Borrowing a Suitcase and Agreeing on Care | Learn Spanish in English

Sentence explanations

1. ¿Podría pedirte prestada tu maleta mediana para mi viaje de la próxima semana?

   Could I borrow your medium suitcase for my trip next week?

   ¿Podría

   Could I...?

   pedirte

   ask you

   prestada

   borrowed

   tu

   your

   maleta

   suitcase

   mediana

   medium-sized

   mi

   my

   viaje

   trip

   próxima

   next

   semana

   week

   More detail

   ¿Podría is the first-person singular conditional of poder (“to be able to”). Here it makes the request tentative and polite: “Could I…?” The related present form is puedo (“I can”), while podría presents the possibility more gently. pedirte combines the infinitive pedir (“to ask for” or “to ask someone”) with the attached pronoun te (“you,” singular). In this sentence, te is the person being asked. The same pattern is reusable with other infinitives: Quiero llamarte = “I want to call you.” prestada is the feminine singular form of the adjective prestado, used in the construction pedir algo prestado (“to borrow something”). It agrees with maleta, which is feminine singular. The full idea pedirte prestada tu maleta is therefore “ask you to lend me your suitcase,” naturally translated here as “borrow your suitcase.” tu is the singular possessive determiner “your.” It does not change for the gender of the thing possessed: tu maleta and tu viaje. Do not confuse it with tú, the subject pronoun “you”; the accent distinguishes the forms. maleta is a feminine noun meaning “suitcase.” Its gender is shown here by prestada and mediana, both feminine singular. Example: La maleta está aquí = “The suitcase is here.” mediana is the feminine singular form of mediano (“medium-sized” or “medium”). It agrees with maleta. The masculine form is mediano, as in un bolso mediano; the feminine form is mediana, as in una maleta mediana. mi is the singular possessive determiner “my.” Like tu, it does not change for the gender of the noun: mi viaje and mi maleta. Its plural form is mis. viaje is a masculine noun meaning “trip” or “journey.” The masculine article or adjective would agree with it: un viaje largo = “a long trip.” próxima is the feminine singular form of próximo (“next” in this time expression). It agrees with semana, not with viaje. The masculine form is próximo, as in el próximo viaje. semana is a feminine noun meaning “week.” In la próxima semana, the whole phrase means “next week.” This is a time phrase introduced by para, which gives the purpose or intended occasion: the suitcase is requested for the speaker’s trip next week. Putting the parts together: ¿Podría introduces a polite possibility question; pedirte prestada tu maleta mediana asks the listener to lend the speaker their medium-sized suitcase; and para mi viaje de la próxima semana states the purpose and time. The complete meaning is: “Could I borrow your medium suitcase for my trip next week?”

2. Puedes pedirla prestada, pero ten cuidado con el asa porque es un poco frágil.

   You can, but be careful with the handle because it's a little fragile.

   Puedes

   can

   pedirla prestada

   borrow it

   ten cuidado

   be careful

   asa

   handle

   un poco

   a little

   frágil

   fragile

   More detail

   Puedes is the present-tense form of poder for tú: here it means “you can.” A useful pattern is puedes + infinitive, as in Puedes entrar (“You can come in”). pedirla prestada means “borrow it.” The verb is pedir, and -la is a direct-object clitic referring here to the feminine singular maleta (“suitcase”) established in the preceding sentence. Prestada agrees with that noun: pedir prestado for a masculine singular object, pedir prestada for a feminine singular object, and plural forms such as pedir prestados or pedir prestadas when the object is plural. The clitic and participial adjective combine with the infinitive in pedirla prestada. ten cuidado is an informal singular command meaning “be careful.” Ten is the affirmative tú command of tener; it is irregular rather than a form of poder. Cuidado is a noun used in this warning expression. For example, Ten cuidado con el escalón means “Be careful with the step.” asa means “handle.” It is feminine, but singular el asa uses el because the word begins with a stressed a sound; adjectives still agree with the feminine noun, as in el asa frágil. Its plural is las asas. un poco means “a little” and limits the degree of the following description. In un poco frágil, it softens the description to “a little fragile,” not “not fragile.” frágil means “fragile.” It is an adjective whose form is the same with masculine and feminine singular nouns, and its plural is frágiles: un asa frágil, unas asas frágiles. Together, Puedes pedirla prestada says “You can borrow it,” with la identifying the suitcase. pero ten cuidado con el asa adds the warning “but be careful with the handle,” and porque es un poco frágil gives the reason: “because it is a little fragile.” The complete utterance is therefore: “You can borrow it, but be careful with the handle because it’s a little fragile.”

3. Lo tendré en cuenta y evitaré llenarla demasiado.

   I'll keep that in mind and avoid overpacking it.

   Lo tendré en cuenta

   I’ll keep that in mind

   evitaré

   I’ll avoid

   llenarla

   fill it

   demasiado

   too much

   More detail

   Lo tendré en cuenta is the Spanish idiom “I’ll keep that in mind.” Tendré is the first-person singular future of tener (“to have”): tengo = “I have,” tendré = “I will have.” In tener algo en cuenta, the whole expression means to take something into consideration. Here, lo is a neuter singular direct-object pronoun referring to the previously mentioned information or warning, rather than naming a concrete noun. Example: Lo tendré en cuenta antes de decidir. — “I’ll keep that in mind before deciding.” Evitaré is the first-person singular future of evitar (“to avoid”): evito = “I avoid,” evitaré = “I will avoid.” Spanish joins this future action with the preceding one through y, so the speaker says they will keep the information in mind and will avoid something. Example: Evitaré ese camino. — “I’ll avoid that route.” Llenarla combines the infinitive llenar (“to fill”) with the attached direct-object pronoun la: llenar + la = llenarla, “to fill it.” The feminine singular form la agrees with the noun it replaces; the supplied sentence does not uniquely identify that noun, so its grammatical form can be explained without naming the referent. With a masculine singular referent, the corresponding form would be llenarlo. Example: Voy a llenarla con cuidado. — “I’m going to fill it carefully.” Demasiado is an adverb meaning “too much” or “excessively.” Here it modifies llenar, so llenarla demasiado means “to fill it too much” or, naturally in the fixed translation, “to overpack it.” It does not itself identify what is being filled. Together, y evitaré llenarla demasiado means “and I’ll avoid filling it too much.” The full utterance therefore means “I’ll keep that in mind and avoid overpacking it.” The two future forms, tendré and evitaré, show that both actions are presented as future actions by the speaker.

4. Además, tiene un rasguño en un lado.

   It also has a scratch on the side.

   Además

   also; in addition

   tiene

   has

   rasguño

   scratch

   en un lado

   on one side

   lado

   side

   More detail

   Además adds information to what was already said. It is a useful way to say “also” or “in addition” without replacing the earlier information. Example: Además, está limpia. — “Also, it is clean.” tiene is the present-tense form of tener for a third-person singular subject: “has” or “has got.” Here, the subject is the item referred to as “it” in the fixed translation. The same form can mean “has” with other singular third-person subjects; the subject is often omitted in Spanish when context identifies it. Example: La maleta tiene una etiqueta. — “The suitcase has a label.” rasguño is a masculine singular noun meaning “scratch,” a light mark or minor injury caused by scraping. Its plural is rasguños. The masculine gender is shown by the article in un rasguño; it does not mean that the scratch is a male thing. Example: Veo un rasguño. — “I see a scratch.” en un lado means “on one side” or “on the side.” en introduces the location, while un lado identifies the side where the scratch is located. The indefinite article un presents a side without asserting a numerical count. Example: Hay una marca en un lado. — “There is a mark on one side.” lado is the masculine singular noun “side.” Its plural is lados, as in los dos lados — “both sides.” In this sentence, it refers to a side or part of the item, not to a person’s side. Together, tiene un rasguño says that the item has a scratch, and en un lado specifies its location. Además links this new fact to the preceding information: “It also has a scratch on the side.”

5. ¿Quieres que le haga una foto antes de usar la maleta?

   Would you like me to take a photo before I use it?

   ¿Quieres que

   Do you want that…?

   haga

   take or make (here: take)

   foto

   photo

   antes de

   before

   usar

   use

   maleta

   suitcase

   More detail

   ¿Quieres que is a reusable way to ask whether someone wants a proposed action to happen: ¿Quieres que + subjunctive form? In this sentence, quieres is the present-tense form of querer for tú, and que introduces the proposed action. The intended meaning here is “Would you like me to…?” because the following verb is first-person singular. haga comes from hacer (“to do; to make”). In hacer una foto, Spanish uses hacer for “take” a photo. Haga is the first-person singular present subjunctive form, “that I take”; the subjunctive fits because this action is presented as the content of the listener’s desire. Example: ¿Quieres que lo haga? — “Would you like me to do it?” foto is a feminine singular noun meaning “photo.” The expression hacer una foto means “take a photo.” Una agrees with the feminine noun foto; here it presents the photo as the object of the action, without making the article itself a separate numerical claim. antes de means “before.” Before an infinitive, Spanish uses antes de + infinitive, as in this sentence. Example: Lávate las manos antes de comer. — “Wash your hands before eating.” usar is the infinitive “to use.” After antes de, it names the later action whose performer is understood from the sentence and translation: the speaker will use the suitcase. Thus antes de usar la maleta means “before I use the suitcase.” maleta is a feminine singular noun meaning “suitcase.” The article la presents it as an identifiable suitcase; the surrounding context supports the same suitcase through the reference to its scratch and the next sentence’s la maleta. In le haga una foto, le is a singular indirect-object clitic. With hacer una foto a alguien/algo, the photographed person or thing is commonly expressed as this indirect object, while una foto is the direct object. Here le refers to the suitcase, but le is not a gender-marked direct-object form such as lo or la; do not choose it by the suitcase’s feminine gender. The phrase hacerle una foto therefore means “take a photo of it.” Together, ¿Quieres que le haga una foto asks whether the listener would like the speaker to take a photo of the suitcase. Antes de usar la maleta places that action before the speaker uses the suitcase. The complete meaning is: “Would you like me to take a photo of it before I use it?” In the supplied translation and context, both instances of “it” refer to the suitcase.

6. Una foto dejaría claro el estado de la maleta para los dos.

   A photo would make the condition clear for both of us.

   foto

   photo

   dejaría

   would make / leave

   claro

   clear

   estado

   condition / state

   maleta

   suitcase

   para los dos

   for both of us

   More detail

   foto means “photo.” It is a feminine noun: una foto, with the shortened form of fotografía. Example: Tengo una foto. — “I have a photo.” dejaría is the third-person singular conditional form of dejar. Here it works with claro in the reusable pattern dejar claro algo: “to make something clear.” The conditional gives the result as hypothetical: “would make clear.” Example: Esta explicación dejaría claro el problema. — “This explanation would make the problem clear.” claro is a masculine singular adjective here, agreeing with estado, not with foto. In dejar claro, it describes the thing made understandable or evident. Its feminine singular form is clara, and its plural forms are claros and claras. estado is a masculine noun meaning “condition” or “state.” In this sentence, it refers to the condition of the suitcase. The phrase el estado de ... is a useful pattern for describing the condition or state of something: el estado del coche — “the condition of the car.” maleta is a feminine noun meaning “suitcase.” la maleta means “the suitcase”; the phrase de la maleta means “of the suitcase” or, naturally here, “of the suitcase’s condition.” para los dos means “for both of us” in the fixed translation. para marks the people for whom something is useful or intended, and los dos identifies the two-person group. The masculine plural form los is used for this expression as given; do not change the observed wording. Together, Una foto is the subject, dejaría claro says that it would make something evident, and el estado de la maleta identifies what would become clear. Para los dos specifies that this clarity would be for both participants. The whole utterance therefore means: “A photo would make the condition of the suitcase clear for both of us.”

7. Te la devolveré al día siguiente de volver.

   I'll return it the day after I get back.

   Te la

   to you + it (feminine singular)

   devolveré

   I will return

   al día siguiente

   the following day

   volver

   get back

   More detail

   Te la combines two Spanish object pronouns. Te marks the person who receives the returned item: “to you.” La is the feminine singular direct-object pronoun, meaning “it” for a feminine singular noun. The fixed sentence does not identify that noun more specifically, so the useful pattern is te lo/la/los/las, chosen according to the direct object's gender and number. Example: Te la entregaré mañana. — “I’ll hand it to you tomorrow.” Here la refers to a feminine singular item in that example. devolveré means “I will return.” It is the first-person singular future of devolver: devolveré, “I will return”; devolverás, “you will return”; devolverá, “he, she, or usted will return.” The ending -é identifies the speaker as the future subject. The pronouns before it show who receives the item and which item is returned; they do not change the verb’s first-person form. al día siguiente means “the following day” or “the next day.” Al is the contraction of a + el, and this phrase places the returning event on that later day. A reusable pattern is al día siguiente de ...: Saldré al día siguiente de la reunión. — “I’ll leave the day after the meeting.” volver means “to return” or “to get back.” This is the infinitive, the base form used after de in de volver. In this sentence, de volver identifies the event used as the time reference: the speaker will return the item after getting back. The infinitive does not itself show a separate person or tense here; the future verb devolveré carries the main clause’s first-person future meaning. Together, Te la devolveré says “I will return it to you,” and al día siguiente de volver places that action on the day after the speaker gets back. The complete meaning is: “I’ll return it to you the day after I get back.”

8. Limpia las ruedas antes de meter la maleta en casa, por favor.

   Please wipe the wheels before bringing it inside.

   Limpia

   wipe; clean

   ruedas

   wheels

   antes de

   before

   meter

   put or bring in

   maleta

   suitcase

   casa

   house; home

   por favor

   please

   More detail

   Limpia is the affirmative tú singular command of limpiar, meaning “wipe” or “clean” here. The exact command form addresses one person informally. For example: Limpia la mesa. — “Wipe the table.” ruedas is the plural of rueda, “wheel.” The plural signals that the instruction concerns more than one wheel. Example: Las ruedas están mojadas. — “The wheels are wet.” antes de introduces an action that must happen earlier than another action. It is followed here by the infinitive meter. A reusable pattern is antes de + infinitive: Lávate las manos antes de comer. — “Wash your hands before eating.” meter is an infinitive meaning “to put in” or “to bring in” when something is moved into a place. In this sentence, it refers to bringing the suitcase inside. The infinitive is used after antes de, rather than a conjugated verb. Example: Voy a meter la caja en el armario. — “I’m going to put the box in the cupboard.” maleta means “suitcase.” la maleta is the noun phrase with the feminine singular definite article la; the article agrees with this noun. Here, the suitcase is the thing being brought inside. Example: La maleta está llena. — “The suitcase is full.” casa means “house” or “home.” In en casa, the preposition en marks the place where the suitcase is brought: “inside the house” or “home,” depending on context. Example: Estoy en casa. — “I am at home.” por favor is a polite “please” added to the request. It does not change the command’s person or number; Limpia remains a tú singular command. Together, Limpia las ruedas gives the requested action and its object: “Wipe the wheels.” antes de meter la maleta en casa places the action earlier than bringing the suitcase inside. The complete utterance therefore means: “Please wipe the wheels before bringing the suitcase inside.”

9. Lo haré afuera antes de devolverte la maleta.

   I'll do that outside before I bring it back.

   Lo

   that

   haré

   I will do

   afuera

   outside

   antes de

   before

   devolverte

   to return to you

   la maleta

   the suitcase

   More detail

   Lo means “that” here and functions as a direct-object pronoun. In this use, the fixed translation supports an abstract “that”; it does not identify a specific noun referent. Spanish lo can also refer to a masculine singular noun, while la, los, and las refer to feminine singular, masculine plural, and feminine plural nouns respectively. haré is the first-person singular future of hacer, “to do” or “to make”: hacer → haré (“I will do”). The future form uses the irregular stem har-. In Lo haré, lo is what will be done, so the phrase means “I will do that.” Example: Lo haré mañana. — “I will do it tomorrow.” afuera means “outside.” It is an adverb, so it does not change for number or gender. Example: Esperamos afuera. — “We are waiting outside.” antes de introduces an event that occurs earlier than another event. Before an infinitive, Spanish uses antes de + infinitive: antes de salir means “before leaving.” Here it marks returning the suitcase as later than doing that. devolverte combines the infinitive devolver, “to return” or “to give back,” with the attached pronoun te, “to you”: devolver + te → devolverte. The infinitive remains an infinitive after antes de. With la maleta as its direct object, devolverte la maleta means “to return the suitcase to you.” Example: Voy a devolverte el libro. — “I am going to return the book to you.” la maleta means “the suitcase.” maleta is a feminine singular noun, so it takes the feminine singular definite article la. Example: La maleta está afuera. — “The suitcase is outside.” Together, Lo haré afuera means “I’ll do that outside.” antes de devolverte la maleta adds the later event: “before returning the suitcase to you.” The whole utterance means: “I’ll do that outside before I bring it back.”

10. Avísame si el asa te da problemas durante el viaje.

    Let me know if the handle gives you trouble during the trip.

    Avísame

    Let me know

    asa

    handle

    da

    gives

    problemas

    problems

    viaje

    trip

    More detail

    Avísame means “let me know” here. It is the affirmative command for tú of avisar, with the indirect-object pronoun me attached: avisa + me. The accent preserves the command form’s stress after the pronoun is attached. This is the singular tú form; the corresponding usted command is avíseme. asa means “handle.” The noun is feminine: el asa. Spanish uses el before a singular feminine noun beginning with a stressed a sound; this article choice does not make the noun masculine. For example, el agua fría means “the cold water,” and fría remains feminine. da is the third-person singular present form of dar, “to give.” Here, el asa is the subject, so the sentence presents the handle as giving the listener trouble. With another singular subject, La puerta da problemas means “The door causes problems.” problemas means “problems.” Although it ends in -a, this noun is masculine: el problema, los problemas. The combination dar problemas can mean “to cause trouble” or “to give someone problems.” viaje means “trip” or “journey.” It is masculine: el viaje; its plural is los viajes. In the full expression durante el viaje, it identifies the period during which the possible trouble occurs. Together, Avísame si ... forms the reusable pattern “Let me know if ...”. The condition is si el asa te da problemas durante el viaje: “if the handle gives you trouble during the trip.” Here te is the singular tú indirect-object pronoun, meaning “to you,” while el asa is the subject of da. The whole utterance means: “Let me know if the handle gives you trouble during the trip.”