Learn Hardcore Spanish (Latin America): Si tienes alguna pregunta, levanta la mano. - If you have any questions, raise your hand.

In Spanish, when a sentence starts with a si (if) clause, a comma usually separates it from the main clause: Si tienes…, levanta…. If you reverse the order, you normally drop the comma: Levanta la mano si tienes alguna pregunta.

Why is si not written sí with an accent?

Si without an accent means “if.” Sí with an accent means “yes.” Here it’s the conditional “if,” so no accent: Si tienes….

Why is it tienes (present indicative) and not tengas (subjunctive)?

With real or likely conditions, Spanish uses si + present indicative and then a main clause in the imperative or future: Si tienes… levanta…. The subjunctive (tengas) isn’t used after si in this type of real condition.

What form is levanta?

It’s the affirmative tú imperative of levantar. For -ar verbs, the affirmative tú command looks like the 3rd person singular present: (tú) levanta.

How would I say it formally to one person?

Use usted forms: Si tiene alguna pregunta, levante la mano.

What about countries that use vos?

With voseo (e.g., Argentina, Uruguay, parts of Central America):

Si tenés alguna pregunta, levantá la mano.

Why is it la mano and not tu mano?

Spanish usually uses the definite article with body parts when the possessor is obvious: levanta la mano = “raise your hand.” Tu mano isn’t wrong but is less idiomatic here unless you need contrast.

Why is mano feminine even though it ends in -o?

Mano is an exception: it’s feminine—la mano—despite ending in -o.

Why singular la mano when addressing a group?

Each person raises one hand, so the singular fits: Levanten la mano. If you say las manos, it suggests raising both hands.

Could I say Si tienes preguntas instead of Si tienes alguna pregunta?

Yes. Both are natural:

Si tienes alguna pregunta = “if you have any question (at all).”
Si tienes preguntas = “if you have questions.”
The singular with alguna is very common.

Can I use cualquier instead of alguna?

You’ll hear cualquier with some nouns, but here Si tienes cualquier pregunta sounds less natural than Si tienes alguna pregunta. With duda, Si tienes cualquier duda is more acceptable regionally.

What’s the difference between pregunta, duda, cuestión, and consulta?

Pregunta: a question you ask (most neutral).
Duda: a doubt/uncertainty; commonly used as “question” in many places: Si tienes alguna duda…
Cuestión: an issue/topic, not typically a classroom “question.”
Consulta: a query/request for information, often in customer service or admin contexts.

Could/should I add por favor? Where does it go?

Yes, and placement is flexible:

Si tienes alguna pregunta, por favor, levanta la mano.
Por favor, si tienes alguna pregunta, levanta la mano.
Si tienes alguna pregunta, levanta la mano, por favor.

Do I need exclamation marks?

Not required. If you want a stronger command, Spanish uses inverted marks: Si tienes alguna pregunta, ¡levanta la mano!

Is levantar reflexive here? Why not levántate la mano?

No. Levantar is transitive here: you raise something (your hand). Levántate means “stand up,” so levántate la mano is incorrect.

How do pronouns attach with commands? Could I say levántala?

Affirmative commands attach object pronouns: levántala = “raise it” (the hand). Negative commands place them before the verb: no la levantes. In this context, repeating the noun (levanta la mano) is more natural than levántala.

How would I make it negative, like “If you don’t have any questions, don’t raise your hand”?

Si no tienes ninguna pregunta, no levantes la mano.
Note the double negation with ninguna, and the negative tú command no levantes.

Why not use the past or imperfect subjunctive, like Si tuvieras?

That structure expresses a hypothetical/unlikely scenario and usually pairs with the conditional: Si tuvieras alguna pregunta, levantarías la mano. For real, open conditions with a command, Spanish prefers si + present, imperative.

Why is the subject pronoun tú omitted?

Spanish usually drops subject pronouns because the verb ending shows the subject. Tú can be added for emphasis or contrast: Si tú tienes…