Breakdown of El piloto está por mostrar el panorama desde el globo.
estar
to be (location/state)
por
for / by / through / in/during (part of the day)
mostrar
to show
desde
since / from (a starting point)
el globo
the balloon
el piloto
the pilot
el panorama
the panorama
Questions & Answers about El piloto está por mostrar el panorama desde el globo.
How does estar por mostrar compare to estar a punto de mostrar?
Both mean 'to be about to show.' In Latin America, estar por + infinitive is very commonly used for imminent actions (things that are going to happen right now). Estar a punto de is synonymous and often used interchangeably, though a punto de can sometimes emphasize the exact split-second before the action just a tiny bit more.
Does estar por + infinitive have other meanings I should watch out for at this level?
Yes. Aside from meaning an action is imminent, it can also mean that something is 'yet to be done.' For example, El globo está por lavar means 'The balloon is yet to be washed.' (Note: In Spain, estar por can also mean 'to be in the mood for' something, but this sentence relies on the standard Latin American 'about to' usage).
Why use panorama instead of vista here?
Could I use enseñar instead of mostrar in this sentence?
Yes, you could. While enseñar primarily means 'to teach,' it is also widely used to mean 'to show.' However, in many parts of Latin America, mostrar is the preferred verb when you are physically displaying or pointing something out to someone, making it the most natural fit for pointing out a landscape.
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