Managing baggage weight before a flight | Learn Spanish in English

Sentence explanations

1. Mi maleta se siente pesada y el límite de equipaje es muy estricto.

   My suitcase feels heavy, and the baggage allowance is really strict.

   maleta

   suitcase

   se siente

   feels

   pesada

   heavy

   límite

   limit

   equipaje

   baggage

   estricto

   strict

   More detail

   maleta means “suitcase.” It is a feminine noun: la maleta, una maleta, and plural las maletas. Here it is the thing described as heavy. se siente comes from the pronominal verb sentirse, “to feel.” It is the third-person singular present form, matching mi maleta. In this sentence, the suitcase is described as feeling heavy. The se belongs to the verb construction; it does not mean that the suitcase is acting on itself. Example: La habitación se siente fría. — “The room feels cold.” pesada means “heavy.” It is the feminine singular form of pesado, agreeing with maleta: una maleta pesada. The masculine form is pesado, as in un bolso pesado; the adjective changes to match the noun it describes. límite means “limit.” It is a masculine noun: el límite; its plural is límites. Here, de equipaje specifies what the limit concerns. equipaje means “baggage” or “luggage.” It is generally used as a mass noun, so Spanish commonly says el equipaje rather than using a plural for this meaning. límite de equipaje means “baggage limit” or “baggage allowance.” estricto means “strict” or “restrictive.” It is masculine singular because it describes límite: el límite es estricto. The feminine singular form is estricta, as in una regla estricta. muy before the adjective means “very,” so muy estricto means “really/very strict.” Together, Mi maleta se siente pesada means “My suitcase feels heavy.” Mi means “my” and matches the singular number of the noun; possessive adjectives such as this one do not change to mark the noun’s gender. y joins the two statements. el límite de equipaje es muy estricto means “the baggage allowance is really strict”: es links the subject to the description muy estricto. The whole utterance says that the speaker’s suitcase feels heavy and that the baggage allowance is very restrictive.

2. Pésala antes de salir para que puedas volver a hacer la maleta ahora si hace falta.

   Weigh it before we leave so you can repack it now if needed.

   Pésala

   weigh it

   antes de

   before

   salir

   leave; go out

   para que

   so that

   puedas

   can; are able to

   volver a hacer

   do again

   la maleta

   the suitcase

   si hace falta

   if needed

   More detail

   Pésala means “weigh it” here. It is the affirmative tú command of pesar (pesa) plus the feminine singular direct-object clitic la. The clitic refers to the suitcase identified by the fixed translation and context. The written accent preserves the command’s pronunciation when la is attached. For comparison, pesa by itself means “weigh!”; pésala means “weigh it!” antes de introduces an action that must happen earlier. With a verb, Spanish uses antes de + infinitive: antes de salir = “before leaving.” salir is the infinitive “to leave” or “to go out.” In this sentence, antes de salir is understood as “before we leave,” as specified by the fixed translation; the Spanish infinitive itself does not show person or number. para que introduces the purpose or intended result of the next clause. It is followed here by a conjugated verb in the subjunctive, rather than an infinitive, because the clause has its own expressed or understood subject. puedas is the tú form of poder in the present subjunctive: poder → puedas. After para que, it means “so that you can” or “so that you are able to.” Example: Te lo explico para que puedas practicar. — “I explain it to you so that you can practise.” volver a hacer is the reusable pattern volver a + infinitive, meaning “to do again.” volver alone means “to return,” but with a and an infinitive it expresses repetition. Here hacer is the infinitive “to do/make,” so volver a hacer means “do again” or, with the suitcase phrase, “repack.” la maleta means “the suitcase.” maleta is feminine singular, which is why the direct-object clitic in Pésala is la. The article la identifies the suitcase as a particular one in this context; it does not itself express a numerical count. si hace falta means “if needed” or literally “if it is necessary.” hacer falta is an impersonal expression meaning “to be necessary” or “to be lacking.” In this use, hace is third-person singular because the expression is impersonal; it is not an agreement form for maleta. Together, Pésala antes de salir gives “Weigh it before we leave.” para que puedas volver a hacer la maleta adds the purpose: “so you can repack the suitcase.” Finally, ahora si hace falta means “now if needed,” making the complete meaning: “Weigh it before we leave so you can repack it now if needed.”

3. Está por encima del límite, así que tengo que sacar algo.

   It's over the limit, so I need to take something out.

   Está

   is

   por encima

   above; over

   límite

   limit

   así que

   so

   tengo que

   have to; need to

   sacar

   take out; remove

   algo

   something

   More detail

   Está is the third-person singular present form of estar (“to be”). Here it describes the unstated thing as being over the limit; the form agrees with a singular third-person subject. Estar is used for a current state or condition, while ser is used for different kinds of identification and description. por encima means “above” or “over.” A reusable pattern is por encima de + noun: El peso está por encima del límite means “The weight is over the limit.” In the fixed sentence, del is the contraction of de + el, connecting this expression to límite. Límite is a masculine noun meaning “limit” or “allowance.” Its plural is límites. In this context it is the permitted weight boundary; the surrounding context makes that interpretation clear. Así que introduces a consequence: “so” or “therefore.” It links the condition before it to the action that follows. It does not mean “so that”; Spanish commonly uses para que for that purpose relationship, as in the preceding context. Tengo que is tener in the first-person singular present form plus que. It expresses obligation or necessity: “I have to” or “I need to.” The subject is yo, understood from tengo. A reusable pattern is tengo que + infinitive, for example: Tengo que salir — “I have to leave.” Sacar is an infinitive meaning “to take out” or “to remove.” After tengo que, the following verb stays in the infinitive: tengo que sacar. In this sentence, it refers to removing an item from what is being weighed or packed, without specifying which item. Algo is an indefinite pronoun meaning “something.” It refers to an unspecified thing and does not itself assert a numeric quantity. A useful contrast is algo “something” versus nada “nothing”: Tengo que sacar algo — “I have to take something out.” Together, Está por encima del límite states that it is over the permitted limit. Así que marks the result, and tengo que sacar algo says that the speaker therefore needs to remove an unspecified item. The whole utterance means: “It’s over the limit, so I need to take something out.”

4. Pasa los artículos pesados a tu mochila si el límite de peso de la mochila lo permite.

   Move heavy items to your backpack if its weight allowance permits.

   Pasa

   move

   artículos

   items

   pesados

   heavy

   mochila

   backpack

   límite

   limit

   peso

   weight

   permite

   allows

   More detail

   Pasa is the affirmative command form of pasar for tú singular: “move” or “pass,” depending on context. Here it tells one person to move something. Compare pasa with pasa los libros a la mochila — “move the books to the backpack.” artículos is the plural noun artículo, meaning “items” here. The plural ending -s signals more than one item. In other contexts, artículo can also mean an article of writing or a product, but “items” is the relevant meaning here. pesados is the masculine plural form of the adjective pesado, “heavy.” It agrees with artículos, which is masculine plural. The useful forms are pesado, pesada, pesados, and pesadas, depending on the noun’s grammatical gender and number. Example: las cajas pesadas — “the heavy boxes.” mochila is a feminine noun meaning “backpack.” In tu mochila, tu means “your”; it has no accent here and does not change for the backpack’s gender. The first mochila is the destination after a: a tu mochila means “to your backpack.” límite is a noun meaning “limit.” It is singular here, and el límite de peso means “the weight limit,” with de linking the limit to what it measures. Example: El límite es bajo. — “The limit is low.” peso is the noun “weight.” In límite de peso, it specifies the kind of limit: a limit concerning weight. This is different from the adjective pesado: peso names the measurement or load, while pesado describes something as heavy. permite is the third-person singular present form of permitir, “to allow” or “to permit.” Its subject here is el límite de peso de la mochila, so the singular form is used. In lo permite, lo is a neutral direct-object pronoun referring to the action or possibility being allowed, not to a masculine noun. Example: El espacio lo permite. — “The space allows it.” The sentence combines the command Pasa with its object los artículos pesados and the destination a tu mochila: “Move the heavy items to your backpack.” The conditional clause si el límite de peso de la mochila lo permite adds the condition “if the backpack’s weight limit allows it.” Together, the utterance means: “Move the heavy items to your backpack if its weight allowance permits.”

5. Los libros probablemente son el problema principal.

   The books are probably the main problem.

   libros

   books

   probablemente

   probably

   son

   are

   problema

   problem

   principal

   main

   More detail

   libros means “books” here. Its singular base form is libro, and the plural is formed with -s: libro → libros. The preceding Los is the masculine plural definite article, so the sentence refers to books as a specific plural set. probablemente is an adverb meaning “probably.” It expresses that the statement is likely, not certain, and it can usually be placed near the verb or at the beginning of the sentence: Probablemente llegan mañana. — “They will probably arrive tomorrow.” son is the third-person plural present form of ser: ser → son. Here ser links Los libros with an identifying description, el problema principal; it is not the temporary-location verb estar. The plural form son agrees with Los libros. problema means “problem.” Its base form is already singular, and its plural is problemas. Although it ends in -a, it is a masculine Spanish noun, as shown by the masculine singular article el in el problema. principal means “main” here. It describes problema and appears after the noun in this phrase. The adjective has the same form for masculine and feminine singular nouns; its plural form is principales: el problema principal → los problemas principales. Together, Los libros is the subject, probablemente adds likelihood, and son el problema principal identifies the books as the main problem. The complete meaning is: “The books are probably the main problem.”

6. Lleva solo el que necesitas para el vuelo.

   Bring only the one you need for the flight.

   Lleva

   bring

   solo

   only

   el que

   the one that

   necesitas

   you need

   vuelo

   flight

   More detail

   Lleva is the affirmative command form of llevar for tú, here meaning “bring.” The same verb can mean “take” when the context has a different point of view. Useful forms are llevar (base form), lleva (tú command), and lleva (present-tense “he/she carries,” depending on context). Example: Lleva tu pasaporte. — “Bring your passport.” solo limits the command and means “only.” It does not replace the item; it says that the requested action is limited to the one item identified afterward. Example: Trae solo agua. — “Bring only water.” el que is a relative construction meaning “the one that” or “the one which.” Here, el is masculine singular, and the construction refers to one understood item without repeating its noun; que links that item to the clause. Example: Escoge el que prefieres. — “Choose the one you prefer.” necesitas is the present-tense tú form of necesitar, “to need”: necesitar → necesitas. The form agrees with the person being addressed, not with the item represented by el que. In el que necesitas, the clause identifies the item as the one that you need. Example: ¿Necesitas el documento? — “Do you need the document?” vuelo is the masculine singular noun “flight.” In para el vuelo, para marks the purpose or occasion, so the phrase means “for the flight.” The article is el because vuelo is masculine singular. Example: Tengo todo para el vuelo. — “I have everything for the flight.” Together, Lleva solo gives the limiting command “bring only”; el que necesitas identifies the permitted item as the one you need; and para el vuelo says that this carrying is for the flight. The complete meaning is: “Bring only the one you need for the flight.”

7. Deja el resto en casa.

   Leave the rest at home.

   Deja

   leave

   resto

   rest; remainder

   en casa

   at home

   More detail

   Deja is the affirmative command form of dejar for tú singular: “leave” or “let,” depending on context. Here it tells one person to leave something somewhere. Compare the formal singular command deje and the plural command dejen; these are different forms, not interchangeable with deja. Resto is a masculine singular noun meaning “the rest” or “the remainder.” In el resto, the article el marks this noun phrase as masculine singular. The word can refer to what remains of a relevant set without specifying every item. Example: Guarda el resto. — “Keep the rest.” En casa is a common location phrase meaning “at home.” En introduces the location, while casa is the noun “home/house” used here in this set expression. Example: Trabajo en casa. — “I work at home.” Together, deja + el resto + en casa gives the command “Leave the rest at home.” The command is directed to one tú listener, and the sentence says that the remaining items should stay at home. It does not specify which individual items make up el resto; the preceding context supports understanding it as what is not needed for the flight.

8. Puedo ponerme la chaqueta en lugar de meterla en la maleta.

   I can wear the jacket instead of packing it.

   Puedo

   I can

   ponerme

   put on / wear

   chaqueta

   jacket

   en lugar de

   instead of

   meterla

   pack it

   maleta

   suitcase

   More detail

   Puedo is the first-person singular present form of poder (“can” or “be able to”). The subject is the speaker: yo puedo. In this sentence it expresses the speaker’s available option or ability. Compare puedo (“I can”) with no puedo (“I cannot”). Example: Puedo salir ahora. — “I can leave now.” ponerme consists of the infinitive poner plus the attached pronoun me. With clothing, ponerse means “to put on” or, depending on context, “to wear”; here ponerme la chaqueta means “put on/wear the jacket.” The pronoun me identifies the person who puts it on, matching the speaker expressed by puedo. Example: Quiero ponerme el abrigo. — “I want to put on the coat.” chaqueta is a feminine singular noun meaning “jacket.” Its useful form is la chaqueta, where the article la agrees with the noun’s lexical gender and singular number. Example: La chaqueta está aquí. — “The jacket is here.” en lugar de is a reusable construction meaning “instead of.” It is followed here by the infinitive meterla, so the pattern is en lugar de + infinitive: one option is presented as an alternative to another. Example: Voy en tren en lugar de conducir. — “I’m going by train instead of driving.” meterla consists of the infinitive meter (“put in” or “pack”) plus the attached direct-object pronoun la. In this sentence, la refers to the feminine singular chaqueta, so it means “pack it,” with “it” referring to the jacket. The pronoun must agree with the object: for example, meterlo can refer to a masculine singular object, while meterlas refers to feminine plural objects. Example: La camisa es ligera; puedo meterla en la maleta. — “The shirt is light; I can pack it in the suitcase.” maleta is a feminine singular noun meaning “suitcase.” In la maleta, the article agrees with this noun. The preposition en marks the container in which something is put: meterla en la maleta means “pack it in the suitcase.” Putting the chunks together, Puedo ponerme la chaqueta says that the speaker can put on or wear the jacket. en lugar de meterla en la maleta gives the alternative: this choice is made instead of packing the jacket in the suitcase. The whole utterance therefore means, “I can wear the jacket instead of packing it.”

9. Eso debería ayudar sin que tengas que volver a hacer toda la maleta.

   That should help without making you repack everything.

   Eso

   that

   debería

   should

   ayudar

   help

   sin que

   without

   tengas que

   have to

   volver a hacer

   do again

   toda

   the whole

   maleta

   suitcase

   More detail

   Eso is a demonstrative pronoun meaning “that.” It is singular and neutral in form; here it points to an understood situation or action, while the fixed sentence does not identify a more specific referent. Compare esto “this” and aquello “that over there” when distance or discourse perspective matters. Debería is a form of deber, “should” or “ought to.” In this sentence it expresses an expected or intended result: “That should help.” A useful form chain is deber → debería (“should”) → debería ayudar (“should help”). Ayudar is the infinitive “to help.” After debería, Spanish uses the infinitive rather than a conjugated verb: debería ayudar = “should help.” Example: Eso debería funcionar. — “That should work.” Sin que introduces an accompanying circumstance that does not happen: “without …”. The verb after sin que is normally in the subjunctive because the sentence presents that circumstance as excluded or not carried out, rather than as an asserted independent fact. Tengas que comes from tener que, the construction for obligation or necessity (“have to”). Tengas is the present subjunctive form for tú, and que completes the obligation construction. Thus tengas que volver means “you have to do again,” within the larger negative circumstance. Example: Puedes salir sin que tengas que esperar. — “You can leave without having to wait.” Volver a hacer is a reusable repetition pattern: volver a + infinitive means “to do something again.” Here volver is in the infinitive because it follows tengas que, and hacer remains an infinitive after a. Example: No quiero volver a empezar. — “I do not want to start again.” Toda means “the whole” here and agrees in feminine singular with maleta. The inflection belongs to todo, whose forms include todo (masculine singular), toda (feminine singular), todos (masculine plural), and todas (feminine plural). It is not the noun’s form. Maleta is the feminine noun “suitcase.” Its plural is maletas. In toda la maleta, toda and the article la agree with this singular feminine noun. Together, sin que tengas que volver a hacer toda la maleta means “without you having to repack the whole suitcase”: the sentence excludes the need for you to repeat the complete packing. The full utterance is therefore: “That should help without making you repack everything.”

10. Ahora está por debajo del límite.

    Now it's under the limit.

    Ahora

    now

    está

    is

    por debajo

    below; under

    límite

    limit

    More detail

    Ahora means “now,” locating the situation in the present. It can also introduce a change from an earlier moment: Ahora está mejor means “It is better now.” está is the third-person singular present form of estar. Here it describes the current state or position of the unstated subject, matching “it’s” in the fixed translation. The useful contrast is está for a current state or location versus es from ser for identity or a more inherent description: La puerta está abierta means “The door is open.” por debajo expresses a position lower than a reference point: “below” or “under.” In this sentence it is completed by del límite; del is the contraction of de + el, meaning “of/from the.” The reusable pattern is estar por debajo de + reference: El precio está por debajo de diez euros means “The price is below ten euros.” límite is a masculine singular noun meaning “limit” or “boundary.” Its plural is límites. With the article in del límite, it is the reference point that the unstated subject is below. Together, Ahora está por debajo del límite says that the subject’s current position or level is below the limit: “Now it’s under the limit.”

11. Entonces podemos irnos sin abrir la maleta en el mostrador.

    Then we can leave without opening the suitcase at the counter.

    Entonces

    then

    podemos

    we can

    irnos

    leave

    sin

    without

    abrir

    open

    maleta

    suitcase

    mostrador

    counter

    More detail

    Entonces means “then” here: it connects this conclusion to the preceding situation. It can also introduce a consequence in a pattern such as Entonces, ¿qué hacemos? — “So, what do we do?” podemos comes from poder and is the present-tense first-person plural form: “we can” or “we are able to.” The subject is understood as “we.” Compare puedo (“I can”) and pueden (“they/you plural can”). Example: Podemos esperar. — “We can wait.” irnos combines the infinitive ir (“to go”) with the attached pronoun nos (“ourselves/us” in this construction). irse commonly means “to leave” or “to go away,” so irnos means “to leave” with an understood “we” subject. Spanish can attach this pronoun to an infinitive: Quiero irme. — “I want to leave.” sin means “without” and introduces what does not happen. Before a verb, use sin + infinitive: sin hablar — “without speaking.” abrir is the infinitive “to open.” After sin, it names the action that is not performed: sin abrir — “without opening.” Example: Salió sin cerrar la puerta. — “They left without closing the door.” maleta means “suitcase.” In the sentence, la maleta is “the suitcase”; la marks this noun as feminine singular. Example: La maleta está aquí. — “The suitcase is here.” mostrador means “counter” or “desk,” especially a service counter. It is a masculine singular noun, as shown by el mostrador when a definite article is used. Example: Estoy en el mostrador. — “I am at the counter.” Together, podemos irnos says “we can leave.” The preposition sin introduces the omitted action: sin abrir la maleta, “without opening the suitcase.” en el mostrador locates the situation at the counter. Thus the whole utterance means: “Then we can leave without opening the suitcase at the counter.”