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Superlative subjunctive constructionsGrammar questions– conjugations, verb tenses, adverbs, adjectives, word order, syntax, etc. |
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#1
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I've come across the following in a book I'm reading:
"Eran las mejores personas que podrías encontrar en el mundo." Were I writing this sentence I would have used the imperfect subjunctive rather than the conditional: "Eran las mejores personas que pudieses encontrar en el mundo." Which is correct? And if both are, what are the differences in meaning? Thanks! |
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#3
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I would also use "pudieras"/"pudieses" because of the agreement with the past tense --they were the best people ever, but the listener can't meet them now.
I would prefer a present verb for the agreement with "podrías": "son las mejores personas que podrías encontrar" --there is now a possibility to meet those people. The only explanation I find now is that many people are quitting the use of the past subjunctive because it sounds pretentious to them. In any case, the speaker/writer probably has in mind a probability that one can meet people like the ones he/she described, and that is why he/she is using "podrías". @Poli: With "fueron" I would have preferred "que hubieras podido encontrar". ![]()
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conditional, imperfect, subjunctive, superlative |
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