B1 · Unit 22 · 36 words, 2 texts with translation
Spot a scammer
Recognize a scam on the phone and in messages, say no to it, and warn other people.
Texts in this unit
Grammar in this unit
Cuando le pidan el código, cuelgue: "when" + a command
You already know three things, and here they work together to give advice on how not to fall for a scam:
- cuando + subjunctive about the future (unit 21): cuando llegues, llámame — when you get there, call me;
- negative commands: no hables, no hagas (unit 16);
- the subjunctive forms themselves (unit 18).
How the advice is built. First the situation, cuando + subjunctive, then the command:
- Cuando te pidan el código, cuelga. — When they ask you for the code, hang up.
- Cuando te llegue un SMS con un enlace, no pinches en él. — When you get a text with a link, don't click on it.
Why the subjunctive? Nobody knows if they will ask at all: it's a possible situation in the future. English doesn't use will after "when" either: "when they ask", not "when they will ask".
Pidan with no subject. Cuando te pidan el código — when they ask you for the code. It's the ellos form, but it means some unknown person, just like English "they" in "they'll ask you for the code".
Tú and usted. Negative commands are built the same way for tú and usted (from the yo form); only the ending changes. Affirmative usted commands also use the subjunctive, while the affirmative tú command uses the normal form:
| tú | usted | |
|---|---|---|
| Hang up | cuelga | cuelgue |
| Don't click | no pinches | no pinche |
| Don't tell | no digas | no diga |
| Don't give | no des | no dé |
| Don't open | no abras | no abra |
The stem changes in the same places as in the yo form: colgar → cuelgue (o → ue, g → gu), pedir → pidan, apretar → apriete, descolgar → descuelgue. The usted form of dar has a written accent, dé, so you don't confuse it with the preposition de.
Pronouns go before the verb here (unit 16):
- Cuando se lo pidan, cuelgue. — When they ask you for it, hang up. (formal)
- No se lo diga a nadie. — Don't tell anyone. (formal)
With an affirmative command, pronouns are attached to the end instead: dígamelo (tell it to me).
Common mistakes. Using the future after cuando: ✗ cuando te pedirán el código. Correct: cuando te pidan. The present cuando te piden means "whenever they ask you" (a habit), not a possible future case. And mixing up the negative command with the normal form: ✗ no pinchas means "you don't click"; the command is no pinches.
Para que no te pase: warnings and "if I were you"
You already know two tools, and in a warning they say "I'm doing this so that nothing bad happens to you":
- para que + subjunctive (unit 19): para que puedas entrar — so (that) you can get in;
- yo que tú + conditional (unit 5).
Para que + what you want to avoid. Someone else does (or doesn't do) the action, so the subjunctive comes after para que:
- Le dejo esta nota para que nadie la engañe. — I'm leaving you this note so that no one tricks you. (formal)
- Llame al banco para que bloqueen la tarjeta. — Call the bank so that they block the card. (formal)
Bloqueen is the ellos form: someone at the bank, no name needed (like pidan above). If the same person does the action, you don't need que, just para + infinitive (unit 19):
- Llamo al banco para bloquear la tarjeta. — I'm calling the bank to block the card.
Yo que usted + conditional: "if I were you, I wouldn't…". You know this phrase from giving advice (unit 5). For a warning, just add no:
- Yo que tú no contestaría a números desconocidos. — If I were you, I wouldn't answer unknown numbers.
- Yo que usted no descolgaría el teléfono de noche. — If I were you, I wouldn't pick up the phone at night. (formal)
This is softer than a command like no contestes (don't answer): you aren't giving orders, you're saying what you would do yourself. With an older person, this sounds more natural.
Common mistake: using the tú form after yo que tú: ✗ yo que tú no contestarías. You're talking about yourself, so you need the yo form, just like English "if I were you, I wouldn't": yo que tú no contestaría (unit 5). With usted, the yo form and the usted form look the same (descolgaría), so it's harder to make a mistake there.
Words in this unit
la estafa — scam
Es una estafa: nadie da un móvil gratis. — It's a scam: nobody gives away a cell phone for free.
el enlace — link
Te mando el enlace por correo. — I'm sending you the link by email.
la aplicación — app, application
Descargo la aplicación del banco. — I'm downloading the bank's app.
actualizar — to update, to adjust (a price)
Según el contrato, el precio se actualiza cada enero. — According to the contract, the price is updated every January.
bloquear — to block
He perdido la tarjeta y quiero bloquearla. — I've lost my card and I want to block it.
la tecnología — technology
La tecnología cambia muy rápido. — Technology changes very fast.
mostrar — to show
Te muestro las fotos del piso. — I'll show you the photos of the apartment.
ofrecer — to offer
La agencia me ofrece un piso muy bonito. — The agency is offering me a very nice apartment.
mandar — to send; to be in charge
Te mando la dirección por mensaje. — I'll send you the address in a message.
corregir — to correct; to grade (work)
¿Me corriges el correo, por favor? — Can you correct my email, please?
complicado — complicated, tricky
Todo este asunto es complicado. — This whole thing is complicated.
sencillo — simple, plain; easy
Es un piso sencillo, pero muy limpio. — It's a simple apartment, but very clean.
el ratón — mouse
El ratón del ordenador no funciona. — The computer mouse isn't working.
la comisaría — police station
Voy a la comisaría a denunciar el robo. — I'm going to the police station to report the theft.
estafar — to scam, to swindle
Quieren estafar a mi abuela. — They want to scam my grandmother.
el timo — con, scam (informal)
¡Es un timo, tío! El reloj es falso. — It's a con, dude! The watch is fake.
el timador — con artist, scammer
El timador me pidió el código. — The con artist asked me for the code.
apretar — to press; to squeeze; to be too tight
Aprieta el botón verde. — Press the green button.
la app — app
Pido el taxi con una app. — I order a taxi with an app.
el DNI — DNI (Spanish ID card)
En el hotel me piden el DNI. — At the hotel they ask me for my DNI.
el SMS — text message, SMS
Me ha llegado un SMS del banco. — I got a text message from the bank.
el/la delincuente — criminal
La policía busca a un delincuente. — The police are looking for a criminal.
la captura — screenshot; capture
Hazme una captura de la pantalla. — Take a screenshot for me.
emergente — pop-up; emerging
Me salió una ventana emergente con un premio. — A pop-up window with a prize popped up on my screen.
la actualización — update
Mi móvil pide una actualización. — My phone is asking for an update.
desconfiado — distrustful, wary
Mi padre es muy desconfiado. — My father is very distrustful.
espabilado — sharp, street-smart (informal)
Mi sobrina es muy espabilada. — My niece is very sharp.
descolgar — to pick up (the phone); to take down
Nunca descuelgo si no conozco el número. — I never pick up if I don't know the number.
meter prisa — to rush (someone)
No me metas prisa, que ya voy. — Don't rush me, I'm coming.
no hay manera — there's no way (to)
No hay manera de abrir esta puerta. — There's no way to open this door.
dar lo mismo — to not care, to be all the same (to someone)
Me da lo mismo ir hoy o mañana. — It's all the same to me whether I go today or tomorrow.
a que sí — right?, isn't it?
Esto está rico, ¿a que sí? — This is delicious, isn't it?
hacerse tarde — to be getting late, to run late
Se hace tarde, vámonos. — It's getting late, let's go.
hacer gracia — to find funny; to not like (when negated)
Ese chiste me hace gracia. — I find that joke funny.
pinchar en — to click (on)
No pinches en ese enlace. — Don't click on that link.
hacerse pasar por — to pretend to be, to pose as
Un hombre se hizo pasar por empleado del banco. — A man pretended to be a bank employee.
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