Breakdown of Si terminas de empaquetar la carga, séllamela ahora.
de
from / of
ahora
now
terminar
to finish / to end
me
to me / me (direct object)
la
it / her (direct object)
si
if
empaquetar
to pack (into a package)
la carga
the cargo
sellar
to seal
Questions & Answers about Si terminas de empaquetar la carga, séllamela ahora.
Why are me and la attached to the end of sella to form séllamela?
In Spanish, object pronouns must be attached directly to the end of affirmative commands. Here, sella is the informal affirmative command for the verb seal. We attach the indirect object me (for me) first, followed by the direct object la (it, referring to la carga), creating one single word: séllamela.
Why does séllamela have an accent mark on the first e?
When you attach pronouns to a command, the original spoken stress of the verb does not change. The base command sella is stressed on its first syllable. When we add me and la, that spoken stress stays on the exact same syllable, making it the fourth-to-last syllable of the new, longer word. Spanish spelling rules require a written accent mark on any word stressed on the third-to-last syllable or earlier, so we must write séllamela.
Is the sé in séllamela related to the verbs saber (to know) or ser (to be)?
Not at all. The base verb here is sellar (to seal). The written accent is only there because adding the two pronouns changed the total syllable count, triggering the accent rule for long words. It has absolutely nothing to do with the independent word sé, which means I know or be.
Why do we need the word de after terminas?
The verb terminar requires the preposition de when it is followed by an infinitive verb. The grammatical formula terminar de plus an infinitive, like empaquetar, is the standard way to express finishing an action.
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