Question 1

Why is the word for "go out" here just sal? Don't informal commands usually end in a vowel?

Accepted Answer

You are right that most affirmative tú (informal "you") commands just use the regular present tense él/ella form, which ends in a vowel. However, the verb salir (to go out / to leave) has an irregular command form. Instead of ending in a vowel, it is simply sal.

Question 2

Is this sal the same word as the Spanish word for "salt"?

Accepted Answer

They are spelled and pronounced exactly the same way, but they are completely different words! La sal is a noun meaning "salt", while the sal in this sentence is the command form of the verb salir. You can always tell which one it is based on the context of the sentence.

Question 3

Why is there an a in between empezar and actuar?

Accepted Answer

In Spanish, certain verbs require a specific preposition to connect them to the next action. Empezar (to start / to begin) is a very common one. Whenever you say you are starting to do something, you must use the formula empezar a followed by an infinitive verb (in this case, actuar).

Question 4

Why aren't empezar or actuar conjugated to match "you"?

Accepted Answer

When you string verbs together into a single phrase in Spanish, only the first acting verb is conjugated. Here, tienes is already conjugated for tú (you). The phrase tienes que (you have to) is always followed by a dictionary-form infinitive verb, which gives us empezar. Then, because empezar a also requires an infinitive, we leave actuar unconjugated as well.

Sal ahora, tienes que empezar a actuar.

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