Log inSign up

Si necesitas estornudar, utiliza un pañuelo para no contagiar a los demás.

Si necesitas estornudar, utiliza un pañuelo para no contagiar a los demás.
If you need to sneeze, use a tissue so you don’t infect others.
FromLesson 6inHardcore Spanish (Spain)
…

Breakdown of Si necesitas estornudar, utiliza un pañuelo para no contagiar a los demás.

un
a
tú
you
para
to
a
to
necesitar
to need
los
the
estornudar
to sneeze
utilizar
to use
contagiar
to infect

Questions & Answers about Si necesitas estornudar, utiliza un pañuelo para no contagiar a los demás.

Why does the sentence use Si necesitas (present indicative) instead of a subjunctive form?
In Spanish, when you have a likely or real condition introduced by si (meaning "if"), you often use the present indicative rather than the subjunctive. This construction suggests that the speaker sees sneezing as a realistic possibility rather than a hypothetical or unlikely scenario.
Is estornudar a regular -ar verb, and how do I conjugate it?

Yes, estornudar is a regular -ar verb. So it follows the same pattern as verbs like hablar or cantar. For example, in the present tense: • yo estornudo
• tú estornudas
• él/ella/usted estornuda
• nosotros estornudamos
• vosotros estornudáis (used mainly in Spain)
• ellos/ellas/ustedes estornudan

Why is utiliza used here, and can I replace it with usa?
Utiliza is a form of the imperative (command) of the verb utilizar, which means "to use." It's perfectly fine to say usa (from the verb usar) instead, and the meaning remains very similar. Some speakers might prefer utiliza because it sounds a bit more formal, but both are correct in this context.
What does para no contagiar a los demás specifically mean?
The phrase para no contagiar a los demás literally translates to "in order not to infect others." The idea is to prevent spreading germs to other people. Contagiar in Spanish refers to transmitting an illness or infection to someone else.
How does the imperative form work with utilizar in the sentence?

For the tú form (informal singular), the imperative of utilizar typically ends in -a:
• tú utiliza
• vosotros utilizad (used mainly in Spain)
• usted utilice (formal)
• ustedes utilicen (formal or plural in Latin America, formal plural in Spain)

In the sentence, utiliza un pañuelo is the direct command telling the person (tú) to use a tissue.

More from this lesson

merendarla sandíaHoy quiero merendar sandía con mis amigos.merendarligeroComo es un día bonito, me gusta comer algo ligero en el parque.quizásDespués de la escuela, merendamos algo ligero, quizás una sandía fresca.
AI Language TutorTry it ↗
“What's the best way to learn Spanish grammar?”
Spanish grammar becomes intuitive with practice. Focus on understanding the core patterns first — how sentences are structured, how verbs change form, and how words relate to each other. Our course breaks these concepts into small lessons so you can build understanding step by step.

Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor

Start learning Spanish

Master Spanish — from Si necesitas estornudar, utiliza un pañuelo para no contagiar a los demás to fluency

All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods.

  • ✓ Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
  • ✓ Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
  • ✓ Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
  • ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions
Start learning Spanish freeBrowse the full course