Si tienes esos platos limpios, tráelos, por favor; los necesito para la ensalada.

If you have those clean plates, bring them, please; I need them for the salad.

Breakdown of Si tienes esos platos limpios, tráelos, por favor; los necesito para la ensalada.

• yo: I
• tú: you
• tener: to have
• si: if
• para: for
• necesitar: to need
• traer: to bring
• limpio: clean
• por favor: please
• los: them
• ,: comma
• la ensalada: the salad
• ;: semicolon
• el plato: the plate

Questions & Answers about Si tienes esos platos limpios, tráelos, por favor; los necesito para la ensalada.

Why is the object pronoun attached to the command in “tráelos” rather than placed before the verb?

In Spanish, when giving an affirmative command, the direct object pronoun must be attached to the end of the conjugated verb. That’s why “tráelos” (bring them) is formed by appending “los” to the command form “tráe-” (from “traer”), following standard Spanish grammar rules.

What does “tráelos” mean and how does it relate to “los” later in the sentence?

“Tráelos” translates as “bring them.” In this sentence, it instructs someone to bring the clean dishes. The later clause, “los necesito para la ensalada” (“I need them for the salad”), uses “los” again as a direct object pronoun referring to the same dishes. Although both “tráelos” and “los” refer to the clean dishes, their positions differ because one is part of an imperative command and the other is within a declarative sentence.

Why is the adjective limpios placed after the noun platos?

In Spanish, descriptive adjectives like limpios (“clean”) typically follow the noun they modify. Placing limpios after platos (“dishes” or “plates”) is the common and natural word order for adding descriptive detail in a neutral context.

What is the function of the demonstrative esos in the phrase “si tienes esos platos limpios”?

The word esos means “those” and serves as a demonstrative adjective. It specifies a particular group of plates, indicating that the speaker has specific, identifiable dishes in mind, possibly ones that are a bit distant in terms of location or context from the speaker.

How do the comma and semicolon work in this sentence?

The comma after limpios sets off the conditional clause “Si tienes esos platos limpios” from the following command “tráelos, por favor.” The semicolon then introduces a distinct but related independent clause “los necesito para la ensalada,” providing a clear pause between the imperative instruction and the statement of necessity.

Why is the verb in the if-clause, tienes, in the present tense rather than in a subjunctive or past form?

When the condition expressed in an “if” clause is considered real or likely, Spanish uses the present tense. In “Si tienes esos platos limpios,” the speaker is referring to an actual, possible situation, so the present tense tienes is used, matching the overall real conditional structure of the sentence.

Why does “tráelos” have an accent mark on the “á”?

When attaching object pronouns to an affirmative command, the resulting word sometimes requires an accent mark to preserve the original stress of the verb. In “tráelos,” the accent on the “á” ensures that the stress falls on the correct syllable, maintaining proper pronunciation according to Spanish phonological rules.