Breakdown of El vocero no dice que el tabloide sea honesto.
ser
to be
no
no, not
que
that / than
decir
to say, to tell
honesto
honest
el vocero
spokesperson
el tabloide
tabloid
Questions & Answers about El vocero no dice que el tabloide sea honesto.
Why is sea in the subjunctive here instead of the indicative es?
The phrase no dice que is a negative communication trigger. When you negate a verb of communication or reporting (like decir, afirmar, or mencionar), it denies a piece of information or introduces doubt about it, which forces the following verb into the subjunctive. If the sentence were affirmative (El vocero dice que...), you would use the indicative es because a fact is being reported.
Wait, doesn't decir que followed by the subjunctive usually mean a command?
Great memory! Yes, in affirmative sentences, decir que + subjunctive expresses a command or request (for example, El vocero dice que el tabloide sea honesto would mean 'The spokesperson tells the tabloid to be honest'). However, when decir is negated (no dice que), it acts as a negative communication trigger. The subjunctive here is just reacting to the denial of information, not expressing a command.
Why do we use sea (from ser) instead of esté (from estar) for being honest?
We use ser because being honest (honesto) is viewed as a defining characteristic or inherent trait of the tabloid. Even though the spokesperson is denying that the tabloid possesses this trait, the type of attribute being discussed still requires ser rather than a temporary state (estar).
Could I use portavoz instead of vocero in this sentence?
Yes, absolutely. Both words mean 'spokesperson'. Vocero (which comes from voz, meaning 'voice') is extremely common in Latin America. Portavoz is also understood everywhere but is the more frequent term used in Spain.
Learn El vocero no dice que el tabloide sea honesto and more in Spanish
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free