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.

[poli]

That's right. Provided that and whenever don't seem to have the same meaning, but when they mean siempre que they do.

I think whenever is the better translation

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by poli

That's right. Provided that and whenever don't seem to have the same meaning, but when they mean siempre que they do.

I think whenever is the better translation

There seems to be a clear logical difference between provided that and whenever.
....
Hmm. I started a long tedious post about the difference, which made me wonder whether there is one.

[chileno]

Originally Posted by Perikles

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

I am not sure about that "América Latina only", I have only heard it from mexican people only.

It reminded me of the famous phrase that mexican use when something doesn't go the way they want, in deciding something, they just tell you "siempre no", and they look at you or walk away, leaving you with a sense of "what did I do?"

Originally Posted by Perikles

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.

Right.

Siempre y cuando = as long as

[JPablo]

Yes, it is mainly Mexico, as far as I know... (and as it is given by Oxford.)

Other examples of usage,

* ¿Siempre sí habrá calamar gigante?
[There will be a giant squid after all] (Watchmen)

* ...que este día anunció que siempre sí habrá aeropuerto de texcoco y que no le tienen miedo a los macheteros,...

(diferent meaning of "siempre" )
* Hay un millón de chinos jugando a fútbol en una cabina telefónica... y de pronto se oye: ¡Goool! ¡Goool! ¡Goool!
Sale un portero y dice:¡Si es que siempre me dejáis solo!

[chileno]

Cuantos miles de millones de chinos, y este pajarito tenía que volar por encima mío.

[JPablo]

¡Tú siempre tan chistoso!