Breakdown of Estimada directora: Mi hijo no irá al colegio mañana.
no
no / not
mi
my
el hijo
the son
ir
to go
mañana
tomorrow
al
to the (m)
el colegio
the school (for children)
el director
the director / the head teacher
estimado
Dear (opening a formal letter or email)
Questions & Answers about Estimada directora: Mi hijo no irá al colegio mañana.
Why is there a colon (:) after Estimada directora instead of a comma?
Why use Estimada for "Dear" instead of Querida?
Estimada is used for formal or professional correspondence. Querida is also translated as "Dear", but it is reserved for friends, family, and loved ones. Since this is a formal note to a school principal, Estimada is the correct choice, and it ends in "-a" to match the feminine noun directora.
Does colegio mean the son is going to college (university)?
No, colegio is a classic "false friend." It refers to a primary or secondary school, not a university. If the son were going to university, you would use the word universidad.
Could I say no va a ir instead of no irá here?
Yes, you absolutely could. No va a ir (he is not going to go) is extremely common in everyday Spanish. However, irá (the simple future tense) is slightly more formal and concise, which fits the professional tone of a written absence note perfectly.
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