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Señora, mezcle la ensalada.

Señora, mezcle la ensalada.
Ma'am, mix the salad.
From Lesson 67:Affirmative commands·Spanish (Latin America)

Breakdown of Señora, mezcle la ensalada.

la señora
Mrs. / ma'am / lady
la ensalada
salad
mezclar
to mix

Questions & Answers about Señora, mezcle la ensalada.

Why is the verb mezcle instead of mezcla?
Because you are talking to a Señora (Ma'am), you need to use the formal usted form for the command. For regular -ar verbs like mezclar (to mix), the formal command ending swaps the usual -a for an -e. So, mezcla is for tú (informal), and mezcle is for usted (formal).
Wait, don't regular -ar verbs normally use an -a for usted?
Yes, in normal present tense statements! When you state a fact like You mix, it is usted mezcla. But when you are giving a command or instruction, the rule changes. Formal commands use a swapped vowel: -ar verbs take an -e ending, while -er and -ir verbs take an -a ending.
The sentence says mezcle, but shouldn't it be mezcle usted to be polite?
You do not have to include the word usted. Just like in English where we say Mix the salad instead of You mix the salad, Spanish usually drops the pronoun in commands. The -e ending on mezcle, plus the respectful word Señora, already makes it polite and clear who you are talking to.
Could I just use the dictionary form and say Señora, mezclar la ensalada?
No, using the infinitive (mezclar) when speaking directly to a person sounds unnatural, like reading a generic instruction printed on a recipe box. When telling someone to do something face-to-face, you must use the proper command form.

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