Learn Hardcore Spanish (Latin America): Coloquemos una alfombra para que el suelo no sea tan resbaladizo. - Let’s put down a rug so the floor is not so slippery.

Coloquemos is the first‑person plural imperative (the “let’s …” form) built from the present subjunctive of colocar. It literally means “Let’s place/put.” In Spanish, “let’s” commands use the present subjunctive: coloquemos (affirmative) and no coloquemos (negative). A very common alternative is Vamos a colocar una alfombra (“Let’s place/put a rug”).

Why is it para que and why is the verb after it in the subjunctive (sea)?

Para que introduces a purpose clause (“so that …”) and it triggers the subjunctive because the result is desired/possible, not asserted. Here, the subjects differ: “we” place the rug, and “the floor” is (or isn’t) slippery—so you need para que + subjunctive: para que el suelo no sea… If the subject stayed the same, you’d use para + infinitive, e.g., Coloquemos una alfombra para no resbalarnos (“… to avoid slipping”).

Could I use esté instead of sea: “para que el suelo no esté tan resbaladizo”?

Yes. With conditions that are temporary or resulting from a change, many speakers (especially in Latin America) prefer estar: para que el piso no esté tan resbaloso/resbaladizo. Ser (sea) frames slipperiness more as a general characteristic; it’s not wrong, but esté often sounds more natural here.

In Latin America, should I say suelo or piso for “floor”?

In most of Latin America, piso is the usual word for an indoor floor; suelo more often means “ground.” Both are understood everywhere, but a LatAm‑natural version would be: Coloquemos una alfombra para que el piso no esté tan resbaloso.

Why is it tan resbaladizo and not tanto resbaladizo?

Use tan + adjective/adverb (“so/that” + adj/adv): tan resbaladizo = “so slippery.” Use tanto/a(s) + noun (“so much/many”): tanto calor, tantas alfombras. With verbs you’d say tanto to mean “so much”: resbala tanto (“it slips so much”). You could also say muy resbaladizo (“very slippery”) or menos resbaladizo (“less slippery”).

What’s the nuance of resbaladizo? Can I say resbaloso?

Both work. Resbaladizo is the standard/neutral adjective for “slippery.” Resbaloso is very common and colloquial in much of Latin America. Technical/other options you may see: antideslizante (“non‑slip”), deslizante (“slippery,” more technical), patinoso (often for ice/slick surfaces).

Why una alfombra and not un alfombra? And is carpeta OK?

Alfombra is feminine, so it takes una. Avoid carpeta here: in most of Latin America carpeta means “folder/binder” (false friend of “carpet”). Regional alternatives: tapete (common in Mexico for smaller rugs), and in Spain moqueta for wall‑to‑wall carpeting.

Why do we say el suelo with the definite article?

Spanish typically uses the definite article with specific, known things—here, the particular floor in question—so el suelo is natural (just like English “the floor”). You could say nuestro piso if you want to stress “our floor,” but it isn’t required. Note: lo doesn’t go before regular nouns; it’s used to nominalize adjectives (e.g., lo resbaladizo del piso = “the slipperiness of the floor”).

Why is it spelled coloquemos and not “colocemos”?

Spelling change to keep the hard “k” sound: verbs ending in -car switch c → qu before e/i in the subjunctive (and preterite yo). Thus colocar → coloquemos. Similar patterns: sacar → saquemos, tocar → toquemos; -gar: pagar → paguemos; -zar: almorzar → almorcemos.

Can I use poner instead of colocar?

Yes. Poner is the everyday, all‑purpose “put,” while colocar can sound a bit more deliberate or formal (“position/place”). Both are fine: Pongamos una alfombra… or Coloquemos una alfombra…

How do object pronouns work with “let’s” commands?

Affirmative: attach the pronoun to the end and add an accent to keep the stress: Coloquémosla (“Let’s place it,” fem.).
Negative: place the pronoun before the verb: No la coloquemos.
For reflexives, the pattern is the same: Levantémonos / No nos levantemos.

Are there other natural ways to say the same idea?

Yes, for Latin America you might hear:

Pongamos una alfombra para que el piso no esté tan resbaloso.
Pongamos una alfombra para que el piso quede menos resbaloso.
Pongamos una alfombra para no resbalarnos.
Pongamos una alfombra para hacer el piso menos resbaloso.

Where does no go in the para que clause?

Place no immediately before the verb of the subordinate clause: para que el piso no esté tan resbaloso, not “para que no el piso esté…”.