Question 1

Could I use por lo tanto instead of así que in this sentence?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you could! Both are consecutive connectors that link a cause (the game is complicated) to its result. así que is the most natural choice for everyday conversation, translating perfectly to "so." por lo tanto means exactly the same thing but sounds slightly more formal, closer to "therefore" or "consequently" in English.

Question 2

Why use tendríamos que instead of just tenemos que?

Accepted Answer

tendríamos is the conditional tense ("we would have to"), which softens the statement. Instead of giving a direct command, it makes the idea sound like a recommendation, a strategy, or a hypothetical scenario. If you used the present tense tenemos que ("we have to"), it would sound like a strict, unavoidable obligation.

Question 3

Why does bien mean "carefully" here instead of "well"?

Accepted Answer

While bien translates literally to "well," Spanish frequently uses it to describe doing an action thoroughly or properly. When paired with verbs related to focus—like pensar (to think), mirar (to look), or escuchar (to listen)—adding bien usually means doing it "carefully" or "closely."

Question 4

The English translation says "think about the move." Why doesn't the Spanish sentence use en (pensar en la jugada)?

Accepted Answer

In Spanish, you use pensar en when you mean "to have on your mind" (like thinking about a friend or daydreaming about a vacation). However, when you are actively analyzing, planning, or figuring something out—like a move in a game, a math problem, or an excuse—you use pensar directly followed by the noun, without en.

El juego es complicado, así que tendríamos que pensar bien la jugada.

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