Question 1

What does puesto que add to this sentence? Can I just use porque?

Accepted Answer

Puesto que is a cause connector that means 'given that' or 'since.' It connects a result (the skull is different) to its cause (it is from a new species). You can definitely use porque ('because') here, but puesto que is slightly more formal. It is often used when explaining a logical conclusion or stating a fact that justifies the first part of the sentence.

Question 2

Why does especie take the feminine article una if it doesn't end in 'a'?

Accepted Answer

While many feminine nouns end in 'a', especie is a word you just have to memorize as feminine (la especie). Also, note that even though it looks a bit like an English plural, una especie is strictly singular, meaning 'one species.' The plural form is exactly the same: las especies.

Question 3

Why is the adjective placed after the noun here (especie nueva)?

Accepted Answer

Placing nueva after the noun is used for objective, literal descriptions. It tells us this is a factually new, undiscovered biological species. If it were placed before the noun (nueva especie), it might sound more subjective, like saying 'a new kind of thing' rather than a newly classified animal.

Question 4

Why do we use es twice in this sentence instead of está?

Accepted Answer

The verb ser (which gives us es) is used for inherent characteristics and origins. The skull being different is a permanent, physical trait of this specific bone, so we use es diferente. The second es is part of es de, which shows origin or classification (telling us what species the skull belongs to).

El cráneo es diferente, puesto que es de una especie nueva.

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