Breakdown of El vocero no menciona que el tabloide se lucre con lo de que están enfermos.
de
from / of
no
no, not
estar
to be (location/state)
enfermo
sick
con
with
que
that / than
lo
the ... thing (neuter article)
mencionar
to mention
el vocero
spokesperson
el tabloide
tabloid
lucrarse
to profit
Questions & Answers about El vocero no menciona que el tabloide se lucre con lo de que están enfermos.
Why is the verb se lucre in the subjunctive?
It is triggered by no menciona que (doesn't mention that). Verbs of communication like decir, afirmar, or mencionar are used to declare information. When we make them negative, we take away that declaration. Because the spokesperson isn't declaring the profit as a fact, the following verb (lucrarse) takes the subjunctive form se lucre.
Since the sentence starts with a negative trigger, why is están in the indicative?
The negative trigger no menciona que only affects the first dependent clause (se lucre). The second clause (están enfermos) is introduced by lo de que (the fact that) and refers to an established reality: they actually are sick. Because their sickness is an accepted fact and not part of the action being doubted or denied, it remains in the indicative.
How does the phrase lo de que work in this sentence?
Lo de que is a very common phrase that translates to 'the fact that', 'the thing about', or 'the business with'. Here, lo acts as a neutral pronoun for an abstract idea (the situation), and de que links it to the rest of the sentence. It is a natural way to refer back to a situation that everyone in the conversation already knows about.
Why does the sentence use con instead of de to say the tabloid profits 'from' the situation?
In English, a business might 'profit from' something, but in Spanish, the reflexive verb lucrarse (to profit or enrich oneself) almost always pairs with the preposition con. You can think of it as the tabloid making money with the situation rather than from it.
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