Desaconsejo

Desaconsejo is the first-person singular present indicative form of the Spanish verb desaconsejar, meaning to discourage someone from doing something or to advise against a course of action. It expresses a personal evaluation that a proposed action is not advisable, often due to risks, poor outcomes, or higher costs. This form is commonly used in personal recommendations, professional guidance, and advice contexts where the speaker explicitly voices opposition to a plan.

Etymology and relation to other terms: desaconsejo derives from des- (a negation prefix) combined with aconsejar (to advise). Aconsejar comes from consejo, meaning advice, which in turn traces to Latin consilium. The prefix des- signals negation or reversal, yielding a sense of discouraging rather than suggesting.

Usage and nuance: Desaconsejotypically governs an infinitive or a subordinate clause with the subjunctive. Examples include: “Desaconsejo tomar ese camino” and “Desaconsejo que lo hagas.” It conveys a stronger stance than simply saying “no es recomendable” and can come across as direct or evaluative. In formal or neutral writing, it may be preferable to use phrases like “no es recomendable” or “no lo recomiendo” to soften the tone.

Conjugation and forms: desaconsejar follows regular conjugation patterns. First-person singular present is desaconsejo; other forms include desaconsejas, desaconseja, desaconsejamos, desaconsejáis, desaconsejan. Pretérito: desaconsejé; imperfecto: desaconsejaba; futuro: desaconsejaré; subjuntivo presente: desaconseje.

See also: related verbs such as aconsejar (to advise) and no recomendar, as well as phrases expressing caution or dissuasion.