Passing on the news: dice que and según
To report what the radio, the paper or a person says, use dice que (dicen que with a plural subject). With the reporting verb in the present, the original tense stays. Según (according to) names the source without a verb. An event tiene lugar (takes place).
| The neighbors say that the robbery happened at night. | Los vecinos dicen que el robo fue por la noche. |
| According to scientists, climate change is a very serious problem. | Según los científicos, el cambio climático es un problema muy serio. |
| The demonstration takes place in the square. | La manifestación tiene lugar en la plaza. |
Crime and the police
Spanish news usually says detener rather than arrestar, and the person arrested is el detenido. A theft or robbery is un robo (from robar), and you can report it at la comisaría, the police station.
| The detainee says that he doesn't know anything about the robbery. | El detenido dice que no sabe nada del robo. |
Morir or matar?
| English | Spanish |
|---|---|
| to die | morir |
| to kill | matar |
| death | la muerte |
| dead | muerto |
Morir is what happens to someone; matar is what someone or something does to another. As in English, you can also kill time.
| Smoking kills. | Fumar mata. |
| On the train I kill time by reading. | En el tren mato el tiempo leyendo. |
El presidente and real
Spain is a parliamentary monarchy: the king is the head of state, and the head of government is el presidente del Gobierno, the equivalent of a prime minister. Real here means royal; it can also mean real, as in English.
| The President of the Government is speaking on TV today. | El presidente del Gobierno habla hoy en la tele. |
| According to the radio, the royal family is visiting a hospital today. | Según la radio, la familia real visita hoy un hospital. |
La mayoría de
After la mayoría de + a plural noun, the verb can be singular or plural. Both are correct.
| Most of the neighbors are against it. | La mayoría de los vecinos está en contra. |
| Most of my friends don't watch the news. | La mayoría de mis amigos no ven las noticias. |
