Si te equivocas, borra la línea y vuelve a copiarla.

Questions & Answers about Si te equivocas, borra la línea y vuelve a copiarla.

What does the te in te equivocas do? Why is equivocarse reflexive?

Equivocarse is a pronominal (reflexive) verb meaning to make a mistake. The reflexive pronoun marks that the subject is the one “getting it wrong.”

  • Yo me equivoco, tú te equivocas, él/ella se equivoca, nosotros nos equivocamos, vosotros os equivocáis, ellos se equivocan.
  • Non‑reflexive equivocar exists but is transitive: Equivoqué el número (I got the number wrong), or Equivoqué tu nombre con el de tu hermano (I confused your name with your brother’s).

You’ll also see prepositions with equivocarse:

  • equivocarse de número, de camino (to get the number/way wrong)
  • equivocarse en el cálculo, en la fecha (to make a mistake in the calculation/date)
Why is it Si te equivocas (indicative) and not Si te equivoques (subjunctive)?

After si for real or likely conditions, Spanish uses the present indicative: Si te equivocas… This is the standard way to express a possible, real‑world scenario.

  • Real/likely: Si te equivocas, borra… (If you make a mistake, erase…)
  • More hypothetical/remote: Si te equivocaras/si te equivocas alguna vez, borrarías… (If you were to make a mistake, you would erase…)
  • Note: Subjunctive with si appears in set expressions like ¡Aunque me maten, si lo sabré yo! but not in ordinary real conditions.
  • Also remember: negative commands use the present subjunctive (No te equivoques), but positive commands use the imperative (Equivócate —rare as a standalone—, or here Borra…).
Are borra and vuelve tú commands? How would this change for usted, vosotros, or ustedes in Spain?

Yes, borra and vuelve are affirmative tú imperatives.

  • Usted (formal, singular): Si se equivoca, borre la línea y vuelva a copiarla.
  • Vosotros (informal plural, Spain): Si os equivocáis, borrad la línea y volved a copiarla.
  • Ustedes (formal plural in Spain; general plural in Latin America): Si se equivocan, borren la línea y vuelvan a copiarla.

Note: Spain uses vosotros for informal plural; voseo (vos, equivocás) isn’t used in Spain.

Where do I put the object pronoun with volver a + infinitive? Is vuelve a copiarla the only option?

With affirmative commands plus an infinitive, you have two correct placements:

  • Attach to the infinitive: Vuelve a copiarla (as in the sentence).
  • “Clitic climbing” to the imperative: Vuélvela a copiar.

Both are natural in Spain. Avoid putting the pronoun before an affirmative imperative: La vuelve a copiar is not a command.

Negative commands place the pronoun before:

  • No la vuelvas a copiar / No vuelvas a copiarla.
Why is it copiarla and not copiarlo?

Because la refers back to la línea (feminine singular). Direct object pronouns must agree in gender and number with the noun they replace:

  • la línea → la
  • el texto → lo
  • las líneas → las
  • los textos → los
Could I just repeat the noun instead of using the pronoun? For example, vuelve a copiar la línea.

Yes. Both are correct:

  • Vuelve a copiarla.
  • Vuelve a copiar la línea.

Using the pronoun avoids repeating the noun and sounds natural when the referent is clear.

What does volver a + infinitive mean? Are there alternatives like otra vez or de nuevo?

Volver a + infinitive means to do something again. It’s very common in Spain.

  • Vuelve a copiarla = Copy it again. Alternatives:
  • Cópiala otra vez.
  • Cópiala de nuevo.

All are fine; volver a + infinitive is often the most idiomatic for “again.”

What’s the difference between borrar, tachar, and eliminar?
  • Borrar: erase/delete (pencil marks, whiteboard, text on a screen).
  • Tachar: cross out (draw a line through text on paper).
  • Eliminar/suprimir: delete/remove (more formal/technical, common in computer contexts).

In your sentence, borrar fits best for erasing a written or typed line. If you’re physically putting a line through it on paper, tachar la línea would be more precise.

Why does línea have an accent?
Línea is stressed on the antepenultimate syllable (LÍ-ne-a). Words with stress on the antepenultimate syllable (esdrújulas) always carry a written accent in Spanish. So it must be línea, not linea.
Why si without an accent here? How is it different from sí?
  • si (no accent) = if. Si te equivocas… (If you make a mistake…)
  • sí (accent) = yes, or a reflexive pronoun after a preposition (lo hizo por sí mismo = he did it by himself).

Your sentence uses si = if, so no accent.

Can I say Bórrala instead of Borra la línea?

Yes. With affirmative commands, object pronouns attach to the verb:

  • Borra la línea → Bórrala.

Note the accent to keep the stress: bó-rrala. Similarly: Cópiala, Vuélvela a copiar.

Is recopiar a valid way to say “copy again”?

You may see recopiar in some dictionaries or contexts, but it’s uncommon in everyday Spanish in Spain. The natural choices are:

  • volver a copiar
  • copiar otra vez
  • copiar de nuevo

Stick with those in general use.

Why is there a comma after Si te equivocas?

When the si‑clause (condition) comes first, Spanish uses a comma before the main clause:

  • Si te equivocas, borra…

If the main clause comes first, no comma is needed:

  • Borra la línea si te equivocas.
Do I need the preposition a after vuelve?

Yes. The structure is volver a + infinitive to mean do again:

  • Vuelve a copiarla (correct) Not: Vuelve copiarla (incorrect)
AI Language TutorTry it ↗
What's the best way to learn Spanish grammar?
Spanish grammar becomes intuitive with practice. Focus on understanding the core patterns first — how sentences are structured, how verbs change form, and how words relate to each other. Our course breaks these concepts into small lessons so you can build understanding step by step.

Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor

Start learning Spanish

Master Spanish — from Si te equivocas, borra la línea y vuelve a copiarla to fluency

All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods.

  • Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
  • Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
  • Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
  • AI tutor to answer your grammar questions