Learn Hardcore Spanish (Spain): Si la tos no para, voy a la consulta. - If the cough doesn’t stop, I’m going to the doctor’s office.

Si without an accent means “if.” Sí with an accent means “yes” (and also functions as a reflexive pronoun in some structures, as in sí mismo). In this sentence you need the conditional “if,” so it’s si (no accent).

Why is the present tense used in both parts (…no para, voy) instead of the future?

In Spanish, real/likely conditions often use the present tense in the si-clause and present or future in the main clause. Using the present in the main clause here (voy) can express a plan or near-future decision: “If the cough doesn’t stop, I’m going (I’ll go).” It can also read as a habitual rule: “If the cough doesn’t stop, I go (to the doctor).” Context decides.

Can I say Si la tos no para, iré a la consulta?

Yes. That’s perfectly correct and makes the future time more explicit (“I will go”). Both are fine; iré sounds a bit more formal/decisive, while voy is very natural in everyday speech for near-future plans dependent on a condition.

Can I use the future in the if-clause: Si la tos no parará…?

No. In standard Spanish you don’t use the future after si in conditional sentences of this type. Use the present: Si la tos no para…. Reserve the future for the main clause if you want: Si la tos no para, iré…

What does consulta mean here? Is it a false friend with “consultation”?

In Spain, la consulta most commonly means the doctor’s office/room (and by extension the appointment time). So voy a la consulta ≈ “I’m going to the doctor’s (office).” It can also be used for specialists: la consulta del dermatólogo. The English “consultation” (the talk) is only part of the meaning; consulta often refers to the place or the appointment itself.

Is voy a la consulta the most natural way to say this in Spain?

Very natural, yes. Two other very common options:

Voy al médico (“I’m going to the doctor”).
Voy al centro de salud / a la clínica (depending on the setting).

All are fine. Voy al médico is extremely common.

Why is it a la and not al?

Al is the contraction of a + el (masculine singular). Consulta is feminine, so you use a la: voy a la consulta. Example contrast: voy al médico (masculine), but voy a la consulta (feminine).

Can I drop the article and say voy a consulta?

In general, use the article: voy a la consulta. In some institutional or hospital contexts you may hear voy a consulta (or commands like pase a consulta). It’s acceptable in those set phrases, but for everyday learners, a la consulta is the safest default.

Why is it la tos (feminine)? It ends in -s; is that plural?

Tos is a singular, feminine noun: la tos (“the cough”). Many singular nouns end in -s (e.g., el lunes, la crisis). You just memorize gender; tos happens to be feminine.

Why is it no para and not no se para?

Here parar is used intransitively (“to stop, cease”). You don’t use the reflexive pararse for symptoms like a cough. So say la tos no para, not la tos no se para. Other natural verbs with symptoms: no cesa, no remite.

What are other idiomatic ways to say this in Spain?

Very common alternatives:

Si no se me quita la tos, voy al médico. (“If the cough doesn’t go away [on me]…”)
Si no se me pasa la tos, voy al médico.
Focusing on the action, not the symptom as subject: Si no paro de toser, voy al médico. (“If I don’t stop coughing…”)

Could I use cuando instead of si?

Only if you mean it as a certainty or routine: Cuando la tos no para, voy a la consulta = “When the cough doesn’t stop, I go to the doctor” (habitual). Si keeps it conditional/uncertain.

Is the comma after the if-clause necessary?

Yes, when the si-clause comes first, standard punctuation places a comma before the main clause: Si la tos no para, voy a la consulta. If the main clause comes first, you don’t use a comma: Voy a la consulta si la tos no para.

What’s the difference between voy a la consulta and voy a consultar?

Voy a la consulta: you’re going to the place (the doctor’s office).
Voy a consultar: “I’m going to consult (ask/check),” i.e., the action of consulting, not necessarily the place. With a doctor you’d more naturally say voy al médico or voy a la consulta.

Could I say voy a ir a la consulta?

Grammatically yes, but it’s heavier than needed. In conditional statements, prefer either simple present (voy a la consulta) for near future/habitual, or simple future (iré a la consulta) if you want a clear future meaning.

What’s the verb for “to cough,” and how does it relate to la tos?

The verb is toser (“to cough”). The noun is la tos (“cough”). Examples:

Si no paro de toser, iré al médico.
Tengo mucha tos.