A los estudiantes no les está permitido Students may not assemble in the hall reunirse en el vestíbulo después de after ten o’clock.
las diez.
A los estudiantes no se les permite fumar Students are not allowed to smoke in the
en los dormitorios. bedrooms.
The person expressing the command may want to sound either rude or straightfor- ward. In that case, the verbs querer (want), permitir, and consentir (allow, permit) are often used, followed by que and subjunctive forms:
No quiero que (usted) mencione eso. I don’t want you to mention that.
No te consiento/permito que llegues tarde. I don’t allow you to be late.
The reflexive pronoun se is very often used in writing (notices, rules, laws, etc.) or when a speaker wants to express a command without indicating who the command comes from. It is also used to avoid mentioning the person addressed:
No se puede aparcar aquí. You/One can’t park here.
No se deben usar libros en el examen. Books mustn’t/can’t be used in the exam.
No se permiten perros. Dogs are not allowed.
No se permite hablar durante el examen. Speaking is not allowed during the exam.
The grammatical number of the verb that goes with se depends on the noun that accom- panies it. That is, the verb agrees in number (singular or plural) with the noun. Compare:
No se permite el libro de texto. The textbook is not allowed.
No se permiten libros de texto. Textbooks are not allowed.
To avoid the use of se twice, the second se 1 verb is replaced by an infinitive. This means that instead of saying No se permite que se fume aquí (which is possible, but not advis- able), Spanish speakers prefer No se permite fumar aquí.
could I and might I, since both forms are usually translated using the Spanish conditional.
In order to sound more formal or polite, the conditional is adequate, but there are other possibilities.
The verbs permitir and estar permitido are often used in formal requests. In requests, both verbs follow the same general rules as in commands:
¿Me está permitido usar el ordenador? Am I allowed to use the computer?
¿Se me permite comer aquí? Am I allowed to eat here?
The verb permitir offers a much more common variation, which sounds formal and very polite; when the person making a request directly addresses the person who is going to grant the request, permitir does not take indirect object pronouns like the verb gustar:
¿Me permite (usted) entrar? Will you allow me to come in?
(Or: May I come in?)
¿Me permites leer tu periódico? Will you allow me to read your paper?
(Or: May I read your paper?)
The use of se is advisable in general requests, when the request refers not only to the person speaking but to others as well. ¿Puedo pasar? is a request that refers only to the speaker, but ¿Se puede pasar? can apply to anybody. ¿Me permite usted usar el teléfono? (Will you allow me to use the telephone?) is a question about whether the speaker may use the phone, but ¿Se permite usar el teléfono? is a question about a general rule.
Dejar (let/allow) is slightly more informal than permitir:
¿Me dejas usar tu bolígrafo? Will you let me use your pen?
Dejar can be used with usted/ustedes, but it is unusual in requests with se. The verb poder can be used in the past (imperfect) in requests, especially when another past tense opens the request:
¿Podías prestarme el auto esta noche? Could you lend me the car tonight?
Me preguntaba si podía usar el tuyo. I was wondering if I could use yours.
The verb gustar can also be used to express polite requests:
Me gustaría hablar contigo. I would like to talk to you. Do you have
¿Tienes tiempo ahora? any time now?
Gustar can be followed by que 1 (subject) 1 subjunctive:
Me gustaría que (tú) me ayudaras. I would like you to help me.
Gustar 1 infinitive is a very common form of request:
¿Le gustaría tomar un café? Would you like to have a coffee?
Instead of gustar, the conditional of the verb querer (want) is very often used, espe- cially when no infinitive follows:
¿Querrías pasarme el pan, por favor? Would you pass me the bread, please?
Querría ver al señor Gálvez. I would like to see Mr. Gálvez.
Querría un café. I would like a coffee.
The past tense (imperfect) of querer is also frequently used:
Quería hablar con la señora Jackson. I would like/I wanted to talk with Mrs. Jackson.
Querer in the present is used to translate the English verb will in requests. The con- ditional of querer is used for would in a request:
¿Quieres sentarte, por favor? Will you sit down, please?
¿Querría usted venir conmigo? Would you come with me?
Imperative forms are also common in making requests, especially in casual conver- sation. Be careful that your tone of voice doesn’t sound as though you are making a com- mand. It is a good idea to add por favor to your “imperative” request:
Préstame tu periódico, por favor. Lend me your newspaper, please.
Camarero, por favor, deme la cuenta. Waiter, please, give me the bill.
The interrogative with the simple present tense is a very common and polite form of requesting something:
¿Me pasas la sal, por favor? Can you pass me the salt, please?
This way of requesting is common when object pronouns are used. Without object pro- nouns, the sentence doesn’t sound like a request. Compare:
¿Me arreglas esto? Can you repair this for me?
¿Arreglas esto? Do you repair this?
The verb would in if you would is translated using the imperfect subjunctive of querer:
Si quisiera (usted) seguirme... If you would follow me . . .
Would you be good/kind enough 1 infinitive and Would you be so kind as 1 infinitive translate as Sería (usted) tan amable de 1 infinitive:
¿Sería usted tan amable de dejarme Would you be so kind as to let me
entrar? come in?
In these constructions, usted forms are not compulsory:
¿Serías tan amable de pasarme el agua? Would you be so kind as to pass me the water?
5·1
EJERCICIO
Make commands from the following notes, providing the missing elements. Use the clues in parentheses.
examples empleados/no salir/fumar/calle (future)
Los empleados no saldrán a fumar a la calle.
no/alimentar/animales/jaulas (se puede)
No se puede alimentar a los animales en las/sus jaulas.
1. clientes/abandonar/grandes almacenes/seis en punto (tener que)
2. no/entrada/menores dieciocho años/esta discoteca (se permite)
3. chicos/no jugar/entre/flores (imperative)
4. limpiar/esto/antes/Pepe/enterarse (nosotros)
5. usted/no/dejar/equipaje/vestíbulo (imperative)
6. formularios/ser/entregar/recepción (haber de)
7. no/tú/beber/alcohol/tu cumpleaños (permito)
8. ellas/no/lavar/bebé (que, imperative)
EJERCICIO
5·2
Underline the correct choice. In some cases both answers are possible.
1. ¿Me permites/dejas poner el auto aquí?
2. ¿Sería usted tan amable dejarme/de dejarme pasar?
3. Si usted podía/pudiera esperar un momento.
4. Me gusta/gustaría que me echaras una mano.
5. ¿Podrías/Pudieras hacerme el favor de alargarme eso?
6. Me apetece/apetecería una taza de chocolate.
7. ¿Se me permite abrir/Se permite que abra la ventana?
8. ¿Querrías/Quisiste pasar a mi despacho, por favor?
5·3
EJERCICIO
Find and correct the mistakes.
1. ¿Te apetece viniendo con nosotros?
3. Los huéspedes dejan las habitaciones libres antes de las diez.
4. ¡Callaros todos!
5. ¡Que ven aquí inmediatamente!
6. ¿Podría apartarse un momento?
7. Si la señora era tan amable de dejarme ver lo que hay en su bolso.
8. Nos reuniremos aquí todos a las seis, ¿de acuerdo?
5·4
EJERCICIO
Translate into English.
1. ¿Podrías mostrarme las fotos, por favor?
2. Déjame usar el tuyo, por favor.
3. Los clientes tendrán que pagar en efectivo.
4. No se permite beber alcohol.
5. Buenos días. Quería hablar con el gerente, por favor.
6. Pongámoslo detrás de la puerta.
7. Que Luisa haga el resto.
8. No hablemos de eso delante de él.
9. ¿Sería usted tan amable de sujetar la puerta, por favor?
10. ¿Venden ustedes libros en español?
EJERCICIO
5·5
Translate into Spanish.
1. Can you (usted) pass me the mineral water, please?
2. Let’s not sell the house yet.
3. Let Felipe buy the drinks.
4. The students will fill in the forms in pencil.
5. I was wondering if you (tú) were going to eat those potatoes.
6. I would like you (usted) to explain this to me.
7. I need you (tú) to give me a lift.
8. Will you (tú) hand me the nails, please?
9. Don’t talk so loud, boys.
10. Allow me to open the door for you (usted), madam.