Borrowing a laptop adapter before a presentation | Learn Spanish in English

Sentence explanations

1. No encuentro el adaptador de mi portátil y mi presentación empieza pronto.

   My laptop adapter is missing, and my presentation starts soon.

   No encuentro

   I can't find

   el adaptador

   the adapter

   mi portátil

   my laptop

   mi presentación

   my presentation

   empieza

   starts

   pronto

   soon

   More detail

   No encuentro means “I can’t find.” The verb is encontrar (“to find”); encuentro is its present-tense first-person singular form, so the understood subject is “I.” No negates the verb. For example, No encuentro mis llaves. means “I can’t find my keys.” el adaptador means “the adapter.” Adaptador is a masculine noun, which is why it appears with el. The plural is los adaptadores. In this sentence, it is the thing the speaker cannot find. mi portátil means “my laptop.” Portátil is used here as a noun for “laptop”; mi is the possessive determiner “my” and does not change for masculine or feminine nouns. With a plural noun, it becomes mis, as in mis portátiles (“my laptops”). mi presentación means “my presentation.” Presentación is a feminine noun, shown by the article la when an article is used: la presentación. As with mi portátil, the possessive mi agrees in number, not gender; the plural is mis presentaciones (“my presentations”). empieza means “starts” or “begins.” Its base form is empezar, and empieza is the present-tense third-person singular form. Here the subject is mi presentación, so the verb is singular. For example, La clase empieza a las nueve. means “The class starts at nine.” pronto means “soon.” It describes when the presentation starts. It is an adverb here, so it does not change to agree with presentación. For example, Llegamos pronto. means “We arrive soon.” Together, No encuentro el adaptador de mi portátil says that the speaker cannot find the adapter belonging to their laptop. y joins this with mi presentación empieza pronto, which says that the speaker’s presentation starts soon. The complete meaning is: “My laptop adapter is missing, and my presentation starts soon.”

2. Tengo uno que puedes usar.

   I have one you can use.

   Tengo

   I have

   uno

   one

   puedes

   you can

   usar

   use

   More detail

   Tengo is the first-person singular present form of tener (“to have”): yo tengo. Spanish normally leaves the subject pronoun yo unstated because the verb ending identifies it. Example: Tengo tiempo. — “I have time.” uno is a standalone form meaning “one” or “one of them.” Here, the surrounding context identifies it as one adapter, so it replaces a previously understood masculine singular noun such as el adaptador. The form agrees with the item when needed: uno for masculine singular and una for feminine singular. Example: Tengo una que puedes usar. — “I have one that you can use.” puedes is the second-person singular present form of poder, “to be able to” or “can”: tú puedes. It expresses the other person’s ability or possibility here; it is not a command. Poder is followed by an infinitive: puedes usar — “you can use.” Example: Puedes entrar. — “You can come in.” usar is the infinitive “to use.” After puedes, it stays in the infinitive rather than carrying the person marking; puedes carries the second-person singular form. Example: Quiero usarlo. — “I want to use it.” Together, Tengo uno means “I have one,” with uno standing for the understood adapter. The relative clause que puedes usar means “that you can use”: que links the clause to the item, while puedes usar says that the listener can use it. The complete utterance is therefore “I have one you can use.”

3. Pero comprobemos que funciona con tu portátil.

   But let's check that it works with your laptop.

   comprobemos

   let’s check

   funciona

   works

   portátil

   laptop

   More detail

   comprobemos means “let’s check” here. It is the first-person plural present subjunctive of comprobar (“to check”), used as an affirmative suggestion or exhortation: the speaker includes themself and the listener. Compare the ordinary present form comprobamos (“we check”); comprobemos presents the checking as something to do now. Example: Comprobemos la conexión. — “Let’s check the connection.” funciona means “works” in this clause. Its base form is funcionar (“to work” or “to function”), and funciona is the third-person singular present form. Its subject is the understood “it” identified by the fixed translation and context, not tu portátil; the clause says that the relevant thing works with the laptop. Example: El cable funciona. — “The cable works.” portátil is the noun “laptop” in this sentence. Here it is a masculine singular noun; the noun’s form and the fixed translation support that reading, while tu itself does not mark gender. The same form can also be an adjective meaning “portable,” but that is not its role here. As an adjective, it does not change for masculine versus feminine; its plural form is portátiles. Example: Necesito un portátil. — “I need a laptop.” Together, Pero (“but”) adds contrast, comprobemos que ... means “let’s check that ...,” and funciona con tu portátil means “it works with your laptop.” The complete utterance is therefore: “But let’s check that it works with your laptop.”

4. Cabe en el puerto. Todavía tengo que probar el proyector.

   It fits the port. I still need to test the projector.

   Cabe

   fits

   puerto

   port

   Todavía

   still

   tengo que

   need to

   probar

   test

   proyector

   projector

   More detail

   Cabe is the present-tense form of caber, “to fit.” Here it is third-person singular: cabe = “fits,” with the fitting subject understood from the situation rather than stated in this sentence. Example: La caja cabe aquí. — “The box fits here.” puerto means “port.” In el puerto, the masculine singular article el agrees with this noun. In this sentence, the phrase identifies the place or connection into which something fits. Example: El cable está en el puerto. — “The cable is in the port.” Todavía means “still” and marks that the situation continues or remains outstanding at this point. Example: Todavía estoy aquí. — “I am still here.” Tengo que is the first-person singular present form of tener plus que; the pattern tener que + infinitive expresses that someone needs to or has to do something. Tengo shows that the speaker is the one with this need. Example: Tengo que salir. — “I have to leave.” Probar is an infinitive meaning “to test” here. It follows tengo que, so it names the action the speaker still needs to perform. In other contexts, probar can also mean “to try” or “to taste,” but the fixed translation selects the testing sense here. Example: Quiero probar el micrófono. — “I want to test the microphone.” Proyector means “projector.” The masculine singular article el agrees with it in el proyector. Here it is the direct object of probar: it is the thing to be tested. Example: El proyector funciona. — “The projector works.” Together, Cabe en el puerto means “It fits the port”: cabe states that the understood item fits, and en el puerto gives the place or connection. Todavía tengo que probar el proyector means “I still need to test the projector”: todavía marks the continuing need, tengo que expresses obligation or necessity for the speaker, and probar el proyector names the required action. The two sentences therefore say that the item fits the port, while testing the projector is still unfinished or still required.

5. Hazlo ahora; los problemas pequeños se vuelven más difíciles bajo presión.

   Do it now; small problems get harder under pressure.

   Hazlo

   Do it

   ahora

   now

   problemas

   problems

   pequeños

   small

   se vuelven

   become

   más difíciles

   harder

   presión

   pressure

   More detail

   Hazlo means “do it” here. It is the affirmative command form for tú (singular, informal). haz is the command form of hacer, and lo is a singular direct-object clitic attached to the command. In this sentence, lo conveys “it”; its masculine or neuter value is not specified by the translation. Example: Hazlo mañana. — “Do it tomorrow.” ahora means “now” and places the action at the present time. It is an adverb and does not change form. problemas is the plural of problema, “problem.” Although it ends in -a, problema is masculine in Spanish, so the plural adjective agrees as masculine plural. Example: Los problemas son pequeños. — “The problems are small.” pequeños means “small” here and describes problemas. Its base form is masculine singular pequeño; pequeños is masculine plural to agree with the plural noun. The feminine forms are pequeña and pequeñas when the noun is feminine. se vuelven means “become” in this sentence. The base verb is volverse, and vuelven is its present-tense third-person plural form, agreeing with los problemas; se is part of this pronominal use. Compare El problema se vuelve difícil. — “The problem becomes difficult.” más difíciles means “harder.” difíciles is the plural form of difícil, agreeing with problemas, while más forms the comparative: más difícil = “harder/more difficult.” The positive form is difícil; menos difícil means “less difficult.” Example: Esta tarea es más difícil. — “This task is harder.” presión means “pressure.” In bajo presión, the preposition bajo creates the expression “under pressure”; presión is a singular noun. Example: Trabajo bien bajo presión. — “I work well under pressure.” Together, Hazlo ahora gives the command “Do it now.” Then los problemas pequeños se vuelven más difíciles bajo presión says that small problems become harder under pressure. The complete utterance is therefore: “Do it now; small problems get harder under pressure.”

6. La imagen se ve bien, así que estamos listos.

   The screen is showing correctly, so we're set.

   La imagen

   the image

   se ve

   looks / is displayed

   bien

   well

   así que

   so

   estamos

   we are

   listos

   ready

   More detail

   La imagen means “the image” here; the fixed translation uses “screen” for the displayed visual content. La marks a singular feminine noun, and imagen is feminine even though its meaning can refer to different kinds of visual content. A useful pattern is la imagen de ... (“the image of ...”). se ve is the third-person singular form of verse, used here for how something appears or is displayed: “looks” or “is showing.” The reflexive element se is part of this appearance construction; it does not mean that the image is deliberately looking at something. Compare La pantalla se ve bien (“The screen looks good”). bien is an adverb meaning “well” in this sentence, describing how the image is displayed. It is different from the adjective bueno/buena, which describes a noun: La imagen es buena means “The image is good,” while La imagen se ve bien focuses on its appearance or display. así que introduces the result of what came before: “so” or “therefore.” The pattern X, así que Y connects a situation with its consequence without excluding X. estamos is the first-person plural present form of estar, “to be.” It means “we are” and is used for a current state or situation. The subject is included in the verb form, so Spanish does not need a separate nosotros here. Useful forms include estoy (“I am”), estás (“you are,” singular informal), and están (“they are” or “you are,” plural/formal according to context). listos is the masculine plural form of the adjective listo, meaning “ready” in this use. It agrees with the implied first-person plural subject of estamos; listas would be used for an all-feminine group. Here “ready” is the intended sense, not the other possible sense of listo meaning “clever.” Together, La imagen se ve bien says that the image or screen is displaying correctly. Así que estamos listos gives the resulting state: “so we’re set.” The complete utterance is therefore: “The screen is showing correctly, so we’re set.”

7. Guarda una copia de respaldo de tus diapositivas en un segundo dispositivo, por si acaso.

   Keep a backup copy of your slides on a second device, just in case.

   Guarda

   keep; save

   copia

   copy

   respaldo

   backup

   diapositivas

   slides

   segundo

   second

   dispositivo

   device

   por si acaso

   just in case

   More detail

   Guarda is the affirmative command form of guardar for tú singular: “keep” or “save.” It tells one person to perform the action. Compare guardar (infinitive), guarda (tú command), and guarda (also the present-tense form for “he/she/you formal keeps,” depending on context); here the command reading is established by the sentence’s instruction. copia means a copy or duplicate. Its base form is the noun copia; the plural is copias. In una copia, una is an indefinite article, not a claim that the number is being emphasized. The phrase simply introduces a copy to be kept. respaldo means backup in this context. copia de respaldo is a reusable noun phrase for “backup copy”: de respaldo specifies the copy’s function. Respaldo is a masculine noun; its gender is a lexical property, even though this phrase does not show agreement with an adjective. diapositivas means slides, such as presentation slides. It is the plural of diapositiva; the plural ending indicates more than one slide. The possessive tus makes them the listener’s slides, while diapositivas itself carries the noun number. segundo means second here in an ordering sense. It is the masculine singular form of the ordinal adjective segundo, agreeing with dispositivo (masculine singular). The related feminine form is segunda, as in segunda opción; plural forms include segundos and segundas when the noun requires them. Thus segundo dispositivo means a device that is second in the relevant order, not necessarily a device lasting two seconds. dispositivo means device. Its plural is dispositivos. In un segundo dispositivo, the noun is modified by the masculine singular adjective segundo; un introduces one unspecified device but does not by itself make “one” the main numerical point. por si acaso is a fixed expression meaning “just in case.” It introduces a precaution or possible situation for which the backup may be useful. It is best learned as a whole expression rather than as a literal replacement of each word. Together, Guarda gives the listener a direct instruction: keep or save una copia de respaldo of tus diapositivas in un segundo dispositivo. por si acaso adds the precautionary purpose, producing: “Keep a backup copy of your slides on a second device, just in case.”

8. Pondré una en otro dispositivo antes de empezar.

   I'll put one on another device before I start.

   Pondré

   I’ll put / place

   una

   one

   otro

   another

   dispositivo

   device

   antes de

   before

   empezar

   to start

   More detail

   Pondré is the first-person singular future of poner (“to put/place”). The future stem is irregular: poner → pondr-, giving pondré (“I will put”). Example: Pondré el adaptador aquí. — “I’ll put the adapter here.” una stands alone as a feminine singular object pronoun meaning “one” here. The omitted noun is understood as copia (“copy”), supported by the preceding context about keeping a backup copy. Its feminine form agrees with that understood noun; the form uno would be masculine. Because it is used independently here, it is not merely an article before an expressed noun. otro means “another” and modifies dispositivo. It is masculine singular, agreeing with the masculine singular noun dispositivo. The forms are otro, otra, otros, and otras, chosen according to the noun’s grammatical gender and number. Example: Necesito otro adaptador. — “I need another adapter.” dispositivo means “device.” It is a masculine noun: el dispositivo, plural los dispositivos. In this sentence, it is the destination introduced by en: the copy will be put on another device. antes de introduces something that happens earlier: “before.” When the following action has the same understood subject, Spanish commonly uses antes de + infinitive, as here. Example: Revisa el archivo antes de enviarlo. — “Check the file before sending it.” empezar is the infinitive “to start” or “to begin.” After antes de, the infinitive presents the later action without marking a separate subject. Example: Cierro la aplicación antes de empezar. — “I close the application before starting.” Together, Pondré una en otro dispositivo means “I’ll put one on another device,” with una referring to one copy. antes de empezar adds that this placement will happen before the speaker starts. The whole utterance is therefore: “I’ll put one on another device before I start.”

9. ¿Podrías devolverme el adaptador después de la sesión? Lo necesito más tarde.

   Could you bring the adapter back after the session? I need it later.

   Podrías

   Could you

   devolverme

   bring back to me

   el adaptador

   the adapter

   después de

   after

   la sesión

   the session

   Lo

   it

   necesito

   need

   más tarde

   later

   More detail

   Podrías is the conditional form of poder for tú: podrías = “you could.” Here it softens a request. Compare puedes (“you can”) with podrías (“you could,” often more tentative or polite). Example: ¿Podrías esperar? — “Could you wait?” devolverme combines the infinitive devolver (“to return/bring back”) with the attached pronoun me (“to me”). The verb devolver is irregular in some present-tense forms: devuelvo, but the infinitive remains devolver. With an attached pronoun, the infinitive stays devolver and me is written as one word: devolverme. Example: Quiero devolverte el libro. — “I want to return the book to you.” el adaptador means “the adapter.” Adaptador is a masculine singular noun, so it appears with the masculine singular definite article el. Plural: los adaptadores. Example: Necesito el adaptador. — “I need the adapter.” después de introduces something that happens later than another event: “after.” It is followed here by the noun phrase la sesión. Example: Hablamos después de la reunión. — “We talk after the meeting.” la sesión means “the session.” Sesión is a feminine singular noun, shown by the article la; its plural is las sesiones. Example: La sesión empieza a las tres. — “The session starts at three.” Lo is the masculine singular direct-object pronoun “it.” In this utterance, it refers to el adaptador, as confirmed by the fixed translation and the surrounding context. It is placed before the conjugated verb: Lo necesito. Compare la for a feminine singular direct object, such as la llave: La necesito — “I need it.” necesito is the first-person singular present form of necesitar: “I need.” The ending identifies the speaker as the subject; Spanish normally omits the separate subject pronoun when the verb form makes it clear. Example: Necesito más tiempo. — “I need more time.” más tarde means “later,” referring to a time after the present or after another relevant time. Más marks a greater amount or degree, while tarde here contributes the time expression; together they form the reusable phrase más tarde. Example: Lo haré más tarde. — “I will do it later.” Together, ¿Podrías devolverme el adaptador después de la sesión? asks the listener to bring the adapter back to the speaker after the session. Lo necesito más tarde then says that the speaker needs that adapter later; lo avoids repeating el adaptador. The full meaning is: “Could you bring the adapter back after the session? I need it later.”

10. Lo devolveré en cuanto termine la sesión.

    I'll return it as soon as the session ends.

    Lo

    it

    devolveré

    I will return

    en cuanto

    as soon as

    termine

    ends

    sesión

    session

    More detail

    Lo is a masculine singular direct-object pronoun. Here it refers to the adapter mentioned in the preceding context, so lo devolveré means “I will return it.” Spanish object pronouns agree with the noun they replace: lo for a masculine singular object, la for a feminine singular object, and los/las for plurals. devolveré is the first-person singular future of devolver, “to return” or “to give back.” The ending -é identifies “I will”; compare devolverás (“you will return”) and devolverá (“he, she, or you formal will return”). In this sentence, the pronoun comes before the conjugated verb: lo devolveré. en cuanto introduces a time condition meaning “as soon as.” It connects the promised action with an event that has not yet happened. For example, Te llamaré en cuanto llegue means “I’ll call you as soon as I arrive.” termine is the third-person singular present subjunctive of terminar, “to end” or “to finish.” After en cuanto, Spanish uses the subjunctive when the event is pending or anticipated: en cuanto termine = “as soon as it ends.” The subject is understood from la sesión; the form is singular because sesión is singular. This is not the same as the indicative termina, which presents an event as factual or habitual in a different context. sesión is a feminine singular noun meaning “session.” The complete noun phrase is la sesión; la marks its singular feminine form. The noun can also be used in other contexts, such as una sesión breve (“a short session”). Together, Lo devolveré (“I will return it”) and en cuanto termine la sesión (“as soon as the session ends”) give: “I’ll return it as soon as the session ends.” The sentence promises the return of the adapter and places it immediately after the session ends.

11. Así tendrás una cosa menos de la que preocuparte.

    That should give you one less thing to worry about.

    Así

    that way; thus

    tendrás

    you will have

    una cosa

    a thing

    menos

    less; fewer

    de la que

    that ... about

    preocuparte

    to worry

    More detail

    Así means “that way” or “thus.” Here it introduces the result of the action understood from the preceding context. Example: Así será más fácil. — “That way it will be easier.” tendrás is the second-person singular future form of tener (“to have”): tendré, tendrás, tendrá — “I will have,” “you will have,” “he/she/you will have.” In this sentence it uses the tú form; the form expresses a future state of having. Example: Tendrás más tiempo mañana. — “You will have more time tomorrow.” una cosa means “a thing.” Cosa is a feminine noun, so its indefinite article is una. Together with menos, una cosa menos is the reusable pattern “one less thing.” The quantity is conveyed by the complete expression, not by treating una alone as an isolated numeric claim. menos expresses a smaller number or amount. With a countable noun such as cosa, it is naturally translated as “fewer.” A useful comparison pattern is menos ... que — “fewer/less ... than.” Example: Tenemos menos problemas. — “We have fewer problems.” de la que introduces a relative phrase referring back to cosa. In this construction, la agrees with the feminine antecedent and que is the relative element; together with de, the phrase means “about which.” Example: Es un problema del que hablamos ayer. — “It is a problem that we talked about yesterday.” preocuparte is the infinitive preocupar (“to worry” in this use) with the clitic te attached. The infinitive itself does not change for the subject; te identifies the person involved here as tú. The dictionary pronominal form is preocuparse, with se rather than te, as in Él va a preocuparse — “He is going to worry.” Example: No tienes nada de qué preocuparte. — “You have nothing to worry about.” Together, Así tendrás means “That way you will have,” una cosa menos means “one less thing,” and de la que preocuparte specifies that this is a thing to worry about. The complete meaning is: “That should give you one less thing to worry about.”