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Si llegas con retraso, envíame un mensaje, por si acaso.

Si llegas con retraso, envíame un mensaje, por si acaso.
If you arrive late, send me a message, just in case.
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Questions & Answers about Si llegas con retraso, envíame un mensaje, por si acaso.

Why is it si llegas (present indicative) and not si llegarás or si llegues?

In Spanish, after si (when it means if in a real/possible condition), you normally use the present indicative to talk about a future possibility:

  • Si llegas con retraso, … = If you arrive late (today/tonight), …
    You generally don’t use future after si (*si llegarás is not standard in this meaning).
    And subjunctive after si is used for hypothetical/unreal conditions, usually with imperfect subjunctive:
  • Si llegaras/llegases con retraso, … = If you were to arrive late, …
Why does the second part use envíame—what form is that?

Envíame is an affirmative tú command (imperative) of enviar: envía + me.
It means (you) send me.

Why does envíame have an accent mark?

When you attach a pronoun to an affirmative command (envía + me → envíame), the stress can shift. Spanish adds an accent to keep the original stress pattern clear and follow stress rules.
So: envía (stress on ví) stays effectively stressed the same way in envíame.

Why is me stuck onto the end of the verb instead of appearing before it?

With affirmative commands, object pronouns are attached to the end:

  • Envíame un mensaje.
    With negative commands, pronouns go before the verb:
  • No me envíes un mensaje.
What exactly does con retraso mean, and are there alternatives?

Con retraso means late / delayed (literally with delay). Common alternatives:

  • Si llegas tarde, … (more everyday)
  • Si te retrasas, … (If you get delayed / fall behind)
    In Spain, llegar tarde is extremely common.
Does un mensaje imply a text message in Spain?

Often yes, in everyday Spanish (Spain) un mensaje can naturally mean a text/WhatsApp message, depending on context. If you want to be explicit, you can say:

  • un mensaje de WhatsApp
  • un SMS (less common now)
  • un mensaje de texto
What does por si acaso add here? Isn’t it redundant?

Por si acaso means just in case. It adds the idea that you want the message as a precaution, even if it might not be necessary. It’s very natural in Spanish and not considered redundant in casual speech.

Is por si acaso the same as si acaso?

They’re related but not identical:

  • por si acaso = just in case (the common set phrase)
  • si acaso often means if anything / at most / maybe, depending on context:
    • Si acaso, avísame. = If anything, let me know. / At most, let me know.
      For just in case, por si acaso is the go-to choice.
Why are there commas, especially the one before por si acaso?

The first comma is standard: it separates the conditional clause from the main clause:

  • Si llegas con retraso, envíame…
    The comma before por si acaso is stylistic but common: it marks por si acaso as an afterthought/extra aside (just in case). You could also write it without that comma in informal writing.
Is this sentence informal? How would it change for usted?

Yes, it’s informal because it uses tú forms: llegas, envíame.
Formal usted version:

  • Si llega con retraso, envíeme un mensaje, por si acaso.
Could I place por si acaso somewhere else in the sentence?

Yes. Common placements include:

  • Por si acaso, si llegas con retraso, envíame un mensaje.
  • Si llegas con retraso, por si acaso envíame un mensaje.
    The original ending position is very natural: it feels like a final just in case tag.
Why is it si llegas… envíame… and not cuando llegues…?

Because si expresses a condition (if you end up being late). Cuando expresses time (when you arrive, assuming it will happen).
Also, with future reference, cuando uses the subjunctive:

  • Cuando llegues, envíame un mensaje. = When you arrive, send me a message.
    But that’s a different idea from if you arrive late (a condition).