C2 · 50 words
Certainty and doubt in Spanish
Phrases for grading exactly how sure you are — and for saying where that comes from.
Practise this list
From these 50 words, as many per round as you like — up to all of them: first what is due today, then new ones. First you choose, then you fill the gap, then you write it yourself. Mistakes come back again shortly.
More about this list
At this level a speaker no longer only says what is the case, but how sure they are of it and where they know it from. The verb to carry away is distar, in distar mucho de estar probado. Spanish has a verb that means being far away: Toledo dista setenta kilómetros de Madrid, and la relación dista mucho de estar probada. English has no such verb at all — the distance sits in an adjective and a preposition, « far from », propped up by « to be ». The difference is small and it changes the shape of the sentence: Spanish puts the gap in the verb, so the reader knows at the second word that something is being held at arm's length, while English has to reach « far » before the sentence tips.
The words
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Phrase (50)
con absoluta certezawith absolute certaintyPhraseC2
Nadie sabe con absoluta certeza cuándo empezó.Nobody knows with absolute certainty when it began.
sin lugar a dudasbeyond any doubtPhraseC2
Es, sin lugar a dudas, la mejor opción disponible.It is, beyond any doubt, the best option available.
a ojos de cualquieraas anyone can seePhraseC2
La medida es, a ojos de cualquiera, desproporcionada.The measure is, as anyone can see, out of all proportion.
a ojos vistasvisibly, from one year to the nextPhraseC2
El barrio ha cambiado a ojos vistas.The neighbourhood has changed visibly, from one year to the next.
está fuera de toda dudait is beyond all doubtPhraseC2
Está fuera de toda duda que se le avisó a tiempo.It is beyond all doubt that notice was given in time.
no cabe la menor dudathere is not the slightest doubtPhraseC2
No cabe la menor duda de que lo sabía.There is not the slightest doubt that they knew.
huelga decir queit goes without saying thatPhraseC2
Huelga decir que la información es confidencial.It goes without saying that the information is confidential.
todo apunta a queeverything points toPhraseC2
Todo apunta a que la decisión ya estaba tomada.Everything points to the decision having been taken already.
los indicios señalan quethe signs indicate thatPhraseC2
Los indicios señalan que el fallo venía de antes.The signs indicate that the fault went back further.
cabe suponer queit may be assumed thatPhraseC2
Cabe suponer que nadie leyó el anexo.It may be assumed that nobody read the annex.
es de suponer queit is to be assumed thatPhraseC2
Es de suponer que responderán la semana que viene.It is to be assumed that they will answer next week.
a juzgar por lo vistoto judge by appearancesPhraseC2
A juzgar por lo visto, el plazo no se cumplirá.To judge by appearances, the deadline will not be met.
salvo error por mi parteunless I am mistakenPhraseC2
Salvo error por mi parte, la cifra es de hace dos años.Unless I am mistaken, the figure is two years old.
si no me falla la memoriaif my memory does not fail mePhraseC2
Si no me falla la memoria, fue en abril.If my memory does not fail me, it was in April.
que yo sepaas far as I knowPhraseC2
Que yo sepa, nadie lo ha comunicado todavía.As far as I know, nobody has reported it yet.
no me constaI have no knowledge of itPhraseC2
No me consta que se le informara.I have no knowledge of anybody having been informed.
me atrevería a decir queI would go so far as to say thatPhraseC2
Me atrevería a decir que fue deliberado.I would go so far as to say that it was deliberate.
me inclino a pensar queI am inclined to think thatPhraseC2
Me inclino a pensar que se trata de un descuido.I am inclined to think that it is an oversight.
tengo para mí quefor my part I believe thatPhraseC2
Tengo para mí que la fecha se eligió a propósito.For my part I believe that the date was chosen on purpose.
no las tengo todas conmigoI am not entirely easy about itPhraseC2
El plan funciona sobre el papel, pero no las tengo todas conmigo.The plan works on paper, but I am not entirely easy about it.
me da en la nariz quesomething tells me thatPhraseC2
Me da en la nariz que aún faltan datos.Something tells me that figures are still missing.
barrunto queI have a hunch thatPhraseC2
Barrunto que la respuesta llegará tarde.I have a hunch that the answer will come late.
sospecho queI suspect thatPhraseC2
Sospecho que nadie revisó el original.I suspect that nobody checked the original.
está por ver siit remains to be seen whetherPhraseC2
Está por ver si el acuerdo aguanta el invierno.It remains to be seen whether the agreement survives the winter.
queda por determinarit is still to be settledPhraseC2
Queda por determinar quién autorizó el gasto.It is still to be settled who authorised the outlay.
no está claro en absolutoit is not at all clearPhraseC2
No está claro en absoluto que el efecto sea duradero.It is not at all clear that the effect lasts.
distar mucho de estar probadoto be a long way from provedPhraseC2
La relación dista mucho de estar probada.The connection is a long way from proved.
con las reservas del casowith the proper reservationsPhraseC2
Con las reservas del caso, el resultado es alentador.With the proper reservations, the result is encouraging.
a falta de datos más precisosin the absence of more exact figuresPhraseC2
A falta de datos más precisos, mantenemos la estimación.In the absence of more exact figures, we keep the estimate.
hasta donde alcanza la información disponibleas far as the available information goesPhraseC2
Hasta donde alcanza la información disponible, no hubo aviso.As far as the available information goes, there was no warning.
según todos los indiciosby every signPhraseC2
Según todos los indicios, la avería fue eléctrica.By every sign, the breakdown was electrical.
por lo que se veby the look of itPhraseC2
Por lo que se ve, nadie va a reclamar.By the look of it, nobody is going to complain.
al parecerapparentlyPhraseC2
Al parecer, el aviso llegó al buzón equivocado.Apparently the notice reached the wrong letterbox.
a lo que parecefrom what one hearsPhraseC2
A lo que parece, la reunión se adelantó.From what one hears, the meeting was brought forward.
según fuentes bien informadasaccording to well-informed sourcesPhraseC2
Según fuentes bien informadas, hay una segunda oferta.According to well-informed sources, there is a second offer.
está documentado queit is on record thatPhraseC2
Está documentado que el problema se conocía en marzo.It is on record that the problem was known in March.
no hay constancia de quethere is no record thatPhraseC2
No hay constancia de que se enviara la carta.There is no record that the letter was sent.
carece de fundamentoit has no groundsPhraseC2
La acusación carece de fundamento documental.The accusation has no grounds in any document.
se da por sentado queit is taken for granted thatPhraseC2
Se da por sentado que el pago se hará en enero.It is taken for granted that payment will be made in January.
se da por descontadoit is assumed without sayingPhraseC2
Se da por descontado que asistirá.It is assumed without saying that they will attend.
salta a la vista queit leaps to the eye thatPhraseC2
Salta a la vista que el texto se escribió deprisa.It leaps to the eye that the text was written in a hurry.
no es descabellado pensar queit is not far-fetched to think thatPhraseC2
No es descabellado pensar que habrá una segunda ronda.It is not far-fetched to think that there will be a second round.
cabe la posibilidad de quethere is a possibility thatPhraseC2
Cabe la posibilidad de que el envío se retrase.There is a possibility that the consignment will be delayed.
no es de descartar queit cannot be ruled out thatPhraseC2
No es de descartar que cambien de criterio.It cannot be ruled out that they will change their mind.
en el peor de los casosat the very worstPhraseC2
En el peor de los casos perderíamos una semana.At the very worst we would lose a week.
salvo que se demuestre lo contrariounless the contrary is shownPhraseC2
Salvo que se demuestre lo contrario, la firma es válida.Unless the contrary is shown, the signature is valid.
hasta prueba en contrariountil proof to the contraryPhraseC2
Hasta prueba en contrario, la versión oficial se mantiene.Until proof to the contrary, the official version stands.
sin perjuicio de lo anteriorwithout prejudice to the foregoingPhraseC2
Sin perjuicio de lo anterior, conviene revisarlo.Without prejudice to the foregoing, it is worth checking.
a reserva de confirmaciónsubject to confirmationPhraseC2
A reserva de confirmación, la cita es el jueves.Subject to confirmation, the appointment is on Thursday.
siempre y cuando se cumplaprovided that it is metPhraseC2
Aceptamos, siempre y cuando se cumpla el plazo.We accept, provided that the deadline is met.
This list belongs to Opinions and arguing — twelve lists and 596 words that can also be practised as a whole.