Question 1

Why is the pronoun nos placed before dejó instead of attached to descansar?

Accepted Answer

In causative constructions—when a verb like dejar (to let) or hacer (to make) is followed directly by an infinitive—the object pronoun belongs before the conjugated verb. It is said as nos dejó descansar. Unlike with regular verb pairs (such as queremos descansar / queremos descansarnos), you generally do not attach the pronoun to the infinitive in these causative structures.

Question 2

I originally learned that dejar means "to leave". Why is it translated as "didn't let" here?

Accepted Answer

Dejar does mean "to leave" when you are talking about leaving an object somewhere or leaving someone alone. However, when you use the structure dejar + infinitive (like dejar descansar), it means "to let" or "to allow" someone to do an action.

Question 3

Why does this sentence start with como to mean "since" instead of using porque?

Accepted Answer

In Spanish, when you want to say "because" or "since" at the very beginning of a sentence to set up a reason, you must use como. You generally cannot start a statement with porque; porque is used in the middle of a sentence to explain a reason.

Question 4

Why do we use the imperfect estábamos but the preterite dejó?

Accepted Answer

Estábamos cansados is in the imperfect tense because it describes an ongoing background state or condition in the past (how they were feeling). The preterite dejó is used because the coach's refusal to let them rest was a specific, completed event that happened during that background state.

Como estábamos cansados, el entrenador no nos dejó descansar.

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