Breakdown of El actor recibió el galardón por demostrar excelencia.
recibir
to receive
el actor
the actor
por
for / by / through / in/during (part of the day)
demostrar
to prove (demonstrate)
el galardón
award
la excelencia
excellence
Questions & Answers about El actor recibió el galardón por demostrar excelencia.
Why is demostrar in the infinitive here when the English translation uses the "-ing" form ("demonstrating")?
In Spanish, when a preposition like por is followed directly by a verb, that verb must always be in the infinitive, never the gerund (the -ando/-iendo form). Here, por demostrar expresses the cause or reason why he received the award.
How would this sentence change if we didn't use the por + infinitive shortcut?
You could use porque (because) followed by a conjugated verb. The sentence would become El actor recibió el galardón porque demostró excelencia. Using por + infinitive is a more concise, elegant way to express the exact same causal relationship, especially since the subject (the actor) is the same for both verbs.
I usually use premio for "award" or "prize." How is galardón different?
Galardón is simply a more formal and elevated synonym for premio. You will frequently see it used in journalism, fine arts, and prestigious ceremonies (like the Oscars or literature awards) to emphasize the honor of the distinction.
Abstract nouns usually require a definite article in Spanish. Why isn't it por demostrar la excelencia?
While it's true that abstract nouns acting as subjects (like La excelencia es importante) require the definite article, here excelencia is the direct object of demostrar. When referring to an abstract quality in a general, uncountable sense (essentially meaning "a high level of quality"), the article can be dropped, just as it is in English.
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