Breakdown of Esta olla, cuya tapa es de vidrio, mantiene la sopa caliente.
ser
to be
de
of
esta
this
mantener
to keep
la sopa
the soup
el vidrio
the glass
caliente
hot
la olla
the pot
cuyo
whose
la tapa
the lid
Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Spanish grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Esta olla, cuya tapa es de vidrio, mantiene la sopa caliente.
What does cuya mean here, and what is its role in the sentence?
Cuya is the feminine singular form of the relative pronoun cuyo, meaning whose. It introduces a non-restrictive relative clause that shows possession: the lid belongs to the pot. So the clause cuya tapa es de vidrio modifies esta olla.
Why is it cuya and not cuyo/cuyos/cuyas?
Because it agrees in gender and number with the possessed noun, tapa (feminine singular). Examples:
- cuyo material
- cuya tapa
- cuyos mangos
- cuyas tapas
Is cuyo/cuya common in everyday Latin American Spanish?
It’s correct but somewhat formal or bookish in many regions. Everyday alternatives:
- Esta olla, que tiene tapa de vidrio, mantiene la sopa caliente.
- Esta olla con tapa de vidrio mantiene la sopa caliente.
- More formal: Esta olla, la tapa de la cual es de vidrio, …
Can I say Esta olla, que su tapa es de vidrio, …?
No. Que su tapa is ungrammatical because que does not express possession. Use cuya, or rephrase: Esta olla, que tiene la tapa de vidrio, … or Esta olla con tapa de vidrio ….
Why are there commas around cuya tapa es de vidrio?
They mark a non-restrictive (parenthetical) clause—extra information about the pot. With commas, you’re talking about this specific pot and adding a side note about its lid. Without commas, it would restrict which pot you mean.
Could I drop the commas: Esta olla cuya tapa es de vidrio mantiene la sopa caliente?
Grammatically yes; then the clause restricts which pot you’re referring to. With esta, that style is less common; you’d more naturally say: La olla cuya tapa es de vidrio mantiene la sopa caliente when selecting among several pots.
Why is it mantiene la sopa caliente and not mantiene caliente la sopa?
Both orders are correct. Mantener + direct object + adjective is the standard pattern: mantiene la sopa caliente. Placing the adjective before the object (mantiene caliente la sopa) is also fine and may slightly emphasize the state (caliente).
Should it be está manteniendo instead of mantiene?
No. Spanish prefers the simple present (mantiene) for general facts and typical behavior. Está manteniendo is used to emphasize an action in progress right now.
Do I need the article la before sopa?
Yes. Spanish normally uses the definite article with specific mass nouns: mantiene la sopa caliente. Omitting it (mantiene sopa caliente) sounds unnatural here.
If I replace la sopa with a pronoun, what is it?
Use the feminine direct-object pronoun: La mantiene caliente. Don’t use lo here because sopa is feminine.
Why es de vidrio and not es vidrio or en vidrio?
- ser de + material indicates what something is made of: es de vidrio.
- es vidrio states identity (it is glass itself), which is odd for a lid.
- en vidrio means in/inside glass and is not used for material.
Is vidrio the same as cristal?
In much of Latin America, vidrio is the usual word for glass as a material. Cristal can mean glass (esp. in Spain) or high-quality crystal; in Latin America it often suggests fine crystal or is used in set phrases. Both are understood.
Is tapa the only word for lid? What about tapadera?
Both exist. Tapa is widely used. Tapadera is common in parts of Latin America (e.g., Mexico) and Spain, though it can also mean a cover-up (figurative). Here, either would be understood.
Does olla mean any pot? How is it different from cacerola?
Olla usually refers to a deeper pot for boiling/stews. Cacerola tends to be shallower, often with two handles. Terms vary by region, and both can overlap in casual speech.
How do I pronounce key words like olla and cuya?
Approximate Latin American pronunciations:
- olla ≈ OH-yah (most regions pronounce ll like y)
- cuya ≈ KOO-yah
- vidrio ≈ BEE-dryoh (the letter v sounds like a soft b)
- mantiene ≈ man-TYEN-eh
- caliente ≈ kah-LYEN-te
- sopa ≈ SOH-pah
Does caliente change for gender/number?
It’s an adjective ending in -e, so it does not change for gender: sopa caliente, café caliente. For plural, add -s: platos calientes.
Can I say cuya tapa de vidrio without es?
No. With cuyo/cuya, you still need a full clause with a verb. Say cuya tapa es de vidrio. If you want a shorter noun phrase, avoid cuyo: Esta olla con tapa de vidrio.
Can I move the relative clause to the end: Esta olla mantiene la sopa caliente, cuya tapa es de vidrio?
No. Cuya must be adjacent to the noun it modifies. At the end, it would wrongly attach to la sopa. Keep it next to olla or rephrase.
Should Esta have an accent (Ésta)?
No. Modern spelling omits the accent on demonstratives (esta/esa/aquella) unless needed to avoid ambiguity, which is rare. Here, Esta is correct without an accent.