... allí donde iban ...
 

People,

I was listening to a recording and the person said, in Spanish "... allí donde iban ..." , meaning "wherever they would go". And I understood it, no problem.

However, I felt that there had to be other ways, perhaps more natural, and perhaps more sophisticated, to say it than the way this person did.

Allow me to fill you all in on some background.

This person was doing a verbal translation, from English to Spanish, from a speaker who was Hindu and whose English was choppy, very choppy. I don't think that the translator had much time to think it over.

What about "dondequiera que iban" or maybe "dondequiera que fuesen"?

Why did the translator shy away from using the subjunctive? My instincts were anticipating a subjunctive form, but the native speaker of Spanish didn't use it. It was a speed bump to my listening!

Dean

Perhaps the translator picked up the meaning as: there, where they used to go.
Certainly, in that case, the subjunctive would not be used.

Poli,

Ah, ok. So if it were "were they to go there" or something like this, then it would get the subjunctive. My instinct was wrong, then.

But if I were to employ the word "dondequiera" would it require a past tense subjunctive?

Dean

Yes, a conjugated verb following dondequiera takes the subjunctive.

Poli,

Sounds good, thanks!

Dean