Is 1 or 2 a better choice plz give reason if u can

Question

Mario y jesus no vinieron a clase.

1. estarian enfermos
2. estaran enfermos

Answer 1

Mario y jesus no vinieron a clase.

1. estarian enfermos
2. estaran enfermos

Without accents, both are plain wrong. With accents (estarían / estarán), both are correct... within the right context:

"Estarían" refers to a moment in the past when they were probably sick.

"Estarán" refers to a moment in the present when they may be sick.

In Peninsular Spanish (and some people in many other Latin American countries), this confusion rarely happens, as we still differentiate between simple past and present perfect.

If you add to the question "hoy" (today), only "estarán" is correct. If you add "hace un año" (one year ago), only "estarían" is right.

Does not the "Mario y Jesus no vinieron a clase" provide the context for which one must determine which is correct? ..well, perhaps not enough context? (Now I will think about this!) - Janice, AGO 22, 2009

Is it always necessary to be so pejorative with learners, Lazarus? You could easily have said the accents are required without "both are plain wrong". - PolarPeter, AGO 22, 2009

PolarPeter, if my keyboard didn't have W, and I wrote "Vrite" instead of "Write", would you correct me? - lazarus1907, AGO 22, 2009

Yes, I would correct you. 'Vrite' is as wrong for 'Write', as 'Estarian' is wrong for 'Estarían'. The difference between us is that I'd correct a learner who had come for help with considerably more grace than you. - PolarPeter, AGO 22, 2009

Answer 2

Dare I?...ok, here goes.

I looked up "venir" to find that venieron is the préterito.

So I think that following "Mario y Jesus [sic] no vinieron a clase." I might expect the first choice (with the accent, of course) to be more correct: "Estarían enfermos."

...unless maybe I were to add another thought: "Y es la razón para la que estarán enfermos."

(Sorry if it is supposed to be "por"....I haven´t studied por and para very thoroughly yet...actually, I haven't "studied" them at all)

Of course I realize that one would have to further assume something such as the other children having all been given the flu shot at school on the day Mario and Jesus played hooky...(faltaron a clase). But aren't we all just having fun here trying to figure it out.)

OK, I dared.

Answer 3

estarán enfermos (estaban would also be reasonable).

corrected typo - 0074b507, AGO 22, 2009

Answer 4

éstarian énfermos! No,se éstaran enfermos means be ill! éstarian enfermos means to be ill!