Breakdown of Si te falta hilo, pídeselo al sastre; él lo usa todos los días y siempre tiene de sobra.
usar
to use
el día
the day
tener
to have
y
and
él
he
si
if
a
to
siempre
always
lo
it
,
comma
te
you
el hilo
the thread
pedir
to ask for
el sastre
the tailor
de sobra
extra
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Questions & Answers about Si te falta hilo, pídeselo al sastre; él lo usa todos los días y siempre tiene de sobra.
What does the phrase "Si te falta hilo" literally mean, and how does the verb faltar work in this context?
It literally translates to "if you lack thread." In Spanish, faltar is used in a unique way: the thing that is missing (in this case, thread) becomes the subject, while the person lacking it serves as the indirect object. This reversed structure may seem unusual for English speakers since it means "if thread is missing from you."
How is the command "pídeselo" constructed, and what do the attached pronouns represent?
Pídeselo is the affirmative tú command form of pedir (to ask for) with two pronouns attached. Here, "lo" stands for hilo (thread), which is the direct object. The indirect object should be expressed with "le" (referring to the tailor), but Spanish grammar avoids the awkward "le lo" by replacing "le" with "se." Thus, "pídeselo" means "ask him for it."
Why does the sentence advise asking "al sastre" (the tailor) for thread?
The sentence explains that the tailor uses thread every day, which implies he consistently has extra on hand. In other words, if you're missing thread, the tailor is the ideal person to ask because he not only works with thread regularly but also always has it de sobra (in surplus).
What does the expression "de sobra" mean in this sentence?
"De sobra" means "in excess" or "more than enough." It emphasizes that the tailor always has extra thread available – he never runs short because he uses it daily.
What is the role of the semicolon in the sentence?
The semicolon links two closely related independent clauses. The first clause provides a condition and advice ("if you lack thread, ask the tailor"), while the second clause explains why that advice is sound ("he uses it every day and always has plenty"). This punctuation choice helps clarify the cause-and-effect relationship between the two parts.