How to Say "to warn" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “to warn” is “advertir” — use 'advertir' when telling someone directly about a present danger or a problem they might not be aware of.
advertir
ad-ber-TEERað.βeɾˈtiɾ
Examples
Te advierto que el camino está resbaladizo.
I warn you that the path is slippery.
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.
alertar
ah-lehr-taralerˈtaɾ
Examples
La alarma nos alertó del incendio.
The alarm alerted us to the fire.
La aplicación me alertó de un posible retraso.
The app alerted me to a possible delay.
Los científicos alertan sobre el aumento del nivel del mar.
Scientists warn about the rise in sea level.
Tuvimos que alertar a las autoridades inmediatamente.
We had to alert the authorities immediately.
The Personal 'A' with Alertar
When you are alerting a specific person or group of people, you must use the word 'a' before them. For example: 'Alerté a mi madre'.
Using 'Sobre' and 'De'
To say what you are warning someone about, you usually use the words 'sobre' or 'de' after the verb.
Alertar vs. Alarma
Mistake: “Me alarmé sobre el tiempo.”
Correction: Me alertaron sobre el tiempo (Someone warned me) or 'La alarma sonó' (The alarm went off). 'Alertar' is the action of warning; 'alarmar' is more about causing worry or panic.
prevenir
pre-beh-NEERpɾeβeˈniɾ
Examples
Es importante prevenir a los niños sobre los extraños.
It is important to warn children about strangers.
Le previne sobre los peligros del viaje.
I warned him about the dangers of the trip.
Use with 'sobre'
When warning someone 'about' something, use the word 'sobre' or 'de' after the verb.
Advertir vs. Prevenir
Related Translations
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