French Phrase
Préviens‑nous à l'avance si tu dois annuler.
Meaning
‘Let us know in advance if you have to cancel.’ The speaker asks the listener to give an early heads‑up should a cancellation become necessary, such as for a meeting, reservation, or event.
When to use
Use this sentence when you’re arranging a meeting, a dinner reservation, a ride‑share, or any appointment and you want the other person to inform you ahead of time if they can’t make it.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Préviens-nousàl'avancesitudoisannuler
Imperative (tu) of préviendre
‘Préviens’ is the second‑person singular imperative of the verb ‘prévenir’ (to inform, to warn).
Object pronoun attached with hyphen
When a direct or indirect object pronoun follows an imperative, it is attached with a hyphen and placed after the verb (e.g., ‘Préviens‑nous’).
Adverbial phrase ‘à l'avance’
‘À l'avance’ means ‘in advance’; it functions as an adverbial complement indicating when the action should happen.
Conditional clause with ‘si’
‘Si’ introduces a condition: ‘if you have to cancel’. The verb after ‘si’ stays in the present indicative.
Modal verb ‘devoir’ + infinitive
‘Dois annuler’ combines the present of ‘devoir’ (must) with the infinitive ‘annuler’ (to cancel).
🗨In Conversation
Je ne suis pas sûr de pouvoir venir demain.
I'm not sure I can come tomorrow.
Préviens‑nous à l'avance si tu dois annuler.
Let us know in advance if you have to cancel.
✕Common Mistakes
Préviens nous à l'avance si tu dois annuler.
The object pronoun must be attached with a hyphen after an imperative.
Préviens‑nous à l'avance si tu vas annuler.
When expressing a future condition, French often uses ‘au cas où’ instead of ‘si’, but ‘si’ is still correct; learners sometimes drop the present tense after ‘si’.
À l'avance préviens‑nous si tu dois annuler.
Placing ‘à l'avance’ after the verb phrase is standard; moving it before the verb can sound awkward.
↔Alternatives
Informe‑nous à l'avance si tu dois annuler.
Inform us in advance if you have to cancel.
Dis‑nous à l'avance si tu dois annuler.
Tell us in advance if you have to cancel.
Prévenez‑nous à l'avance si vous devez annuler.
Let us know in advance if you have to cancel. (formal/plural)
Cultural Tip
In French, ‘prévenir’ is the go‑to verb for giving notice. The informal ‘tu’ form (Préviens‑nous) is appropriate with friends or colleagues you know well; in a professional or formal setting you would switch to the ‘vous’ form – ‘Prévenez‑nous…’. Also, French speakers often prefer the more formal ‘nous informer’ in written communication, but the imperative with a pronoun is perfectly natural in spoken French.