Breakdown of Voy a desechar esta computadora porque siempre se traba.
la computadora
the computer
siempre
always
ir
to go
a
to
porque
because
esta
this (feminine)
trabarse
to freeze (e.g. computers) / to get stuck
desechar
to throw away / to discard (as trash)
Questions & Answers about Voy a desechar esta computadora porque siempre se traba.
Why use se traba here for a computer freezing? Can I use se congela?
Trabarse is the most common and natural way in Latin America to say a device, computer, or app gets stuck, hangs, or crashes. While congelarse literally means to freeze like ice and is sometimes understood in a tech context due to English influence, trabarse or quedarse trabado is much more widely used for technology that stops responding.
What is the difference between desechar, botar, and tirar?
They all mean to throw away or dispose of something. Desechar is a bit more formal, akin to discarding or scrapping an item, which works well for electronics. In everyday casual conversation in Latin America, you will hear botar or tirar a la basura used very frequently for throwing things out.
How would the meaning change if I used this lesson's focus, y eso que, instead of porque?
It would completely change the logic of the sentence. Porque gives the reason for throwing the computer away. If you used y eso que, it introduces a surprising contrast, meaning even though or and to think that. For example, No voy a desechar esta computadora, y eso que siempre se traba means I am not going to throw away this computer, even though it always freezes.
Why is trabar reflexive (se traba) in this sentence?
The non-reflexive verb trabar means to block, jam, or hinder something else. By making it reflexive (trabarse), it describes an event that happens to the subject itself without an outside actor being specified. The computer jams or freezes on its own. This is a very common way to use reflexive pronouns to show involuntary actions or changes of state.
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