Giving Recommendations — I can give a short recommendation...

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Historical Context & Motivation

Giving advice is one of the most common speech acts in any language. From ancient proverbs carved into stone tablets to modern-day social media posts, humans have always sought to guide one another with recommendations. In Spanish-speaking cultures, the art of giving consejos (advice) is deeply rooted in community, family, and friendship. Understanding how to recommend something in Spanish—whether it's a restaurant, a study strategy, or a life decision—is an essential communication skill that opens doors in real-world interactions.

1200s

Medieval Spanish Proverbs

Spanish proverbs (refranes) emerged as a popular way to pass wisdom between generations, embedding advice into everyday language.

1600s

Golden Age Literature

Writers like Cervantes and Gracián used formal advisory language in their works, popularizing subjunctive constructions for polite recommendations.

1900s

Formal Grammar Codification

The Real Academia Española refined rules around the subjunctive mood, clarifying how Spanish speakers express suggestions, doubts, and wishes.

2000s

Global Communication Era

With over 500 million Spanish speakers worldwide, giving recommendations in Spanish became a critical skill for travel, business, and online interaction.

So how do you actually form a recommendation in Spanish? It's not just about translating "I recommend" word for word. Spanish uses specific verb forms—especially the present subjunctive—to express suggestions and advice. This lesson will teach you the key phrases, grammatical structures, and strategies for giving recommendations with a reason and a simple example.

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Core Principles of Giving Recommendations

A strong recommendation in Spanish has three parts: the recommendation phrase (what you suggest), the reason (why you suggest it), and a simple example (something concrete to illustrate your point). Mastering these three elements allows you to sound natural and persuasive in Spanish.

Trigger Phrases

Expressions like Recomiendo que, Sugiero que, Es mejor que signal a recommendation and trigger the subjunctive mood in the clause that follows.

The Subjunctive Connection

When you recommend that someone do something, the verb in the second clause must be in the present subjunctive form—e.g., estudies instead of estudias.

Providing a Reason

Connectors such as porque, ya que, dado que (because, since, given that) let you explain why your advice makes sense.

Adding an Example

Use phrases like Por ejemplo, Como..., En mi experiencia to make your recommendation concrete and relatable.

Informal vs. Formal Register

Choose between tú commands (informal) and usted forms (formal) depending on your audience. Te recomiendo vs. Le recomiendo.

✦ KEY TAKEAWAY

Think of giving a recommendation like building a sandwich. The recommendation phrase is the top slice of bread that holds everything together, the reason is the filling that gives it substance, and the example is the bottom slice that makes it complete and easy to hold. Without all three layers, your advice falls apart.

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Visual Explanation: The Recommendation Formula

This diagram shows the three-part formula for giving a recommendation in Spanish. Notice how the recommendation phrase uses the subjunctive, the reason uses the indicative, and the example adds a concrete detail.

As the diagram illustrates, each piece of the recommendation has a distinct grammatical function. The trigger phrase (Recomiendo que) demands the subjunctive in the following verb, while the reason and example use regular indicative forms. This structure keeps your sentence organized and your meaning crystal clear to your listener or reader.

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How It Works: Grammar Behind Recommendations

Forming the Present Subjunctive

The present subjunctive is formed by taking the yo form of the present indicative, dropping the -o ending, and adding the "opposite" vowel endings. For -ar verbs, you add -e endings; for -er and -ir verbs, you add -a endings. This is the key grammatical engine behind recommendation phrases.

SUBJUNCTIVE FORMATION: -AR VERBS

hablar → hablo → habl- → hable, hables, hable, hablemos, habléis, hablen

Start with the yo form (hablo), drop the -o, then add: -e, -es, -e, -emos, -éis, -en.

SUBJUNCTIVE FORMATION: -ER / -IR VERBS

comer → como → com- → coma, comas, coma, comamos, comáis, coman

Same process: yo form (como), drop the -o, then add the "opposite" endings: -a, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an.

Key Recommendation Structures

Common recommendation expressions and their grammatical requirements

Spanish Phrase	English Translation	Requires Subjunctive?
Recomiendo que + subjuntivo	I recommend that...	✅ Yes
Sugiero que + subjuntivo	I suggest that...	✅ Yes
Es mejor que + subjuntivo	It's better that...	✅ Yes
Es importante que + subjuntivo	It's important that...	✅ Yes
Debes + infinitivo	You should...	❌ No (infinitive)
Te aconsejo que + subjuntivo	I advise you to...	✅ Yes

Notice that most recommendation phrases require the subjunctive, but a few—like Debes (you should)—take a simple infinitive instead. When in doubt, remember this rule: if the phrase includes que before the second verb, the subjunctive is almost always required.

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Key Phrases & Connectors for Recommendations

Beyond the recommendation verb itself, you need connectors to glue your recommendation, reason, and example together. Think of connectors as the bridges between the three parts of your recommendation sandwich. Without them, your sentences feel choppy and disconnected.

This phrase map organizes the vocabulary you need into four categories: recommendation starters, reason connectors, example phrases, and optional softeners. Select one from each to craft a well-structured recommendation.

The fourth box—softeners—is optional but incredibly useful. Adding a phrase like En mi opinión at the beginning of your recommendation makes you sound more polite and less bossy. In Spanish-speaking cultures, directness is valued, but softening your advice shows respect for the other person's autonomy.

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Worked Example: Writing a Recommendation

Let's walk through building a complete recommendation from scratch. Imagine your friend is visiting Mexico City for the first time and asks you what to do there.

Recommending an Activity in Mexico City

Step 1 — Choose your recommendation phraseWe want to say "I recommend that you visit the Museo Nacional de Antropología." We'll start with Recomiendo que because it's a direct and common recommendation phrase. Since this phrase includes que, the next verb needs to be in the subjunctive.

Recomiendo que...

Step 2 — Conjugate the verb in the subjunctiveThe verb is "visitar" (to visit). The yo form of the indicative is "visito." We drop the -o and add the opposite ending for tú: -es. This gives us visites. Our clause so far: Recomiendo que visites el Museo Nacional de Antropología.

visitar → visito → visit- → visites

Step 3 — Add a reason with a connectorWe'll use porque (because) to introduce our reason. After porque, we use the regular indicative because we're stating a fact: tiene una colección increíble de arte prehispánico (it has an incredible collection of pre-Hispanic art).

...porque tiene una colección increíble de arte prehispánico.

Step 4 — Provide a simple exampleNow we add a concrete example using Por ejemplo: Por ejemplo, puedes ver la Piedra del Sol, que es famosa en todo el mundo. (For example, you can see the Sun Stone, which is famous around the world.)

Por ejemplo, puedes ver la Piedra del Sol, que es famosa en todo el mundo.

Step 5 — Combine everythingPutting it all together, we get a complete, well-structured recommendation that includes all three parts.

Recomiendo que visites el Museo Nacional de Antropología porque tiene una colección increíble de arte prehispánico. Por ejemplo, puedes ver la Piedra del Sol, que es famosa en todo el mundo.

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Formal vs. Informal Recommendations

In Spanish, how you give a recommendation changes depending on who you're talking to. Speaking to a friend your age calls for informal language, while advising a teacher, a boss, or an elder requires a more formal register. Understanding when to use each is just as important as getting the grammar right.

Comparison of informal and formal recommendation styles

Feature	Informal (Tú)	Formal (Usted)
When to use	Friends, classmates, siblings, people your age	Teachers, bosses, elders, strangers
Recommendation phrase	Te recomiendo que estudies más.	Le recomiendo que estudie más.
Direct command	Prueba la sopa. (Try the soup.)	Pruebe la sopa. (Try the soup.)
Softened advice	Deberías ir al médico.	Debería ir al médico.
Tone	Casual, warm, friendly	Respectful, polished, professional

✦ KEY TAKEAWAY

Choosing between tú and usted in a recommendation is like choosing between texting a friend and writing an email to your principal. The message might be the same—"You should study more"—but the packaging matters. Using the wrong register can make your advice sound rude or out of place, even if the words are technically correct.

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Connection to Advanced Communication

The recommendation structures you're learning now form the foundation for much more advanced Spanish communication. In Spanish 3 and beyond, you'll use these same patterns to express wishes, emotions, doubts, and hypothetical scenarios. Mastering recommendations is your gateway to the full power of the subjunctive mood.

How today's recommendation skills connect to advanced Spanish

What You're Learning Now	Where It Leads
Recomiendo que estudies.	Subjunctive with verbs of emotion: Me alegra que estudies.
Es mejor que vayas.	Subjunctive with doubt: Dudo que vayas.
Deberías probar la comida.	Conditional for hypotheticals: Si fuera tú, probaría la comida.
Simple reasons with porque	Complex argumentation with a pesar de que, aunque, sin embargo

In AP Spanish, you'll be expected to write persuasive essays and give formal presentations that include recommendations supported by evidence. The three-part formula you're practicing today—recommendation, reason, example—is exactly the structure the AP exam rewards. Think of this lesson as building muscle memory that will serve you for years to come.

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Practice Problems

PROBLEM 1 — CONCEPTUAL

Why does the phrase Recomiendo que require the subjunctive in the verb that follows it, while porque does not? Explain in your own words.

PROBLEM 2 — BASIC

Complete the sentence with the correct subjunctive form of the verb in parentheses: Sugiero que tú ________ (leer) más libros en español.

PROBLEM 3 — INTERMEDIATE

Your friend says she's stressed about exams. Write a complete recommendation in Spanish that includes: (1) a recommendation phrase with the subjunctive, (2) a reason using a connector, and (3) a brief example. Write 2–3 sentences.

PROBLEM 4 — APPLIED

You are writing a short blog post in Spanish recommending a movie to your readers. Write a 3–4 sentence paragraph that uses at least two different recommendation expressions (e.g., Recomiendo que and Es importante que), includes a reason and an example, and uses either formal or informal register consistently.

PROBLEM 5 — CRITICAL THINKING

Read the following recommendation and identify at least two errors. Then rewrite it correctly: "Recomiendo que comes más frutas ya que es bueno para la salud. Ejemplo, yo como una manzana."

SUMMARY

Lesson Summary

Giving recommendations in Spanish follows a clear three-part formula: a recommendation phrase (such as Recomiendo que, Sugiero que, or Es mejor que) followed by a verb in the present subjunctive, a reason introduced by connectors like porque or ya que, and a concrete example using Por ejemplo or Como. To form the subjunctive, take the yo indicative form, drop the -o, and add the "opposite" vowel endings.

Always consider your audience when choosing between informal (tú) and formal (usted) registers, and use softeners like En mi opinión to sound polite. These skills are the building blocks for all subjunctive usage in advanced Spanish, from expressing emotions and doubts to constructing hypothetical arguments. Practice combining the three parts until it feels natural—your ability to advise, persuade, and connect in Spanish depends on it.