Word
Como pierdas la apuesta, te echarás a temblar.
Meaning
If you lose the bet, you will suddenly start shaking.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Breakdown of Como pierdas la apuesta, te echarás a temblar.
perder
to lose
temblar
to shake
echarse a
to burst out / to start (sudden reaction)
como
if (as a warning/threat)
Questions & Answers about Como pierdas la apuesta, te echarás a temblar.
Why use te echarás a temblar instead of just empezarás a temblar?
The structure echarse a + infinitive is used to show that an action starts suddenly and often uncontrollably. While empezarás a temblar just means "you will start shaking," te echarás a temblar emphasizes the sudden, overwhelming onset of the shaking.
Why is the pronoun te used here? Couldn't we just say echarás a temblar?
No, you need the pronoun here. The non-reflexive echar a + infinitive is generally reserved for verbs of physical motion across space, like correr (to run) or volar (to fly). For emotional or physiological reactions like crying, laughing, or shaking (temblar), you must use the pronominal form echarse a.
Why does the sentence use Como pierdas instead of Si pierdes?
Using como followed by the subjunctive is a conversational way to set up a condition that acts as a warning or a threat. Si pierdes is a neutral "if you lose," whereas Como pierdas sounds more like a threatening "If you happen to lose...".
We learned not to use the present subjunctive for "if" clauses. Why is pierdas in the subjunctive here?