Spanish · C1 · Family moment
Making teenagers heard in a council consultation in Spanish
This guide focuses on using advanced indirect speech and reporting structures in Spanish to help you represent your teenager's concerns during a formal council consultation regarding a youth centre closure.
What you'll learn
- Master indirect speech shifts when reporting opinions and facts.
- Use the conditional and subjunctive moods to distinguish between actual claims and hypothetical support.
- Utilize formal vocabulary appropriate for civic engagement and advocacy.
Spanish phrases for making teenagers heard in a council consultation
Los adolescentes dicen que no tienen ningún sitio comparable donde reunirse.
The teenagers say they have nowhere comparable to meet.
A straightforward report using the indicative 'tienen' because the reporting verb 'dicen' is in the present.
Sus representantes explican que no pueden permitirse clubes privados.
Their representatives explain that they cannot afford private clubs.
'Permitirse' is used here for financial affordability.
Los organizadores dicen que están abiertos a propuestas alternativas.
The organisers say they are open to alternative proposals.
'Estar abierto a' functions similarly to the English idiom.
Varios padres dicen que apoyarían un centro gestionado por la comunidad.
Several parents say they would support a community-run centre.
The conditional 'apoyarían' is used to express a willingness to act under certain conditions.
¿Estás informando sobre su postura o añadiendo tu propia interpretación?
Are you reporting their position or adding your own interpretation?
'Postura' is the preferred term for a formal 'position' or 'stance' on an issue.
Los voluntarios explican que necesitan un periodo de consulta más largo.
The volunteers explain that they need a longer consultation period.
In Spanish, we use the indicative 'necesitan' for reported facts in the present tense.
Deja claro de quién son las preocupaciones que estás resumiendo.
Make clear whose concerns you are summarising.
'Deja claro' is the imperative form of 'dejar claro' (to make clear).
Podemos transmitir sus objeciones sin afirmar que todo el mundo esté de acuerdo.
We can convey their objections without claiming everyone agrees.
The use of 'sin afirmar que' triggers the subjunctive 'esté' to show nuance or potential doubt.
Hear these phrases and practise them
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Try it free for 7 daysKey words
Postura
Stance / Position
Used in formal debates to describe one's perspective.
Gestionado por la comunidad
Community-run
A formal way to describe local management of services.
Trasmitir
To convey / To pass on
Commonly used for passing information or feelings from one group to another.
Consulta
Consultation
Refers to the formal process of gathering public opinion.
Reported Speech and Mood Shifts
In Spanish, when reporting what someone said (Estilo Indirecto), the tense of the reporting verb dictates the mood. If the reporting verb is in the past, the present indicative shifts to the imperfect indicative. However, to distance oneself or report hypothetical statements (like the German Konjunktiv II), Spanish uses the Conditional or Imperfect Subjunctive.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Present Report (Fact) | Dice que + Indicative | Dice que no pueden ir. |
| Hypothetical Report | Dice que + Conditional | Dice que podrían ayudar si fuera necesario. |
| Past Report (Shifted) | Dijo que + Imperfect Subjunctive | Dijo que no tuvieran miedo (command/nuance). |
More examples
Si el centro cerrara, ellos no tendrían adónde ir.
If the centre were to close, they would have nowhere to go.
Uses the imperfect subjunctive 'cerrara' for a hypothetical scenario.
Nos comentaron que estarían dispuestos a negociar los horarios.
They told us they would be willing to negotiate the hours.
Conditional 'estarían' indicates a reported future possibility from a past perspective.