Breakdown of Si supiera mi vocación, no estaría indeciso sobre la especialidad.
no
no, not
estar
to be (location/state)
mi
my
saber
to know (facts) / to hear from (someone)
la
the (feminine)
si
if
sobre
on / over / about (a topic)
indeciso
undecided
la vocación
vocation / calling
la especialidad
specialty / major
Questions & Answers about Si supiera mi vocación, no estaría indeciso sobre la especialidad.
Why is it supiera instead of sé or sabía?
This sentence is a hypothetical 'if' statement, meaning it describes a situation that isn't true right now. When you say 'If I knew...' (but you actually don't), Spanish requires the imperfect subjunctive tense for the 'if' clause. Supiera is the imperfect subjunctive form of saber.
Why does the second part of the sentence use estaría?
Estaría is the conditional tense, meaning 'I would be'. It tells us what would happen if the hypothetical condition were met. The standard formula for these unlikely or hypothetical situations is: Si + [imperfect subjunctive], [conditional].
Why use estar (estaría) instead of ser (sería) with indeciso?
You use estar because being undecided (indeciso) is a temporary state of mind or a feeling in this moment. You aren't defining yourself as an inherently indecisive person; you are just currently unsure about this specific choice.
Could I use conociera instead of supiera here?
No, saber is the right choice. Even though vocación is a noun, you are talking about knowing a specific piece of information (knowing what your calling is). Conocer is used for being familiar or acquainted with people, places, or complex subjects, not for knowing a fact.
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