Breakdown of Algunos transeúntes estarán ignorando la mímica.
estar
to be (location/state)
alguno
some / any
ignorar
to ignore
el transeúnte
the passerby
la mímica
the pantomime
Questions & Answers about Algunos transeúntes estarán ignorando la mímica.
Why is estarán ignorando translated as 'are probably ignoring' instead of 'will be ignoring'?
In Spanish, the future tense is frequently used to express a guess or probability about the present. By using the future progressive (estar in the future + the gerund ignorando), the sentence conveys a guess about an action happening right now: 'they are probably ignoring' or 'they must be ignoring' at this very moment.
Could we just say ignorarán (future simple) instead of estarán ignorando to express probability here?
Yes, but it changes the nuance slightly. Algunos transeúntes ignorarán la mímica means 'Some passersby probably ignore the pantomime' as a general fact. Using the progressive estarán ignorando specifically emphasizes that the action of ignoring is likely unfolding right in front of us right now.
Why does the word transeúntes have an accent mark on the 'u'?
The accent marks a hiatus, which prevents the vowels from blending into a single syllable (a diphthong). Normally, the strong vowel 'e' and weak vowel 'u' would blend together. The accent on the weak 'u' forces it to be pronounced as its own separate syllable: tran-se-ún-tes.
Learn Algunos transeúntes estarán ignorando la mímica and more in Spanish
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free