Breakdown of Distribuyen los paquetes apilando las cajas.
la caja
box
el paquete
the package
distribuir
to distribute (allocate, arrange)
apilar
to stack
Questions & Answers about Distribuyen los paquetes apilando las cajas.
In English we might say "by stacking the boxes". Why doesn't the Spanish sentence have a word for "by"?
In Spanish, the simple gerund (the -ando or -iendo form) is often used all by itself to explain how or by what method an action is done. Here, apilando directly means "by stacking." You don't need to—and actually shouldn't—add a preposition like por before it.
Why does distribuyen have a "y" in it?
The infinitive is distribuir (to distribute). In Spanish, verbs ending in -uir (like construir or huir) add a y in the present tense for all forms except we and you all (nosotros and vosotros). Since the subject is they (ellos/ellas), the spelling changes to distribuyen to keep the pronunciation smooth.
Could I change the word order and put apilando las cajas at the beginning?
What is the difference between paquetes and cajas here?
A paquete is a general package or parcel (which could be a soft mailer, something wrapped in paper, etc.), whereas a caja is specifically a rigid box. This sentence paints a specific picture: they are managing the general parcels (paquetes) by physically stacking up the boxes (cajas).
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