SpanishB1Lesson 6.2
🇪🇸 Spanish B1 · Lesson 6.2

Te recomiendo que… — Advice & the subjunctive

Give recommendations and express necessity, introducing the present subjunctive lightly.

Listen first

A doctor gives a stressed patient some lifestyle recommendations.

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New vocabulary — tap to hear
te recomiendo queI recommend that you 🔊
es importante queit's important that 🔊
hay queone must / you have to 🔊
descansarto rest 🔊
el descansothe rest / break 🔊
cuidarseto take care of oneself 🔊

Now say it

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« Te recomiendo que duermas ocho horas y que no trabajes los domingos. » 🔊
I recommend that you sleep eight hours and that you don't work on Sundays.
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Pronunciation

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Read the dialogue

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Doctora, últimamente estoy muy cansado y duermo fatal. 🔊Doctor, lately I'm very tired and I sleep terribly.
Es importante que descanses más y que reduzcas el estrés. 🔊It's important that you rest more and reduce your stress.
Lo intento, pero con el trabajo es difícil cuidarse. 🔊I try, but with work it's hard to take care of yourself.
Le recomiendo que haga ejercicio suave y que no use el móvil antes de dormir. 🔊I recommend that you do gentle exercise and that you don't use your phone before sleeping.
¿Y la alimentación? ¿Hay que cambiar algo? 🔊And my diet? Is there anything I have to change?
Hay que cenar ligero. También es bueno que beba más agua durante el día. 🔊You have to eat a light dinner. It's also good that you drink more water during the day.
Grammar in focus · the present subjunctive for advice (intro)

Expressions of recommendation, necessity and value trigger the present subjunctive in the second clause: « Es importante que descanses », « Te recomiendo que vayas », « Es bueno que bebas agua. » Form regular subjunctives by 'flipping' the vowel: -ar verbs take -e (« hable, descanse »), -er/-ir verbs take -a (« coma, viva »). Key irregulars: « hacer → haga, ir → vaya, ser → sea, tener → tenga. » Impersonal necessity with no specific subject uses « hay que » + infinitive — « Hay que descansar. »

Write it yourself

Write 4–5 sentences of health advice to a friend, using te recomiendo que / es importante que + subjunctive and one hay que.

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Tip for this task
« ¡Bien! » Your subjunctive forms after these expressions are correct. Remember: « es importante que » needs the subjunctive, but « hay que » takes a plain infinitive. Example: « Es importante que comas fruta, y además hay que moverse cada día. »

Quick check

An adaptive quiz confirms you've got it and schedules the right words for review.

1. Complete: « Es importante que ___ más agua. »
2. « Hay que » is followed by…
3. What is the subjunctive 'tú' form of 'hacer'?
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