El taco de lijado sujeta la lija de grano fino.

Because Spanish nouns have grammatical gender.

• taco is a masculine noun, so it takes el
• lija is a feminine noun, so it takes la

In this sentence:

• el taco de lijado = the sanding block
• la lija de grano fino = the fine-grit sandpaper

The gender here is something you usually just learn with the noun.

Here de is doing the job that English often does with noun-noun combinations or adjectives.

• taco de lijado = literally block of sanding
• lija de grano fino = literally sandpaper of fine grain

A more natural English translation may be:

• sanding block
• fine-grit sandpaper

So de often links two nouns to show type, material, purpose, or characteristic.

Spanish often prefers a noun + de + noun structure where English prefers a single compound noun or an adjective-like form.

So:

• taco de lijado is the normal way to say sanding block
• lijado here refers to the process of sanding

This is very common in Spanish:

• gafas de sol = sunglasses
• cepillo de dientes = toothbrush
• papel de cocina = kitchen paper / paper towel

Yes, historically it comes from the verb lijar (to sand), but here it is functioning more like a noun: sanding.

So in taco de lijado, lijado does not mean sanded in the sense of describing the block. It refers to the activity or process:

• lijar = to sand
• el lijado = sanding

That is why taco de lijado means sanding block, not sanded block.

It is a verb here: sujeta = holds / secures.

It comes from the verb sujetar (to hold, secure, fasten).

The full structure is:

• El taco de lijado = subject
• sujeta = verb
• la lija de grano fino = direct object

So the sentence pattern is simply:

The sanding block holds the fine-grit sandpaper.

Because the subject is el taco, which is third person singular.

The present tense of sujetar goes like this:

• yo sujeto
• tú sujetas
• él/ella/usted sujeta
• nosotros sujetamos
• vosotros sujetáis
• ellos/ellas/ustedes sujetan

Since el taco = it, the correct form is sujeta.

Often yes, but it has a slightly more specific feel of holding in place, securing, or fastening.

Depending on context, sujetar can mean:

• to hold
• to secure
• to fasten
• to keep in place

In this sentence, secures or holds in place may fit especially well.

Because fino is describing grano, not lija.

So the phrase breaks down like this:

• lija = sandpaper
• de grano fino = of fine grain / fine grit

That means:

• grano fino = fine grain / fine grit

This is why fino is masculine singular: it agrees with grano, which is masculine singular.

Because the sentence is not saying the sandpaper itself is generally fine. It is specifically describing the grit.

Compare:

• lija fina = fine sandpaper
• lija de grano fino = sandpaper with fine grit / fine-grit sandpaper

Both can make sense, but de grano fino is more precise, especially in technical or practical contexts.

Because fino agrees with grano, not with lija.

In lija de grano fino:

• main noun: lija
• inside the de phrase: grano fino

The adjective fino modifies grano, and grano is masculine singular, so the adjective must also be masculine singular:

• grano fino
• not grano fina

The basic order is the normal Spanish order:

Subject + Verb + Object

• El taco de lijado = subject
• sujeta = verb
• la lija de grano fino = object

So structurally it is very similar to English:

The sanding block holds the fine-grit sandpaper.

Usually not in a normal standalone sentence like this.

Spanish tends to use definite articles more often than English, especially when talking about specific objects or things in a general technical description.

So:

• El taco de lijado sujeta la lija de grano fino. = natural
• Taco de lijado sujeta lija de grano fino. = sounds incomplete or unnatural in standard Spanish

A Spain pronunciation would be approximately:

el TAH-ko de lee-HA-do soo-HYE-ta la LEE-ha de GRA-no FEE-no

A few useful notes:

• j in lijado, lija, sujeta is pronounced like a strong throaty h
• g before r in grano is a hard g
• stress:
  • taco → TA
  • lijado → HA
  • sujeta → HYE
  • grano → GRA
  • fino → FI

In most of Spain, this sentence sounds clear and straightforward, with no unusual pronunciation patterns beyond the normal Spanish j sound.

No. In Spain, taco has several meanings, and one of them is block or plug, depending on context.

So here:

• taco de lijado = sanding block

This has nothing to do with the food. Spanish often has words with several meanings, and context tells you which one is intended.

Yes, in many contexts papel de lija is also used for sandpaper.

So you may hear:

• la lija
• el papel de lija

Both are understandable, though usage can vary by region and context. In a practical instruction sentence, lija is very natural.

A plural version would be:

Los tacos de lijado sujetan las lijas de grano fino.

Changes:

• el → los
• taco → tacos
• sujeta → sujetan
• la → las
• lija → lijas

The phrase de grano fino stays the same unless you specifically want to change grano or fino for a different meaning.