Breakdown of ¿Puedes pagar trece dólares, por favor?
el dólar
the dollar
pagar
to pay
poder
to be able to / can
por favor
please
trece
thirteen
Questions & Answers about ¿Puedes pagar trece dólares, por favor?
Is there a pattern for the number trece and other early teen numbers?
Yes! The numbers 11 through 15 all end in -ce. They are once (11), doce (12), trece (13), catorce (14), and quince (15).
Why is the verb pagar (to pay) in its full dictionary form here?
Because it comes right after the conjugated verb puedes (can you). When you use two verbs together like this to express a single idea, the second one stays in its base form (the infinitive). Just like in English, you wouldn't say 'can you pays', you say 'can you pay' (puedes pagar).
How do I know puedes means 'can you?' as a question, rather than just the statement 'you can'?
In Spanish, you can turn a regular statement into a yes/no question just by changing your tone of voice (going up at the end) and adding the upside-down and regular question marks. The word puedes works perfectly for both 'you can' and 'can you?'.
Why does dólares have an accent mark over the 'o'?
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