Breakdown of Mi amigo sostiene la tabla con un dedo mientras yo la sujeto con otra cuerda.
yo
I
con
with
mi
my
el amigo
the friend
mientras
while
un
a
la
it
otra
another
sostener
to hold
la cuerda
the rope
el dedo
the finger
la tabla
the board
sujetar
to secure
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Questions & Answers about Mi amigo sostiene la tabla con un dedo mientras yo la sujeto con otra cuerda.
What is the difference between sostener and sujetar?
Sostener generally means to hold up or support something, focusing on keeping it from falling or drooping (e.g. “sostener un libro”).
Sujetar means to fasten or secure something so it doesn’t move or slip (e.g. “sujetar una puerta”). In your sentence, your friend supports the board with a finger (sostener) while you secure it with a rope (sujetar).
Why is la used in la sujeto con otra cuerda?
La is the feminine singular direct-object pronoun referring back to la tabla. Instead of repeating “la tabla,” Spanish replaces it with la (“I secure it”).
Why is the pronoun placed before the verb in la sujeto instead of after?
With a finite (conjugated) verb in the indicative, Spanish places object pronouns before the verb: la sujeto. You would attach a pronoun after an infinitive (sujetarla), gerund (sujetándola), or affirmative command (sujétala).
Why do we say con un dedo rather than con dedo?
Spanish normally requires an article or determiner before a singular, countable noun. Con un dedo literally means “with one finger.” Without un, it would sound incomplete.
Could we say mi amigo sostiene una tabla instead of mi amigo sostiene la tabla?
If you’re introducing “a board” for the first time, una tabla is fine. But if you’re talking about a specific board already known to both speaker and listener, you use the definite article: la tabla.
Why isn’t the subjunctive used after mientras here?
When mientras denotes two simultaneous, real actions, it takes the indicative: mi amigo sostiene… mientras yo la sujeto. The subjunctive appears only for hypothetical or concessive ideas (e.g. mientras tú me respetes…).
What does otra cuerda mean, and could I say something else?
Otra cuerda simply means “another rope.” You could rephrase as una cuerda diferente, but otra cuerda is shorter and more idiomatic when you mean an additional one.