Speaking Spanish with Patients

Question

I have worked with Spanish patients who understand me and are surprised of my knowledge of Spanish. However, that doesn't mean I cannot improve. Here are my questions:

1. When I turn someone in bed, I will say," Voy a moverle a su lado derecho/izquierdo." Is there another verb I can use in place of mover?
2. Before I start a task, I might ask my patient, "¿Necesita algo antes de empezo/empezamos?" Is there a better way to phrase "Do you need anything before I/we start?"

Thanks in advance!

Hi, I'm Mexican, but haven't practiced my writing, wish could help a little. - EleRo, May 14, 2016

Answer 1

For the first:

A few possibilities that occur to me for a verb would be voltear or girar or even dar vuelta, but I don't know for sure what would be most natural in the given context. Hopefully someone else can shed some insight.

For the second:

"¿Necesita algo antes de empezo/empezamos?"

Your grammar is bad.

Antes de can be followed by an infinitive (subject obvious) or by que plus subjunctive"

"¿Necesita algo antes de empezar?"

Do you need something before beginning? Seems the simplest to me.

"¿Necesita algo antes de que empiece?"

Do you need something before I begin? (also could be: Do you need something before you begin? or even it begins?, you would have to add yo or usted of you needed to be clear for some reason)

"¿Necesita algo antes de que empecemos?"

Do you need something before we begin?

There are probably other ways to ask the same thing, but yours seems pretty straightforward to me. Still I am not a native speaker.

Please wait for other opinions as well.

Edit to add a link:

http://users.ipfw.edu/jehle/courses/SUBJADV.HTM

Thanks for the grammar insight! I could not remember if you conjugate or not. - ASickEnfermero, May 14, 2016

I added a link that helps guide one in when to use subjunctive in this type of clause. :) - bosquederoble, May 15, 2016

Answer 2

"Moverle" is a good choice of verbs in this case. If you are going to move the person from one side to the opposite side, you could also use "voltearle".

"¿Necesita algo antes de que empiece / empecemos?" Or: ¿Necesita algo antes de empezar?

Answer 3

When your are going to move, you can use the word "moverme" voy a moverme a su lado derecho, voy a moverme a su lado izquierdo. You can can repalace the sentence "voy a moverme" with "me movere a su lado izquierdo/derecho, me colocaré a su derecha/izquierda"

Do you need anything before I/we start? Necesitas algo antes de empezar? If the conversation is formal, patient-doctor, you could say "necesitaría" Necesitaría algo antes de comenzar Necesitaría algo antes de que comience?

Welcome to the forum. Can you add your language level in English and Spanish to your profile? You have helpfully answered a number of questions and fact you are a fluent Spanish speaker is worth knowing. Please add on your profile either location Mexico i - Mardle, May 15, 2016

Mexico - if it is - or brief note at end I am Mexican. We love hispanohablantes! - Mardle, May 15, 2016