Breakdown of Tal vez el clima es favorable y estamos por ascender.
ser
to be
y
and
estar
to be (location/state)
el clima
weather
por
for / by / through / in/during (part of the day)
tal vez
perhaps / maybe
favorable
favorable
ascender
to ascend
Questions & Answers about Tal vez el clima es favorable y estamos por ascender.
What makes estamos por ascender mean "we are about to ascend"?
The structure estar por followed by an infinitive is a specific formula used to express that an action is imminent. While you might know por as "for" or "through," when combined this way, it translates to "about to."
Does tal vez always use the indicative es instead of the subjunctive sea?
No, tal vez can trigger either mood. Using the indicative (es) shows that the speaker perceives the favorable weather as a very strong possibility or a near certainty based on what they see. If there were more doubt in their mind, they would use the subjunctive (sea).
Is there a difference between using ascender and subir in this context?
Both mean to go up, but ascender is slightly more formal or technical. It is heavily used in specific contexts like mountain climbing, aviation, or getting a job promotion, whereas subir is your versatile, everyday word for going up stairs or getting into a vehicle.
I noticed it says el clima. Aren't words ending in "-a" usually feminine?
Usually yes, but clima belongs to a specific group of Greek-derived words ending in -ma that are masculine. This is why it takes the masculine article el. Other common examples to keep in mind are el problema, el tema, and el sistema.
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