Me quito el abrigo al entrar a la sala.

I take off my coat upon entering the living room.

Breakdown of Me quito el abrigo al entrar a la sala.

• yo: I
• a: to
• entrar: to enter
• la sala: the living room
• al: upon
• quitarse: to take off
• el abrigo: the coat

Questions & Answers about Me quito el abrigo al entrar a la sala.

In this sentence, what does me mean? Is it the subject?

Me is the reflexive pronoun showing the subject acts on themself. The subject is implied by the verb ending in quito (first-person singular = yo). So: subject = I, reflexive = me, verb = quito, direct object = el abrigo.

Why not me quito mi abrigo?

With clothing and body parts, Spanish usually uses the definite article when the possessor is clear from a reflexive pronoun. Me quito el abrigo already means "I take off my coat." Me quito mi abrigo is possible but sounds contrastive/emphatic (e.g., "my coat, not someone else's").

What does al entrar mean, and why use this form?

Al + infinitive means "upon/on/when doing [something]." Al entrar = "upon entering." It concisely marks time and can only be used when the understood subject of the infinitive is the same as the main clause's subject.

Is al in al entrar just a + el? Why not a la entrar?

Yes. Al is a + el. Here el is the neutral article that nominalizes the infinitive (el entrar = "the act of entering"). The fixed structure is al + infinitivo; you don't say a la + infinitivo.

Why entrar a la sala? Can I use entrar en la sala too?

Both are correct. In much of Latin America, entrar a is very common; in Spain, entrar en is more frequent (though both are understood). Don’t use entrar with a direct object here: not entrar la sala.

Is entrar transitive? Can I say Entré la sala?

Not in this sense. For physically going into a place, entrar is intransitive and needs a preposition: entré a/en la sala. It can be transitive in other senses (e.g., entrar datos = "to enter data").

Exactly what does sala refer to?

In a home in Latin America, sala usually means the living room. For a generic "room," use cuarto or habitación. Salón is often a big room/hall (and in Spain it can mean living room). Context decides.

Is abrigo the same as "jacket"? What about chaqueta, chamarra, campera, saco?

• abrigo: a coat, typically heavier outerwear.
• chaqueta: jacket (general term).
• chamarra: jacket in Mexico.
• campera: jacket in Argentina/Uruguay.
• saco: often a suit jacket/blazer in Latin America (elsewhere it can mean "bag/sack").
  Using abrigo here suggests a coat rather than a light jacket.

Can I replace el abrigo with a pronoun? Is Me lo quito correct?

Yes. Me lo quito = "I take it off." Clitic order: reflexive/indirect (me/te/se/le/nos/les) before direct (lo/la/los/las). So: me lo quito, not lo me quito.

What's the difference between quitarse and sacarse?

Both can mean "to take off (clothes)" in Latin America. Quitar(se) is standard everywhere. Sacar(se) is very common in the Southern Cone and parts of the Andes; elsewhere sacar mainly means "to take out," so me saco el abrigo can sound regional.

Why not say Me quito el abrigo entrando a la sala?

Spanish generally avoids using the gerund (entrando) to mean "upon/when." Use al entrar or cuando:

• Me quito el abrigo al entrar a la sala.
• Me quito el abrigo cuando entro a la sala.

The English feels progressive ("I'm taking off..."). Why is Spanish using simple present me quito?

Spanish simple present covers actions happening now and habitual actions. Me quito can mean "I'm taking [it] off (now)" or "I take it off (whenever...)." To stress "right now," use the progressive: Me estoy quitando el abrigo / Estoy quitándome el abrigo.

How would I say it in the past or future?

• One-time past: Me quité el abrigo al entrar a la sala.
• Habitual past: Me quitaba el abrigo al entrar a la sala.
• Future: Me quitaré el abrigo al entrar a la sala.
  With cuando and a future time, Spanish uses present subjunctive: Cuando entre a la sala, me quitaré el abrigo.

How do I say "I take off my child's coat when she enters the room"?

Use an indirect object for the person and a direct object for the coat:

• Le quito el abrigo a mi hija cuando entra a la sala. With pronouns only: Se lo quito cuando entra a la sala. (Note le/les + lo/la becomes se lo/la.)

Where else can the pronouns go with infinitives or gerunds?

• With an infinitive: Me voy a quitar el abrigo... / Voy a quitarme el abrigo...
• With a gerund: Me estoy quitando el abrigo... / Estoy quitándome el abrigo... (written accent when attached).

Could I say al entrar en la sala instead of al entrar a la sala?

Yes. Both al entrar en la sala and al entrar a la sala are fine. In Latin America, a is more common; in Spain, en is frequent.