verbs of belief, where the negative creates doubt. Here, no ganó and no usó are stated as concrete facts—he literally didn't win, and he literally didn't use the evidence. Because there is no doubt expressed, they stay in the indicative.

Question 2

Why are ganó and usó in the preterite past tense instead of the imperfect tense (ganaba and usaba)?

Accepted Answer

Both verbs refer to completed actions in the past. The election was a single, finished event (he didn't win), and his failure to use the evidence was viewed as a completed action tied to that specific event. The preterite is used for actions with a clear beginning and end.

Question 3

How important are the accent marks on ganó and usó?

Accepted Answer

They are completely essential! The accent marks put the stress on the final syllable, marking them as third-person preterite (he won, he used). Without the accents, gano means 'I win' and uso means 'I use' in the present tense.

Question 4

Why isn't there an él (he) before no usó?

Accepted Answer

In Spanish, subject pronouns are usually dropped when context makes it clear who is doing the action. Since we just talked about el político in the first half of the sentence, we already know who didn't use the evidence.

Question 5

Is evidencia used exactly like the English word 'evidence'?

Accepted Answer

Yes, evidencia is a very helpful cognate. It is used to mean proof or evidence in both legal contexts and everyday arguments, just like in English.

El político no ganó porque no usó la evidencia.

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