Log inSign up

Si la reina quiere la corona, hay que esconder el veneno.

Si la reina quiere la corona, hay que esconder el veneno.
If the queen wants the crown, one must hide the poison.
From Lesson 257:Meaning changes in the preterite vs. imperfect·Spanish (Latin America)

Questions & Answers about Si la reina quiere la corona, hay que esconder el veneno.

Why use hay que instead of tiene que here?
Hay que means "one must" or "it is necessary to" in a general, impersonal sense. It doesn't specify who needs to do the action. If we said tiene que esconder, it would mean a specific person (like the queen) has to hide it.
Why is quiere in the normal present tense instead of the subjunctive after si (if)?
The word si (if) is never followed by the present subjunctive. Because this is a realistic, possible condition, we just use the regular present indicative. You only use the subjunctive after si for hypothetical or impossible situations, which requires the past subjunctive.
If we moved this story to the past, would we use the preterite or imperfect for querer?
To simply say she "wanted" the crown, you would use the imperfect: Si la reina quería.... Mental states like wanting are usually ongoing. If you used the preterite (quiso), the meaning shifts to imply she tried to get the crown or made a sudden, definitive demand for it.
Is veneno the exact same as "venom" in English?
It translates to both "venom" and "poison". English distinguishes between the two based on how the toxin is delivered (injected vs. ingested), but Spanish simply uses veneno for both.

Learn Si la reina quiere la corona, hay que esconder el veneno and more in Spanish

All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.

  • ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
  • ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
  • ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free
Start learning Spanish →