Why Mandar Is the Everyday Verb for "To Send"
Mandar is how people say "to send" in daily life: texts, photos, locations, greetings. It also means to give orders, and that second meaning is behind some of its best chunks. Enviar exists too, but it sounds more formal.
Mandar is a regular verb, so the chunks below are all you need.
Pattern 1: Mandar un mensaje — "To send a message"
Use mandar plus the thing you send, and me, te, le for who gets it. Mándame… is the natural way to ask for something to be sent. For more on calling instead of texting, see [Llamar] Chunks.
- Te mando un mensaje luego. — I'll text you later.
- Mándame la ubicación. — Send me the location.
- Mandé un correo a mi jefe. — I sent an email to my boss.
Chunk to learn:
Mandar + [mensaje / foto / ubicación] / Mándame…
Pattern 2: Mandar saludos — "To send greetings"
The polite way to include someone who is not there. It works for family, friends and colleagues. Un abrazo (a hug) is the warmer version.
- Mándale saludos a tu mamá. — Say hi to your mom for me.
- Mi abuela te manda saludos. — My grandmother sends you her regards.
- Mándales un abrazo a todos. — Send everyone a hug.
Chunk to learn:
Mandar saludos / un abrazo a + [persona]
Pattern 3: ¿Mande? — "Pardon? / Yes?"
A very Mexican chunk. When someone calls your name or you did not hear them, ¿mande? is the polite answer, literally "command me." In Spain you would say ¿cómo? or ¿perdona? instead, so use ¿mande? mainly in Mexico.
- —¡Juan! —¿Mande? — "Juan!" "Yes?"
- ¿Mande? No te escuché. — Pardon? I didn't hear you.
- Mande usted, ¿en qué le puedo ayudar? — Yes, how can I help you?
Chunk to learn:
¿Mande? / Mande usted
Pattern 4: Mandar a alguien a… — "To send someone to do something"
Here mandar is "to send someone off to do a task." Use a before the person and a again before the infinitive or the place. For ir and its movement chunks, see [Ir] Chunks.
- Mi mamá me mandó a comprar pan. — My mom sent me to buy bread.
- El jefe la mandó a una reunión. — The boss sent her to a meeting.
- Me mandaron a casa temprano. — They sent me home early.
Chunk to learn:
Mandar a + [persona] + a + [infinitivo / lugar]
Pattern 5: Mandar a hacer — "To have something made"
When someone else makes the thing for you, Spanish uses mandar a hacer. It is very common in Latin America for clothes, furniture and custom orders; in Spain you will also hear encargar or mandar hacer. For more on hacer, see [Hacer] Chunks.
- Mandé a hacer un traje para la boda. — I had a suit made for the wedding.
- Se mandaron a hacer unas sillas de madera. — They had some wooden chairs made.
- ¿Dónde mandaste a hacer las tarjetas? — Where did you have the cards made?
Chunk to learn:
Mandar a hacer + [algo]
Pattern 6: Mandar a paseo — "To tell someone to get lost"
The colloquial side of mandar: you send someone away rudely. A paseo is the mild version; a freír espárragos is more playful and equally common. Use it among friends, not in a formal meeting.
- Lo mandé a paseo. — I told him to get lost.
- Ella mandó a su ex a freír espárragos. — She told her ex to take a hike.
- Si te molesta, mándalo a paseo. — If he bothers you, tell him to get lost.
Chunk to learn:
Mandar a alguien a paseo / a freír espárragos
Mandar vs. Pedir vs. Enviar
Pedir asks for something and mandar orders it or sends it; see [Pedir] Chunks. Enviar is the formal "send" for emails and packages. One last chunk about the other meaning of mandar, to be in charge: ¡Aquí mando yo! (I'm the boss here!).
Start with mándame la ubicación and mándale saludos a…. You will use both the first time you plan something with friends.
This post is part of the Spanish Chunk Series — a growing collection of chunk patterns for natural Spanish.