Breakdown of No se trata del diseño geométrico, sino de la intención de la obra.
de
from / of
no
no, not
el diseño
design
sino
but (rather)
tratarse de
to be about
la intención
intention
geométrico
geometric
la obra
work (of art)
Questions & Answers about No se trata del diseño geométrico, sino de la intención de la obra.
Why do we use se trata here instead of just trata?
This highlights the impersonal expression tratarse de, which means 'to be about'. We use the impersonal se because there isn't a specific person or thing acting as the subject; it's a general 'it is about'. If you used trata de without se, you would need a specific subject, like a book or a person. For example: El libro trata del diseño (The book is about design) or Él trata de diseñar (He tries to design).
Why do we use sino here instead of pero for the word 'but'?
You use sino (meaning 'but rather') when you are directly correcting a negative statement with a contrasting positive alternative. Because the first part of the sentence is negative (No se trata del diseño...), we must use sino to introduce the correct alternative. If you were just adding contrasting information without correcting a negative premise, you would use pero.
Why is there an extra de after sino (sino de la intención)?
What kind of 'work' does obra refer to here? Could I use trabajo instead?
In this context, obra refers to a work of art, a building, a book, or a creative project (like a masterpiece). Trabajo refers to your job, your employment, or the actual physical and mental effort of working. Since the sentence is talking about geometric design and intention, it refers to a creative or architectural piece, making obra the only correct choice.
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