Present Tense Used for a Request?
I recently came across a conversation between two people. One was in need of supplies and the other wanted to send them whatever they needed. It looks like the present tense is being used to request something, and it is something I haven't come across before. The text said this:
Text: - déjame saber en lo que necesites. - Luego, cuando de normalice la cosa me chequeas por allá un abanico recargable.
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My Translation: - Let me know what you are in need of. - Later, when things get back to normal the thing you (can) look for over there for me is a rechargeable fan.”
I have a few questions about the above.
- The most perplexing thing to me is the phrase: “la cosa me chequeas por allá un abanico recargable” “The thing you check for over there for me a rechargeable fan.”
I would have expected something like: “la cosa puedes chequear por allá es un abanico recargable” “The thing you can check for over there for me is a rechargeable fan.”
A) Why is the present tense used here as a request? Is that typical?
B) Why is the word “es” not included in the sentence before “un abanico”? It almost feels incomplete. Is there something I’m missing, or is it slang or something to drop out “es”.
- cuando de normalice seems weird with “de” here. Is it typical to have “de” there like that?
Any help here would be appreciated. Thanks.
10 Answers
Lastly, thanks for the tip about poder. I think I probably rely on it for requesting something nicely when maybe that is not quite natural Spanish. - patt177
Well, he could have said:
Cuando se normalice la cosa, a ver si me puedes chequear por allá un abanico recargable.
This would also sound perfectly colloquial and normal.
But the Spanish version seems more commanding to me, like "When things get back to normal you WILL send me and fan, and quickly. Which is what I think you are saying it sounds like to you, too? - patt17
No, it doesn't sound commanding...it is in theory a command, but it is very common to use this in colloquial everyday conversations and nobody would think you are demanding something or commanding. It does sound a request to me.
Look:
cuando llegas a casa, anda, hazme la cama y no se te olvide tirar la basura.
......................, a ver si me haces la cama y tiras la basura.
......................., por favor, hazme la cama y no es te.....
If you ask me, all of them are perfectly possible and none sounds rude or impolite or commanding like, hey, if you don't you will hear me!!
I am a native speaker from Spain 
I understand your confusion because there is a typo in that sentence, and a missing comma. It should be:
Cuando se normalice la cosa, me chequeas por allá un abanico recargable.
Your translation was right: when things (la cosa) get back to normal
Me chequeas sounds like a command rather than a request to me. It's sort of "y me lo haces rapidito"
Me chequeas sounds like a command rather than a request to me. It's sort of "y me lo haces rapidito"
I agree. Present tense, however, is commonly used to indicate future action, but it can be made much less demanding this way: Cuando se normalice la cosa ¿me haces el favor de chequear por allá un abanico recargable? / Cuando se normalice la cosa, me chequeas por allá un abanico recargable ¿sale? / Cuando se normalice la cosa ¿me chequeas por allá un abanico recargable?
Of course, in the spoken word inflection makes a big difference.
In Spanish we don´t use poder to make something "softer" or less demanding as in English.
This sounds like a business transaction, so it should be done in usted - not tú.
Patt , just to show how confused both Polenta and I were about the "abanico recargable".
This is abanico for us.
It does sound a request to me
I said this and you requested some kind of info. I believe that you will see that "pedir algo" (to request something) applies here.
Maybe this can help:
Usos del imperativo
El imperativo se usa para:
Dar órdenes o mandatos.
Ejemplo: ¡Sal de aquí!.
Dar instrucciones.
Ejemplo: Siga derecho y doble a la derecha en la tercera calle...
Pedir algo.
Ejemplo: Préstame tu libro de matemáticas.
Dar invitaciones.
Ejemplo: Venid a vernos.
Dar un consejo.
Ejemplo: No lo compres.
Conceder permisos.
Ejemplo: Está bien, anda con ellos a l
a fiesta.
¿Qué es un abanico recargable?
Fan could be abanico or ventilador.
What Is un ventilador recargable anyway?
Déjame saber lo que necesitas/necesites. "En"Is wrong.
Cuando "se" normalice. De Is wrong.
No, it doesn't sound commanding...it is in theory a command, but it is very common to use this in colloquial everyday conversations and nobody would think you are demanding something or commanding. It does sound a request to me. - Heidita2
This is so interesting. So, could you point me to some kind of grammar resource or something that talks about this in depth? I can't find a discussion about this in any resources, and I find it so frustrating when I come across concepts like this that are widely known and accepted but are left out of grammar discussion, presumably to avoid confusing the beginner (I guess?). I have to confess that I am struggling with this concept a little. I'm trying to get a better feel for it's use.
Hi Pattt, no, not really. This is a command, but among business people this is very commonly used. - Heidita2
Yes, I just found out from one of the people in that conversation that there for sure wasn't supposed to be a question mark there, so I'm glad you posted to clarify that it is totally normal, especially in business, and that there wasn't supposed to be one.
Patt, I always recommend to post , not to comment, especially when you have a doubt or need some clarification, as many comments go unseen. - Heidita2
Thanks, that is a helpful tip. I'll be sure to do that from now on.
¿Qué es un abanico recargable? Fan could be abanico or ventilador. - Polenta
The original conversation was between two Puerto Ricans, and abanico is widely used for fan in Puerto Rico, so that's why that was the word used here.
I think that "abanico recargable" was a request for a battery-powered fan that could be recharged when it ran low/out of battery.
Déjame saber lo que necesitas/necesites. "En"Is wrong. - Polenta
I'm glad you mentioned this because I was going to ask about it. This was part of the original discussion and just must have been incorrect usage by the speaker. I was confused by it, though, so I'm glad I got clarity on that.
your last example really makes me think now that the original statement should have had a question mark on the end of it and was mistakenly left off. That would make so much more sense to me. - patt177
Hi Pattt, no, not really. This is a command, but among business people this is very commonly used.
Me escribes esto y luego lo envías.
Instead of:
Por favor, escríbeme/escríbeme esto y luego envíelo.
In Spain, whether business or not, we mostly use the informal "tú" form.
However, this doesn't sound like any transaction from Spain, so we can see even though time ago it might have been more common to use "Usted", it isn't anymore.
Also, this was not a business transaction at all. This was between two best friends. One was trying to help the other in a really difficult situation. - patt177
Which makes things even clearer. 
Patt, I always recommend to post , not to comment, especially when you have a doubt or need some clarification, as many comments go unseen.
I said this and you requested some kind of info. I believe that you will see that "pedir algo" (to request something) applies here. - Heidita2
What I mean is that I have looked everywhere on the internet for some article explaining that the Present Tense can be used to ask for something or request something (pedir algo), but I can't find one article or post that discusses this apparently common use for the present tense. Usually they list 4 uses: 1) present general 2) present progressive 3) historical present, and 4) future referring, but nowhere is this use referred to.
I only found one source that dicusses this briefly:
USE OF PRESENT AND FUTURE TENSES TO GIVE COMMANDS As in English, the present and future indicative tenses can be used to issue emphatic commands. Using the present and future tenses in this way normally wouldn't be done when you're trying to be diplomatic; more likely, they would be used when simple persuasion hasn't been successful or if you're trying to be particularly matter-of-fact.
Examples: Comerás el brócoli. (You WILL eat the broccoli.) Me llamas mañana. (You call me tomorrow.)
This is close to what we have discussed here, but from what I can gather from what has been said here, it isn't exactly an "emphatic" command as is explained above. I take "emphatic" to mean a strong command, which someone could possible take offense to.
