How to write: let’s see if or if

When seeing it written, no one doubts that the expression “to see” and the verb or noun “have” they are not the same. The problem is that they sound the same and that makes it confusing for some people.

However, the first is a sequence composed of the preposition ‘a’ and the verb ‘see’, which is used to emphasize something; while the second can be a verb or a noun. On what occasions do you have to write one or the other? The answer to this question is in the message you want to convey.

When to use “Let’s see”

According to the Royal Academy of the Spanish Language (RAE) the sequence “to see” is used in the following cases:

• By way of question for the interlocutor to show us something: Let’s see?

• For show interest or expectation to know something: Let’s see when …

• For draw attention or ask for something: Let’s see, what do you have there?

• What acceptance of something inevitable: Let’s see what remedy.

• To express curiosity or interest, sometimes in the form of a challenge, wish or command, followed by the conjunction if: Let’s see if you can guess.

When using “Haber”

It can appear in the sentence as an auxiliary verb, as an impersonal verb or as a noun, according to the RAE. Let’s see some examples:

• Auxiliary verb: to have bought…

• Impersonal verb: There seems to be someone.

• As a noun: He has to his credit … Haber is masculine and means, in general, ‘set of goods or funds of a person’: “He is a multimillionaire, he has to his credit companies, companies and houses around the world.”

How to know whether to put “to see” or “to have”

There are some tricks that we can use to distinguish which shape is correct. For example, if what we want to talk about is something that is done with the eyes, if it is related to the eyes, then we would have to choose “to see”.

Another simple trick is to try substitute the word with which we doubt by these formulas: let’s see or let’s see. If the phrase in question is related to the verb to see, it will not lose its meaning. On the other hand, if it is related to having, it cannot be changed.

1. See if you pass the exam. = Let’s see if you pass the exam. = Let’s see if you pass the exam.

2. I could have gone. ≠ We could see gone. ≠ Could we see gone.

Other tips to avoid mistakes

Like everything in grammar, writing and life, the way to improve lies in the practice. Let’s go with some training:

• I should __________ talked to him. To see or have? Look closely, the participle of a verb appears. Is it related to seeing? Can it be replaced by let’s see? The answer is: no (have)

• __________ what do you think of these books. To see or have? Is it related to seeing? Can it be replaced by let’s see? The answer is: yes (let’s see)

• He could not find what he had in his ________. To see or have? Is it related to seeing? Can it be replaced by let’s see? Do we need a verb or a noun? The answer is: noun (to have)

Finally, one of the best ways to learn to write without mistakes is to read. When we read, we internalize the correct way to write things. Let’s see if it’s clear to you at once.