Breakdown of A lo mejor la secuencia cambia si giras el dial.
girar
to turn
si
if
a lo mejor
maybe
cambiar
to change
la secuencia
the sequence
el dial
the dial
Questions & Answers about A lo mejor la secuencia cambia si giras el dial.
Why is it cambia (indicative) and not cambie (subjunctive) after a phrase expressing probability like a lo mejor?
Even though it means 'maybe' and clearly expresses doubt or uncertainty, the phrase a lo mejor is a special trigger. Unlike words such as quizás or tal vez, a lo mejor exclusively takes the indicative mood. That is why we use the present indicative cambia here.
Why do we use the present tense giras in the si clause? Doesn't the second part imply a future action?
In Spanish, just like in English, real conditional clauses starting with si (if) take the present indicative when talking about likely events, even if the result happens in the future. You cannot use the future tense or the present subjunctive directly after this type of si.
Why isn't the verb reflexive here? Shouldn't it be se cambia since the sequence is changing itself?
The verb cambiar is very flexible. It can be transitive (changing something else) or intransitive (undergoing a change). When a subject changes state, form, or position, you can often just use the normal intransitive cambiar. Saying la secuencia cambia is the standard, natural way to express this without needing a reflexive pronoun.
Is the word dial pronounced exactly like the English word?
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