Using an indirect command to say "Open your eyes"

Question

I was wondering about this and I talked about it with Maria. And indirect command would mean "Let your eyes open" or something like that, with Que.....

and the direct command is:

Abre los ojos (or abre tus ojos). It is you opening the eyes (not the eyes opening themselves) so it's "Abre" (not abren)

Indirect command:

Que abra los ojos / que abra tus ojos. (not que abran los ojos / que abran tus ojos)

Now this says something like "Let your eyes open". It seems like "eyes" is the focus nevertheless the abrir is still singular and not plural as it reflects you and not the eyes.

Maria says she has never heard a sentence with abrir in which "abrir" is plural when dealing with the eyes, always abre, abra.

From google:

Que abra tus ojos como un rayo de mi luz

Let your eyes open like a ray of my light (??)

Que abra tus ojos, que ilumine tu vida

May your eyes open, may your life become illuminated.

Just food for thought because I was thinking of Indirect commands. (because of Gintar lol)

Gracias.

Answer 1

You mean like "que se abran los ojos" as a plural of abrir? I love indirect commands, I use them more than direct ones to be honest.

Ah yes perfect sense with se, but I guess que se abran los ojos and que abra los ojos really means the same thing doesn't it? Gracias. - jeezzle, Aug 12, 2011

Yeah, it has the same ultimate meaning, just a different way of saying it! Por nada. - unMica, Aug 13, 2011

Answer 2

Abre tus ojos: open your eyes

Permite que se abran tus ojos: let your eyes open

Que el Señor te abra los ojos: may the Lord open your eyes

Que esta experiencia sirva para que se te abran los ojos: let this experience be an eye opener for you.

Answer 3

You would have to use abrirse if it is the eyes themselves who are opening on their own, not you opening them (hmm, I hope you got what I meant by this).

"Que se abran.."

Was writing when unMica posted hers. - Deanski, Aug 12, 2011

Yes I see, abrirse for the eyes to open as opposed to the person opening them. Gracias. - jeezzle, Aug 12, 2011

Haha, I'm a guy. No lo sientas, muchos han cometido el mismo error :D - unMica, Aug 13, 2011

Oops! Didn't get to check your profile. - Deanski, Aug 13, 2011

Answer 4

¿Qué los dejes abiertos? (los ojos)

Is that what you want to know?

Chileno, that doesn't quite make sense, specially with "qué", con acento... - Gekkosan, Aug 13, 2011