¿Puedes traer flores para la cena?

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Breakdown of ¿Puedes traer flores para la cena?

• traer: to bring
• la cena: the dinner
• la flor: the flower
• ¿puedes: can you

Questions & Answers about ¿Puedes traer flores para la cena?

Why is traer used here instead of llevar?

In general, traer is used when something is moved closer to the speaker or the place where the speaker is (or will be). Llevar is used when something is moved away from the speaker or toward another location. In this sentence, traer implies bringing the flowers to the place where the dinner is happening (often assumed to be where the speaker will be).

Why do we say para la cena instead of using por la cena?

Para often indicates the purpose or destination of an action, while por can imply cause, time duration, or an exchange. In this context, the flowers are for (with the purpose of decorating or gifting at) dinner, so para is used to express that end goal.

Could you also say ¿Podrías traer flores para la cena?

Yes. Using ¿Podrías…? is a more polite or softer way of making the request, similar to “Could you…?” in English. ¿Puedes…? is still polite, but it can come across as a bit more direct or casual.

Is it acceptable to say ¿Me puedes traer flores para la cena?

Yes, it’s perfectly acceptable. Adding me clarifies that you want the other person to bring the flowers specifically for you, making the request slightly more personal. In many contexts, ¿Puedes traer flores…? and ¿Me puedes traer flores…? are used almost interchangeably.

Is there a reason the sentence starts with ¿Puedes…? instead of just Trae flores para la cena?

It’s primarily about politeness and tone. ¿Puedes traer…? is a direct question that often sounds more courteous, like asking, “Can you bring flowers?” In contrast, Trae flores para la cena is more of a command or directive, which can be appropriate among very close friends or family, but might be seen as abrupt in other situations.