Word
Para abrir el cajón, debes halar con cuidado; no lo fuerces o se romperá.
Meaning
To open the drawer, you must pull carefully; do not force it or it will break.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Lesson
Breakdown of Para abrir el cajón, debes halar con cuidado; no lo fuerces o se romperá.
con
with
tú
you
abrir
to open
para
for
Questions & Answers about Para abrir el cajón, debes halar con cuidado; no lo fuerces o se romperá.
What does cajón mean in English?
Cajón translates to drawer, referring to a compartment in furniture used for storing items.
What does the verb halar mean?
Why is the phrase debes halar used rather than a direct command?
The construction debes halar (using the modal verb deber plus the infinitive) expresses an obligation or recommendation. It is a polite way to give instructions, implying that pulling carefully is necessary.
Why is the subjunctive form fuerces used in no lo fuerces?
In Spanish, negative commands require the use of the subjunctive mood. Therefore, fuerces is used instead of an indicative form to properly express the command do not force it.
What does the pronoun lo refer to in this sentence?
The pronoun lo stands for el cajón. It is used as a direct object pronoun to avoid repeating the noun later in the sentence.