Learn Spanish (Latin America): Una minoría de los estudiantes saben preservar este cuero. - A minority of the students know how to preserve this leather.

Una minoría de los estudiantes saben preservar este cuero.

A minority of the students know how to preserve this leather.

Breakdown of Una minoría de los estudiantes saben preservar este cuero.

to know (facts) / to hear from (someone)

Questions & Answers about Una minoría de los estudiantes saben preservar este cuero.

Why is the verb saben plural if the subject starts with the singular phrase Una minoría?

This is an example of agreement by sense. When a singular collective phrase like una minoría de or la mayoría de is followed by a plural noun like los estudiantes, the verb usually takes the plural form to match the actual people doing the action.

Is it grammatically incorrect to say Una minoría de los estudiantes sabe with a singular verb?

It is perfectly correct to use the singular verb sabe so that it strictly agrees with the singular noun minoría. However, the plural verb saben is much more common in everyday spoken Spanish because the plural noun estudiantes is right next to the verb.

Why doesn't the sentence use saben cómo preservar to mean 'know how to preserve'?

In Spanish, the verb saber followed directly by an infinitive like preservar already means knowing how to do a learned skill. You do not add cómo unless you want to heavily emphasize the specific method or technique being used.

Can cuero be used for human skin, or only animal leather?

Cuero refers specifically to thick animal hide, pelt, or treated leather. For living human skin, or softer animal skins and fur, you would use the word piel.