Log inSign up

Si mi carné caduca, no podré viajar ni hacer trámites importantes.

Si mi carné caduca, no podré viajar ni hacer trámites importantes.
If my ID card expires, I won’t be able to travel or do important paperwork.
Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Spanish grammar and vocabulary.

Start learning Spanish now

Questions & Answers about Si mi carné caduca, no podré viajar ni hacer trámites importantes.

Why does it use Si + present (Si mi carné caduca) and then the future (no podré)?

This is a very common Spanish pattern for real/likely future situations:

  • Si + present indicative → the condition: Si mi carné caduca (If my ID expires)
  • Future tense (or sometimes ir a + infinitive) → the result: no podré viajar (I won’t be able to travel)

Spanish normally does not use a future tense after si in this type of sentence (so Si mi carné caducará... is not standard).

Could I say Si mi carné caducará like in English “If it will expire…”?

Not in standard Spanish for this meaning. In Spanish, after si (when talking about a real possible condition), you use the present indicative:

  • ✅ Si caduca, ...
  • ❌ Si caducará, ... (generally incorrect here)

If you want a more hypothetical/less likely condition, you switch to:

  • Si + imperfect subjunctive → conditional
    Si mi carné caducara/caducase, no podría... (If my ID were to expire, I wouldn’t be able to...)
What exactly is carné in Spain, and why is it spelled that way?

In Spain, carné commonly means an official card/credential, depending on context, for example:

  • carné de identidad (ID card, though DNI is very common)
  • carné de conducir (driver’s license)
  • carné de estudiante (student card)
  • carné de socio (membership card)

Spelling: carné has an accent because the stress falls on the last syllable (-né). Without the accent, Spanish pronunciation rules would stress CAR-.

Is caducar the normal verb for “to expire” (documents, cards, etc.)?

Yes. Caducar is the standard verb in Spain for documents, cards, passports, permits, etc.:

  • Mi pasaporte caduca en mayo.
  • La tarjeta caduca el mes que viene.

You may also see:

  • vencer (often in Latin America; also used sometimes in Spain, especially with deadlines)
  • expirar (exists, but sounds more formal/technical or less common for everyday documents)
Why is it no podré and not no puedo?

Because the sentence is about a future consequence if the card expires.

  • no podré = I will not be able to (future)
  • no puedo = I cannot (present, right now)

The verb is poder in the future:

  • yo podré
  • tú podrás
  • él/ella podrá
  • nosotros podremos
  • vosotros podréis
  • ellos podrán
Does podré viajar mean “I won’t be allowed to travel” or “I won’t be able to travel”?

It mainly means ability/possibility: I won’t be able to travel (practically/legally possible because of the expired ID).
Spanish often uses poder where English might choose “be able to,” “be allowed to,” or “can,” depending on context.

If you want to stress “permission” specifically, you might say:

  • no me dejarán viajar (they won’t let me travel)
  • no tendré permiso para viajar (I won’t have permission to travel)
Why is there ni instead of o or y?

In negative sentences, Spanish often uses ni... ni... to mean neither... nor...:

  • no podré viajar ni hacer trámites = I won’t be able to travel nor do paperwork

Even if there’s only one ni written, it can still function like “nor” attached to a previous negative idea. You could also write:

  • no podré ni viajar ni hacer trámites importantes (more explicitly “neither… nor…”)
Can I put ni earlier: no podré ni viajar ni hacer trámites importantes? Is it better?

Yes, and it’s very natural. Both are correct:

  • No podré viajar ni hacer trámites importantes.
  • No podré ni viajar ni hacer trámites importantes.

The second version emphasizes the pairing more strongly (clear “neither/nor” structure). In speech, many people prefer no podré ni X ni Y.

What does hacer trámites mean, and what are trámites exactly?

Trámite is a very common Spain word meaning an official procedure/piece of admin paperwork, usually with government offices or institutions. Hacer trámites means “to do administrative formalities / handle paperwork,” for example:

  • renewing documents
  • registering something
  • applying for permits
  • appointments at official offices

It’s almost always used in the plural: hacer trámites.

Why is there no article: why hacer trámites and not hacer los trámites?

Both are possible, but they mean slightly different things:

  • hacer trámites = do some admin paperwork in general (non-specific)
  • hacer los trámites = do the specific procedures already known in context (more definite)

In your sentence, it’s general: if the ID expires, you won’t be able to do important procedures (in general).

What does importantes modify—trámites or everything?

Grammatically, importantes agrees with and modifies trámites (plural masculine):

  • trámites importantes = important procedures/paperwork

It does not directly modify viajar. If you wanted “important travel,” you’d need a different structure.

Could a Spanish speaker also say Si se me caduca el carné? What’s the difference?

Yes, very commonly:

  • Si se me caduca el carné, ...

This uses a structure that feels more “it expires on me” (involuntary/unfortunate event). It’s extremely natural in Spain.
Your original Si mi carné caduca is also correct and slightly more neutral/direct.