Breakdown of Si la fiebre sube, anota cada síntoma y llama al doctor.
y
and
si
if
llamar
to call
el doctor
the doctor
anotar
to write down
subir
to rise
al
to the
cada
each
la fiebre
the fever
el síntoma
the symptom
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Questions & Answers about Si la fiebre sube, anota cada síntoma y llama al doctor.
Why is it sube (present indicative) after si, not suba (subjunctive)?
Spanish uses si + present indicative for real or likely conditions: Si la fiebre sube, llama... For hypothetical or unlikely situations, use si + imperfect subjunctive with a conditional or a softer recommendation: Si la fiebre subiera, deberías llamar / llamarías al doctor. Don’t use the future in the si-clause.
Are anota and llama commands, and for which person?
Yes. They’re affirmative tú commands (informal singular). Formation: the affirmative tú imperative equals the 3rd-person singular of the present indicative. Negatives switch to the present subjunctive: no anotes, no llames.
How do I make it formal (usted)?
Use usted commands: Si la fiebre sube, anote cada síntoma y llame al doctor. Plural ustedes: anoten, llamen.
Can I flip the order to Si sube la fiebre?
Yes. Si la fiebre sube and Si sube la fiebre mean the same. Word order is flexible here.
Why is there a comma after the si clause?
When the si-clause comes first, a comma separates it from the main clause: Si la fiebre sube, ... If it comes second, the comma is usually omitted: Anota... y llama..., si la fiebre sube.
Why is it cada síntoma (singular) and not plural?
Cada always takes a singular noun in Spanish: cada síntoma, cada día, cada persona.
Is síntoma masculine even though it ends in -a?
Yes. It’s one of several Greek-origin nouns in -ma that are masculine: el síntoma, el problema, el tema. Plural: los síntomas. With cada, no article is used: cada síntoma.
Could I say anota cada uno de los síntomas?
Yes. It’s a bit more explicit/emphatic than anota cada síntoma, but both are fine.
What’s the difference between anotar, apuntar, escribir, and notar?
- anotar/apuntar: to jot down/write down (near-synonyms; apuntar can feel a bit more informal).
- escribir: to write (more general).
- notar: to notice/perceive, not to write.
Why llamar al doctor and not llamar el doctor?
People take the personal a: llamar a + [person]. With el, a + el contracts to al: llamar al doctor. This is independent of whether you add a pronoun later.
Should I say doctor or médico?
In much of Latin America, doctor/doctora is the common everyday way to refer to or address a physician. Médico/médica is perfectly correct too and is more neutral/technical. In Spain, médico is more common than in many Latin American countries.
If the doctor is a woman, do I change the article?
Yes: llama a la doctora (or a la médica).
Can I say Si te sube la fiebre...?
Yes. Subir often appears with an indirect object pronoun to mark who is affected: Si te/le/me sube la fiebre, ... It’s very idiomatic: “if your/their/my fever goes up.”
Can I use the future (subirá) in the si clause?
No. Spanish normally uses the present in the si clause for future meaning: Si la fiebre sube, llamarás... The future can appear in the main clause, not in the si clause.
Any pronunciation tips for these words?
- llama is pronounced like “yama” in most of Latin America (yeísmo); in parts of Argentina/Uruguay you’ll hear a “zh/sh” sound.
- síntoma is stressed on the first syllable: SÍN-to-ma (hence the written accent).
- anota is stressed a-NO-ta.
- doctor is doc-TOR.
Do I ever change y to e here?
No. Y changes to e only before words beginning with an “i/hi” sound (e.g., e interesante). Llama starts with an “ll” sound, so y stays y: ...síntoma y llama...
Can I say llama a un doctor instead of al doctor?
Yes. A un doctor implies any doctor (unspecified). Al doctor suggests a specific/known doctor (e.g., your doctor).
Where do object pronouns go with commands like these?
- Affirmative commands: attach them to the end: anótalos, llámalo; add a written accent if needed to keep the stress (e.g., anótalos).
- Negative commands: place them before the verb: no los anotes, no lo llames.
Is llamarle correct?
With llamar (to call someone), the object is direct, so standard Spanish prefers lo/la/los/las: Llámalo/Llámala. In much of Spain you’ll hear le (leísmo: Llámale), which is common there. In Latin America, stick with lo/la or just llama al doctor.
Why not si la fiebre se sube?
Without a pronoun referring to a person, la fiebre sube is the normal phrasing. You can use a clitic to show who’s affected: Se me/te/le sube la fiebre is idiomatic, but la fiebre se sube on its own sounds odd. Also, keep la: Spanish typically uses the article with nouns like this in subject position: Si la fiebre sube... (but after tener you drop it: tengo fiebre).