ELONIO
Log inSign up

Tira ese papel al cesto, por favor.

Tira ese papel al cesto, por favor.
Throw that paper into the wastebasket, please.
FromLesson 81inHardcore Spanish (Spain)

Questions & Answers about Tira ese papel al cesto, por favor.

Why is it tira and not tiras or tire?

Tira is the informal singular command (the tú imperative) of tirar.

  • (Tú) tira = Throw
  • (Usted) tire = Throw (formal singular)
  • Tiras is you throw in the present tense, not a command.

So Tira ese papel... is what you say to one person you address as tú.

What does tirar mean here?

Here tirar means to throw away / to put in the bin.

Depending on context, tirar can mean:

  • to throw
  • to toss
  • to throw away

In this sentence, because of al cesto, it clearly means throw it into the bin/basket rather than just throw it somewhere.

Why does the sentence use ese?

Ese means that and agrees with papel, which is masculine singular.

Spanish demonstratives:

  • este = this
  • ese = that
  • aquel = that over there

So:

  • este papel = this paper
  • ese papel = that paper
  • aquel papel = that paper over there

In this sentence, ese papel points to a specific piece of paper not right next to the speaker.

Why is it papel and not papeles?

Because the sentence is talking about one piece of paper.

  • ese papel = that paper
  • esos papeles = those papers

In Spanish, papel is a normal countable noun here, so singular and plural work much like in English.

What does al mean?

Al is the contraction of a + el.

  • a = to / into
  • el = the
  • a el becomes al

So:

  • al cesto = to the basket/bin

This contraction is required in standard Spanish whenever a is followed by the masculine singular article el.

Why is it al cesto and not en el cesto?

Al cesto focuses on movement toward a destination: into/to the bin.

  • Tira ese papel al cesto = Throw that paper into the bin
  • Está en el cesto = It is in the bin

A simple way to remember it:

  • a / al often goes with movement
  • en often goes with location

With verbs like tirar, echar, meter, Spanish often uses a / al to show where something is being directed.

Is cesto the normal word for bin in Spain?

It can be understood, but in Spain people very often say papelera for a wastebasket/bin, especially indoors.

Common options:

  • cesto = basket; sometimes bin depending on context
  • papelera = wastepaper basket / bin
  • cubo de basura = trash can/bin
  • basura = garbage/trash, not the container itself

So Tira ese papel al cesto is understandable, but Tira ese papel a la papelera may sound more natural in many situations in Spain.

Why isn’t there a word for it, like Throw it in the bin?

Because Spanish can express the idea directly with the noun:

  • Tira ese papel al cesto = Throw that paper in the bin

If you wanted to use a pronoun, you could say:

  • Tíralo al cesto = Throw it in the bin

Here:

Both are correct, but the version with ese papel is more explicit.

Why is there no subject pronoun like tú?

Spanish often omits subject pronouns because the verb form already shows who the subject is.

  • Tira already tells you it is a tú command.
  • So (Tú) tira ese papel al cesto is possible, but usually just Tira ese papel al cesto sounds more natural.

Spanish uses subject pronouns mainly for:

  • emphasis
  • contrast
  • clarity
What is the role of por favor, and where can it go?

Por favor means please.

It can appear in different positions:

  • Tira ese papel al cesto, por favor.
  • Por favor, tira ese papel al cesto.
  • Tira, por favor, ese papel al cesto.

The most common positions are at the beginning or end. Putting it at the end sounds very natural and polite.

How is cesto pronounced in Spain?

In most of Spain, c before e is pronounced like the th in think.

So cesto is approximately:

  • THES-toh in most of Spain

In many Latin American accents, it is pronounced:

  • SES-toh

This is a standard pronunciation difference between Spain and much of Latin America.

Would this sentence sound rude without por favor?

Not necessarily rude, but more direct.

Tone of voice and context matter a lot. Among family or close friends, the version without por favor may sound completely normal. In more polite situations, por favor is a good idea.

AI Language TutorTry it ↗
Your avatar
“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 Tira ese papel al cesto, por favor to fluency

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

  • ✓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
Start learning Spanish →