Spanish · C1 · Everyday language
What Matters to You Right Now in Spanish
At a C1 level, focusing emphasis through cleft sentences allows you to validate your child's specific focus or emotional state. In Spanish, these structures highlight a specific noun phrase to contrast it with something else or to provide clarification.
What you'll learn
- Master 'Ser' + Noun + Relative Clause for contrastive emphasis.
- Understand agreement between the focused noun and the verb 'ser'.
- Use emphatic structures to show deep attunement to a child's needs.
Spanish phrases for what matters to you right now
Es tu vaso azul el que estás intentando alcanzar, no el bol.
It's your blue cup that you're reaching for, not the bowl.
Uses 'es' because 'el vaso' is singular.
Es un abrazo lo que quieres ahora mismo, no otro juguete.
It's a cuddle that you want right now, not another toy.
Use 'lo que' when emphasizing the general 'thing' that is wanted.
Es la voz de papá la que ha captado tu atención.
It's Daddy's voice that has caught your attention.
The relative pronoun 'la que' matches the feminine 'la voz'.
Es el agua tibia la que se siente bien en tus deditos.
It's the warm water that feels nice on your toes.
Note how the emphasis is placed on the temperature of the water.
Es tu bostezo soñoliento el que me dice que debemos ir más despacio.
It's your sleepy little yawn that tells me we should slow down.
'Bostezo' is masculine, so we use 'el que'.
Son tus manos las que estoy secando primero, no tus pies.
It's your hands that I'm drying first, not your feet.
Plural subject 'manos' requires 'son' instead of 'es'.
Son los patos los que estás mirando, no las bicis que pasan.
It's the ducks that you're watching, not the passing bikes.
Again, plural 'patos' leads to the plural verb 'son'.
Son tus soniditos los que me encanta escuchar; no hace falta que sean palabras.
It's your little sounds that I love hearing; they don't have to be words.
Uses 'son' to emphasize the plural 'soniditos'.
Hear these phrases and practise them
Tildi plays every phrase out loud, tests you in five-minute lessons and builds them into bedtime stories from your own picture books.
Try it free for 7 daysKey words
alcanzar
to reach for / to reach
A useful verb for describing a child's physical efforts.
abrazo
cuddle / hug
Used here to denote physical comfort.
bostezo
yawn
Often modified with 'soñoliento' (sleepy) in this context.
deditos
little toes / little fingers
The diminutive '-itos' adds a gentle, child-friendly tone.
Cleft Sentences (Oraciones Hendidas)
In Spanish, to emphasize a specific element, we use the structure: [Form of Ser] + [Focused Element] + [Relative Pronoun]. Unlike English 'It is', the verb 'ser' must agree in number with the noun being highlighted.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Singular Focus | Es + Singular Noun + el/la que | Es el perro el que ladra. |
| Plural Focus | Son + Plural Noun + los/las que | Son los colores los que te gustan. |
| General Focus | Es + Concept + lo que | Es descansar lo que necesitas. |
More examples
Es la manta roja la que buscas, ¿verdad?
It's the red blanket that you're looking for, right?
Highlighting a specific preference.
Son esos pajaritos los que te hacen reír.
It's those little birds that make you laugh.
Focusing on the external cause of the child's joy.