Question 1

Why is it deja de esperar instead of just deja esperar or para de esperar?

Accepted Answer

The phrase dejar de followed by an infinitive is the standard Spanish way to say "to stop doing something." While parar generally means to physically stop moving or halt an object, dejar de is used when quitting an action or habit. Also, remember that in this context, esperar means "to hope" rather than "to wait."

Question 2

Why does cuando trigger the indicative se hunde here instead of the subjunctive se hunda?

Accepted Answer

You use the indicative after cuando when stating a general fact, a habitual action, or a completed past event. Since this sentence expresses a universal truth or general observation, the indicative se hunde is correct. You would only use the subjunctive (se hunda) if referring to a specific future, uncompleted event, like "I will stop hoping when the raft sinks."

Question 3

Why do we need the pronoun se in se hunde?

Accepted Answer

Without se, the verb hundir is transitive, meaning to sink something else (like an enemy sinking a ship). By using the pronominal form hundirse, the action becomes intransitive and stays with the subject. The raft isn't sinking another object; it is simply going down.

Question 4

Is using uno the only way to make this a general, impersonal statement?

Accepted Answer

No, using uno (meaning "one" or "you" in a general sense) is very common, but you could also use the impersonal se construction. For example, you could say se deja de esperar cuando la balsa se hunde to express the exact same general idea without focusing on a specific person.

Uno deja de esperar cuando la balsa se hunde.

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