Teaching guidelines +/- 15 minutes

Learn how to give polite advice in Spanish using the simple conditional tense. This lesson covers key expressions like “Mi consejo es,” “En tu lugar,” and “Deberías” combined with infinitive and conditional verb forms. Understand how to soften suggestions and recommendations to communicate effectively and respectfully.
  1. We use 'Mi consejo es' and 'Yo recomendaría' + infinitive.
  2. With 'En tu lugar' and 'Si fuera tú', we use the conditional.
  3. With 'Deberías' and 'Podrías', we also use the infinitive for suggestions.
Expresión (Expression)Ejemplo (Example)
Mi consejo es... (My advice is...)Mi consejo es pensar más en el futuro antes de actuar. (My advice is to think more about the future before acting.)
En tu lugar... (If I were you...)En tu lugar, planificaría bien cada omienzo. (If I were you, I would plan each beginning well.)
Si fuera tú... (If I were you...)Si fuera tú, pensaría en lo posible y no en lo imposible. (If I were you, I would think about what is possible and not about what is impossible.)
Yo recomendaría... (I would recommend...)Yo recomendaría realizar tus sueños poco a poco. (I would recommend pursuing your dreams little by little.)
Deberías... (You should...)Deberías soñar con un plan realista. (You should dream of a realistic plan.)
Podrías... (You could...)Podrías hacerse escritor y contar tus historias. (You could become a writer and tell your stories.)

Exercise 1: Dar consejos con el condicional simple

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Show translation Show answers

Deberías, En tu lugar, Podrías, Si fuera tú, Yo recomendaría, Mi consejo es

1. Consejo + infinitivo:
... planificar el comienzo de tu carrera.
(You should plan the start of your career.)
2. Consejo en condicional + infinitivo:
... pensar más en el futuro antes de decidir.
(You could think more about the future before deciding.)
3. Consejo en condicional + infinitivo:
... pensar bien antes de tener un hijo.
(I would recommend thinking carefully before having a child.)
4. Consejo + infinitivo:
... pensar bien antes de actuar.
(You should think carefully before acting.)
5. Consejo + condicional:
... , investigaría un poco más sobre ese plan.
(If I were you, I would investigate that plan a bit more.)
6. Consejo + condicional:
... empezaría a ahorrar desde ya.
(If I were you, I would start saving right away.)
7. Consejo + condicional:
... hablaría con la familia sobre el futuro.
(If I were you, I would talk to the family about the future.)
8. Consejo + infinitivo:
... hablar con tu pareja.
(My advice is to talk with your partner.)

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Select the correct sentence that expresses wishes, advice, or suggestions politely, using "I would like", "I would want" or "You should" correctly.

1.
Error: after 'I would like' the infinitive must be used, not subjunctive ('to travel' instead of 'I travel').
Conjugation error: after 'I would like' goes the infinitive ('to travel'), not a conjugated verb.
2.
Error: the correct structure is 'I would want' + infinitive ('to talk'), not gerund.
Error: after 'I would want' the infinitive is used, not subjunctive ('to talk' instead of 'I talk').
3.
Error: 'that' and conjugated verb must not be used after 'You should', only infinitive.
Error: after 'You should' must go the infinitive ('rest'), not gerund.
4.
Incorrect for this structure, because with 'If I were you' the conditional is used, not 'you should' + infinitive directly.
Error: 'If I were you' is used with the conditional for suggestions, not with present indicative imperative like 'you must'.

Giving Advice Using the Simple Conditional in Spanish

This lesson focuses on how to politely give advice in Spanish by using the condicional simple (simple conditional). You will learn common expressions to suggest or recommend actions without sounding too direct.

Key Expressions to Give Advice

  • Mi consejo es... — used with an infinitive verb, for example: Mi consejo es pensar más en el futuro antes de actuar.
  • En tu lugar... and Si fuera tú... — these phrases are paired with verbs in the conditional tense, such as: En tu lugar, planificaría bien cada comienzo.
  • Yo recomendaría... — another polite form that takes the infinitive, like: Yo recomendaría realizar tus sueños poco a poco.
  • Deberías... and Podrías... — also used with the infinitive to suggest possibilities or obligations, for example: Deberías soñar con un plan realista. or Podrías hacerse escritor y contar tus historias.

How These Structures Work

The conditional forms soften advice, making it more polite and considerate. Unlike direct commands, this style respects the listener’s autonomy. Notice how after phrases like "Mi consejo es" or "Yo recomendaría," the verb stays in the infinitive form, but after "En tu lugar" or "Si fuera tú," the verb is conjugated in the conditional tense.

Useful Differences Compared to English

In English, advice is commonly given with modal verbs like "should" or "could," which roughly correspond to "deberías" and "podrías" in Spanish. However, Spanish uses specific phrases with the simple conditional to sound polite, such as "En tu lugar, planificaría…" which literally means "In your place, I would plan..." English speakers often use "If I were you" equivalently.

Learning these phrases will help you sound natural and respectful when advising others in Spanish.

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