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Past used to mean the same Spanish subjunctive manages

 

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  #1  
Old October 18, 2024, 12:28 PM
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Past used to mean the same Spanish subjunctive manages

"It's time I had my own business"

I heard this kind of structure for the first time while watching the comedy Beauty Shop many years ago. I was used to hear "have" and parse it as tengo or tenga according to the circumstances. "Es tiempo de que tenga mi propio negocio" is the too literal translation of that sentence, something a little awkward to say. "Llegó (or ha llegado) el momento de tener mi propio negocio" would be a better option.

Since then, I've come across this use many times, the last one today: "It's time I faced the truth", "Me llegó el momento de enfrentar la verdad", "Es momento/tiempo de que enfrente la verdad" its increasingly awkward versions, yet used in dubbing for brevity.

I tend not to use it, though. I use some workarounds instead like "It's time for me to have my own business" or "It's time for me to face the truth". Are these phrases correct or even possible, or am I being too spanishy or stubborn, so to speak?
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  #2  
Old October 18, 2024, 12:40 PM
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Native English speakers often use the past tense to create the subjunctive mood without even giving it a second thought. There's nothing wrong with what you're hearing. It sounds quite natural. Feel free to adopt.

Your workarounds are correct, also sound quite natural, and may be freely used.
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Old October 18, 2024, 01:14 PM
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Thank you very much, Rusty!
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