Borrowing a Drill Safely | Learn Spanish in English

Sentence explanations

1. ¿Podría pedirte prestado el taladro para colocar una estantería pequeña?

   Could I borrow your drill to put up a small shelf?

   Podría

   could

   pedirte prestado

   ask you to lend me

   taladro

   drill

   colocar

   put up

   estantería

   shelf

   pequeña

   small

   More detail

   Podría is a form of poder, “to be able to/can.” Here its conditional form presents the request politely: “Could I…?” The ending -ía is part of the conditional form; the subject is understood from context as the speaker, “I.” Compare podría “could” with present puedo “can.” pedirte prestado is a reusable way to ask someone to lend something. pedirte combines pedir (“to ask for”) with te, which identifies the person being asked, “you” in the informal singular form. prestado adds the idea that the item is lent temporarily, so the whole expression means “ask you to lend me.” A useful pattern is pedirle prestado algo a alguien or, with informal you, pedirte prestado algo. taladro means “drill.” It is a masculine noun, as shown by el taladro; its plural is taladros. In this sentence it is the item the speaker wants to borrow. Example: Necesito un taladro. — “I need a drill.” colocar means “to place” or, in this context, “to put up/install.” It is an infinitive after para, forming a purpose phrase: para colocar... means “to put up...” or “in order to put up...”. Example: Uso una escalera para colocar el cuadro. — “I use a ladder to put up the picture.” estantería means “shelf” or “shelving unit,” depending on the object meant. It is feminine: una estantería. The feminine singular adjective pequeña agrees with it. Example: La estantería es pequeña. — “The shelf is small.” pequeña is the feminine singular form of pequeño, “small.” Its form matches the feminine singular noun estantería; with a masculine singular noun, the corresponding form would be pequeño, as in un estante pequeño (“a small shelf”). Together, Podría pedirte prestado el taladro asks politely whether the speaker may borrow the drill from the listener. para colocar una estantería pequeña gives the purpose: putting up a small shelf. The complete meaning is “Could I borrow your drill to put up a small shelf?”

2. Puedes. ¿Has usado un taladro antes?

   You can. Have you used a drill before?

   Puedes

   You can

   Has usado

   have used

   taladro

   drill

   antes

   before

   More detail

   Puedes is the second-person singular present form of poder (“to be able to; can”). Here it stands alone as “You can,” with the specific action understood from the context. Compare puedo (“I can”) and puedes (“you can,” addressing one person informally). Example: Puedes entrar. — “You can come in.” Has usado combines has, the second-person singular present form of haber, with the past participle usado of usar (“to use”). Together they form the present perfect: “you have used.” This form asks about a past experience that is relevant now. The pattern is ¿Has + participle ...? — “Have you ...?” Example: ¿Has trabajado aquí? — “Have you worked here?” Taladro is a masculine noun meaning “drill,” the tool referred to in the preceding request. Its plural is taladros. In un taladro, the article un agrees with this masculine singular noun; it identifies a drill without by itself stating a numerical count as the main point. Example: Necesito un taladro. — “I need a drill.” Antes is an adverb meaning “before” or “previously.” In this question it asks whether the person has used a drill at any earlier time, without specifying when. Example: ¿Has estado aquí antes? — “Have you been here before?” Together, ¿Has usado un taladro antes? asks one person whether they have previously used a drill. The opening Puedes. means “You can,” and the following question checks that person’s prior experience before the activity.

3. Solo una vez, así que me ayudarían unas instrucciones básicas.

   Only once, so basic instructions would help.

   Solo una vez

   only once

   así que

   so

   me ayudarían

   would help me

   instrucciones

   instructions

   básicas

   basic

   More detail

   Solo una vez means “only once”: solo limits the frequency, while una vez is the time expression. It does not say that the action happens one time instead of something else; it simply states that the speaker has done it only one time. Example: Lo vi solo una vez. — “I saw it only once.” así que introduces the consequence of what came before: “so” or “therefore.” It links the limited previous experience to the speaker’s request for help. Example: Es nuevo para mí, así que necesito ayuda. — “It is new to me, so I need help.” me ayudarían is the conditional form of ayudar with a third-person plural subject: ayudarían = “would help.” The unstressed pronoun me marks the person who would receive the help: “help me.” The plural verb form agrees with unas instrucciones, which appears afterward. Compare me ayudaría with a singular subject and me ayudarían with a plural subject. Example: Un manual me ayudaría. — “A manual would help me.” instrucciones is the plural noun “instructions.” Its singular form is instrucción; the plural ending -es is used because the singular ends in a consonant. Example: Necesito instrucciones claras. — “I need clear instructions.” básicas means “basic” here and describes instrucciones. It is the feminine plural form of básico, matching that noun in gender and number: instrucción básica, instrucciones básicas. Example: Son instrucciones básicas. — “They are basic instructions.” Together, Solo una vez gives the reason for needing support, así que connects that reason to its consequence, and unas instrucciones básicas is the plural subject of me ayudarían. The complete meaning is: “I have done it only once, so basic instructions would help me.”

4. Primero comprueba qué tipo de pared es y ponte gafas de seguridad.

   Check what kind of wall it is first, and wear safety glasses.

   Primero

   first

   comprueba

   check

   qué tipo de

   what kind of

   pared

   wall

   ponte

   put on

   gafas de seguridad

   safety glasses

   More detail

   Primero means “first” here and places the check before the other action. It is a useful way to order instructions: Primero ..., después ... = “First ..., then ...”. comprueba means “check” and is the affirmative command for tú from comprobar. The ending identifies a singular informal listener; it is not the usted command, which is compruebe. Example: Comprueba la medida. — “Check the measurement.” qué tipo de asks what category or kind something belongs to. The reusable pattern is qué tipo de + noun: ¿Qué tipo de herramienta necesitas? — “What kind of tool do you need?” Here it introduces pared, not a separate question about an unspecified action. pared means “wall”. Its base form is the feminine noun pared, used with la: la pared. Example: La pared es de ladrillo. — “The wall is made of brick.” Together, qué tipo de pared es asks which kind of wall it is. es is the third-person singular present form of ser. In this clause, the singular noun phrase qué tipo de pared is the subject, and es agrees with its head noun tipo; the phrase is translated naturally as “what kind of wall it is.” ponte means “put on” here. It is the affirmative tú command of ponerse, formed from the irregular command pon of poner plus the reflexive pronoun te: pon + te → ponte. In this use, the clothing or item being put on is supplied by what follows. Example: Ponte el casco. — “Put on the helmet.” gafas de seguridad means “safety glasses.” gafas is a feminine plural noun; de seguridad specifies their safety-related purpose. The plural form is natural because glasses are treated as a plural item in Spanish. Example: Lleva gafas de seguridad. — “Wear safety glasses.” The utterance first gives the order comprueba qué tipo de pared es: “check what kind of wall it is.” Then y ponte gafas de seguridad adds a second tú instruction: “and put on safety glasses.” Together: “Check what kind of wall it is first, and wear safety glasses.”

5. También me preocupa golpear cables eléctricos.

   I'm also worried about hitting electrical wires.

   También

   also

   me preocupa

   worries me

   golpear

   to hit

   cables

   cables

   eléctricos

   electrical

   More detail

   También adds this point to the preceding discourse: “also” or “as well.” Example: También uso guantes. — “I also wear gloves.” me preocupa uses preocupar in the pattern me preocupa + noun or infinitive clause, meaning that something causes concern for me. me marks the person affected; preocupa is third-person singular because the grammatical subject here is the following infinitive clause, golpear cables eléctricos. Compare Me preocupa el cable (“The cable worries me”) with Me preocupan los cables (“The cables worry me”): the verb agrees with the thing causing concern, not with me. golpear is the infinitive “to hit.” Here it names the action that is worrying. The infinitive can also follow other expressions: Es peligroso golpear el cable. — “It is dangerous to hit the cable.” cables is the plural of cable, “cable.” The plural ending -s shows that there is more than one cable. In this sentence it is the object of golpear: the concern is about hitting the cables. eléctricos is the masculine plural form of the adjective eléctrico, “electrical.” It agrees with masculine plural cables: cable eléctrico, cables eléctricos. This adjective describes the type of cables, not the action of hitting. Example: Hay cables eléctricos en la pared. — “There are electrical wires in the wall.” Together, me preocupa golpear cables eléctricos means “I am worried about hitting electrical wires”: the action golpear cables eléctricos is the source of concern, and me identifies the person who feels that concern. También connects this point with the preceding discourse, giving the complete meaning “I’m also worried about hitting electrical wires.”

6. Usa este detector antes de taladrar en cualquier sitio.

   Use this detector before you drill anywhere.

   Usa

   use

   este

   this

   detector

   detector

   antes de

   before

   taladrar

   drill

   cualquier

   any

   sitio

   place

   More detail

   Usa is the affirmative command form of usar for tú singular: “use.” It addresses one person informally. Compare usa (tú command) with use (usted command). Example: Usa guantes. — “Wear gloves.” este means “this” and is a masculine singular demonstrative. Here it agrees with the masculine singular noun detector. The related forms are esta for feminine singular and estos/estas for plural nouns. detector is a masculine noun meaning “detector.” Its plural is detectores. In this sentence, it is the object of usa. antes de introduces something that happens earlier. Before an action, Spanish uses antes de + infinitive: antes de salir — “before leaving.” It can also be followed by a noun, as in antes de la prueba — “before the test.” taladrar is an infinitive meaning “to drill.” After antes de, the infinitive keeps this general, non-finite form; it does not identify a separate subject or tense. Example: Apaga la máquina antes de taladrar. — “Turn off the machine before drilling.” cualquier means “any” in cualquier sitio, referring broadly to an unrestricted place here. It is the shortened form of cualquiera used directly before a singular noun: cualquier sitio — “any place.” The form does not itself state a numeric count. sitio means “place” or “spot.” It is a masculine singular noun; its plural is sitios. In this context, cualquier sitio means “anywhere” because it refers to an unrestricted location. Together, Usa este detector gives the command “Use this detector.” antes de taladrar places the drilling after the detector use, and en cualquier sitio means that this precaution applies regardless of the place. The complete utterance is: “Use this detector before you drill anywhere.”

7. Escanearé el lugar antes de marcar los agujeros.

   I'll scan the spot before I mark the holes.

   Escanearé

   I will scan

   el lugar

   the spot

   antes de

   before

   marcar

   to mark

   los agujeros

   the holes

   More detail

   Escanearé means “I will scan” here. Its base form is escanear, an infinitive. The ending -é marks the simple future, first-person singular: escanearé = “I will scan.” This form states the speaker’s planned or expected action. Example: Mañana escanearé el documento. — “Tomorrow I will scan the document.” El lugar means “the spot” or “the place.” Lugar is a masculine singular noun, so it appears with the masculine singular definite article el. Its plural is los lugares. The exact translation supports “the spot” in this sentence; the noun can refer to a place more generally in other contexts. Antes de means “before” and introduces what happens earlier. When the following action is expressed with an infinitive, the pattern is antes de + infinitive: antes de salir = “before leaving.” In this sentence, it introduces marcar, so the scanning happens earlier than the marking. Marcar means “to mark.” It is an infinitive, so it does not itself show person or tense. Here, the understood subject is the speaker, matching escanearé: “before I mark.” With a different subject, Spanish can use antes de que plus a conjugated verb, for example: antes de que ellos marquen los agujeros — “before they mark the holes.” Los agujeros means “the holes.” Agujero is a masculine singular noun; its plural is agujeros, and the masculine plural article is los. The plural shows that the sentence refers to more than one hole. Example: Hay dos agujeros en la pared. — “There are two holes in the wall.” Together, Escanearé el lugar states the speaker’s future action, and antes de marcar los agujeros places the marking after that scan. The complete meaning is: “I’ll scan the spot before I mark the holes.”

8. Por favor, devuelve el taladro junto con el cargador y las brocas.

   Please bring the drill back with the charger and bits together.

   Por favor

   please

   devuelve

   bring back; return

   el taladro

   the drill

   junto con

   together with

   el cargador

   the charger

   las brocas

   the bits

   More detail

   Por favor is a polite way to make the request. It can introduce an imperative: Por favor, espera. means “Please wait.” devuelve means “bring back” or “return” here. Its base form is devolver. In this sentence, devuelve is the affirmative command for tú (one person): devuelve. Compare devuelva for usted and devuelvan for ustedes; devolved is the corresponding form for vosotros. The command asks the listener to return something, rather than stating that someone returns it. el taladro means “the drill.” Taladro is a masculine singular noun, so it appears with el. Its plural is los taladros. For example, Necesito el taladro means “I need the drill.” junto con is the reusable pattern “together with” or “along with.” It connects the main item with an accompanying item: el taladro junto con el cargador means “the drill together with the charger.” el cargador means “the charger.” Cargador is a masculine singular noun here, with plural cargadores: los cargadores means “the chargers.” las brocas means “the bits,” specifically drill bits in this context. The singular is la broca, and the plural form brocas takes the feminine plural article las. For example, Guarda las brocas means “Put the bits away.” Together, Por favor, devuelve el taladro junto con el cargador y las brocas. asks one listener to return the drill, bringing it along with the charger and the bits.

9. Limpiaré el polvo antes de devolverlo.

   I'll clean off the dust before I return it.

   Limpiaré

   I will clean

   polvo

   dust

   antes de

   before

   devolverlo

   return it

   More detail

   Limpiaré is the first-person singular future of limpiar (“to clean”): limpiar + -é means “I will clean.” The ending identifies the speaker as the person who will do the cleaning. For example, Mañana limpiaré la mesa. means “Tomorrow I will clean the table.” polvo is the masculine singular noun “dust.” In the sentence, el polvo is the direct object of limpiaré, so the speaker will clean the dust off. The article el agrees with this noun’s masculine singular form. antes de introduces an action that happens later than the cleaning: “before.” It is followed here by an infinitive, a reusable pattern: antes de + infinitive. For example, Lávate las manos antes de comer. means “Wash your hands before eating.” devolverlo combines the infinitive devolver (“to return” or “to give back”) with the direct-object clitic lo: devolver + lo. The ending -lo refers to a masculine singular direct object, but the exact referent is not uniquely identified by this sentence. The infinitive after antes de keeps the second action non-finite; the clitic is attached to the end of it. For example, Voy a devolverlo mañana. means “I am going to return it tomorrow.” Together, Limpiaré el polvo means “I will clean the dust off,” and antes de devolverlo means “before returning it.” The whole utterance is therefore: “I’ll clean off the dust before I return it.”

10. Tómate tu tiempo; la seguridad importa más que la rapidez.

    Take your time with it; safety matters more than speed.

    Tómate tu tiempo

    take your time

    la seguridad

    safety

    importa

    matters

    más que

    more than

    la rapidez

    speed

    More detail

    Tómate tu tiempo is an affirmative command addressed to one person using the informal singular tú form. The base verb is tomar; its affirmative tú imperative is toma. In this expression, the pronominal clitic te is attached to the command, producing tómate, with the written accent preserving the pronunciation. Together with tu tiempo, this is the reusable expression “take your time”; it does not assert that the listener literally takes ownership of a physical object. Example: Tómate tu tiempo para decidir. — “Take your time to decide.” la seguridad means “safety.” Seguridad is a feminine noun, so it takes the feminine singular article la here. The article and noun form the subject of the following verb. Example: La seguridad es importante. — “Safety is important.” importa is the third-person singular present form of importar, “to matter.” Here, la seguridad is singular, so the verb appears as importa. In this use, the thing that matters is expressed as the subject: La seguridad importa means “Safety matters.” Example: La precisión importa. — “Precision matters.” más que introduces a comparison: “more than.” Más is the comparative form used for a higher degree, and que links the two things being compared. This is different from menos que, “less than.” Example: La calidad importa más que la cantidad. — “Quality matters more than quantity.” la rapidez means “speed” or “quickness.” Rapidez is a feminine singular noun, so it appears with la. It refers here to how quickly something is done, not to a person or object that is quick. Example: La rapidez no siempre es lo más importante. — “Speed is not always the most important thing.” Taken together, la seguridad importa más que la rapidez says that safety has greater importance than speed. The semicolon links that comparison with the command Tómate tu tiempo, so the utterance tells one person to take their time while emphasizing that safety is more important than speed.