Phrase · 🙏 Thanking, apologising and being polite
¿Me pasas la sal, por favor?
Could you pass me the salt, please?
A1asking politelyinformalAudio · coming soon
Why every word is where it is
¿Me1object pronoun(to) meyo · 1st sing.pasas1verbyou passpasar · present · 2nd sing.la2determinertheel · fem. · sing. · definitesal2nounsaltfem. · sing.,por3prepositionforfavor3nounfavourmasc. · sing.?
- Me → pasas: me = to me
- pasas → sal: passes what?
- la → sal: agree: fem. sing.
- por → favor: por favor = please
Why it's built this way
The notes match the numbers above.
- 1A request as a present-tense question: ¿Me pasas…? = will you pass me…? Present tense: regular -ar, -er, -ir verbs →
- 2sal is feminine: la sal. Nouns: gender and number →
- 3por favor softens any request, at the start or the end.
Variations
- ¿Me pasa la sal, por favor?
- ¿Me pasas el pan, por favor?