About This Lesson
Use Borrowing a charger and adapter to practice Spanish conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
¿Puedo pedir prestado un cargador?
PWEH-doh peh-DEER prehs-TAH-doh oon kahr-gah-DOHR Is there a charger I can borrow?
B
Usa el que está junto a mi portátil.
OO-sah ehl keh ehs-TAH HOON-toh ah mee pohr-TAHL Use the one beside my laptop.
A
¿También necesito este adaptador?
tahm-BYEHN neh-seh-SEE-toh EHS-teh ah-dahp-tah-DOHR Do I need this adapter too?
B
Úsalo si tu enchufe no encaja.
OO-sah-loh see too en-CHOO-feh noh en-KAH-hah Use it if your plug does not fit.
A
¿Llegará el cable hasta la mesa?
yeh-gah-RAH ehl KAH-bleh AHS-tah lah MEH-sah Will the cable reach the table?
B
Llega si te sientas cerca de la pared.
YEH-gah see teh SYEHN-tahs SEHR-kah deh lah pah-REHD It reaches if you sit near the wall.
A
Volveré a poner todo en su sitio cuando termine.
bohl-beh-REH ah poh-NEHR TOH-doh en soo SEE-tyoh KWAHN-doh tehr-MEE-neh I will put everything back when I finish.
B
Déjalo en mi escritorio para que pueda encontrarlo.
DEH-hah-loh en mee ehs-kree-TOH-ryoh PAH-rah keh PWEH-dah en-kohn-TRAHR-loh Leave it on my desk so I can find it.Word by Word
Puedo
In «Puedo pedir prestado un cargador?», «Puedo» means “can I?” and asks whether the speaker may borrow something. It is used before an action, as in «Puedo usarlo?» for a new example. In this dialogue, it expresses permission or possibility.
pedir
In «pedir prestado», «pedir» means “ask for” in the sense of requesting something to borrow. The complete expression «pedir prestado» is used for borrowing an object. You can reuse it with another object, as in «pedir prestado un libro» for a new example.
prestado
In «pedir prestado un cargador», «prestado» describes the charger as something borrowed or taken on loan. It contributes this borrowed meaning together with «pedir», not by itself as the whole request. The pattern «pedir prestado un...» can be reused with another object.
un
In «un cargador», «un» means “a” and introduces one charger that is not yet specifically identified. It appears directly before the masculine singular noun «cargador». You can reuse «un» before a singular object when referring to one item.
cargador
In «un cargador», «cargador» means “charger”, the item the speaker wants to borrow. It is used after «un» in this dialogue. You can use it when asking for or discussing a charger in a shared space.
Usa
In «Usa el que está junto a mi portátil», «Usa» tells the other person to use something. It is a direct instruction addressed to one person. You can reuse «Usa» before an object or object phrase, as in «Usa esta silla» for a new example.
el
In «el que está junto a mi portátil», «el» means “the” and helps refer to the specific charger being indicated. Together with «que está junto a mi portátil», it means “the one that is beside my laptop.” It appears before «que» in this identifying expression.
que
In «el que está junto a mi portátil», «que» introduces the information identifying which item is meant: the one located beside the laptop. It links «el» with «está junto a mi portátil». You can reuse «el que...» when selecting one item from several, as in «el que está aquí» for a new example.
está
In «que está junto a mi portátil», «está» says that the charger is located beside the laptop. It describes the item's position in this dialogue. A useful reuse pattern is «está junto a...» when saying that something is next to another thing.
junto
In «junto a mi portátil», «junto» contributes the meaning “beside” or “next to”. The complete expression «junto a» describes the location of one thing in relation to another. You can reuse «junto a...» with a place or object for a new example.
a
In «junto a mi portátil», «a» is part of the expression «junto a», meaning “beside” or “next to”. It connects «junto» with the thing used as the location reference. Keep it in the pattern «junto a...» when describing something nearby.
mi
In «mi portátil», «mi» means “my” and identifies the laptop as belonging to the speaker. It comes directly before the noun «portátil». You can reuse «mi» before a singular possession, as in «mi mesa» for a new example.
portátil
In «mi portátil», «portátil» means “laptop”. The phrase identifies the laptop next to which the charger is located. You can use «portátil» when referring to a laptop in a shared space or while working.
También
In «También necesito este adaptador», «También» means “also” or “too” and adds the adapter to the charger already being discussed. It appears at the beginning of the question to add another item. You can reuse «También necesito...» when asking whether one more thing is needed.
necesito
In «También necesito este adaptador», «necesito» means “I need”. It states that the speaker requires the adapter as well. A useful pattern is «necesito» followed by an object, as in «necesito ayuda» for a new example.
este
In «este adaptador», «este» means “this” and points to a specific adapter near the speaker or already being indicated. It comes before «adaptador». You can reuse «este» before a singular masculine noun when identifying one nearby item.
adaptador
In «este adaptador», «adaptador» means “adapter”, the additional item that may be needed if the plug does not fit. It is identified by «este» in the question. You can use it when discussing an adapter for a plug or charger.
Úsalo
In «Úsalo si tu enchufe no encaja», «Úsalo» means “use it”. It combines the instruction «Usa» with «lo», which refers to the adapter mentioned just before. You can reuse «Úsalo» when telling one person to use a previously mentioned object.
si
In «si tu enchufe no encaja», «si» means “if” and introduces the condition under which the adapter should be used. It connects the condition to the instruction «Úsalo». You can reuse «si» before a condition, as in «si tienes tiempo» for a new example.
tu
In «tu enchufe», «tu» means “your” and identifies the plug as belonging to the person being addressed. It comes before «enchufe». You can reuse «tu» before a singular noun when referring to something belonging to the listener.
enchufe
In «tu enchufe», «enchufe» means “plug”. Here it is the plug that may or may not fit the adapter. You can use «enchufe» when discussing connecting electrical equipment.
no
In «no encaja», «no» makes the statement negative: the plug does not fit. It appears directly before «encaja». You can reuse «no» before a verb to say that an action or condition does not occur.
encaja
In «tu enchufe no encaja», «encaja» means “fits”, referring to whether the plug fits the connection. The negative «no» changes it to “does not fit” in this dialogue. A useful pattern is «X encaja» when checking whether one item fits another.
Llegará
In «¿Llegará el cable hasta la mesa?», «Llegará» asks whether the cable will reach the table. It presents the reaching as something to determine about the situation. You can reuse «¿Llegará...?» when checking whether something can extend to a place.
cable
In «el cable», «cable» means “cable”, the item whose length is being checked. It is introduced with «el» because the cable is specific in the situation. You can use «cable» when discussing whether a connection can reach an outlet or table.
hasta
In «hasta la mesa», «hasta» means “as far as” and marks the endpoint the cable may reach. Together with «la mesa», it specifies the table as that endpoint. You can reuse «hasta» before a place when describing how far something extends.
la
In «la mesa», «la» means “the” and introduces the specific table mentioned in the question. It appears directly before «mesa». You can reuse «la» before a specific singular noun when referring to an identified object or place.
mesa
In «la mesa», «mesa» means “table”, the place the cable may reach. It is the endpoint marked by «hasta». You can use «mesa» when referring to a table in a room or shared workspace.
Llega
In «Llega si te sientas cerca de la pared», «Llega» means “it reaches”, referring back to the cable. It states that the cable reaches under the condition that the person sits near the wall. You can reuse «Llega...» to say that something reaches a particular point or works from a particular position.
te
In «te sientas cerca de la pared», «te» refers to the person being addressed and works with «sientas» in the action “you sit”. Together, «te sientas» means “you sit” in this condition. Keep «te» with the verb when using this pattern for the person addressed.
sientas
In «si te sientas cerca de la pared», «sientas» supplies the action “sit” for the person being addressed. Together with «te», it forms the condition “if you sit”. You can reuse the pattern «si te sientas cerca de...» when describing a position that affects the situation.
cerca
In «cerca de la pared», «cerca» means “near” and describes the person's position in relation to the wall. The complete expression «cerca de» is used to name what something is near. You can reuse «cerca de...» with a place or object.
de
In «cerca de la pared», «de» is part of the expression «cerca de», meaning “near”. It connects «cerca» with the reference point «la pared». Keep it in the pattern «cerca de...» when describing proximity.
pared
In «la pared», «pared» means “wall”, the reference point for where the person sits. The phrase «cerca de la pared» means “near the wall”. You can use «pared» when describing a position or location in a room.
Volveré
In «Volveré a poner todo en su sitio», «Volveré» contributes the meaning “I will put back” together with «a poner». The complete expression «volveré a poner» says that the speaker will return the items to their place. You can reuse «volveré a...» when promising to do an action again or return something to a previous state.
poner
In «Volveré a poner todo en su sitio», «poner» means “put”. Together with «volveré a», it describes putting everything back in its place. You can reuse «poner» before an object and a location, as in «poner el libro en la mesa» for a new example.
todo
In «todo en su sitio», «todo» means “everything” and refers to all the borrowed items as a group. It is the object of «poner» in «volveré a poner todo». You can reuse «todo» when referring to all relevant things together.
en
In «en su sitio», «en» means “in” and introduces the place or position where everything will be put. The expression «en su sitio» means “in its place”. You can reuse «en» before a location when saying where something is or should be placed.
su
In «su sitio», «su» identifies the place as belonging with or assigned to everything being returned. The complete phrase «en su sitio» means “in its place” in this dialogue. You can reuse «su» before a singular noun when referring to something associated with another person or thing.
sitio
In «en su sitio», «sitio» means “place” or “position”. The phrase describes the proper location where the items should be returned. You can reuse «en su sitio» when saying that an object is or should be in its proper place.
cuando
In «cuando termine», «cuando» means “when” and introduces the time at which the speaker will put everything back. It connects the future action with the speaker's finishing. You can reuse «cuando...» to introduce the time of another action.
termine
In «cuando termine», «termine» means “I finish” and identifies the event that comes before the items are put back. In this dialogue, the speaker says they will do it when their work or activity is finished. You can reuse «cuando termine» when stating what you will do after finishing something.
Déjalo
In «Déjalo en mi escritorio», «Déjalo» means “leave it”. It combines the instruction «Deja» with «lo», referring to the item being discussed. You can reuse «Déjalo» when telling one person where to leave a previously mentioned object.
escritorio
In «mi escritorio», «escritorio» means “desk”, the location where the item should be left. The phrase «en mi escritorio» means “on my desk”. You can use «escritorio» when giving a place where someone should leave or find an object.
para
In «para que pueda encontrarlo», «para» contributes the purpose meaning “so that”. Together with «que pueda encontrarlo», it explains why the item should be left on the desk. You can reuse the pattern «para que...» when stating the purpose of an action.
pueda
In «para que pueda encontrarlo», «pueda» means “can” and expresses the speaker's ability to find the item. Together with «para que», it gives the purpose: so that I can find it. You can reuse «para que pueda...» to explain that an action makes something possible for the speaker.
encontrarlo
In «pueda encontrarlo», «encontrarlo» means “find it”. It combines «encontrar», “to find”, with «lo», referring to the item that should be left on the desk. You can reuse «encontrar...» with an object when saying what you want or need to find.
Grammar Points
poder + infinitivo
Puedo usar el cargador.
PWEH-doh oo-SAHR ehl kahr-gah-DOHRI can use the charger.
Use poder followed by an infinitive to express ability or permission. The infinitive stays unchanged.
volver a + infinitivo
Volveré a poner todo en su sitio.
bohl-beh-REH ah poh-NEHR TOH-doh en soo SEE-tyohI will put everything back in its place.
Volver a + infinitive means to do something again. The verb volver changes for the subject and tense.
Spanish Vocabulary
adaptador
noun
ah-dahp-tah-DOHR
adapter
¿También necesito este adaptador?
cargador
noun
kahr-gah-DOHR
charger
¿Puedo pedir prestado un cargador?
encajar
verb
en-kah-HAHR
to fit
encaja
Úsalo si tu enchufe no encaja.
enchufe
noun
en-CHOO-feh
plug
Úsalo si tu enchufe no encaja.
estar
verb
ehs-TAHR
to be; to be located
está
Usa el que está junto a mi portátil.
junto a
prep
HOON-toh ah
next to; beside
Usa el que está junto a mi portátil.
necesitar
verb
neh-seh-see-TAHR
to need
necesito
¿También necesito este adaptador?
pedir prestado
phrase
peh-DEER prehs-TAH-doh
to borrow
¿Puedo pedir prestado un cargador?
poder
verb
poh-DEHR
can; to be able to
Puedo
¿Puedo pedir prestado un cargador?
portátil
noun
pohr-TAHL
laptop
Usa el que está junto a mi portátil.
también
adv
tahm-BYEHN
also; too
¿También necesito este adaptador?
usar
verb
oo-SAHR
to use
Usa
Usa el que está junto a mi portátil.
Quiz
Word Order
Arrange the words in the correct order.
Is there a charger I can borrow?
Show Answer
¿Puedo pedir prestado un cargador?Do I need this adapter too?
Show Answer
¿También necesito este adaptador?Use it if your plug does not fit.
Show Answer
Úsalo si tu enchufe no encaja.Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
can; to be able to
Show Answer
Puedolaptop
Show Answer
portátilcharger
Show Answer
cargadoralso; too