Question 1

Who is the 'they' performing the action in contestan?

Accepted Answer

In Spanish, using the third-person plural without a subject pronoun is a standard way to make an impersonal statement. It means that some unspecified people, like the staff at this location, are doing the action. It translates well to the English impersonal 'they' or the passive voice, so this sentence essentially means 'Calls are never answered here.'

Question 2

Because the sentence is negative, shouldn't there be a no before the verb?

Accepted Answer

You only need no if the negative word comes after the verb. Because nunca is placed before the verb contestan, the negative structure is already complete. If you wanted to move nunca to the end for a different rhythm, you would need the double negative: Aquí no contestan las llamadas nunca.

Question 3

Could I use atender instead of contestar here?

Accepted Answer

Yes, in many parts of Latin America, you will hear atender las llamadas or atender el teléfono just as often. Both contestar and atender are perfectly natural choices for answering a phone call, though contestar focuses more on the act of replying, while atender implies assisting the person who is calling.

Question 4

Does putting aquí at the beginning change the meaning?

Accepted Answer

It does not change the literal meaning, but it shifts the emphasis. Starting with aquí highlights the location, making it sound like a specific complaint about this place compared to others. You could also say Nunca contestan las llamadas aquí, which sounds slightly more neutral.

Aquí nunca contestan las llamadas.

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