Learn Hardcore Spanish (Spain): Si el botón no responde, no puedo encender el portátil. - If the button doesn’t respond, I can’t turn on the laptop.

No. For real or likely conditions, Spanish uses the indicative: Si el botón no responde... Use the subjunctive with patterns like como si or for unlikely/hypothetical conditions with the imperfect subjunctive: Si el botón no respondiera...

Can I use the future tense in this sentence?

You can use the future in the main clause: Si el botón no responde, no podré encender el portátil. Do not use future in the si clause; Spanish uses the present there (not si el botón no responderá).

Is no responde idiomatic for a button, or is no funciona better?

Both are idiomatic, but they nuance differently. No responde suggests you press it and nothing happens (lack of reaction). No funciona is a broader “it doesn’t work.” In Spain you’ll also hear colloquial options like no va, no reacciona, or no hace nada.

Do I need to say botón de encendido?

Only if you want to be specific. El botón is fine if the context makes it clear. If you need clarity, use el botón de encendido (the power button).

Why encender instead of prender, arrancar, or iniciar?

In Spain, encender (el portátil) is the standard for turning it on. Prender is common in much of Latin America, not Spain. Arrancar (el ordenador/portátil) in Spain means to boot (start up). Iniciar is more for software processes (e.g., iniciar sesión).

Why el portátil and not ordenador or mi portátil?

In Spain, portátil is routinely used as a noun meaning laptop, and ordenador is the general word for computer. El portátil means “the (laptop) at hand.” Use mi portátil if you want to specify it’s yours.

Is portátil a noun by itself? What gender is it, and why the accent?

Yes, in Spain el portátil is a common noun meaning laptop, and it’s masculine. The accent in portátil marks the stress: por-TA-til. Without it, the stress would incorrectly fall on the last syllable.

Can I replace el portátil with a pronoun?

Yes. Both are correct: No lo puedo encender and No puedo encenderlo. With a conjugated verb + infinitive, the object pronoun can go before the conjugated verb or attached to the infinitive.

Why is there a comma after the si clause?

When the si clause comes first, Spanish uses a comma: Si el botón no responde, ... If the si clause comes second, no comma: No puedo encender el portátil si el botón no responde.

Why not use the progressive: no está respondiendo?

Spanish prefers the simple present for states and general facts, so no responde is more idiomatic. No está respondiendo focuses on the ongoing process and is less common for this kind of device malfunction.

Is Si no responde el botón acceptable word order?

It’s possible, but sounds marked or less natural here. The neutral order is Si el botón no responde... Placing the subject after the verb can be used for emphasis or stylistic reasons, but it’s not needed.

What’s the difference between responder and contestar?

Contestar is typically “to answer” a person or a question. Responder is broader: to respond, to react, to answer. For devices and interfaces, responder is the usual choice: El botón no responde.

Is this a double negative?

No. Each clause has its own independent negation: (si) no responde and (yo) no puedo. Spanish freely allows multiple negatives across clauses; this isn’t the no... nada/nunca type within a single clause.

How do I make it more hypothetical or unlikely?

Use the imperfect subjunctive + conditional: Si el botón no respondiera, no podría encender el portátil. That frames the condition as less likely or purely hypothetical.

How do I talk about pressing the button in Spain: pulsar, apretar, or presionar?

In Spain, pulsar (el botón) is the most standard. Apretar (el botón) is also common and perfectly fine. Presionar is widely used in Latin America and less in Spain.