Hedging and stance: cabe señalar, al parecer, en cierto modo

Hedging means not committing fully to a claim: showing that information is second-hand, that it is only partly true, or that it is your opinion. Stance markers show your attitude (evidently, unfortunately). Both are essential in reports, journalism, academic writing and tactful conversation.

Second-hand information

• al parecer, según parece: apparently (neutral, also in writing).
• por lo visto: apparently, from what I've heard (conversation).
• según + source: according to.
• supuestamente, presunto / presunta: allegedly, alleged (presunto is the standard term in legal journalism).

• Al parecer, la empresa va a trasladar su sede a Valencia.Apparently, the company is going to move its headquarters to Valencia.
• Por lo visto, la reunión se ha cancelado.Apparently, the meeting has been cancelled.
• El presunto autor del robo fue detenido ayer.The alleged perpetrator of the robbery was arrested yesterday.

The conditional of rumour

Spanish journalism often uses the conditional to report unconfirmed information: habría confesado = has reportedly confessed. It does not mean "would have". Many style guides, including Fundéu's, advise using it with care (some consider it a calque from French), but you will read it daily, so you must understand it.

• Según fuentes policiales, el detenido habría confesado.According to police sources, the detainee has reportedly confessed.

Impersonal framing in formal writing

• cabe señalar / destacar / mencionar que: it should be noted that.
• conviene recordar / tener en cuenta que: it is worth remembering that.
• es preciso subrayar que: it must be stressed that.

• Cabe señalar que la muestra es muy pequeña.It should be noted that the sample is very small.
• Conviene recordar que la ley entró en vigor en enero.It is worth remembering that the law came into force in January.

Limiting degree

• en cierto modo, en cierta medida, hasta cierto punto: in a way, to some extent, up to a point.
• algo, un tanto, más bien: somewhat, rather.
• en principio: in principle, as things stand (provisional).

• En cierto modo, tienes razón.In a way, you're right.
• Estoy de acuerdo contigo hasta cierto punto.I agree with you up to a point.
• El resultado es algo decepcionante.The result is somewhat disappointing.

Softening your own opinion

• diría que, me da la impresión de que, tengo la sensación de que + indicative.
• puede que + subjunctive: may, might.
• a lo mejor and colloquial Spain igual + indicative: maybe.
• quizá(s), tal vez + indicative or subjunctive (the subjunctive makes it less likely).

• Diría que el problema está en la comunicación.I'd say the problem lies in communication.
• Puede que tengas razón.You may be right.
• A lo mejor nos vemos este fin de semana.Maybe we'll see each other this weekend.
• Igual llueve esta tarde.It might rain this afternoon.

Stance adverbs

Evidentemente, desde luego, sin duda (certainty); lamentablemente, por desgracia (regret); francamente, sinceramente (frankness). They usually open the sentence, followed by a comma.

Latin America

Al parecer, según parece and supuestamente are universal. Igual meaning "maybe" is typical of Spain; in Argentina and Chile igual more often means "anyway, even so". Capaz que (+ indicative or subjunctive) = maybe is very common in the Southern Cone and other areas (Capaz que llueve).

Common mistakes

• A lo mejor venga: a lo mejor takes the indicative, a lo mejor viene.
• Puede que tienes razón: puede que takes the subjunctive, puede que tengas razón.
• Reading habría dimitido in a newspaper as "would have resigned": it means "has reportedly resigned".
• Using presumido for "alleged": presumido means vain. The word is presunto.
• Writing cabe de señalar: the structure is cabe + infinitive, cabe señalar.