Breakdown of Corta la cinta con las tijeras y deja la regla encima de la mesa.
con
with
y
and
la mesa
the table
dejar
to leave
Questions & Answers about Corta la cinta con las tijeras y deja la regla encima de la mesa.
Why is corta used here? Is it a command?
Yes. Corta is the informal singular command form, used when speaking to one person you would address as tú.
So Corta la cinta means Cut the ribbon/tape.
For -ar verbs, the affirmative tú command is usually the same as the él/ella/usted present form:
- cortar → corta
- dejar → deja
So in this sentence, both corta and deja are commands to one person.
Why isn’t the subject tú written?
Because Spanish often omits subject pronouns when they are clear from the verb form or the situation.
Here, since corta and deja are commands, it is obvious that the speaker is talking directly to you (informal singular).
You could say Tú corta..., but that would sound unusual in normal speech unless you were adding emphasis, contrast, or irritation.
What does la cinta mean exactly?