Learn Hardcore Spanish (Latin America): ¿Puedes avisar a mi hermana si llego tarde? - Can you let my sister know if I arrive late?

bold avisar a alguien bold: let someone know (the person is the indirect object), e.g., bold avisar a mi hermana bold.
bold avisar a alguien de algo bold: let someone know about something, e.g., bold avísale de mi retraso bold.
bold avisar(le) que + cláusula bold: e.g., bold ¿Puedes avisarle a mi hermana que voy a llegar tarde? bold

Why is there bold a mi hermana bold and not just bold avisar mi hermana bold?

Spanish requires bold a bold with the person after bold avisar bold: bold avisar a alguien bold. It marks the (indirect) object receiving the information. So bold avisar mi hermana bold is incorrect; it must be bold avisar a mi hermana bold.

Can I add the pronoun bold le bold: bold ¿Le puedes avisar a mi hermana…? bold

Yes. Clitic doubling with indirect objects is very common and natural: bold ¿Le puedes avisar a mi hermana…? bold or bold ¿Puedes avisarle a mi hermana…? bold Both are correct.

Where can the object pronoun go with bold puedes avisar bold?

Two correct placements:

Before the conjugated verb: bold ¿Le puedes avisar…? bold
Attached to the infinitive: bold ¿Puedes avisarle…? bold

Why is it bold si llego tarde bold (present indicative) and not bold si llegue/llegue tarde bold (subjunctive)?

After bold si bold for a real, possible condition, Spanish uses the present indicative: bold si llego bold. Use the subjunctive for less likely/hypothetical: bold si llegara tarde, ¿podrías avisarle…? bold For past counterfactual: bold si hubiera llegado… bold

Could I put the bold si bold clause first?

Yes: bold Si llego tarde, ¿puedes avisar a mi hermana? bold Add a comma after the initial clause.

What if I mean “Tell her that I will be late,” not “if I end up being late”?

Use bold que bold: bold ¿Puedes avisarle a mi hermana que voy a llegar tarde? bold That = guaranteed lateness. The original with bold si bold means only notify her in the event I’m late.

Is bold tarde bold “late” or “afternoon” here?

Here it’s the adverb “late.” bold La tarde bold (with article) is “the afternoon.” Without article, bold tarde bold can be an adverb: bold llegar tarde bold = arrive late.

Are there other natural ways to say “if I’m late” in Latin America?

Common variants:

bold si me tardo bold
bold si me atraso bold
bold si se me hace tarde bold (if it gets late for me)

Is bold ¿Puedes…? bold polite enough, or should I use bold ¿Podrías…? bold

bold ¿Puedes…? bold is fine in friendly contexts. bold ¿Podrías…? bold is softer/more polite. Formal usted: bold ¿Puede/Podría avisarle…? bold

How do I pronounce key words?

bold puedes bold: PWEH-des
bold avisar bold: ah-vee-SAR (stress on -sar)
bold llego bold: YEH-go (in most of Latin America; in Argentina/Uruguay often SHEH-go/ZHEH-go)
bold hermana bold: er-MAH-nah
bold tarde bold: TAR-deh

Why bold si bold and not bold sí bold?

bold Si bold (no accent) = if. bold Sí bold (with accent) = yes. Here it’s the conditional “if.”

Do I ever need bold de bold with bold avisar bold?

Yes, when specifying the thing you notify about: bold avisar a alguien de algo bold (bold Avísale de mi retraso bold). With a clause, both bold avisarle que… bold and bold avisarle de que… bold are accepted; in Latin America, bold que bold (without bold de bold) is very common.

Is bold estar tarde bold correct for “to be late”?

No. Say:

bold llegar tarde bold (to arrive late)
bold estar atrasado/a bold (to be running late)
bold tardarse bold (to take too long): bold si me tardo bold

Can I use an imperative instead of a question?

Yes: bold Avísale a mi hermana si llego tarde. bold Negative: bold No le avises a mi hermana si… bold

Is bold avisar mi hermana bold ever right?

No. Always bold avisar a mi hermana bold (or bold avisarle a mi hermana bold). The bold a bold is required.

What’s the difference between bold si bold and bold por si bold here?

bold si llego tarde bold = if I do end up arriving late (conditional).
bold por si llego tarde bold = in case I arrive late (precaution). Example: bold ¿Puedes avisarle a mi hermana por si llego tarde? bold

Should I use bold le bold or bold la bold with bold avisar bold?

Use bold le bold, because the person is an indirect object with bold avisar bold: bold avisarle a mi hermana bold. bold La avisé bold is nonstandard in most varieties for this verb.

Why does bold llego bold (present) refer to a future possibility?

In Spanish, after bold si bold, the present indicative often refers to a future event: bold si llego tarde (tonight)… bold You can also say bold si voy a llegar tarde bold, but it changes the nuance (it sounds more planned/foreseen).

Any punctuation tips for this sentence?

Spanish uses an initial inverted question mark: bold ¿…? bold
If the bold si bold clause comes first, put a comma after it.
No comma is needed before bold si bold in the original order.