Breakdown of Se recomienda lavar la lana a mano para que dure más.
más
more
lavar
to wash
la mano
the hand
para que
so that
se
one
la lana
the wool
recomendar
to recommend
a
by
durar
to last
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Questions & Answers about Se recomienda lavar la lana a mano para que dure más.
What function does se have in Se recomienda?
Here se is the impersonal/passive “se.” It makes the sentence something like “It is recommended” without specifying who is doing the recommending.
Why is recomienda in the third person singular?
Because with impersonal se the verb always agrees with the following noun (here lavar la lana is an infinitive phrase, treated as singular). Thus we get se recomienda.
Why do we use the infinitive lavar instead of a subjunctive clause like se recomienda que lave?
Spanish often uses recomendar + infinitive in impersonal/general advice. If you specify a subject you must use que + subjunctive (e.g. Recomiendo que tú laves la lana).
What does a mano mean?
It means “by hand.” So lavar la lana a mano = “wash wool by hand.”
Why do we say para que dure más instead of para durar más?
Para que + subjunctive introduces a purpose clause when there are two different subjects (here the wool “lasting” vs. the recommendation act). The subjunctive dure is required to express purpose.
Could we add tiempo and say para que dure más tiempo?
Yes. Tiempo is optional: para que dure más already implies “longer,” but para que dure más tiempo simply clarifies “for more time.”
Can I replace lana with another material?
Absolutely. Just change lana to algodón, seda, ropa, etc., and adapt the sentence:
Se recomienda lavar el algodón a mano para que dure más.