Breakdown of Gracias por el apoyo, es que estamos muy tristes.
muy
very
estar
to be (location/state)
triste
sad
por
for / by / through / in (during a part of the day)
Questions & Answers about Gracias por el apoyo, es que estamos muy tristes.
Why do we use por instead of para after gracias?
When expressing gratitude, Spanish always uses gracias por to show the reason or the exchange for the thanks. You can think of it as saying thanks 'in exchange for' the support. Using para here is a common mistake for English speakers, but it would sound like the thanks are a physical object headed towards a destination.
What is the exact function of the phrase es que here?
The phrase es que is incredibly common in spoken Spanish from Spain to introduce an explanation, an excuse, or to soften a statement. It translates perfectly to 'it is just that...' or 'the thing is...'. Using it makes the transition into why they need support feel much more natural and conversational than simply stating the fact.
Why do we use estamos here, and could we use somos instead?
Emotions generally use estar to describe a current state or feeling, so estamos tristes means 'we are sad right now'. If you used ser and said somos tristes, it would completely change the meaning to a permanent character trait, meaning 'we are sad and gloomy people', which does not fit the context of needing support for a specific situation.
Is the word apoyo related to a false friend?