Breakdown of Estará palpando su propio bastón.
estar
to be (location/state)
su
his/her/its/their/your (formal)
propio
own (one's own)
el bastón
cane
Questions & Answers about Estará palpando su propio bastón.
Why does this sentence use the future tense estará if it translates to "is probably" in the present?
This is called the future of conjecture. In Spanish, the future tense is often used to guess, assume, or express probability about what is happening right now. By combining the future of estar with the gerund palpando, you get the future progressive, which translates perfectly to "he is probably feeling" or "he must be feeling" right at this moment.
What is the difference between palpando and sintiendo? Don't both mean "feeling"?
They do, but they are used in very different ways. Palpar specifically means to touch or feel something physically with your hands or fingers, like searching for an object in the dark or examining it. Sentir is used for internal physical sensations (like feeling cold) or emotions. Since he is physically touching a cane with his hands, palpando is the right choice.
Why do we need the word propio here? Doesn't su already mean "his"?
Could estará palpando su propio bastón apply to someone other than "he"?