Breakdown of De operar el sistema hidráulico, se necesitarán las instrucciones.
necesitar
to need
las
the (feminine plural)
se
(impersonal) one / passive marker
la instrucción
the instruction
el sistema
the system
de
if (+ infinitive)
operar
to operate
hidráulico
hydraulic
Questions & Answers about De operar el sistema hidráulico, se necesitarán las instrucciones.
Why is de used before the infinitive operar here?
Using de + infinitive is a more formal, sometimes literary way to form a conditional "if" clause. It works just like a si (if) clause, but without needing to conjugate the verb. Here, de operar translates smoothly to "if operating" or "in the event of operating".
How would I rewrite the first part of this sentence using a normal si clause?
You would drop de, add si, and conjugate the verb. For example, you could use the passive voice: Si se opera el sistema hidráulico... (If the hydraulic system is operated). The beauty of de operar is that it keeps the condition general without needing to pin down a specific subject.
Why is the verb necesitarán plural?
How would this sentence change to mean "If [someone] had operated the hydraulic system"?
You would use the perfect infinitive structure taught in this lesson: de haber operado. Because this shifts the condition to a hypothetical past, the second half of the sentence would also need to change to the conditional perfect, making it: De haber operado el sistema hidráulico, se habrían necesitado las instrucciones (If the hydraulic system had been operated, the instructions would have been needed).
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