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The tense of second verb


gbpit April 05, 2011 06:50 PM

The tense of second verb
 
How is the tense of a second verb in a sentance determined?
Ex. Siempre llamo cuando ----- (tener) dinero. Tendría??
or
Siempre llamaba cuando ----(tener) dinero. Tuvo o tenía ??
This seems very confusing to me.

poli April 05, 2011 08:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gbpit (Post 108594)
How is the tense of a second verb in a sentance determined?
Ex. Siempre llamo cuando ----- (tener) dinero. Tendría??
or
Siempre llamaba cuando ----(tener) dinero. Tuvo o tenía ??
This seems very confusing to me.

It really depends on the meaning you wish to convey.
If you wish to convey that he/she alway called when she had some
money to spare you would say Siempre llamaba cuando tuvo dinero

If you wish to convey back in the days that he had money to spare
he always used to call--you would say: Cuando tenía dinero siempre
llamaba.

wrholt April 05, 2011 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gbpit (Post 108594)
How is the tense of a second verb in a sentance determined?
Ex. Siempre llamo cuando ----- (tener) dinero. Tendría??
or
Siempre llamaba cuando ----(tener) dinero. Tuvo o tenía ??
This seems very confusing to me.

In the pattern "Siempre X cuando Y", X and Y happen at the same time. In your first example, "tendría" isn't compatible with the time implied by "llamo".

In the second example, the time of your two suggestions is compatible with the time of the first part. The question to ask is which of those two suggestions is more compatible with the meaning of "siempre" = "always" (suggesting habit or usual behavior).

JPablo April 05, 2011 09:22 PM

I'd go with,
Siempre llamo cuando tengo dinero.
Siempre llamaba cuando tenía dinero.

I always call when I have money.
I always [used to] call when I had money.

Using the "imperfecto" "llamaba" "tenía" seems to go together with a "durative" sense, it can be used sometimes with the English progressive, as in "I was always calling when I had money" (for the second sentence.) :)

Luna Azul April 07, 2011 08:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gbpit (Post 108594)
How is the tense of a second verb in a sentance determined?
Ex. Siempre llamo cuando tengo (tener) dinero. Tendría?? :warning:Both verbs is in present indicative
or
Siempre llamaba cuando tenía (tener) dinero. Tuvo o tenía ?? :warning:Both verbs is past imperfect

This seems very confusing to me.

There are no other ways to say those verbs. ;)


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