Breakdown of Las tijeras están en el cajón superior, pero tardé en verlas por el desorden.
yo
I
en
in
estar
to be
ver
to see
pero
but
por
because of
,
comma
el cajón
the drawer
tardar
to take
las
them
superior
top
el desorden
the mess
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Questions & Answers about Las tijeras están en el cajón superior, pero tardé en verlas por el desorden.
Why is the noun tijeras always in the plural form, even when referring to a single pair of scissors?
In Spanish, tijeras is a plural-only noun. Much like the English word “scissors,” even one pair is treated as a plural entity. That’s why you always see it with the plural article las.
Why is the feminine plural pronoun las used in verlas?
The pronoun las replaces las tijeras and must agree in gender and number with the noun it refers to. Since tijeras is a feminine plural noun, the corresponding direct object pronoun is las.
How does the construction tardé en verlas work grammatically?
The verb tardar is commonly followed by the preposition en plus an infinitive to indicate a delay in performing an action. In this case, tardé en verlas means “I took a while to see them,” with the subject yo implied by the verb form.
Why is the verb estar used in Las tijeras están en el cajón superior?
The verb estar is used to indicate location or a temporary state. Since the sentence describes where the scissors are located, estar is the correct choice, rather than ser, which is used for more permanent or inherent characteristics.
What does cajón superior mean in this context?
Cajón means “drawer” and superior means “upper.” Together, cajón superior literally translates to “upper drawer,” specifying the particular drawer where the scissors are kept.
Why is the preposition por used in por el desorden, and what does it imply?
The preposition por is used to express cause or reason. In por el desorden, it conveys the idea of “because of the mess,” explaining the reason behind the delay in noticing the scissors.