Te puedo prestar mi diccionario si necesitas buscar palabras nuevas.

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Breakdown of Te puedo prestar mi diccionario si necesitas buscar palabras nuevas.

• tú: you
• mi: my
• nuevo: new
• te: you
• necesitar: to need
• poder: to be able to
• la palabra: the word
• si: if
• prestar: to lend
• el diccionario: the dictionary
• buscar: to look up

Questions & Answers about Te puedo prestar mi diccionario si necesitas buscar palabras nuevas.

What is the function of te in this sentence?

Te is the indirect object pronoun meaning “to you.” It indicates that the action of lending (prestar) is directed toward the person being spoken to. In Spanish, object pronouns like te are typically placed before the conjugated verb, which in this case is puedo.

Why is the verb prestar in its infinitive form after puedo?

In Spanish, modal verbs such as poder (meaning “to be able to” or “can”) are followed by another verb in the infinitive form. Therefore, puedo (“I can”) is paired with prestar (“to lend”) to form the expression “I can lend.”

Why does the conditional clause use the present tense necesitas even though it can refer to a future need?

Spanish conditionals with si (if) typically use the present tense to express a real or likely future condition. Although the situation may occur later, the present tense is the conventional choice for indicating conditions that are possible or expected.

Can the object pronoun te be attached to the end of the infinitive prestar instead of preceding puedo?

Yes, Spanish allows object pronouns to either precede a conjugated verb or be attached to an infinitive. This sentence could alternatively be written as “Puedo prestarte mi diccionario si necesitas buscar palabras nuevas” with the pronoun attached to prestar.

Why is there no definite article before mi diccionario in the sentence?

The possessive adjective mi (my) inherently indicates ownership, so there is no need for a definite article before diccionario. In Spanish, when a noun is preceded by a possessive adjective, it naturally specifies whose item it is without requiring an extra article.

Why does the adjective nuevas come after the noun palabras in the phrase palabras nuevas?

In Spanish, adjectives generally follow the noun they modify unless placed before the noun for emphasis or stylistic reasons. In this case, palabras nuevas follows the standard noun–adjective order, meaning “new words.”

What nuance does the verb prestar convey compared to similar verbs like dar or alquilar?

Prestar specifically means “to lend,” implying that something is given temporarily with the expectation of return. This differs from dar, which means “to give” (often permanently), and alquilar, which means “to rent” (usually involving a payment). Thus, prestar accurately expresses the idea of lending the dictionary for temporary use.