Debería + si + tardar

Question

A friend of mines helped me translate this sentence:

"Should I call you if I am twenty minutes late?"

He said in Spanish the translation is:

"¿Debería llamarte si tardo veinte minutos?"

I haven't seen a si clause like this (conditional tense + si + present tense) on the web, so I'm not sure if this is grammatically correct or if the correct translation should be 1) conditional + si + imperfect subjunctive OR 2) present + si + present OR 3) present + si + future:

1) Debería llamarte si tardara veinte minutos

2) Debo llamarte si tardo veinte minutos

3) Debo llamarte si tardaré veinte minutos

Answer 1

When invoking a conditional form for an imaginary present situation, the structure is normally presented as if + imperfect subjuntive, conditional form of the verb.

The translation is accurate, and it's often used. In this case we use debería for the right action to be done. It's in present despite adopting its conditional form.

Strictly speaking, we should have,

¿Debería llamarte si tardara/tardase 20 minutos?

This is the imaginary situation in the present. However, there's nothing wrong when using a present form in the if clause. It's considered as a polite form of asking.

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1. Debo llamarte si tardo 20 minutos. (= using the present simple in both clauses we're implying that this is permanent. Namely, every time you're 20 minutes late, I must call you.), BUT,
2. Debo llamarte si tardaré 20 minutos. We don't use the future in the if clause.

Thank you so much Oshnaj! This helps a lot, but I still have a few questions - Ramonaspiker, Aug 3, 2016

I saw this on a website: Si tengo tiempo, yo lo haré - If I have time, I will do it. Is this wrong? - Ramonaspiker, Aug 3, 2016

And what would this translate to in English: Debimos llamarlo a usted anoche pero no lo hicimos - Ramonaspiker, Aug 3, 2016

It's correct. The thing is if you write something like "si tendré tiempo, yo lo haré" or "si tendré tiempo, lo hago", those are wrong - Oshnaj, Aug 3, 2016

You asked that here: http://www.spanishdict.com/answers/285219/llamarlo-vs-llamarte - Oshnaj, Aug 3, 2016

Well you said debimos is wrong so I was wondering what it would translate to or what should it be instead? - Ramonaspiker, Aug 3, 2016

I didn't start my second sentence with "Si tardaré....", so why did you say "Debo llamarte si tardaré 20 minutos" is wrong? - Ramonaspiker, Aug 3, 2016

Answer 2

I don't agree with Oshnaj.

In latin america and Spain, if you say: "¿Debería llamarte si tardara/tardase 20 minutos?" you're not saying that you are late, you're just saying that it will take you that time to be there.

A right way to say it, could be:

¿Debería llamarte si voy 20 minutos tarde? / ¿Debería avisarte si voy a llegar 20 minutos tarde? / ¿Debería avisarte si me va a tomar 20 minutos más en llegar?

Or correcting the sentence of our mate Oshnaj: "¿Debería llamarte si tardara 20 minutos más?"

Does "debo llamarte si voy 20 minutos tarde" work too Santy? And thanks for sharing your ways! :) - Ramonaspiker, Aug 3, 2016

Yeah! it's correct, my friend. (Adding question marks, of course lol) - Santyy7, Aug 3, 2016

Oh haha righty. Thanks so much!! :) - Ramonaspiker, Aug 3, 2016

You can say "debo" if you want, but this means "must I". "Debería" is "should I" - 005faa61, Aug 3, 2016

Thank you so much Julian! That makes a lot more sense. What would "debimos" (preterite) mean? - Ramonaspiker, Aug 3, 2016

"debimos" should be understood as te past tense of "must", in that case the structure "had to." - Oshnaj, Aug 3, 2016

I appreciate all your answers Oshnaj! Thank you so much! :) - Ramonaspiker, Aug 3, 2016