Siempre

[poli]

I know it means always but it clearly has other meanings as in voy siempre contigo which means, if I have discerned it correctly, I will accompany you. Can someone explain when and why siempre is used in meanings other than always?

[chileno]

Originally Posted by poli

I know it means always but it clearly has other meanings as in voy siempre contigo which means, if I have discerned it correctly, I will accompany you. Can someone explain when and why siempre is used in meanings other than always?

What do you mean by that?

Voy siempre contigo = I always go with you.

What other meaning is clear from that?

[Elaina]

I think "siempre" always means always.

[laepelba]

But if you look at the Oxford Spanish Dictionary, definition #5, it says (Mex.) after all. And the example given is siempre no se va ... he's not leaving after all.

[HomoVulgaris]

Originally Posted by laepelba

But if you look at the Oxford Spanish Dictionary, definition #5, it says (Mex.) after all. And the example given is siempre no se va ... he's not leaving after all.

¡Hello Laepelba!
You can interpret the Oxord's example as an expression of despair, as in "he is sitting and sitting over here for ages and not leaving; I can't wait until the moment he leaves".

[CrOtALiTo]

That means you always are with someone.

I will be always with you.

Estaré contigo siempre.

I will be with you forever.

This is other ones.

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

@Poli & Lou Ann: In that sense, "siempre" is used when someone has changed their mind about something that had apparently been decided.

Ya había dicho que no iba contigo, pero siempre (sí) te acompaño.
I had said I wouldn't go with you, but I'll accomany you in the end.

¿Entonces siempre no vas a comprar los zapatos?
So you're not buying the shoes in the end?

Creo que siempre no me voy a casar.
I think I'm not getting married after all.

[poli]

Thank you Angelica. Perhaps it's in the negative that siempre confused me, because in the negative we don't use always in English. We use never.

[laepelba]

Interesting ... and that's really what "after all" indicates. Very interesting!

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by AngelicaDeAlquezar

Creo que siempre no me voy a casar.
I think I'm not getting married after all.

Am I right in thinking that this is only América Latina here? So I don't need to know this.

I've discovered another use of siempre (y cuando): provided that

podrá entrar siempre que llegue antes de las siete

which is where you could the subjunctive in English as well.