Breakdown of Si dejas la ventana abierta, habrá más polillas.
abierto
open
la ventana
the window
haber
to be (there is / there are)
más
more
dejar
to stop / to leave (something behind)
si
if
la polilla
moth
Questions & Answers about Si dejas la ventana abierta, habrá más polillas.
Why is it habrá and not habrán if it is talking about multiple moths?
In Spanish, the impersonal verb haber (meaning 'there is' or 'there are') is strictly singular, even when followed by a plural noun. Just as you use hay for both singular and plural in the present tense, you must use the singular habrá for 'there will be', even with a plural object like más polillas. While you might hear native speakers say habrán, standard Spanish grammar requires the singular.
Why does this sentence use the present tense dejas after si when the consequence is in the future?
When expressing a likely or possible condition (often called the first conditional), Spanish uses the present indicative tense immediately after si, exactly as English does with 'if'. You say 'If you leave' (Si dejas), not 'If you will leave'. The future tense is reserved for the main result clause (habrá).
Why does abierta come after la ventana here?
What is the difference between a polilla and a mariposa?
Polilla is the specific word for a moth, especially the pesky ones drawn to light or found in closets. Mariposa means butterfly. While they are related insects, the words are not used interchangeably in Spanish.
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