Question 1

The English translation says "getting more and more anxious," but I don't see a word for "getting." How does that work?

Accepted Answer

The phrase cada vez más literally means "each time more." When you pair it with the verb estar (to be) and an adjective like ansiosos (anxious), it naturally expresses the idea of becoming or getting more and more of that feeling over time. So, estábamos cada vez más ansiosos translates perfectly to "we were getting more and more anxious."

Question 2

Why is "estábamos" in the imperfect tense here, while "dejamos" is in the preterite?

Accepted Answer

Dejamos is in the preterite because stopping the game was a single, completed action in the past. Estábamos is in the imperfect because it describes an ongoing background condition. The anxiety was building up over a period of time, leading up to the moment they finally stopped playing.

Question 3

Why is the word "de" needed in "dejamos de jugar"?

Accepted Answer

To say "to stop doing something" or "to quit doing something" in Spanish, you must use the formula dejar de followed by an infinitive verb (like jugar). If you leave out the de, the verb dejar usually means "to leave" or "to let," so the meaning of the sentence would completely change.

Question 4

If a group of women were saying this, would "cada vez más" change to match their gender?

Accepted Answer

No, the phrase cada vez más never changes form, regardless of who is speaking. However, the adjective following it still needs to match the people being described. A group of women would say, estábamos cada vez más ansiosas.

Dejamos de jugar porque estábamos cada vez más ansiosos.

Breakdown of Dejamos de jugar porque estábamos cada vez más ansiosos.

Questions & Answers about Dejamos de jugar porque estábamos cada vez más ansiosos.

Learn Dejamos de jugar porque estábamos cada vez más ansiosos and more in Spanish