Breakdown of Vengo al zapatero a que me arregle el tacón.
a
to
al
to the
venir
to come
que
that / than
me
to me / me (direct object)
arreglar
to fix
el zapatero
the cobbler
el tacón
the heel
Questions & Answers about Vengo al zapatero a que me arregle el tacón.
Why do we use a que here instead of para que?
Why can't I just use the infinitive and say a arreglar?
You would use a + infinitive if the subject remained the same throughout the sentence. For example, Vengo a arreglar el tacón means I am coming to fix the heel myself. Because there is a change in subject—you are coming, but the cobbler is fixing—you must use a que followed by a conjugated verb in the subjunctive (arregle).
The translation says "to have him fix". Where is the verb for "to have" in the Spanish sentence?
Spanish rarely uses a direct equivalent of the English causative structure "to have someone do something." Instead, it conveys this idea using a purpose clause. Vengo a que me arregle el tacón literally means "I come so that he fixes the heel for me." This a que + subjunctive structure is the most natural way to express getting a service done.
Why does the sentence use el tacón instead of mi tacón for "my heel"?
Just like with body parts, Spanish prefers definite articles (el, la, los, las) over possessive adjectives (mi, tu, etc.) for items of clothing or personal accessories when the owner is obvious. The indirect object pronoun me right before the verb already shows that he is fixing it for you, making it entirely clear whose heel it is.
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