Spanish Phrase
Revisa si respira y si tiene pulso.
Meaning
A direct instruction to check whether a person is breathing and whether they have a pulse. It is the first step in basic first‑aid assessment, confirming vital signs before deciding on further action.
When to use
Use this phrase in emergency or medical situations—first‑aid courses, when you or someone else needs to assess a victim’s condition, or when giving clear, concise instructions in a crisis.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Revisasirespiraysitienepulso
Imperative (tú) – Revisa
‘Revisa’ is the informal second‑person singular command of the verb revisar, used to give a direct instruction.
Conditional conjunction – si
‘si’ introduces a condition, equivalent to ‘if’ in English. It is repeated before each clause for clarity.
Present indicative – respira / tiene
Both verbs are in the third‑person singular present indicative (respirar, tener) to describe the current state of the person being checked.
Coordinating conjunction – y
‘y’ simply links the two conditions: breathing and pulse.
Noun – pulso
‘pulso’ means ‘pulse’; no article is needed when it follows the verb ‘tener’ in this construction.
🗨In Conversation
¿Qué hacemos ahora?
What do we do now?
Revisa si respira y si tiene pulso.
Check if (they) are breathing and if (they) have a pulse.
✕Common Mistakes
Revisa si respira y tiene pulso.
Missing the second ‘si’; each condition should be introduced by ‘si’ for clarity.
Revisa si respira y si tiene el pulso.
The article ‘el’ is unnecessary after ‘tener’ in this construction.
Revisa si respira? y si tiene pulso.
Do not split the sentence with a question mark; the whole statement is an instruction, not a question.
↔Alternatives
Comprueba si está respirando y si tiene pulso.
Check if (they) are breathing and if (they) have a pulse.
Verifica si respira y si tiene pulso.
Verify if (they) are breathing and if (they) have a pulse.
Asegúrate de que respira y tiene pulso.
Make sure (they) are breathing and have a pulse.
Cultural Tip
In many Spanish‑speaking countries the informal command ‘revisa’ is common among peers or when a superior gives quick instructions. In formal or professional contexts (e.g., a doctor speaking to a patient’s family) you would use the formal command ‘revise’ or the more neutral ‘compruebe’. The phrase is a staple of first‑aid training across Latin America and Spain, so you’ll hear it in emergency‑services drills and health‑education videos.