Breakdown of El asesino declaró que había preparado una coartada perfecta.
una
a, an (feminine)
que
that / than
preparar
to prepare
perfecto
perfect
haber
(auxiliary) have
declarar
to testify
el asesino
the murderer
la coartada
the alibi
Questions & Answers about El asesino declaró que había preparado una coartada perfecta.
Why does the sentence use había preparado instead of just the preterite?
Because this is reported speech! The reporting verb declaró (stated) is in the past tense. When a past reporting verb tells us about an original quote that was already in the Preterite or Present Perfect, that older action shifts one step further back into the past, becoming the Past Perfect (había preparado).
Does asesino mean 'assassin' or 'murderer'?
It translates to both, but it is much broader than the English word 'assassin'. In Spanish, asesino is the standard, everyday word for any 'murderer' or 'killer', not just someone who kills a public figure.
What kind of word is coartada?
Coartada means 'alibi'. You will see it frequently in legal contexts, crime shows, or news articles when police are verifying a suspect's whereabouts.
Why use declaró instead of dijo here?
While dijo (said) would be grammatically correct, declaró (stated or declared) sounds more formal. It perfectly fits the legal or police context of a suspect giving an official statement about their alibi.
Learn El asesino declaró que había preparado una coartada perfecta 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