Si la etiqueta dice que la prenda no se puede planchar, es mejor llevarla a la lavandería.

If the label says that the garment cannot be ironed, it is better to take it to the laundromat.

Breakdown of Si la etiqueta dice que la prenda no se puede planchar, es mejor llevarla a la lavandería.

• ser: to be
• a: to
• que: that
• poder: can

Questions & Answers about Si la etiqueta dice que la prenda no se puede planchar, es mejor llevarla a la lavandería.

Why does the sentence start with Si?

Si means if and introduces a condition:

Si la etiqueta dice... = If the label says...

This is a very common pattern in Spanish:

• Si hace frío, me pongo un abrigo.
• Si tienes tiempo, llámame.

In this sentence, both verbs are in the present because it expresses a real, general situation: if the label says that, then this is the best thing to do.

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Why is it la etiqueta dice que? What is que doing here?

Que means that and links the two parts of the sentence.

• La etiqueta dice = The label says
• que la prenda no se puede planchar = that the garment cannot be ironed

So:

La etiqueta dice que... = The label says that...

Just like in English, Spanish often uses que after verbs like decir, pensar, creer, etc.

• Dice que viene mañana. = He/She says that he/she is coming tomorrow.

In English, that is often optional, but in Spanish que is normally required here.

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What exactly does prenda mean?