Breakdown of Es decir, usamos unos soportes adecuados de modo que no nos duela la espalda.
de
from / of
no
no, not
unos
some (masculine)
usar
to use / to wear
que
that / than
nos
to us
doler
to hurt / to ache
la espalda
the back
es decir
that is to say
el modo
way
el soporte
support (physical, technical)
adecuado
proper
Questions & Answers about Es decir, usamos unos soportes adecuados de modo que no nos duela la espalda.
Why is duela in the subjunctive here instead of the indicative (duele)?
In this sentence, de modo que expresses purpose (we use supports so that our backs won't hurt). When de modo que or de manera que introduces a goal or an intended outcome, it requires the subjunctive. If it were describing a factual result that already happens (e.g., "we use supports, and as a result our backs don't hurt"), you would use the indicative.
Why does the sentence say nos duela la espalda instead of translating "we hurt" directly?
The verb doler (to hurt/ache) works like gustar. The body part causing the pain is the grammatical subject, and the person feeling it is the indirect object. So nos duela la espalda is literally structured as "the back causes pain to us" (nos).
The English translation says "our backs," but the Spanish just says la espalda. Why isn't it nuestras espaldas?
In Spanish, you use definite articles (el, la, los, las) instead of possessive adjectives (like nuestro) for body parts, because the indirect object pronoun (nos) already makes it clear whose backs are hurting. Also, when a group of people each has one of the body part in question, Spanish typically keeps the noun singular (la espalda instead of las espaldas).
How does Es decir function at the beginning of the sentence?
Es decir is a very common fixed phrase that translates to "that is to say," "in other words," or simply "meaning." It is used as a transition to clarify, explain, or rephrase a point that was just made.
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