Breakdown of El atleta usa la sustancia; por lo tanto, el juez anula la medalla.
usar
to use / to wear
el juez
the judge
el atleta
the athlete
la medalla
the medal
por lo tanto
therefore (consequently)
la sustancia
the substance
anular
to annul
Questions & Answers about El atleta usa la sustancia; por lo tanto, el juez anula la medalla.
Why do we use the indicative anula after por lo tanto instead of the subjunctive?
Connectors of logical result like por lo tanto (therefore) declare what actually happens as a consequence of the first action. Because they state a fact or a reality, they trigger the indicative mood.
Why is it el atleta if the word ends in -a?
Atleta is an invariable noun, meaning the word itself doesn't change its ending based on gender. To specify a male athlete, you use the masculine article (el atleta), and for a female athlete, you use the feminine article (la atleta). There is no such word as atleto.
Does por lo tanto always need a semicolon before it and a comma after it?
When linking two complete, independent clauses like this, it is standard written Spanish to place a semicolon (or a period) before formal connectors like por lo tanto, en consecuencia, or por consiguiente, and a comma immediately after them.
Could I use por tanto instead of por lo tanto in this sentence?
Yes, por tanto and por lo tanto mean exactly the same thing (therefore) and are completely interchangeable. Por lo tanto is just slightly more common in everyday spoken Spanish.
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