Help with text 5

[Caramelita]

Hola,

In the following text, should I have said rather "Cuando estás de viaje..." or should it be in sujunctive mode because of the word "cuando" ? Also, if I have any mistakes, please let me know.


Cuando estés de viaje, es importante que te laves las manos antes de que empieces a comer.

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by Caramelita

Hola,

In the following text, should I have said rather "Cuando estás de viaje..." or should it be in sujunctive mode because of the word "cuando" ? Also, if I have any mistakes, please let me know.


Cuando estés de viaje, es importante que te laves las manos antes de que empieces a comer.

I'll try to answer:

1) The subjunctive is used with conjuctions of time when they refer to the future. So ¿te acuerdas de cuando éramos pequeños? but cuando se entere me mata

2) The subjunctive is not used if there is no change of subject and an infinitive can be used, so antes de empezar a comer or even antes de comer

3) It's subjunctive mood

[Caramelita]

Originally Posted by Perikles

I'll try to answer:

1) The subjunctive is used with conjuctions of time when they refer to the future. So ¿te acuerdas de cuando éramos pequeños? but cuando se entere me mata

2) The subjunctive is not used if there is no change of subject and an infinitive can be used, so antes de empezar a comer or even antes de comer

3) It's subjunctive mood

So in this case the sentence should be : "Cuando estés de viaje, es importante que te laves las manos antes de que empiezas a comer" ?


Now im not so sure about the "Cuando estés".. because the english text says "When you ARE travelling"... so should it anyway be "cuando estés" or should it be "cuando estás de viaje" ? because its refering to present time..

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by Caramelita

So in this case the sentence should be : "Cuando estés de viaje, es importante que te laves las manos antes de que empiezas a comer" ?


Now im not so sure about the "Cuando estés".. because the english text says "When you ARE travelling"... so should it anyway be "cuando estés" or should it be "cuando estás de viaje" ? because its refering to present time..

Er - did you read my thing about infinitive instead of subjunctive if there is no change of subject?

And "when you are travelling" does not refer to the present, but to the future, because it is "whenever" at an unspecified date. You are not travelling at the moment, it is a supposition about a possible future event.

I have a feeling that the English might have been a subjunctive as well, centuries ago, but since got lost. "Whenever you be travelling...." but I may be wrong (about everything ).

[Caramelita]

Originally Posted by Perikles

Er - did you read my thing about infinitive instead of subjunctive if there is no change of subject?

And "when you are travelling" does not refer to the present, but to the future, because it is "whenever" at an unspecified date. You are not travelling at the moment, it is a supposition about a possible future event.

I have a feeling that the English might have been a subjunctive as well, centuries ago, but since got lost. "Whenever you be travelling...." but I may be wrong (about everything ).

Oh, so " Cuando estés de viaje, es importante que te laves las manos antes de empezar a comer" .... so the subject here is "you-tú", right?

Uhm, so whenever I have a change in the subject like " (yo) No creo que (él) venga hoy" and "(yo) no creo que (nosotros) vengamos hoy" - I use the subjunctive.


And then if there is no change in subject: "(yo) Creo que voy a empezar a comer" ... and same in negative "(yo) No creo que voy a empezar a comer" .. I use the indicative. Is this correct?

So why is "Antes de que empiezas a comer" wrong? because there is no change in subject (tú), and I did use the indicative.


Could you please write the sentence correctly?

[Caramelita]

Oh and also "antes (de) que ..." is supposed to be in the subjunctive mood , isnt it so? so why shouldnt it then be "antes de que empieces a comer"?

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by Perikles

2) The subjunctive is not used if there is no change of subject and an infinitive can be used, so antes de empezar a comer or even antes de comer

Originally Posted by Caramelita

So why is "Antes de que empiezas a comer" wrong? because there is no change in subject (tú), and I did use the indicative.

Originally Posted by Caramelita

Oh and also "antes (de) que ..." is supposed to be in the subjunctive mood , isnt it so? so why shouldnt it then be "antes de que empieces a comer"?

I'm a bit baffled why you keep asking what I already explained in my quote above. There is no change of subject, so you use the infinitive, not the subjunctive. Nor the indicative either.

[JPablo]

Originally Posted by Caramelita

Cuando estés de viaje, es importante que te laves las manos antes de que empieces a comer.

Cuando estés de viaje, es importante que te laves las manos antes de que empiecesempezar a comer.

I read what Perikles wrote and he is answering your questions correctly... although this can get really complex, it is actually simple.

You could say,

Antes de que empieces a comer, lávate las manos.

While your original sentence is not totally "incorrect", the "antes de que empieces a comer" indicates one specific moment, that is potentially happening very soon (if you were about to eat, you would need to wash your hands, but as a general rule, "whenever you need to start to eat, then wash your hands")

Tracking?

[Caramelita]

Originally Posted by JPablo

Cuando estés de viaje, es importante que te laves las manos antes de que empiecesempezar a comer.

I read what Perikles wrote and he is answering your questions correctly... although this can get really complex, it is actually simple.

You could say,

Antes de que empieces a comer, lávate las manos.

While your original sentence is not totally "incorrect", the "antes de que empieces a comer" indicates one specific moment, that is potentially happening very soon (if you were about to eat, you would need to wash your hands, but as a general rule, "whenever you need to start to eat, then wash your hands")

Tracking?

Tracking Its all clear now. Thank you

[JPablo]

You're welcome.
(By the way, congratulations for your excellent level of Spanish and your dedication!)