Breakdown of La procedencia no es muy clara que digamos.
ser
to be
no
no, not
muy
very
que
that / than
claro
clear (obvious, transparent)
decir
to say, to tell
la procedencia
the provenance / the origin (source or point of departure)
Questions & Answers about La procedencia no es muy clara que digamos.
Why is the subjunctive used in the phrase que digamos here?
The phrase que digamos is a fixed idiom. While it literally means 'that we say', it is used to soften a statement, limit its scope, or add a touch of irony. Because it downplays the statement rather than declaring a concrete fact, it uses the subjunctive digamos. In English, it usually translates to 'exactly' or 'to say the least'.
Can I use que digamos in positive sentences too, like Es muy clara que digamos?
Generally, no. The expression que digamos is almost exclusively paired with negative statements to create an understatement. By saying no es muy clara que digamos, the speaker is using irony to point out that the origin is actually quite unclear. It works just like the English tag '...exactly' in 'It isn't very clear, exactly'.
Can I place que digamos at the beginning or in the middle of the sentence?
What is the difference between procedencia and a more common word like origen?
While they are often used as synonyms, procedencia specifically refers to the physical origin, point of departure, or track record of an object, person, or money (just like 'provenance' in English). Origen is more general and can also refer to the abstract root cause of a problem or the historical dawn of a concept.
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