Hola, ¿cómo estás? 👋🏻
Gracias por ser parte de Master Spanish Weekly. The weekly email that makes Spanish part of your day.
In today’s email:
🏃♂️ A personal story from the Austin Marathon
🇵🇷 Puerto Rican Spanish inspired by Bad Bunny (in case you missed it last week)
📥 A free PDF with Puerto Rican expressions (+ audio)
🗣️ “Can you…?” vs. direct commands in Spanish
📝 A quick mini quiz to practice (no pressure)
Entonces, como les venía diciendo…
Last Sunday, I tried to run the Austin Marathon.
I made it to mile 11 (17.7 km) and had to stop. I injured my IT band last year and honestly thought it had healed. I felt ready, but my body wasn’t.
Even though I didn’t finish, I really enjoyed the experience. The energy, the people cheering, the music, the city. Austin is such a fun place to run and be outside. No regrets.
Sometimes you prepare, you show up, and things still don’t go as planned. That’s true in running… and in learning a language too.
You keep going anyway.
📥 If you missed it last week
I’m resharing this because I updated the PDF from last week and added audio from a Puerto Rican native.
These are expressions you’ll hear in music, interviews, and everyday conversations. Especially if you follow artists like Bad Bunny.
Today’s lesson: “Can you…?” vs. Direct commands in Spanish
In English and Spanish, we often say:
“Can you…?” to be polite.
We can also use direct commands, especially in everyday situations. They’re not rude.
Here’s how it works.
Two common ways to ask someone to do something
English | Spanish (Can you…?) | Spanish (Direct command for “Tú”) | English equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
Can you help me? | ¿Puedes ayudarme? | Ayúdame | Help me |
Can you wait? | ¿Puedes esperar? | Espera | Wait |
Can you tell me? | ¿Puedes decirme? | Dime | Tell me |
Can you listen? | ¿Puedes escuchar? | Escucha | Listen |
Can you come here? | ¿Puedes venir aquí? | Ven aquí | Come here |
Can you look? | ¿Puedes mirar? | Mira | Look |
Can you try? | ¿Puedes probarlo? | Pruébalo | Try it |
Can you explain it? | ¿Puedes explicarlo? | Explícalo | Explain it |
Can you give it to me? | ¿Puedes dármelo? | Dámelo | Give it to me |
Can you stop? | ¿Puedes parar, por favor? | Para, por favor | Stop, please. |
Can you sit down? | ¿Puedes sentarte? | Siéntate | Sit down |
Can you relax? | ¿Puedes relajarte? | Relájate | Relax |
Can you be quiet? | ¿Puedes callarte? | Cállate | Be quiet |
Can you help us? | ¿Puedes ayudarnos? | Ayúdanos | Help us |
Can you follow me? | ¿Puedes seguirme? | Sígueme | Follow me |
In Spanish, direct commands are not rude.
They’re very common, especially with people you know.
Politeness comes from:
tone of voice
context
relationship
Not only from the grammar.
🧩 Mini Quiz: “Can you?” vs Commands}
Choose the best option:
You’re speaking casually with a friend and want them to wait.
A) ¿Puedes esperar, por favor?
B) Espera, por favor.You want to be polite with someone you don’t know well.
A) Dime tu nombre.
B) ¿Puedes decirme tu correo electrónico?¿Cómo se dice: “Help me with my Spanish homework”?
A) ¿Puedes ayudarme con mi tarea de Español?
B) Ayúdame con mi tarea de Español.You’re giving a simple instruction in a relaxed situation.
A) ¿Puedes escucharme?
B) Escúchame.True or False:
Direct commands are always rude in Spanish.A) True
B) False
Gracias
Gracias por leer mi newsletter. Espero que te ayude a integrar el Español en tu día.
Un abrazo,
Alejandro Nuñez, Founder and Director at Vokally
