2.4: Subjunctive with Conjunctions
- Page ID
- 164417
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Subjuntivo: conjunciones
Conjunctions are used to connect two clauses in a sentence. They describe how, when, where, when, and why an action takes place. The subjunctive is used after a conjunction to indicate a pending action or state. Some conjunctions are always followed by the subjunctive. However, there are some conjunctions that are only followed by the subjunctive if the context of the entire sentences refers to the future.
Fórmulas
Main clause in indicative + conjunction + subordinate clause in subjunctive
Conjunction + subordinate clause in subjunctive, + main clause
Unlike other sentences that use the subjunctive, the clauses in these sentences can be inverted, as long as the conjunction is followed by the subordinate clause, in subjunctive. Furthermore, if the sentence starts with the conjunction, there must be a comma after the subordinate clause to separate it from the main clause.
| Español | Inglés |
|---|---|
| a menos que | unless |
| a no ser que | unless |
| antes de que* | before |
| con tal de que | in case |
| para que* | so that |
| sin que* | without |
*These conjunctions become a preposition when the word "que" is dropped. Use the word "que" when the main clause and the subordinate clause have different subject. Use the preposition version, without "que", when there is only one subject in the sentence. In this case, do not conjugate the verb that comes after the preposition.
Ejemplos
- No voy a comer a menos que tú cocines. (I'm not going to eat unless you cook.)
- Joel va a estudiar mucho para que el examen no sea difícil. (Joel is going to study hard so that the exam is not difficult.)
- Joel va a estudiar mucho para pasar el examen. (Joel is going to study hard to pass the exam.)
The second sentence uses the conjunction "para que" because there are two subjects in the sentence: Joel in the main clause and the exam on the subordinate clause. The third sentence uses the preposition "para" because Joel is the only subject.
All these sentences can be written by inverting the main and subordinate clauses:
- A menos que tú cocines, no voy a comer. (Unless you cook, I'm not going to eat.)
- Para que el examen no sea difícil, Joel va a estudiar mucho. (So that the exam is not difficult, Joes is going to study hard.)
- Para pasar el examen, Joel va a estudiar mucho. (To pass the exam, Joel is going to study hard.)
Práctica 1
Conjunciones: referencia al futuro
The following conjunctions must be followed by the subjunctive only when they refer to the future. If they do not refer to the future, refer to the main clause to decide the most appropriate indicative tense.
| Español | Inglés |
|---|---|
| cuando | when |
| después de que | after |
| en cuanto | as soon as |
| hasta que | until |
| tan pronto como | as soon as |
Ejemplos
- Voy a comer tan pronto como termine la clase. (I am going to eat as soon as the class is over.)
- Siempre como tan pronto como termina la clase. (I always eat as soon as the class is over.)
- Ayer comí tan pronto como terminó la clase. (Yesterday I ate as soon as the class was over.)
The first example is the only one that refers to the future in the main clause; thus, the conjunction is followed by the present subjunctive. The second example refers to the usual present, so the verbs in both clauses must be in the present indicative. Lastly, the third sentence refers to a single event in the past, so the appropriate tense for both clauses is the preterite, which is an indicative tense.