Breakdown of Dudaba que el enemigo terminara por transigir sin ninguna concesión.
terminar
to finish / to end
que
that / than
por
for / by / through / in/during (part of the day)
ninguno
none / not any
sin
without
dudar
to doubt
el enemigo
the enemy
transigir
to compromise
la concesión
the concession
Questions & Answers about Dudaba que el enemigo terminara por transigir sin ninguna concesión.
What does terminara por transigir express here compared to just using a conditional verb like transigiría?
The phrase terminar por + infinitive is a culminating periphrasis, meaning it focuses on the final result of a long process, struggle, or delay. While the conditional transigiría simply means "would yield," terminara por transigir adds the nuance of "would end up yielding" after a period of resistance or negotiation.
Could we use llegara a transigir here instead of terminara por transigir?
Yes, both are culminating periphrases and work well here. However, there is a slight nuance. Terminar por + infinitive strongly emphasizes the final conclusion of a sequence of events. Llegar a + infinitive translates more closely to "to reach the point of," which can sometimes imply that the final action (yielding) is an extreme, difficult, or surprising step.
Why is terminara in the imperfect subjunctive?
The main verb, dudaba (I doubted), expresses doubt in the past. In Spanish, expressing doubt or disbelief about an action triggers the subjunctive mood for that action. Because the main verb is in a past tense, the dependent verb must be in the past (imperfect) subjunctive: terminara.
The English translation says "without any concession," but the Spanish uses ninguna (none/no). Why isn't it alguna?
The preposition sin (without) establishes a negative context because it implies the absence of something. In Spanish, words following a negative concept like sin generally take their negative forms. Saying sin alguna concesión sounds unnatural; Spanish requires the structure sin ninguna concesión (literally "without no concession") to express "without any concession."
Is transigir a common word for "to yield"?
Transigir is quite formal and specific. It means to compromise, yield, or give in, especially in a dispute, negotiation, or argument. In everyday casual conversation, you will hear ceder (to give up/give in) much more often, but transigir is the perfect word for a formal, political, or military context like an enemy making concessions.
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