Checking before you do something

¿Te importa si...?

teh eem-POR-tah see — Do you mind if...?

"¿Te importa si abro la ventana?"
Do you mind if I open the window?

The honest answer to this question is often "no" (as in "no, I don't mind"), which trips up English speakers expecting a "yes" for permission — listen for the full sentence, not just the first word.

"I ask this constantly, and I still have to remind students the answer isn't quite what they expect."— Graciela