What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of avísame (let me know/warn me), cuando (when), los (them – masculine) and tengas (you have – subjunctive mood).
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb tengas is used in the subjunctive mood because the action of receiving the items is a future event that has not yet happened. You must also consider the gender of the items: if the items being referred to are feminine, such as las llaves (the keys), you must change the masculine pronoun los to the feminine las to say avísame cuando las tengas. To use the polite usted form, change avísame to avíseme and tengas to tenga.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using the indicative tienes (as in avísame cuando los tienes). You must use the subjunctive tengas because the receipt of the items is a pending future event.
Did you know?
- The word cuando shares a distant linguistic ancestor with the English word 'cue'. Both are connected to the Latin root quandō, which relates to the timing of an event.
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, saying avísame is often a social convention rather than a literal request. The person may not actually expect a confirmation once the items are received.
- While avísame is used here as 'let me know', its root verb avisar also means 'to warn'. Depending on the context, this can make the request sound more urgent, like asking for an alert rather than a casual update.
Examples in context
- Avísame cuando los tengas en la oficina.Let me know when you have them at the office.
- Si compras los libros, avísame cuando los tengas.If you buy the books, let me know when you get them.
- Avísame cuando los tengas para poder revisarlos.Let me know when you have them so I can check them.
Example conversation
Elena and Alejandro are discussing the delivery of some documents.
- ElenaAlejandro, ¿vas a recoger los documentos hoy?Alejandro, are you going to pick up the documents today?
- AlejandroSí, pasaré por ellos esta tarde.Yes, I will stop by for them this afternoon.
- ElenaPerfecto, avísame cuando los tengas.Perfect, let me know when you get them.
- AlejandroTe llamaré en cuanto llegue a casa.I will call you as soon as I get home.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cuando, los, CC BY-SA 4.0.
