Breakdown of Es que tengo un contratiempo y no voy a llegar hoy.
ser
to be
y
and
no
no, not
tener
to have
un
a, an (masculine)
ir
to go
hoy
today
a
to
llegar
to arrive
que
that / than
el contratiempo
the setback / the mishap
Questions & Answers about Es que tengo un contratiempo y no voy a llegar hoy.
Why use Es que at the beginning of the sentence instead of just saying Porque (because)?
Why is tengo in the indicative mood instead of the subjunctive after Es que?
When es que is used to state a fact as a justification or excuse, it is followed by the indicative mood. You are declaring the reality of the situation (tengo un contratiempo), so the subjunctive isn't needed.
Is contratiempo a compound word?
Yes! It comes from contra (against) and tiempo (time). It perfectly describes an unforeseen event, setback, or "hiccup" that delays your plans.
In English we usually say "I'm not going to make it today" in this situation. Is llegar the standard way to say that in Spanish?
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