Spanish · A2 · Everyday language
Reading Baby Signals in Spanish
Learn how to express curiosity and uncertainty about your baby's needs using indirect questions. This guide focuses on using 'si' (whether/if) to gently wonder what your little one is feeling.
What you'll learn
- Form indirect yes-or-no questions using 'si'
- Express uncertainty about a baby's needs
- Ask others for information regarding the baby's care
Spanish phrases for reading baby signals
Me pregunto si tienes hambre.
I wonder whether you are hungry.
Uses 'si' for 'whether'. 'Tener hambre' is the idiomatic way to say 'to be hungry'.
No sé si tu pañal está mojado.
I don't know whether your nappy is wet.
'No sé' introduces the uncertainty.
Le preguntaré a papá si tu biberón está listo.
I'll ask Dad whether your bottle is ready.
Future tense 'preguntaré' is used for 'I'll ask'.
Me pregunto si te duelen las encías.
I wonder whether your gums hurt.
'Doler' works like 'gustar'; the encías (gums) are the subject.
No sé si necesitas una siesta.
I don't know whether you need a nap.
A simple way to express a guess about the baby's tiredness.
Le preguntaré al médico si tu peso está bien.
I'll ask the doctor whether your weight is okay.
'Al' is a contraction of 'a' (to) and 'el' (the).
Me pregunto si tienes demasiado calor.
I wonder whether you are too warm.
Literally: 'I wonder if you have too much heat'.
Le preguntaré a mamá si tu manta está en el carrito.
I'll ask Mum whether your blanket is in the pram.
'Carrito' is a common word for pram or stroller.
Hear these phrases and practise them
Tildi plays every phrase out loud, tests you in five-minute lessons and builds them into bedtime stories from your own picture books.
Try it free for 7 daysKey words
pañal
nappy / diaper
A daily essential for babies.
biberón
baby bottle
Often shortened to 'bibe' in casual speech.
encías
gums
Important when discussing teething.
siesta
nap
Used for both babies and adults.
Indirect Questions with 'Si'
In Spanish, to translate 'whether' or 'if' in indirect questions (after verbs like 'wonder', 'ask', or 'not know'), we use 'si'. Unlike English, the word order after 'si' remains like a normal statement.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Wondering | Me pregunto si... | Me pregunto si tienes frío. |
| Not knowing | No sé si... | No sé si quiere jugar. |
| Asking | Preguntar si... | Pregunto si el agua está caliente. |
More examples
No sé si tiene sed.
I don't know whether he/she is thirsty.
Using 'tener sed' for being thirsty.
Me pregunto si el bebé está cansado.
I wonder whether the baby is tired.
A common observation for parents.
Pregúntale a tu hermano si tiene el juguete.
Ask your brother whether he has the toy.
An imperative (command) form of asking.