Adjective + de + infinitive
When talking about puzzles and brain teasers, you often want to describe how hard or easy they are to solve. In English, we put the infinitive directly after the adjective (for example, "difficult to solve"). In Spanish, you must link the adjective and the infinitive with the preposition de.
| The riddle is very difficult to solve. | El acertijo es muy difícil de resolver. |
| That magic trick is fun to watch, but impossible to do. | Ese truco de magia es divertido de ver, pero imposible de hacer. |
| This challenge is very complicated to decipher. | Este reto es muy complicado de descifrar. |
Adjective agreement
In this structure, the subject of the sentence receives the action of the verb, giving it a passive-like feel. Remember that the adjective must still agree in gender and number with the noun it describes, even though an infinitive follows it.
| The girl knows a riddle that is quick to answer. | La niña sabe una adivinanza que es rápida de contestar. |
| Can you fit the pieces together? They are impossible to join. | ¿Puedes encajar las piezas? Son imposibles de unir. |
| Abstract concepts are interesting to study. | Los conceptos abstractos son interesantes de estudiar. |
Describing the challenge
Use this pattern to describe complex puzzles alongside adjectives like intrigante (intriguing) and ingenioso (ingenious).
| That intriguing story is difficult to believe. | Esa historia intrigante es difícil de creer. |
| This game is a very difficult challenge to overcome. | Este juego es un reto muy difícil de superar. |
| The design of the box is ingenious and difficult to break. | El diseño de la caja es ingenioso y difícil de romper. |
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