Learn Hardcore Spanish (Latin America): No malgastes tu energía limpiando en un día húmedo; mejor espera a que salga el sol. - Do not waste your energy cleaning on a humid day; better wait until the sun comes out.

Malgastes means "waste" in English. It’s used here as a negative command aimed at an informal "tú" form. In Spanish, negative commands use the present subjunctive; thus, instead of a direct imperative form, malgastes follows this rule.

Why is the gerund limpiando used, and what role does it play in the sentence?

The gerund limpiando translates to "cleaning" and specifies the activity that might be a waste of energy on a humid day. It acts as a non-finite verb form that explains what you shouldn’t be doing, linking the action directly to the advice given.

In the phrase a que salga el sol, why is the subjunctive mood used for salga?

The clause a que salga el sol (“until the sun comes out”) uses the subjunctive in salga because it refers to an event that has not yet occurred and is uncertain. After expressions like espera a que (wait for), Spanish requires the subjunctive to reflect that the action is anticipated rather than already realized.

What is the significance of mejor espera in the latter part of the sentence?

Mejor espera can be understood as "better wait" or "it’s better to wait." This concise construction offers advice by suggesting that it is more beneficial to wait for the sun rather than expending energy cleaning on a humid day. It shifts the tone from a mere prohibition to a preferable alternative.

Why does the sentence use a semicolon (;) between the two parts, and what does it accomplish?

The semicolon is used to link two closely related thoughts. In this sentence, it separates the command “don’t waste your energy cleaning on a humid day” from the advisable alternative “better wait for the sun.” The semicolon emphasizes the relationship between the actions, highlighting the contrast in suggestions without using a full stop.