Spanish Phrase
Intenta ser puntual.
Meaning
A friendly reminder or encouragement meaning ‘Try to be punctual.’ It suggests that the listener should make an effort to arrive on time, without sounding overly demanding.
When to use
Use it when you want to nudge a friend, colleague, or employee to be on time for a meeting, class, or social event. It works well in informal or semi‑formal contexts where you want to be supportive rather than authoritative.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Intentaserpuntual
Imperative of -ar verbs
For the informal 'tú' command, drop the -ar ending of the infinitive and add -a (intentar → intenta).
Infinitive after intentar
When intentar is followed by another verb, that verb stays in its infinitive form (intentar + ser).
Adjective placement
Adjectives that describe a quality of a person usually follow the verb (ser puntual).
🗨In Conversation
¿Vas a llegar tarde a la reunión?
Are you going to be late for the meeting?
Intenta ser puntual.
Try to be punctual.
✕Common Mistakes
Intenta ser puntualmente.
‘Puntualmente’ is an adverb; the phrase calls for the adjective ‘puntual’ after ‘ser’.
Intenta ser puntualidad.
‘Puntualidad’ is a noun; you need the adjective ‘puntual’ to describe a person.
Intenta ser puntual?
The phrase is a statement, not a question; the question mark changes the tone.
↔Alternatives
Procura llegar a tiempo.
Make sure to arrive on time.
Intenta llegar a tiempo.
Try to arrive on time.
Haz un esfuerzo por ser puntual.
Make an effort to be punctual.
Cultural Tip
In many Spanish‑speaking countries, a few minutes of leeway is socially acceptable, but in professional settings punctuality is a sign of respect. Using ‘intenta’ softens the request, making it sound supportive rather than a strict command. Avoid the adverb ‘puntualmente’ here; the adjective ‘puntual’ is the natural choice after ‘ser’.