Breakdown of Como el submarino se está sumergiendo muy rápido, suena la alarma.
rápido
fast
muy
very
sonar
to ring / to sound
como
since / because (at the beginning of a sentence)
el submarino
the submarine
sumergirse
to submerge
la alarma
the alarm
Questions & Answers about Como el submarino se está sumergiendo muy rápido, suena la alarma.
Why does como mean 'since' here instead of 'how' or 'like'?
When como starts a sentence to explain the reason for something, it translates to 'since' or 'because'. In this causal structure, it is followed by a normal indicative verb (like está here) because you are stating a known fact, not expressing doubt or emotion.
Why is there a se before está sumergiendo?
Could I attach the se to the end of the verb instead of putting it before está?
Yes! With the present progressive (está + gerund), you have two options. You can put the pronoun before the conjugated verb, as in this sentence, or attach it to the end of the gerund: está sumergiéndose. Just remember that if you attach it, you need to add an accent mark over the 'e' to keep the natural pronunciation.
Why is the word order suena la alarma instead of la alarma suena?
Both are perfectly correct! Spanish is much more flexible with word order than English. Putting the verb (suena) before the subject (la alarma) is a very common and natural way to emphasize the action or announce that a sudden event is happening.
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