Breakdown of Subo al taller a que me ensanchen y lustren las botas.
y
and
las
the (feminine plural)
a
to
al
to the
que
that / than
me
to me / me (direct object)
el taller
the workshop
la bota
the boot
subir
to go up / to rise
lustrar
to polish (to shine shoes, furniture)
ensanchar
to stretch (to widen)
Questions & Answers about Subo al taller a que me ensanchen y lustren las botas.
Why do we use a que here instead of just a plus an infinitive verb?
Because the subject changes. If you were going up to stretch the boots yourself, you would use a plus the infinitive, like subo a ensanchar. But since you are going up so that someone else does the work, you must use a que followed by the subjunctive verbs ensanchen and lustren.
Could I use para que instead of a que in this sentence?
You could, and it would not be grammatically wrong, but a que is the most natural and standard choice after verbs of motion like subir, ir, or venir. It neatly combines the destination preposition a with the purpose marker que.
Why does the English translation say "to have my boots stretched" when there is no verb for "have" in the Spanish sentence?
Why does the sentence use me and las botas instead of just saying mis botas?
When talking about clothing, accessories, or body parts, Spanish prefers the definite article (las) over the possessive adjective (mis). To show that the boots are yours and that you are the one receiving the service, you place the indirect object pronoun me before the verbs.
Learn Subo al taller a que me ensanchen y lustren las botas and more in Spanish
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free