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Vecinos, separen la basura porque estamos reciclando hoy.

Vecinos, separen la basura porque estamos reciclando hoy.
Neighbors, separate the garbage because we are recycling today.
From Lesson 128:Plural formal commands·Spanish (Latin America)

Questions & Answers about Vecinos, separen la basura porque estamos reciclando hoy.

Why is the verb separen instead of separan?
Separen is the command form for ustedes (you all). To give a group command with a regular -ar verb like separar, you swap the normal ending for an -en. The speaker is telling the neighbors to do something, so this command form is required.
Is it too formal to use an ustedes command with your neighbors?
Not in Latin American Spanish! While usted (singular) is formal, the plural ustedes is the standard way to say 'you all' in every situation, whether you are talking to close friends or strangers.
Why use estamos reciclando instead of just reciclamos?
Estamos reciclando is the present progressive tense, combining estar (to be) with the -ndo form of reciclar. Just like in English, this emphasizes that the action is actively going on right now or specifically today.
Why is porque written as one word here?
Written as one word without an accent mark, porque means 'because'. If you see it as two words with an accent (por qué), it means the question word 'why'.

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