Breakdown of Ellos son inteligentes, mejor dicho, muy calculadores.
ser
to be
ellos
they
inteligente
intelligent
muy
very
mejor dicho
or rather
calculador
calculating
Questions & Answers about Ellos son inteligentes, mejor dicho, muy calculadores.
Why use mejor dicho here instead of just using o?
Mejor dicho is a reformulation marker that literally means better said. You use it when you have just said something but immediately realize a different phrase is more accurate. Here, the speaker starts with a positive trait (inteligentes) but catches themselves to use a more precise, slightly manipulative word (calculadores).
Could I use más bien in this sentence instead?
Is calculadores related to the verb for doing math?
Exactly. Just like in English, the Spanish adjective calculador comes from the verb calcular. When applied to a person, it takes on the figurative meaning of someone who schemes or carefully plans things for their own benefit. Because it describes Ellos, it takes the masculine plural form calculadores.
Why is mejor dicho surrounded by commas?
Because it functions as a discourse marker, meaning it is a phrase used to organize the flow of your sentence rather than change its core grammar. It acts as a brief pause to correct a thought, so it is set off by commas, just like you would punctuate the phrase or rather in English.
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