Breakdown of El dueño del negocio me dijo que tire la basura despacio, para no ensuciar el piso.
de
of
que
that
me
me
para
for
no
not
el dueño
the owner
el piso
the floor
,
comma
el negocio
the business
decir
to tell
la basura
the trash
despacio
slowly
tirar
to throw away
ensuciar
to dirty
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Questions & Answers about El dueño del negocio me dijo que tire la basura despacio, para no ensuciar el piso.
Why is the verb "tirar" conjugated as tire instead of using the preterite form or the infinitive?
The sentence reports an indirect command. In Spanish, after verbs like me dijo (“he told me”), when giving an order or instruction indirectly, the subordinate clause takes the present subjunctive form. Here, tire is the present subjunctive of tirar, which is used instead of an infinitive or another tense to properly convey the command.
What is the function of para no ensuciar el piso in this sentence?
Para no ensuciar el piso explains the purpose behind the command. It translates to “so as not to dirty the floor” or “in order not to make the floor dirty.” This clause provides the reason for throwing the trash slowly, indicating that the action should be done carefully to prevent the floor from getting dirty.
Why is the adverb despacio placed after la basura? Is this the typical word order for adverbs in Spanish?
Yes, placing despacio after the object la basura is natural in Spanish. Adverbs of manner like despacio (“slowly”) often follow the verb’s direct object in commands or instructions. This order helps clearly indicate the manner in which the action should be performed, emphasizing that the trash must be thrown slowly.
What does el dueño del negocio mean, and is there any nuance in this term in Latin American Spanish?
El dueño del negocio literally means “the owner of the business.” It designates the person who owns or is in charge of the establishment. In Latin American contexts, this term carries an authority that justifies the given instruction—the owner is the one whose directions should be followed.
Could the phrase para no ensuciar el piso be expressed in a different way? What are some common variations?
Yes, an alternative way to express the idea is para que el piso no se ensucie, which also means “so that the floor doesn't get dirty.” However, para no ensuciar el piso is more direct and succinct. The first version uses an infinitive to state the action to avoid, while the alternative employs a subordinate clause with the reflexive verb ensuciarse. Both forms are grammatically correct, though the version in the original sentence is more commonly used in everyday instructions.
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