Meto mi cuaderno y mi lápiz en la mochila para ir a la escuela.

I put my notebook and my pencil in my backpack to go to school.

Breakdown of Meto mi cuaderno y mi lápiz en la mochila para ir a la escuela.

• yo: I
• en: in
• la escuela: the school
• mi: my
• para: to
• ir: to go
• a: to
• y: and
• el cuaderno: the notebook
• el lápiz: the pencil
• la mochila: the backpack
• meter: to put

Questions & Answers about Meto mi cuaderno y mi lápiz en la mochila para ir a la escuela.

Why is the verb meter used here instead of poner or another verb?

Meter literally means “to put something inside” (usually into a container), which fits perfectly when talking about placing objects inside a backpack. Poner is more general; it just means “to put” something somewhere, but doesn’t strongly imply placing it inside.

Why do we say mi cuaderno y mi lápiz instead of mis cuaderno y lápiz?

In Spanish, mis is the plural form of mi, so it would be used if you had multiple notebooks (for example, mis cuadernos). In the sentence, you have one notebook and one pencil, so each item is introduced separately with mi, making it mi cuaderno y mi lápiz.

Is there a difference if I say en la mochila compared to en mi mochila?

Yes. En la mochila means “in the backpack,” as if the backpack were just any backpack or a previously mentioned one. If you say en mi mochila, you’re stating specifically that it’s “in my backpack.” In your example, it’s en la mochila, but you can also say en mi mochila if you want to emphasize that it’s your backpack.

Why do we use para here instead of por?

Para often indicates purpose or destination. In this sentence, it shows the reason for putting the items in your backpack: you’re going to school (that’s the purpose). Por could indicate causes or exchanges, among other meanings, and wouldn’t be correct in showing the purpose for going to school.

What does ir a la escuela mean exactly?

It literally means “to go to school.” In Spanish, using ir with a and then a place indicates movement towards that place. So, ir a la escuela means you’re going from home (or somewhere else) to your school.