Spanish language Q&A Forum

First, my dictionary has ser/estar(Spain) viudo, but I think it's even more complicated than a dialect issue. Here's a relevant discussion: https://forum.wordreference.com/threads/to-be-a-widow.596749/

Note that the discussion extends to several other relationship-like words such as soltero (but like viudo, these words are to my mind not relationship words, but rather civil/personal status words, which is why I think ser is often correct with them).

The question is

Será mejor que ________ sin apostar dinero.
It's better to play without gambling money.
HINT: Conjugate "jugar" in El Presente Subjuntivo.

The answer given is “juguemos”. Why not “juguéis” , “jueguen” , “juegue”  or “juegues”?

Si viniérais, os ________ una paella riquísima. If you guys came, we would make a delicious paella for you.HINT: Using the "nosotros" form, conjugate "hacer" in El Condicional Simple

Because the first clause is in the past, wouldn't the second be in the contitional perfect?

Si viniérais, os habríamos hecho una paella?

The question is:

No ________ papeles al suelo.
You must not throw papers on the floor.
HINT: Choose the correct passive form.

The four possible answers are:

se puede tirar
se puedes tirar
te puede tirar
se pueden tirar

The correct answer given is se pueden tirar. Should it not be:-....   “No se deben tirar papeles al suelo”

It seems like many of these questions can be interpreted either way. In English, the two are often interchangeable in a given sentence depending what the speaker wishes to say. Although we have many things in common... OR Even if we have many things in common...

How do we know which translation to provide--subjunctive or indicative?

I do find this confusing even though I understand the grammatical logic behind it. But my (temporary) solution is to get away from thinking in English and adopt the Spanish viewpoint. So I think “I please you” (te gusto); “you please me” (me gustas); “he pleases them” (les gusta) etc. , rather than "you fancy me"......

I believe it’s better as a general principle to try to think in the target language, rather than translate from your own language into the target language.

Hope this helps.

(Sorry, this is not really a question, but a hopefully helpful comment.)

Colloquially in English we often use the future tense to express present probabilities or predictions, just like the Spanish.  E.g. We could say "I'm not sure where John is, but he'll be practising his Spanish I should think."  Or "Do you think Fred has arrived home yet? Oh, he'll be relaxing with his feet up by now."