To express that two things happen at the same time—or that one action instantly triggers another—use al followed by an infinitive. This translates to "upon [doing something]" or "when [doing something]."
| Upon opening the chest, you activate the trap. | Al abrir el cofre, activas la trampa. |
| Upon using the key, you unlock the portal. | Al usar la llave, desbloqueas el portal. |
The verb following al stays in the infinitive. The sentence's main verb establishes the subject and tense.
| Upon backing up, the boy used the shield. | Al retroceder, el niño usó el escudo. |
| Upon jumping the pit, she dropped the sword. | Al saltar el pozo, ella tiró la espada. |
Direct object pronouns (like lo or la) for the main action behave normally, coming just before the conjugated verb.
| Upon seeing the shield, you activate it. | Al ver el escudo, lo activas. |
| Upon seeing the enemy, you dodge him. | Al ver al enemigo, lo esquivas. |
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