Spanish · C1 · Everyday language
Thinking Choices Through Together in Spanish
This guide helps parents use advanced, calm Spanish phrasing to discuss choices and concerns with their children. At a C1 level, we move beyond simple verbs to 'verbo funcional' constructions (verb-noun combinations) that sound more formal and measured, perfect for guiding thoughtful decision-making.
What you'll learn
- Master advanced verb-noun collocations for discussion and decision-making.
- Understand the use of 'tener en cuenta' vs. 'tomar en consideración'.
- Express concerns politely using 'sacar el tema' or 'poner en duda'.
- Reach conclusions using formal structures like 'llegar a una decisión'.
Spanish phrases for thinking choices through together
Podemos tomar en consideración el club de arte, así como el de deportes.
We can take the art club into consideration as well as the sports club.
'Tomar en consideración' is a formal alternative to 'pensar en'.
¿Deberíamos tomar en consideración una cita de juego más corta para tu primera visita?
Shall we take a shorter playdate into consideration for your first visit?
'Deberíamos' adds a gentle, suggestive tone to the proposal.
Puedes sacar el tema de la pesada mochila cuando hablemos con tu profesor.
You can bring up the heavy school bag when we speak to your teacher.
'Sacar el tema' translates to 'bringing up a topic' naturally.
Me gustaría sacar a colación nuestro tiempo de lectura para que podamos encontrar un horario que nos convenga a ambos.
I'd like to bring up our reading time so we can find a slot that suits us both.
'Sacar a colación' is a slightly more formal C1 variant of 'sacar el tema'.
Se te permite poner en duda una regla del juego cuando parezca injusta.
You are allowed to call a game rule into question when it seems unfair.
'Poner en duda' is the standard way to express skepticism or questioning.
No estoy poniendo en duda tu esfuerzo; solo quiero que revisemos esta respuesta.
I'm not calling your effort into question; I just want us to check this answer.
Useful for clarifying intentions during a critique.
Lleguemos a una decisión sobre qué libro tomar prestado.
Let's come to a decision about which book to borrow.
'Llegar a una decisión' emphasizes the process of reaching a conclusion.
No tenemos que llegar a una decisión sobre cómo gastar tu paga hoy.
We don't have to come to a decision about spending your pocket money today.
'La paga' is a common term for a child's allowance/pocket money.
Hear these phrases and practise them
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Try it free for 7 daysKey words
Tomar en consideración
To take into consideration
Requires the preposition 'en'.
Sacar el tema
To bring up the topic
Very common in spoken Spanish for introducing a concern.
Poner en duda
To call into question / To doubt
Functions as a single unit; avoid adding articles before 'duda'.
Llegar a una decisión
To reach a decision
Focuses on the finality of the choice.
Funktionsverbgefüge (Support Verb Constructions)
In Spanish, as in German/English, complex ideas are often expressed by combining a 'delexicalized' verb (like tomar, poner, or llegar) with a noun. This creates a specific meaning that a single verb cannot always capture.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Consideration | Tomar en consideración [algo] | Tomemos en consideración el precio. |
| Questioning | Poner en duda [algo] | No pongas en duda mi palabra. |
| Deciding | Llegar a una decisión | Por fin llegamos a una decisión. |
More examples
Si no estás de acuerdo, puedes poner en duda mi propuesta.
If you don't agree, you can call my proposal into question.
Encouraging critical thinking in children.
Debemos tomar en consideración el tiempo que nos queda.
We must take into consideration the time we have left.
Used for logistics and planning.