Breakdown of A t-shirt está na montra. Posso experimentá-la?
estar
to be (temporary / location)
na
in the / on the / at the (f.sg)
poder
can / may (verb)
a t-shirt
the T-shirt
Questions & Answers about A t-shirt está na montra. Posso experimentá-la?
Why does the verb change to experimentá-la instead of experimentar-a?
This happens because of the rule for attaching direct object pronouns to verbs ending in -r, -s, or -z. Since the verb experimentar (to try on) ends in an -r, we drop the -r and change the attached pronoun a (it) to -la.
Why is there an accent mark added to the 'a' in experimentá-la?
When we drop the -r from experimentar, the spelling changes, but the spoken stress needs to stay exactly where it was. Adding the acute accent (á) ensures we still pronounce that syllable strongly, just like we do at the end of the full infinitive verb.
How do we know to use -la instead of -lo here?
Does experimentar always mean "to try on" clothes?
Not always! It is a very useful verb that generally means "to try" or "to experience". Depending on the context, you can use it to try on clothes, taste a new food, or try out a new activity.