Question 1

Why does corte end in an "-e" if the verb is cortar?

Accepted Answer

This is how you give a formal (usted) command! For regular verbs ending in -ar (like cortar, meaning "to cut"), the formal command swaps the typical "a" vowel for an "e". So, cortar becomes corte.

Question 2

How would this sentence change if I were giving the instruction to a friend?

Accepted Answer

If you were speaking to someone informally (using tú), the command would be corta. The sentence would become: Corta la cebolla con ese cuchillo. For regular affirmative tú commands, you simply use the same form as the standard "he/she/it" present tense.

Question 3

I learned that "that" is eso. Why does this sentence use ese cuchillo instead of eso cuchillo?

Accepted Answer

This is a very common mix-up! You use ese when describing a specific masculine noun, like cuchillo (knife). You only use eso when talking about an abstract idea, a situation, or an unidentified object (like asking "What is that?"). Since we know exactly what the object is here, we use ese.

Question 4

What if I wanted to say "with this knife" instead of "that knife"?

Accepted Answer

You would use este instead of ese. The phrase would be con este cuchillo. A helpful trick for remembering the difference between the two is the rhyme: "This and these have the T's, that and those don't."

Corte la cebolla con ese cuchillo.

Breakdown of Corte la cebolla con ese cuchillo.

Questions & Answers about Corte la cebolla con ese cuchillo.

Learn Corte la cebolla con ese cuchillo and more in Spanish