¿Te puedo dibujar?
The English phrase "can I draw you?" in Spanish is translated as ¿Te puedo dibujar?
What does it mean word for word?
In the phrase Te puedo dibujar, te means "you" (as an object), puedo means "I can" and dibujar means "to draw".
Which one should you use?
The difference between ¿Te puedo dibujar? and ¿Le puedo dibujar? is the level of familiarity: te is for friends or peers, while le is for formal situations or strangers.
How does it change in a sentence?
Use the form ¿Le puedo dibujar? when speaking to someone you address as usted to be polite or formal.
Did you know?
- The term dibujar evolved from the Old French deboissier, which originally referred to clearing woods or removing brush.
- The grammatical structure of ¿Te puedo dibujar? allows you to move the te to the end, saying ¿Puedo dibujarte?, and the meaning remains exactly the same.
- The word dibujar can also be used figuratively in Spanish to mean 'to outline' or 'to map out' a plan, much like 'to draw up' a contract in English.
Examples in context
- Eres muy guapo, ¿te puedo dibujar?You are very handsome, can I draw you?
- Si te quedas quieto, ¿te puedo dibujar?If you stay still, can I draw you?
Example conversation
Maria is an artist and wants to sketch Alejandro.
- MaríaAlejandro, ¿te puedo dibujar?Alejandro, can I draw you?
- AlejandroSí, claro. ¿Dónde quieres que me siente?Yes, of course. Where do you want me to sit?
- MaríaSiéntate ahí, por favor.Sit there, please.
- AlejandroEstá bien, estoy listo.All right, I am ready.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries dibujar, te, CC BY-SA 4.0.
