Breakdown of Dondequiera que ustedes estén, la educación será gratuita.
ser
to be
ustedes
you (plural)
estar
to be (location/state)
que
that / than
la
the (feminine)
gratuito
free
dondequiera
wherever
la educación
the education
Questions & Answers about Dondequiera que ustedes estén, la educación será gratuita.
Why is estén in the subjunctive here?
The expression dondequiera que (wherever) triggers the subjunctive when it refers to a future, hypothetical, or unknown situation. Because the speaker does not know exactly where you will be, the subjunctive estén is required.
Why do we need the article la before educación when the English translation just says 'education'?
In Spanish, when you talk about an abstract concept or a noun in a general, universal sense, you must include the definite article. Since the sentence refers to education in general, la educación is required.
Why use será instead of estará for 'will be free'?
Being free of charge is a defining characteristic of the education being discussed, rather than a temporary condition or a physical location. Therefore, we use ser (here as the future tense será) instead of estar.
Could I use libre instead of gratuita here?
No. Gratuita means free of financial cost, which is what is meant in this context. Libre means free in the sense of liberty, unrestricted, or available, like in tiempo libre (free time).
Learn Dondequiera que ustedes estén, la educación será gratuita 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