Handling a mismatched shelf label at checkout | Learn Spanish in English

Sentence explanations

1. La caja muestra que este es otro artículo.

   The register shows this as a different item.

   caja

   box

   muestra

   shows

   que

   that

   este

   this

   es

   is

   otro

   another; different

   artículo

   item

   More detail

   caja is a feminine noun. Here, la caja means “the register,” as fixed by the translation; the same noun can also mean “box” in other contexts. The article is feminine singular because it agrees with caja: la caja. Example: La caja está abierta. — “The box is open.” muestra is the present-tense third-person singular form of mostrar, “to show.” The subject here is la caja, so the verb is singular. A useful contrast is muestran, the plural form used with a plural subject. Example: El informe muestra un error. — “The report shows an error.” que introduces the content of what is shown: “that ...”. In muestra que ..., it links the showing action to a clause. Example: Veo que estás aquí. — “I see that you are here.” este means “this.” It is a masculine singular demonstrative pronoun here, used for the thing being identified; the supplied texts do not uniquely name that thing. Demonstratives agree with the grammatical gender and number of the noun they refer to: esta is feminine singular, while estos and estas are plural. Example: Este es nuevo. — “This one is new.” es is the present-tense third-person singular form of ser, “to be.” It connects este with its identification as otro artículo. The singular form agrees with the singular subject este; son is the corresponding plural form. Example: Este es importante. — “This is important.” otro is a masculine singular adjective meaning “another” or, in this context, “different.” It agrees with the masculine singular noun artículo, rather than serving as the noun itself. Its feminine and plural forms include otra, otros, and otras. Example: Necesito otro formulario. — “I need another form.” artículo is a masculine noun meaning “item” here, as specified by the translation. The phrase otro artículo therefore means “a different item” or “another item.” The noun can have other meanings in other contexts, including “article,” but “item” is the relevant sense here. Its plural is artículos. Together, La caja muestra says “The register shows,” and que este es otro artículo says “that this is a different item.” Thus the whole utterance means: “The register shows this as a different item.”

2. Pero la etiqueta del estante estaba debajo de este producto.

   But the shelf label was under this product.

   Pero

   but

   etiqueta

   label

   estante

   shelf

   estaba

   was

   debajo de

   under; below

   este

   this

   producto

   product

   More detail

   Pero means “but” and marks a contrast with the preceding statement. It does not replace or exclude the earlier information; it introduces a different fact. etiqueta means “label.” It is a feminine singular noun: la etiqueta. Its plural is las etiquetas. estante means “shelf.” In this sentence, del estante means “of the shelf.” del is the contraction of de + el; the masculine singular article agrees with estante: el estante. A useful contrast is de la estantería when the noun is feminine. estaba is the singular imperfect form of estar, “to be,” used here for a location or state in the past. The imperfect presents the label as being in that position at the relevant past time, without presenting its beginning or end. For example, El libro estaba debajo de la mesa means “The book was under the table.” debajo de is a location pattern meaning “under” or “below.” The following noun phrase identifies the reference point: debajo de la mesa means “under the table.” este is the masculine singular demonstrative “this.” Here it agrees with the masculine singular noun producto, rather than identifying the label. Spanish demonstratives vary by grammatical gender and number: este producto, esta etiqueta, estos productos, estas etiquetas. producto means “product.” It is a masculine singular noun, so the phrase is este producto; its plural is productos. Together, la etiqueta del estante is “the shelf label,” and estaba debajo de este producto says that this label was located under this product. With the contrast marker Pero, the complete utterance means: “But the shelf label was under this product.”

3. Voy a revisar la etiqueta del estante antes de cambiar algo en la caja.

   I'll check the shelf label before changing anything at the register.

   Voy a

   I’m going to

   revisar

   check; review

   la etiqueta

   the label

   del estante

   of the shelf

   antes de

   before

   cambiar

   change

   algo

   something; anything

   en la caja

   at the register

   More detail

   Voy a introduces an intention or near-future action. voy is the first-person singular present form of ir, and a is followed here by an infinitive: ir a + infinitive = “to be going to do something.” Example: Voy a llamar. — “I’m going to call.” revisar is the infinitive meaning “to check” or “to review.” After voy a, it stays in the infinitive rather than being conjugated. Example: Vamos a revisar el documento. — “We’re going to check the document.” la etiqueta means “the label.” etiqueta is a feminine singular noun, so it appears with la; its plural is las etiquetas. Example: La etiqueta es clara. — “The label is clear.” del estante means “of the shelf” or “the shelf’s.” del is the contraction of de + el; estante is a masculine singular noun, so el estante becomes del estante after de. Example: El precio del estante es diferente. — “The shelf’s price is different.” antes de means “before.” When it is followed by an action, as here, the usual reusable pattern is antes de + infinitive: antes de cambiar = “before changing.” Example: Lávate las manos antes de comer. — “Wash your hands before eating.” cambiar is the infinitive “to change.” In this sentence it refers to changing an unspecified item, not to the act of checking the label. Example: No quiero cambiar la fecha. — “I don’t want to change the date.” algo is an indefinite pronoun meaning “something.” In this context, the fixed translation renders it as “anything” within the phrase “before changing anything”; Spanish algo itself does not become a different form for that English rendering. Example: Quiero comprar algo. — “I want to buy something.” en la caja means “at the register” in this context. en marks the place or setting, and la caja is a feminine singular noun phrase. caja can have other meanings in other contexts, but the fixed translation identifies the intended meaning here. Example: Te espero en la caja. — “I’ll wait for you at the register.” Together, Voy a revisar la etiqueta del estante means “I’m going to check the shelf label.” antes de cambiar algo en la caja adds the timing and setting: the checking will happen before changing anything at the register. The complete utterance is therefore: “I’ll check the shelf label before changing anything at the register.”

4. Estaba justo debajo de este tamaño.

   It was directly below this size.

   Estaba

   was

   justo debajo de

   directly below

   este

   this

   tamaño

   size

   More detail

   Estaba is the imperfect form of estar for a singular third-person subject: estaba = “was” in a past state or location. The subject is omitted in Spanish; here, the fixed translation supports “it,” but it does not identify the noun by form alone. Compare estaba with present está (“is”) and preterite estuvo (“was/stayed” as a bounded past event). justo debajo de expresses a precise location: “directly below.” Debajo de is a reusable pattern meaning “below/under,” and justo strengthens the location to “directly” or “exactly.” For example, El cajón está justo debajo de la mesa. means “The drawer is directly below the table.” Este is a masculine singular demonstrative meaning “this.” It agrees with the masculine singular noun tamaño in este tamaño; the form is not chosen merely because the noun is singular. Other forms include esta with a feminine singular noun and estos/estas with plural nouns. Here, “this” points to a size identified in the situation; it does not itself state a numeric quantity. Tamaño means “size.” It is a masculine noun, so the phrase is este tamaño, not esta tamaño. A useful contrast is tamaño (“size”) versus forma (“shape”): Este tamaño es adecuado. means “This size is suitable.” Together, Estaba locates an omitted singular subject in the past, and justo debajo de este tamaño gives its precise position relative to the indicated size. The complete meaning is: “It was directly below this size.”

5. La etiqueta no coincide con el artículo de nuestro sistema.

   The label doesn't match the item in our system.

   etiqueta

   label

   no coincide con

   doesn't match

   artículo

   item

   sistema

   system

   More detail

   etiqueta means “label” here. It is a feminine noun: la etiqueta. The plural is etiquetas, so the article changes to las etiquetas. Example: La etiqueta está aquí. — “The label is here.” no coincide con is built from coincidir con, “to match” or “to correspond with,” with no making it negative. coincide is the present form for a third-person singular subject such as la etiqueta; the subject is not the object after con. Example: El nombre coincide con el documento. — “The name matches the document.” artículo means “item” in this context. It is a masculine noun: el artículo; its plural is los artículos. Depending on context, artículo can also mean an article of writing or a grammatical article, but “item” is the intended meaning here. nuestro sistema means “our system.” nuestro agrees with the masculine singular noun sistema; the corresponding feminine singular form is nuestra, and the plural forms are nuestros and nuestras. sistema is masculine despite ending in -a, so nuestro sistema is correct. The phrase de nuestro sistema identifies the system in which the item appears. Together, La etiqueta is the subject, no coincide con says that it does not match, and el artículo de nuestro sistema is the item it fails to match. The complete meaning is: “The label doesn’t match the item in our system.”

6. ¿Podría corregirlo antes de que pague?

   Could you correct it before I pay?

   Podría

   could

   corregirlo

   correct it

   antes de que

   before

   pague

   pay

   More detail

   Podría is the conditional form of poder (“to be able to”). Puede is a present-tense form, while podría commonly makes a request about what someone would be able to do: “Could you …?” The form can also occur with a third-person subject in other contexts; here the question addresses the listener. corregirlo means “to correct it.” Corregir is the infinitive, and attached lo is a masculine-singular direct-object pronoun. The fixed sentence does not identify exactly what lo refers to. With a feminine-singular object, use la, as in corregirla (“to correct it”); revisarlo is another reusable example meaning “to review it.” Antes de que introduces an event that is earlier than another event: “before.” Spanish uses the subjunctive here because the payment is presented as pending in relation to the requested correction. This connector is a reusable pattern: antes de que + a subjunctive clause. Pague is a present-subjunctive form of pagar (“to pay”). In this sentence, the fixed translation identifies its subject as “I”: “before I pay.” The form itself is also used for third-person singular and formal second-person singular subjects, so the surrounding context supplies the first-person reading here. Pago is the ordinary present-indicative form for “I pay,” whereas pague fits this antes de que clause. Together, Podría corregirlo asks whether the listener could correct the unspecified item, and antes de que pague sets the timing: the correction should happen before the speaker pays. The complete meaning is “Could you correct it before I pay?”

7. Necesito que un supervisor apruebe la corrección.

   I need a supervisor to approve the correction.

   Necesito

   I need

   supervisor

   supervisor

   apruebe

   approve

   corrección

   correction

   More detail

   Necesito means “I need” here. It is the first-person singular present form of necesitar: necesito = “I need.” The subject is the speaker. A useful pattern is Necesito que + [another subject] + subjunctive, used when the speaker needs or wants another person to do something. supervisor means “supervisor.” It is a masculine noun; its plural is supervisores. Here, un supervisor identifies the person who is to carry out the approval, without specifying which supervisor. The indefinite article does not by itself assert a numeric count. apruebe means “approve” in this clause. It is the present subjunctive form of aprobar for a third-person singular subject: que un supervisor apruebe. The subjunctive is selected because it appears after Necesito que and expresses an action needed from a different subject. This is not an imperative or direct command. For comparison, aprueba is the present indicative form for “he/she approves” or, in another context, a tú affirmative command; apruebe here is determined by the subordinate clause and its subject. corrección means “correction.” It is a feminine noun, commonly used for a correction or the act/result of correcting something; its plural is correcciones. The article la marks the specific feminine noun phrase la corrección. Together, Necesito que introduces the action the speaker needs, un supervisor is the subject of that action, apruebe expresses the needed approval, and la corrección is what must be approved. The whole utterance means: “I need a supervisor to approve the correction.”

8. Puedo esperar mientras lo revisa.

   I can wait while you check.

   Puedo

   I can

   esperar

   wait

   mientras

   while

   lo

   it

   revisa

   checks

   More detail

   Puedo is the first-person singular present form of poder (“to be able to”): puedo = “I can” or “I am able to.” Poder is commonly followed by an infinitive: Puedo esperar = “I can wait.” Esperar is an infinitive meaning “to wait.” After a conjugated form of poder, it stays in the infinitive rather than changing to match the subject. Example: Puedo ayudar. — “I can help.” Mientras introduces a time relationship and means “while” here. It connects the waiting with the checking that happens during that time; it does not replace either action. Lo is a masculine-singular direct-object pronoun, meaning “it” here. Its grammatical form reflects the noun it replaces, although the supplied sentence does not identify that noun by name. Compare lo for a masculine-singular object with la for a feminine-singular object. Example: Lo reviso. — “I check it.” Revisa is the present-tense form of revisar, meaning “checks” here. Its ending can represent third-person singular (él, ella, or usted), and the fixed translation identifies the intended subject as “you” without specifying whether that is tú or usted; the form itself does not resolve that distinction. This is a statement inside the mientras clause, not an imperative command. Example: Mientras espera, revisa el formulario. — “While you wait, you check the form.” Together, Puedo esperar states that the speaker can wait, and mientras lo revisa specifies that this waiting occurs while the other person checks it. The complete meaning is: “I can wait while you check it.”

9. Lo corregiremos en la caja y actualizaremos la etiqueta del estante.

   We'll fix it at the register and update the shelf label.

   Lo

   it

   corregiremos

   we’ll fix

   caja

   register

   actualizaremos

   we’ll update

   etiqueta

   label

   estante

   shelf

   More detail

   Lo is a direct-object pronoun meaning “it” here. Its masculine singular form is lo; the fixed sentence does not identify the object more specifically. Compare la for a feminine singular direct object, as in la llave (“the key”). corregiremos comes from corregir (“to fix” or “to correct”). The ending -emos here marks the first-person plural future: “we will fix.” For example, Lo corregiremos mañana means “We will fix it tomorrow.” caja means “register” in this context, and la caja is “the register.” The preposition en makes the location phrase en la caja, “at the register.” actualizaremos comes from actualizar (“to update”). Like corregiremos, it is first-person plural future, so it means “we will update.” For example, Actualizaremos la página means “We will update the page.” etiqueta means “label.” It is a feminine noun, so the phrase here is la etiqueta, “the label.” estante means “shelf.” The phrase del estante means “of the shelf” or, with del understood as de + el, “the shelf’s.” Estante is masculine in this use, which is why the article inside del is el. Together, Lo corregiremos means “We’ll fix it,” en la caja specifies the location “at the register,” and actualizaremos la etiqueta del estante means “we’ll update the shelf label.” The conjunction y links the two future actions, producing the full meaning: “We’ll fix it at the register and update the shelf label.”

10. Prefiero resolverlo ahora que volver más tarde.

    I'd rather settle it now than come back later.

    Prefiero

    I prefer; I'd rather

    resolverlo

    settle it

    ahora

    now

    volver

    come back; return

    más tarde

    later

    More detail

    Prefiero is the first-person singular present form of preferir (“to prefer”): prefiero = “I prefer.” A useful pattern is prefiero + infinitive for “I prefer to …” or “I’d rather …”. For example, Prefiero esperar means “I’d rather wait.” resolverlo combines the infinitive resolver (“to resolve; settle”) with the attached direct-object pronoun lo (“it”). Spanish commonly attaches an object pronoun to an infinitive: resolver → resolverlo. Here, lo refers to the thing being settled, understood as “it” in the fixed translation. For example, Quiero resolverlo hoy means “I want to settle it today.” ahora means “now” and places the preferred action in the present time. For example, Lo hacemos ahora means “We’ll do it now.” The comparison pattern here is preferir X ahora que Y más tarde: it presents X as preferable now rather than choosing Y at a later time. The que connects the two alternatives; it is part of the comparison even though the selected phrase entry is not a separate quote for it. volver is the infinitive “to return; come back.” In this sentence it is the second action being compared with resolverlo; it does not mean “to do something again,” as in the separate pattern volver a + infinitive. For example, Necesito volver mañana means “I need to come back tomorrow.” más tarde means “later,” literally using más (“more”) with tarde (“late”) to form a time expression. It places the return after the present moment. For example, Hablamos más tarde means “We’ll talk later.” Together, Prefiero resolverlo says “I prefer to settle it,” ahora specifies that this should happen now, and que volver más tarde contrasts that choice with coming back later. The whole utterance means: “I’d rather settle it now than come back later.”