Cogeré una cuchara para probar la sopa antes de servirla.

I will take a spoon to taste the soup before serving it.

Breakdown of Cogeré una cuchara para probar la sopa antes de servirla.

• yo: I
• una: a
• la: the
• para: to
• antes de: before
• coger: to take
• la cuchara: the spoon
• probar: to taste
• la sopa: the soup
• servir: to serve

Questions & Answers about Cogeré una cuchara para probar la sopa antes de servirla.

Why is cogeré used here instead of something like voy a coger?

In Spanish, both forms express future actions. Voy a coger (the near future) suggests a more immediate action/plan, while cogeré (the simple future) can sound slightly more formal or definitive. In casual speech, many Spanish speakers might say voy a coger. Both are correct.

Is it okay to use coger in all Spanish-speaking countries?

In Spain, coger generally means to take or to grab. However, in several Latin American countries, it can have a vulgar or sexual connotation. If you’re focusing on peninsular Spanish (Spain), coger is completely acceptable. If you travel to Latin America, you might prefer synonyms like tomar to avoid confusion.

What does the para + infinitive form mean in this sentence?

Para + infinitive indicates purpose. Here, para probar tells you why you're taking the spoon: you’re doing it to taste (the purpose of taking the spoon is to taste the soup). This construction is common when explaining the reason or goal of an action.

Why do we say antes de servirla instead of just antes de servir?

Servirla includes the direct object pronoun la, referring to la sopa. Because you want to taste it before serving it, you need to keep the object pronoun to specify that you’re serving the soup. Antes de servir would be missing the direct object, potentially making the sentence less clear.

Is there a difference between probar and probarse?

Yes. Probar by itself usually means to try, to taste, or to test something. Probarse (reflexive form) means to try on (as in trying on clothes). In the sentence, you’re tasting soup, so probar is the correct verb.