Breakdown of El castigo por usar una credencial caducada es permanente.
ser
to be
una
a, an (feminine)
usar
to use / to wear
por
for / by / through / in/during (part of the day)
el castigo
punishment
la credencial
the ID / the library card
permanente
permanent
caducado
expired
Questions & Answers about El castigo por usar una credencial caducada es permanente.
Why does "for using" translate to por usar instead of por usando?
In English, we use the "-ing" form after prepositions like "for". In Spanish, however, you must always use the infinitive (unconjugated) form of the verb after a preposition. Therefore, "for using" becomes por usar. This structure (por + infinitive) is the standard way to express the cause or reason for an action or consequence.
Could I use para instead of por in this sentence?
Is credencial just a direct translation of the English word "credential"?
They are related, but in everyday Latin American Spanish, una credencial is the standard word for a physical ID card or badge, such as a voter ID, student ID, or employee work badge.
Why does caducada end in -a when credencial ends in a consonant?
Credencial is a feminine noun, as we can see from the article una. The word caducada (expired) is a past participle acting as an adjective to describe the ID. Adjectives must match the gender of the noun they describe, regardless of what letter the noun ends in, so it takes the feminine -a ending.
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