Breakdown of No tengo mi servilleta. ¿Me la das?
no
no, not
tener
to have
mi
my
dar
to give
me
to me / me (direct object)
la
it / her (direct object)
la servilleta
the napkin
Questions & Answers about No tengo mi servilleta. ¿Me la das?
Why is it me la das and not la me das?
In Spanish, when you use two pronouns together, the indirect object (who receives it, me) always comes before the direct object (what is being given, la). Since das is a conjugated verb, both pronouns must go immediately before it.
What exactly does the la stand for in this sentence?
The pronoun la means "it" and refers to la servilleta (the napkin). Because servilleta is a feminine noun, you must use the feminine direct object pronoun la.
Why is das translated as "will you give" instead of "do you give"?
In Spanish, the simple present tense is often used to make requests or ask for favors. While ¿Me la das? literally means "Do you give it to me?", it naturally translates to "Will you give it to me?" or "Can you give it to me?" in English.
Could I say ¿Me la puedes dar? instead?
Yes! You can use puedes dar (can you give). If you do, the pronouns can either go before the conjugated verb (¿Me la puedes dar?) or attached to the end of the infinitive (¿Puedes dármela?). But using just the present tense like ¿Me la das? is shorter and very common in casual conversation.
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