Breakdown of El jefe me pidió agradecer personalmente a todos los clientes que nos visitan hoy.
visitar
to visit
hoy
today
que
that
me
me
a
to
nos
us
pedir
to ask
el cliente
the customer
agradecer
to thank
el jefe
the boss
personalmente
personally
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Questions & Answers about El jefe me pidió agradecer personalmente a todos los clientes que nos visitan hoy.
Why is the infinitive “agradecer” used after “me pidió” instead of a clause with a subjunctive verb form?
In Spanish, when the speaker (indicated by “me”) is also the one who will perform the action, it’s common to use an infinitive after verbs like “pedir.” Although you could say “El jefe me pidió que agradeciera…,” using the infinitive “agradecer” is perfectly acceptable and often preferred for its simplicity when both verbs share the same subject.
How can I tell who is expected to perform the action “agradecer”?
The pronoun “me” right after “El jefe” clearly indicates that the request is directed at the speaker. Since “agradecer” is in the infinitive form without an explicit subject, it is understood that “I” am the one who must perform the action.
Why is the clause “que nos visitan hoy” in the present tense, even though the main verb “pidió” is in the past tense?
Although the boss’s request (“pidió”) occurred in the past, the relative clause “que nos visitan hoy” describes an event scheduled to occur or habitually happening on the same day—“today.” In Spanish, the present tense is used in such contexts to refer to current or imminent actions, even if the main clause is in the past.
What does the adverb “personalmente” modify, and why is its placement important?
“Personalmente” modifies the infinitive verb “agradecer,” emphasizing that the act of thanking should be done in person. Its placement immediately after the verb helps clarify that the mode of thanking is personal rather than through another means or on behalf of someone else.
What is the role of “a todos los clientes” in this sentence?
In Spanish, when the direct object is a person or people, the preposition “a” (known as the “personal a”) must be used. Here, “a todos los clientes” serves two purposes: it marks the clients as the recipients of the action and specifies that every one of them should be personally thanked.
Could the sentence also be constructed using the subjunctive form, and would that change its meaning?
Yes, the sentence can be rephrased as “El jefe me pidió que agradeciera personalmente a todos los clientes que nos visitan hoy.” Both versions—using the infinitive or the “que” + subjunctive construction—convey the same meaning. The choice between them is largely stylistic, with the infinitive construction often preferred for its brevity when the subject remains unchanged.