¡Hola! In this lesson, we will show you different ways for giving advice and making suggestions in Spanish. You will find many examples of sentences and questions using the verbs “DEBER”, “SUGERIR” and “RECOMENDAR”. In addition, you will have the chance to practice with two listening activities and interactive exercises Let’s get started…
Giving advice and making suggestions in Spanish
First, to give advice or suggestions in Spanish, we generally use the verb “deber” in its conditional form, that is, in conjugations like “tú deberías,” “él debería,” and so on. The verb “deber” on its own implies that we are giving an order, while its conditional form implies that someone could do something, but it is not their obligation to do so. Take a look at the picture below and notice how “DEBERÍA” must change a bit to match the subject in the sentence.
As you can see above, we changed the meaning from order to suggestion simply by adding the suffix -ÍA to the verb DEBER. In addition to DEBERÍA, the verbs “SUGERIR” and “RECOMENDAR” can be used in the present tense to make suggestions in Spanish, for example:
- “Te sugiero comprar esta casa” (I suggest you buy this house)
- “Te recomiendo ahorrar dinero”. (I recommend you to save money.)
- “¿Qué nos aconsejáis vosotros?” (What do you advise us to do?)
Take a look at the following picture and read each example carefully to analyze these essential expressions to ask and give advice and suggestions in Spanish.
Interactive exericse No. 1
Read the following sentences with suggestions in Spanish and drag the correct verbs into the spaces, using the previous examples as a guide. Then, check your answers.
Using the simple conditional to give advice in Spanish
The Spanish verb “sugerir” (to suggest), “recomendar” (to recommend), and “aconsejar” (to advise) will all be accompanied by an indirect object pronoun such as “te” “me,” etc., to indicate who we are giving advice. Similarly, these verbs can be used in the simple conditional, always accompanied by indirect object pronouns, to give suggestions, and would be conjugated as shown in the following image:
As you can see in the chart above, we can use an infinitive verb like “ver” (to see) or “comer” (to eat) after expressions like “te aconsejaría” (I would advise you to…) in order to make suggestions in Spanish. We can also add the adverb “no” after these verbs in the conditional for negative sentences. Here are some examples of tips using the simple conditional:
- Yo te aconsejaría (a ti) llamar a la policía de inmediato. (I would advise you to call the police immediately.)
- Yo os recomendaría (a vosotros) estudiar más en casa. (I would recommend that you study more at home.)
- Yo les sugeriría (a ustedes) consultar un médico cuanto antes. (I would suggest that you consult a doctor as soon as possible.)
Interactive exercise No. 2
Read these questions about suggestions and advice using the conditional tense in Spanish, and select the most appropriate answer in each case.
Short dialogues about advice and suggestions in Spanish
Listen to some examples of ways to ask for advice in Spanish and possible answers you would hear in those situations. Pay attention to how some common phrases that accompany suggestions in Spanish, such as “Creo que…” and “Opino que…”, are used in the examples. Try to read and listen to the examples carefully so that you can solve the exercises for both listening activities easily afterward.
Example No. 1
Example No. 2
- Pedro: Ven para acá Ana, quiero pedirte un consejo.
- Ana: Dame un segundo…. Listo.
- Pedro: Verás, no me decido sobre cuál de estas casas comprar. La roja es pequeña, no tiene garaje, pero queda en el centro. La verde es espaciosa, tiene garaje y una vista hermosa, pero está alejada del centro.
- Ana: Bueno, veo que la ciudad está creciendo rápidamente y tu familia es algo grande. Opino que deberías elegir la casa más espaciosa. De todas maneras, puedes llegar al centro en menos de diez minutos en tu auto.
Example No. 3
Example No. 4
- Ana: Ven Pedro, recomiéndame lugares a visitar en Colombia.
- Pedro: Uff… hay, hay tantos lugares ahí. Si quieres nadar o disfrutar de un pueblo acogedor, deberías visitar Santa Marta. Las playas son hermosas y el pueblo es una belleza.
- Ana: Ah, sí, he visto fotos y se ve lindo. ¿Me puedes recomendar algún lugar con arquitectura especial?
- Pedro: Definitivamente, tú tienes que visitar Cartagena de Indias. Es una ciudad con muchas edificaciones históricas, desde fortalezas a iglesias. Es única.
Interactive quiz No. 3
Read these questions about suggestions, and then drag the Spanish advice that makes sense next to them in this activity. Then, check your answers.
Listening Activity No. 1: Giving Advice in Spanish – Dando consejos
Listening Activity No. 2: Asking for and making suggestions in Spanish
Key questions and phrases in the conversation:
- “¿Tú te sabes alguno?”, means “Do you know any?”
- “¡Qué rico!”, means “So delicious!”
- “Empacho”, is a word used in Spanish to refer to a severe stomachache
You got to the end of this lesson. We hope that you are now able to give some good advice or suggestions in Spanish, following the key grammar rules that shaped the examples and listening activities that we introduced here. Keep practicing with us! ¡Hasta la próxima!
Related Spanish Worksheets:
- The Conditional Simple in Spanish (Grammar exercises)
- The Conditional Perfect in Spanish
- “What would you do if …?” in Spanish – Conversation Cards
- At the Hospital in Spanish (Key vocabulary)
- Describing Lifestyles in Spanish (Reading)