Breakdown of Quizás la marcha falle si no usas el embrague.
no
no, not
usar
to use / to wear
fallar
to fail (machines, plans) / to crash
si
if
quizás
perhaps / maybe
el embrague
clutch
la marcha
gear (of a vehicle)
Questions & Answers about Quizás la marcha falle si no usas el embrague.
Why is falle in the subjunctive here instead of a future tense like the English translation 'will fail'?
The adverb quizás (maybe/perhaps) is the trigger. When expressing doubt about the future, Spanish uses adverbs like quizás followed by the present subjunctive (falle) to show a significant degree of uncertainty.
Could I use the indicative and say Quizás la marcha falla?
Yes, you can. Using the present indicative (falla) after quizás is grammatically correct and changes the nuance. It tells the listener that you feel more certain the gear is going to fail. The subjunctive (falle) makes the failure feel more hypothetical or doubtful.
Is there a rule for choosing between quizá and quizás?
Since the first part of the sentence uses the subjunctive, why is usas in the present indicative?
The word si (when meaning 'if') is never followed by the present subjunctive in Spanish. Even though the main idea expresses doubt, the condition itself (si no usas el embrague) acts as a factual requirement: either you use the clutch, or you don't. Therefore, it stays in the present indicative.
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