How to Say "to advise" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “to advise” is “aconsejar” — use 'aconsejar' when you are giving someone your opinion or guidance on what you think they should do, like friendly advice.
aconsejar
ah-kohn-seh-HAHRakonseˈxaɾ
Examples
Mi madre me aconseja siempre con mucha paciencia.
My mother always advises me with a lot of patience.
El doctor me aconsejó que durmiera ocho horas.
The doctor advised me to sleep for eight hours.
Te aconsejaría que leyeras el contrato antes de firmar.
I would advise you to read the contract before signing.
Using 'Que' and Subjunctive
When you advise someone to do something, use 'que' followed by a special verb form (the subjunctive). For example: 'Te aconsejo que comas' (I advise you to eat).
Identify the Person Advised
Use little words like 'me', 'te', 'le' before the verb to show who is getting the advice. 'Me aconsejan' means 'They advise me'.
The 'To' Trap
Mistake: “Te aconsejo a estudiar.”
Correction: Te aconsejo estudiar (no 'a' needed before an action) or 'Te aconsejo que estudies'.
advertir
ad-ber-TEERað.βeɾˈtiɾ
Examples
Te advierto que no es fácil.
I warn you (that) it's not easy.
Ella me advirtió sobre el tráfico.
She warned me about the traffic.
No advertí que me mirabas.
I didn't notice (realize) you were watching me.
Two different uses
Advertir has two main uses: (1) to warn someone (requires a person as the receiver), and (2) to notice/realize something (what you become aware of).
Stem change pattern
This verb changes from E to IE in the present tense: yo advierto, tú adviertes, él advierte. But it stays regular in the preterite: yo advertí, él advirtió.
Mixing up tenses
Mistake: “Using the present tense 'advierte' when you mean 'he warned' in the past”
Correction: Use 'advirtió' (preterite) for completed actions in the past. 'Advierte' (present) means 'he/she/it warns' or 'you (informal) warn'.
Missing the accent
Mistake: “Writing 'adverti' without the accent mark”
Correction: Always write 'advertí' (with accent) for the preterite 'I warned.' The accent distinguishes it from the infinitive.
orientar
oh-ryen-TARoɾjenˈtaɾ
Examples
El tutor debe orientar a los alumnos sobre sus opciones de carrera.
The tutor should guide the students about their career options.
Ella me orientó mucho durante mis primeros días en el trabajo.
She gave me a lot of guidance during my first days at work.
Necesitamos a alguien que nos oriente en este proyecto legal.
We need someone to point us in the right direction for this legal project.
The Helping 'a'
When 'orientar' means helping a person, you must put an 'a' before that person. For example: 'Orienta a tu hermano'.
Forgetting the 'a' with People
Mistake: “Quiero orientar mis amigos.”
Correction: Quiero orientar a mis amigos. (Always use 'a' when the person is the receiver of the guidance.)
informar
in-for-MARin.forˈmaɾ
Examples
Le informamos que su vuelo ha sido cancelado.
We inform you that your flight has been canceled.
El periodista informó sobre el accidente en vivo.
The journalist reported on the accident live.
Por favor, infórmale a tu jefe de los cambios.
Please, inform your boss of the changes.
Reporting the Topic
When you report what the information is about, you usually use the preposition 'de' or 'sobre': 'Informé al jefe de la situación' (I informed the boss of the situation).
Who Receives the Information
The person receiving the information is the direct object (or sometimes an indirect object pronoun 'le/les' in Spanish), which means they receive the action: 'Informaron a los clientes' (They informed the clients).
Missing Preposition
Mistake: “La noticia informó la crisis.”
Correction: La noticia informó *sobre* la crisis. (The news reported *on* the crisis.) The preposition is necessary before the thing being reported.
Advice vs. Warning
Related Translations
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