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Traigo la fotocopia y también otra fotocopia por si acaso.

Traigo la fotocopia y también otra fotocopia por si acaso.
I bring the photocopy and also another photocopy just in case.
FromLesson 38inHardcore Spanish (Spain)
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Breakdown of Traigo la fotocopia y también otra fotocopia por si acaso.

yo
I
también
also
y
and
traer
to bring
.
period
otro
another
por si acaso
just in case
la fotocopia
the photocopy

Questions & Answers about Traigo la fotocopia y también otra fotocopia por si acaso.

Why is it traigo (present tense) if the meaning is “I’m bringing / I’ll bring”?
In Spanish, the present tense often covers actions that are happening now or are part of what you’re doing “around now,” including immediate future plans. So Traigo… can naturally mean “I’m bringing…” (on my way / as I arrive) and in context it can also be understood as “I’ll bring…” if you’re talking about what you’re going to bring to an appointment happening right away.
What’s the difference between traer and llevar here?

In Spain, the basic contrast is:

  • traer = bring toward the speaker or the listener / the place of the conversation (or where you’re heading to meet them)
  • llevar = take/bring away from the speaker / to some other place
    So you’d typically say Traigo la fotocopia when you’re coming to the person or to the relevant location with it. If you were taking it elsewhere (not “to you”), you might say Llevo la fotocopia.
Why does Spanish omit I (the subject) in this sentence?
Because the verb form traigo already marks the subject as yo. Spanish is a “pro-drop” language, so subject pronouns are often omitted unless you need emphasis or contrast (e.g., Yo traigo la fotocopia, pero tú traes el DNI).
Why is it la fotocopia (the photocopy) and not una fotocopia (a photocopy)?
La suggests a specific photocopy that both people know about (the one that was requested or discussed). If it’s not previously known or it’s just “a photocopy,” then una fotocopia fits better.
Why does the second part say otra fotocopia without an article like una?

In Spanish, otro/otra + noun often works without an article: otra fotocopia = “another photocopy.”
You can say una otra fotocopia, but that’s uncommon and usually sounds unnatural in everyday Spanish (Spain).

What exactly does otra mean here—“other” or “another”?

Here otra means “another (additional) one.”
Spanish otro/otra can mean:

  • another (an extra one): otra fotocopia
  • other / different (contrasting item): en otra carpeta = “in a different folder”
    Context decides which reading is intended.
What is por si acaso doing grammatically, and does it require the subjunctive?

Por si acaso is a fixed expression meaning “just in case.” On its own (as here), it doesn’t trigger any verb mood because there’s no verb after it.
Related structure: por si + verb often uses the present subjunctive in Spain in many contexts (though usage varies):

  • Traigo otra fotocopia por si acaso la necesitas / por si la necesitaras (both can be heard; exact preference depends on region/speaker and the time frame).
Is también necessary? Could I just say Traigo la fotocopia y otra fotocopia?

You can omit también and the sentence is still correct. También adds the idea of “in addition,” making the “extra photocopy” feel more explicitly like an added precaution:

  • Traigo la fotocopia y otra fotocopia = I bring the photocopy and another one
  • Traigo la fotocopia y también otra fotocopia = I bring the photocopy and also another one (emphasizes the addition)
Could I avoid repeating fotocopia the second time?

Yes, Spanish often drops the repeated noun when it’s obvious:

  • Traigo la fotocopia y también otra, por si acaso.
    This is very natural in speech. Repeating fotocopia is fine too; it can sound slightly more explicit/careful.
Would a native speaker in Spain say copia instead of fotocopia?

Often, yes. Fotocopia is very clear and specific (a photocopy), but in many everyday contexts people shorten to copia when it’s obvious what kind of copy it is:

  • Traigo la copia y otra por si acaso.
    Both are normal; fotocopia can sound a bit more formal/precise.
Where would object pronouns go if I wanted to say “I’m bringing it to you”?

You’d normally add them before the verb:

  • Te traigo la fotocopia y también otra por si acaso. = I’m bringing you the photocopy and another one just in case.
    Or, if you use an infinitive/gerund, they can attach to the end (not applicable here because traigo is a conjugated verb).
How is this pronounced in Spain, especially fotocopia and por si acaso?

Approximate (Spain) pronunciation:

  • Traigo: TRY-go (with a tapped r)
  • fotocopia: fo-to-KO-pya (stress on -co-)
  • por si acaso: por see a-KA-so
    Also, in much of Spain, c before i/e is pronounced like th in think, so fotocopia has that th-like sound in -cia.

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