Question 1

Why does this sentence use sin decir instead of sin que diga?

Accepted Answer

In Spanish, when the person doing the main action is the exact same person doing the second action, you just use sin followed by an infinitive verb (like decir). Because you are the one writing the poem, buying the rose, AND not saying your name, you don't need sin que. You would only use sin que plus the subjunctive if the subject changed, for example if you wrote the poem without someone else saying your name (sin que él diga mi nombre).

Question 2

Since poema ends in an 'a', why is it el poema and not la poema?

Accepted Answer

Many Spanish words ending in -ma that originally come from Greek are actually masculine. El poema, el problema, el tema, and el sistema are very common examples of this pattern. You just have to memorize these exceptions!

Question 3

Is it wrong to just say Escribo instead of Yo escribo at the beginning?

Accepted Answer

Not at all! Dropping the yo is perfectly normal and usually preferred. Including yo here is optional and just adds a bit of emphasis or contrast, making it sound more deliberate, like saying 'I myself write the poem'.

Question 4

Why isn't it sin diciendo for 'without saying'?

Accepted Answer

In English, we use the '-ing' form after prepositions, like 'without saying'. But in Spanish, you must always use the infinitive (unconjugated) form of the verb after a preposition. Therefore, 'without saying' translates strictly to sin decir.

Yo escribo el poema y compro una rosa sin decir mi nombre.

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