Breakdown of O sea, quiero que llames al plomero porque la presión es terrible.
ser
to be
porque
because
querer
to want
llamar
to call / to attract (attention)
que
that / than
la
the (feminine)
terrible
terrible / awful
o sea
in other words
el plomero
plumber
la presión
pressure
a
personal 'a' (marks a human direct object)
Questions & Answers about O sea, quiero que llames al plomero porque la presión es terrible.
Does o sea literally mean 'or be'? How is it used here?
Literally, it translates to 'or it might be' (using the subjunctive of ser), but as a set clarification connector it means 'in other words,' 'that is,' or casually, 'I mean.' We use it here to clarify, rephrase, or soften a previous thought.
Why do we use llames instead of the normal present tense llamas?
Because of the phrase quiero que (I want that). Whenever you express a wish, desire, or request for someone else to do something, it triggers the subjunctive mood for the second verb. So, the normal tú llamas becomes the subjunctive tú llames.
Why is there an al before plomero? Can I just say llames el plomero?
You need the al. In Spanish, the verb llamar (to call) is followed by the preposition a when you are calling a person (and often a place). When you combine a with the masculine word for 'the' (el), they contract into the single word al.
Is plomero the standard word for 'plumber' in all Spanish-speaking countries?
Plomero is the most common word for plumber in Latin America, which is why it is used here. If you are ever speaking with someone from Spain, you will likely hear fontanero instead.
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