Breakdown of Cubro la mesa con un mantel antes de cenar.
yo
I
con
with
la mesa
the table
antes de
before
cenar
to have dinner
el mantel
the tablecloth
cubrir
to cover
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Questions & Answers about Cubro la mesa con un mantel antes de cenar.
What is the verb cubro, and why is it used here?
Cubro is the first person singular present indicative form of cubrir, which means “to cover.” It tells you that the speaker (yo) covers the table.
Why don’t we use pongo la mesa instead of cubro la mesa?
Poner la mesa means “to set the table” (i.e. arrange plates, utensils, glasses). Cubrir la mesa specifically means “to cover the table” (with a tablecloth).
Why is the preposition con necessary in con un mantel?
Con indicates the instrument or means you’re using. Without it, the sentence would lose how you cover the table (with what).
Why is la mesa definite (the table) but un mantel indefinite (a tablecloth)?
The speaker refers to a specific table (the one they’re about to use), so la mesa. The tablecloth isn’t previously specified, so un mantel (“a tablecloth”) is correct.
Could we say la cubro con un mantel instead of cubro la mesa con un mantel?
Yes. You can use a direct object pronoun: La cubro con un mantel. Here la stands for la mesa. Both sentences are grammatically fine.
Why is it antes de cenar and not antes cenar?
In Spanish, when you want to say “before doing something,” you need antes de + infinitive. You cannot drop de before the verb.
Can we use a noun instead of the infinitive, as in antes de la cena?
Yes: antes de la cena means “before the dinner.” But if you want “before eating dinner,” the infinitive cenar is more natural.
Is mantel always masculine?
Yes. Mantel is a masculine noun (el mantel, un mantel), even though it ends in ‑l.
Could you use tapar instead of cubrir here?
Tapar also means “to cover,” but it often implies physically blocking something (like covering a pot or someone’s mouth). For covering a table with a cloth, cubrir la mesa is the standard expression.