Learn Spanish (Spain): Para ser sincero, tenemos que aclarar lo que piensas. - To be honest, we have to clarify what you think.

Para ser sincero, tenemos que aclarar lo que piensas.

To be honest, we have to clarify what you think.

Breakdown of Para ser sincero, tenemos que aclarar lo que piensas.

ser

to be

para

for / in order to (+ infinitive) / by (a deadline)

Questions & Answers about Para ser sincero, tenemos que aclarar lo que piensas.

Why does this sentence use lo que instead of just qué for "what"?

In Spanish, qué (with an accent) is used for direct questions, like ¿Qué piensas? (What are you thinking?). In this sentence, "what" isn't a question; it means "the thing that" or "that which". Because it refers to an abstract idea rather than a specific masculine or feminine noun, we use the neuter relative pronoun lo que.

Why do we use para instead of por in para ser sincero?

We use para here because it expresses a goal or an intended outcome, much like saying "in order to be honest." If you used por, it would incorrectly suggest a cause or reason, like "because of being honest."

Would the word sincero change if a woman says this sentence?

Yes, it would. Even though it acts as an introductory phrase here, sincero is still an adjective describing the speaker. A female speaker would say Para ser sincera.

Could I use lo cual instead of lo que to mean "what" in this sentence?

No, you cannot use lo cual here. Although both can refer to abstract ideas, lo cual strictly requires a previously mentioned idea or clause in the sentence to refer back to. Because lo que piensas introduces a brand new concept to the sentence, you must use lo que.