Ask a Question

(Create a thread)
Go Back   Spanish language learning forums > Spanish & English Languages > Grammar


When and How to use Subjunctive

 

This is the place for questions about conjugations, verb tenses, adverbs, adjectives, word order, syntax and other grammar questions for English or Spanish.


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old April 07, 2009, 07:19 AM
DeterminadoAprender DeterminadoAprender is offline
Ruby
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 77
DeterminadoAprender is on a distinguished road
When and How to use Subjunctive

Why do you use subjunctive to refer to a future action dependent on another action? What would be an example of this besides "ir + a + infinitive + another action"? Why wouldn't this use an indicative verb form in future?

When do you use subjunctive? I know it is used to express doubt/feelings/impersonal/wants and refer to unknown things. Is there anything else I'm missing?
Reply With Quote
   
Get rid of these ads by registering for a free Tomísimo account.
  #2  
Old April 07, 2009, 08:18 AM
Rusty's Avatar
Rusty Rusty is offline
Señor Speedy
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: USA
Posts: 11,299
Native Language: American English
Rusty has a spectacular aura aboutRusty has a spectacular aura about
The subjunctive is used for/with: emotional reactions, value judgments, doubt, denial, uncertainty, verbs of volition, non-existence, something outside of one's experience, something unidentified, a future event (especially with certain time coordinator phrases, like antes de que).
Other phrases of place or manner trigger the use of the subjunctive: para que, con tal de que, a menos que

Provide specific examples, and we can explain why the subjunctive was used.

Last edited by Rusty; April 07, 2009 at 10:34 AM.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old April 11, 2009, 12:40 PM
DeterminadoAprender DeterminadoAprender is offline
Ruby
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 77
DeterminadoAprender is on a distinguished road
I can't come up with examples since I don't understand this part: "refer to a future action dependent on another action". What does that even mean??
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old April 11, 2009, 01:16 PM
Rusty's Avatar
Rusty Rusty is offline
Señor Speedy
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: USA
Posts: 11,299
Native Language: American English
Rusty has a spectacular aura aboutRusty has a spectacular aura about
Perhaps they meant something like this example:

Cuando llegue, vamos al supermercado.
=When she gets here, we'll go to the supermarket.

You can switch the clauses around to fit your earlier example.
The future 'going to the super' is dependent on a future event that is cast in the subjunctive. The secondary clause is not cast in the subjunctive because it's a future event. It's because there is a sense of uncertainty.

Hope that helps.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old April 11, 2009, 05:27 PM
chileno's Avatar
chileno chileno is offline
Diamond
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Las Vegas, USA
Posts: 7,863
Native Language: Castellano
chileno is on a distinguished road
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rusty View Post
Perhaps they meant something like this example:

Cuando llegue, vamos iremos al supermercado.
=When she gets here, we'll go to the supermarket.

You can switch the clauses around to fit your earlier example.
The future 'going to the super' is dependent on a future event that is cast in the subjunctive. The secondary clause is not cast in the subjunctive because it's a future event. It's because there is a sense of uncertainty.

Hope that helps.


A little correction. Again, I think your mind is playing with you. Or rather your fingers!...
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old April 11, 2009, 08:55 PM
AngelicaDeAlquezar's Avatar
AngelicaDeAlquezar AngelicaDeAlquezar is online now
Obsidiana
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Mexico City
Posts: 9,038
Native Language: Mexican Spanish
AngelicaDeAlquezar is on a distinguished road
Sorry to disagree, Hernán. I find nothing wrong with "cuando llegue, vamos al supermercado".
Using present tense to talk about a future action in this kind of contexts sounds a lot more natural than using the future tense.
__________________
Ain't it wonderful to be alive when the Rock'n'Roll plays...
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old April 11, 2009, 10:42 PM
CrOtALiTo's Avatar
CrOtALiTo CrOtALiTo is offline
Diamond
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Mérida, Yucatán
Posts: 11,686
Native Language: I can understand Spanish and English
CrOtALiTo is on a distinguished road
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rusty View Post
Perhaps they meant something like this example:

Cuando llegue, vamos al supermercado.
=When she gets here, we'll go to the supermarket.

You can switch the clauses around to fit your earlier example.
The future 'going to the super' is dependent on a future event that is cast in the subjunctive. The secondary clause is not cast in the subjunctive because it's a future event. It's because there is a sense of uncertainty.

Hope that helps.
Rusty I have highlighted that word because, you have switched the word arrive for gets, I wanna understand the main phrase because it very weir for me the form in that you wrote the sentence, I have learnt before that get is meaning obtener recibir, but never I didn't learn that get is llegar, therefore I have doubt in the phrase Could you explain me it more minutely for me.
__________________
We are building the most important dare for my life and my family feature now we are installing new services in telecoms.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old April 11, 2009, 10:44 PM
chileno's Avatar
chileno chileno is offline
Diamond
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Las Vegas, USA
Posts: 7,863
Native Language: Castellano
chileno is on a distinguished road
Quote:
Originally Posted by AngelicaDeAlquezar View Post
Sorry to disagree, Hernán. I find nothing wrong with "cuando llegue, vamos al supermercado".
Using present tense to talk about a future action in this kind of contexts sounds a lot more natural than using the future tense.
Me neither, what I found wrong was the translation of "When she gets here, we'll go to the supermarket."



(I am looking at you)
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old April 11, 2009, 11:10 PM
Rusty's Avatar
Rusty Rusty is offline
Señor Speedy
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: USA
Posts: 11,299
Native Language: American English
Rusty has a spectacular aura aboutRusty has a spectacular aura about
Quote:
Originally Posted by CrOtALiTo View Post
Rusty I have highlighted that word because, you have switched the word arrive for gets, I wanna understand the main phrase because it very weir for me the form in that you wrote the sentence, I have learnt before that get is meaning obtener recibir, but never I didn't learn that get is llegar, therefore I have doubt in the phrase Could you explain me it more minutely for me.
When she gets here = When she arrives
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old April 12, 2009, 07:38 AM
chileno's Avatar
chileno chileno is offline
Diamond
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Las Vegas, USA
Posts: 7,863
Native Language: Castellano
chileno is on a distinguished road
Quote:
Originally Posted by CrOtALiTo View Post
Rusty I have highlighted that word because, you have switched the word arrive for gets, I wanna understand the main phrase because it very weir for me the form in that you wrote the sentence, I have learnt before that get is meaning obtener recibir, but never I didn't learn that get is llegar, therefore I have doubt in the phrase Could you explain me it more minutely for me.
Rusty te lo corrigió correctamente. "To get here" significa venir o llegar aquí dependiendo de como lo estes usando.

"Get" solo significa obtener, recibir etc.

"Get" se ocupa en muchas otras instancias que significan algo diferente.

Si sigues mi consejo de leer una novela en ingles y traducirla al español te vas a dar cuenta de esto que te digo mas rapido. :-)
Reply With Quote
Reply

 

Link to this thread
URL: 
HTML Link: 
BB Code: 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Site Rules

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
The subjunctive.... hola Grammar 2 February 17, 2009 07:18 PM
Use the subjunctive? tacuba Grammar 5 February 12, 2009 09:25 AM
The subjunctive gatitoverde Grammar 19 May 16, 2008 03:59 PM
"Quiero" and the subjunctive pogo Grammar 3 November 19, 2006 05:45 PM
Subjunctive Mom of 5 Grammar 1 May 16, 2006 03:09 AM


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 06:02 PM.

Forum powered by vBulletin® Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.

X