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Cuando... subjuntivo?

 

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  #1  
Old February 08, 2012, 01:36 PM
serendipity serendipity is offline
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Cuando... subjuntivo?

I'm trying to write this sentence:

Cuando un país ..... golpeada por el terrorismo.

I'm currently trying to learn about subjuntivo, but finding it really confusing. I remembered that the word "cuando" is often associated with subjuntivo, but not always? How to I know when to use it? My immediate impulse was "cuando un país SEA...", but now I'm not so sure.

Help me out? Thanks!!
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  #2  
Old February 08, 2012, 01:41 PM
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aleCcowaN aleCcowaN is offline
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With "es" and "sea" the sentences will be correct but completely different. When learning subjunctive it is important that you develop the whole thought beforehand, no matter you're thinking in English, because the reason for "es" or "sea" lays in what follows and completes that sentence.
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Old February 08, 2012, 01:53 PM
serendipity serendipity is offline
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I've been learning about subjunctive for å really long time, but still get confused by these little things.

I haven't completed the sentence yet, but what I want to get across is that when a country becomes a victim of terrorism, the country has to take preventive measures to defend themselves against a future threat. It sounds weird when taken out of context, but I hope you see what I'm trying to say and that you can help me out?
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Old February 08, 2012, 02:11 PM
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aleCcowaN aleCcowaN is offline
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It's very difficult to communicate the difference, not subtle at all between:

a) "cuando un país es golpeado por el terrorismo, éste debe tomar medidas para protegerse de futuros ataques"

and

b) "cuando un país sea golpeado por el terrorismo, éste deberá tomar medidas para protegerse de futuros ataques"

"a" looks as a general prescription because of the present tense -the universal tense-, so it was true yesterday and it will be true tomorrow, but is is said in an authoritative fashion unless some element like "en mi opinión" or "creo que" is toning it down or dimming it in some way.

"b" looks like something to be done from now on -future indicative-, in the event of such an attack should occur -present subjunctive-. It's less authoritative than the previous one, because it's a future event and it looks less a fixed rule. Anyway it also get better by toning it down.
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Old February 08, 2012, 03:03 PM
serendipity serendipity is offline
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That actually made sense! Thanks so much
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