Breakdown of Normalmente, los cultivos se suelen revisar cada dos días.
el día
the day
dos
two
revisar
to check
normalmente
normally
se
(impersonal) one / passive marker
cada
each / every
soler
to usually do / to tend to
el cultivo
the culture (biological)
Questions & Answers about Normalmente, los cultivos se suelen revisar cada dos días.
Why is suelen plural when the action it refers to is the infinitive revisar?
Can I attach the se to the end of the infinitive instead?
How does soler work to mean "are usually checked"?
The verb soler followed by an infinitive is used to express that an action happens "usually" or "tends to" happen. When combined with the passive se, se suelen revisar translates literally as "they tend to be checked," which is the most natural way to say "they are usually checked" in Spanish.
Is it completely wrong to say se suele revisar los cultivos?
In standard Spanish grammar, yes, it is incorrect. Because los cultivos is the subject of this passive sentence, the verb must match it in plural form (suelen). Using the singular form is a common trap for English speakers who mistakenly treat los cultivos as a direct object instead of a subject.
I learned that cultivos means "crops." Why does the translation say "cultures"?
The word cultivos comes from the verb cultivar (to cultivate or grow). In farming, it means "crops," but in a medical or laboratory context, it means biological "cultures" (like bacteria grown in a petri dish). The context of checking them every two days makes "cultures" a very natural translation here.
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