Spanish Phrase
¿Me cortas las verduras?
Meaning
A polite, informal request meaning “Can you cut the vegetables for me?” The speaker is asking someone they are familiar with to perform a small kitchen task.
When to use
Use this phrase in a casual setting such as at home, in a shared kitchen, or when cooking with friends or family. It’s appropriate when you need help with food preparation and you’re speaking to someone you address with the familiar 'tú' form.
✦Grammar Breakdown
¿Mecortaslasverduras?
Indirect object pronoun (Me)
Me indicates that the action is done for the speaker; it precedes the verb in Spanish.
Present tense 2nd person singular (cortas)
Cortas is the present indicative form of cortar for 'tú', used in informal requests.
Definite article with direct object (las verduras)
Las is the feminine plural article that agrees with verduras, the direct object of cortar.
Question marks
Spanish uses opening (¿) and closing (?) question marks for all interrogative sentences.
🗨In Conversation
¿Me cortas las verduras?
Can you cut the vegetables for me?
Claro, en un momento.
Sure, in a moment.
✕Common Mistakes
¿Cortas me las verduras?
Pronoun must precede the verb, not follow it.
¿Me las verduras cortas?
Indirect object pronoun should come before the verb, not after the direct object.
¿Me cortar las verduras?
Using the infinitive (cortar) without a conjugated verb makes the sentence ungrammatical.
¿Me cortas la verdura?
Verdura is singular; the phrase refers to multiple vegetables, so the plural form verduras is required.
↔Alternatives
¿Podrías cortarme las verduras?
Could you cut the vegetables for me?
¿Me ayudas a cortar las verduras?
Will you help me cut the vegetables?
¿Puedes cortar las verduras, por favor?
Can you cut the vegetables, please?
Cultural Tip
In many Spanish‑speaking households, kitchen chores are shared and requests are often phrased politely with indirect object pronouns. Using “¿Me…?” sounds friendly and informal, while “¿Podrías…?” adds a slightly more formal tone. Remember that the verb form must match the person you’re speaking to – use “cortas” for a friend or family member (tú) and “corta” for a stranger or someone you address with “usted”.