Judge Probes Deleted Messages in Spain Flood Case

Key vocabulary

• juezaf.

  female judge

  “La jueza decide prorrogar el caso.”— The judge decides to extend the case.

  Pattern la jueza del caso the judge on the case

  Compare magistrada female judge

  Plural: juezas

  💡 juez is a judge; adding a makes it a female judge, similar to profesor/profesora.

• prorrogarv.

  to extend, to postpone

  “La jueza prorroga la investigación.”— The judge extends the investigation.

  Pattern prorrogar el plazo extend the deadline

  Compare extender extend

  Indicative Present: prorrogo, prorrogas, prorroga...

  💡 prórroga is the noun, prorrogar is the verb; note the stress change.

• investigaciónf.

  investigation, research

  “La investigación es muy compleja.”— The investigation is very complex.

  Pattern investigación judicial judicial investigation

  Compare indagación investigation

  Plural: investigaciones

  💡 From the verb investigar; nouns ending in -ción are mostly feminine.

• mensajem.

  message

  “Los mensajes están borrados.”— The messages are deleted.

  Pattern mensaje de texto text message

  Compare comunicado notice

  Plural: mensajes

  💡 Common in instant messaging like WhatsApp; note the pronunciation /meŋˈsa.xe/.

• borrarv.

  to delete, to erase

  “Él borró los mensajes de WhatsApp.”— He deleted the WhatsApp messages.

  Pattern borrar un mensaje delete a message

  Compare eliminar eliminate

  Past participle: borrado

  💡 borrar is often used to delete text or files, e.g. borrar un archivo.

• exjefem.

  former chief, ex-boss

  “El exjefe de gabinete borró mensajes.”— The former chief of staff deleted messages.

  Pattern exjefe de gabinete former chief of staff

  Compare antiguo jefe former boss

  Plural: exjefes

  💡 The prefix ex- means 'former', as in expresidente.

• plazom.

  deadline, term

  “El plazo termina en octubre.”— The deadline ends in October.

  Pattern plazo de entrega delivery deadline

  Compare término deadline

  Plural: plazos

  💡 Often used with the verbs cumplir (to meet) or prorrogar (to extend).

• víctimaf.

  victim, casualty

  “La mujer no es considerada víctima mortal.”— The woman is not considered a fatality.

  Pattern víctima mortal fatality

  Compare damnificado victim

  Plural: víctimas

  💡 Note the stress on the first syllable; the same form is used for masculine and feminine.

Grammar spotlight

Sentence patterns to steal

• La jueza decide prorrogar la investigación seis meses más.

  The judge decides to extend the investigation six more months.

  Subject + decide + infinitive + quantity + moreYou can replace the subject and verb, e.g., El gobierno decide ampliar el plazo un mes más.

• Ella dice que faltan muchas personas por declarar.

  She says that many people still need to testify.

  Decir que + faltar + noun + por + infinitiveYou can replace the noun after faltar and the verb, e.g., faltan pruebas por analizar.

• La jueza quiere garantizar los derechos de todas las partes.

  The judge wants to guarantee the rights of all parties.

  Querer + infinitive + los derechos de + nounYou can replace derechos with intereses, etc., and partes with ciudadanos, etc.