A veces, el chef lo incluye en el menú, pero otras veces lo deja solo para clientes frecuentes.

Sometimes, the chef includes it on the menu, but other times he leaves it only for frequent customers.

Breakdown of A veces, el chef lo incluye en el menú, pero otras veces lo deja solo para clientes frecuentes.

• en: in
• a veces: sometimes
• para: for
• otro: other
• lo: it
• pero: but
• la vez: the time
• dejar: to leave
• ,: comma
• solo: only
• el cliente: the customer
• el chef: the chef
• incluir: to include
• el menú: the menu
• frecuente: frequent

Questions & Answers about A veces, el chef lo incluye en el menú, pero otras veces lo deja solo para clientes frecuentes.

What does lo refer to in this sentence?

The pronoun lo serves as a masculine singular direct object pronoun. In this sentence, it replaces a specific item (often a dish or special ingredient) that the context has already established. This avoids having to repeat the noun, keeping the sentence concise.

What do A veces and otras veces mean, and how are they used?

A veces translates to "sometimes," and otras veces means "other times." They are used to contrast the chef’s two different approaches: on some occasions the item is included in the menu, while on other occasions it is reserved exclusively for frequent customers.

Why is the verb deja used in the second clause, and what does it imply?

Deja is the third-person singular form of the verb dejar, which literally means "to leave" or "to set aside." In this context, it implies that the chef purposely withholds the item from the main menu, making it available only to regular or loyal customers. The contrast with incluye in the first clause highlights the differing methods of presentation.

Should I use an accent on the word solo in this sentence?

No accent is necessary here. Although solo (meaning "only") was once commonly accented as sólo to avoid ambiguity, current guidelines from the Real Academia Española permit omitting the accent when the meaning is clear from context—as it is in this sentence.

What role does clientes frecuentes play in the sentence?

Clientes frecuentes means "frequent customers." This phrase specifies who benefits from the chef’s alternative approach. When the chef deja solo para clientes frecuentes, he is indicating that the special item is reserved specifically for customers who visit often, making it a sort of exclusive treat for loyal patrons.