Question 1

How does the meaning change if I just say vi cómo desordenaron el balcón instead of using dejaron ... desordenado?

Accepted Answer

Using the verb dejar followed by a past participle (desordenado) emphasizes the resulting state of the balcony. While desordenaron just focuses on the action of making a mess, dejaron el balcón desordenado highlights the consequence: they left it in a messed-up state.

Question 2

Why is it desordenado and not desordenados if dejaron is plural?

Accepted Answer

In this structure, the past participle desordenado functions as an adjective describing the direct object, which is el balcón. Since el balcón is masculine and singular, desordenado must match it, regardless of the fact that multiple people (dejaron) did the action.

Question 3

Why use the preterite Estuve instead of the imperfect Estaba for saying I was there?

Accepted Answer

Both are correct here, but they have different nuances. Using Estuve treats your time there as a completed, closed event. It sounds like you went, stayed for a defined period, and left. If you used Estaba, you would be setting a background scene, like saying you were hanging out there when something else happened.

Question 4

Why does cómo have an accent mark when this isn't a direct question?

Accepted Answer

Question words like cómo, qué, and dónde keep their written accent marks in indirect questions or exclamations. In this sentence, cómo introduces an indirect exclamation about the manner of what you saw, so it requires the accent.

Estuve allí y vi cómo dejaron el balcón desordenado.

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