Necessity with the Spanish subjunctive
Say that someone needs to act using an impersonal expression followed by que and the Spanish subjunctive.
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Subjunctive for unidentified things
A search for an unidentified person or thing calls for a different mood from a statement about a known example.
Read and practiseImpersonal se: se vive and se trabaja
Use Spanish impersonal se to describe what people do in general without identifying a subject or actor.
Read and practiseBefore another event in Spanish
An earlier action can be placed before another event with a time clause and the Spanish subjunctive.
Read and practiseWithout another event happening
An action can take place without a second event: Spanish uses a subordinate clause to express that absence.
Read and practiseImperfect and preterite in a past story
Combine the Spanish imperfect for a past background with the preterite for an event seen as complete in that setting.
Read and practiseUntil a pending or completed endpoint
An endpoint still to come takes a different mood from an event already completed in a Spanish time clause.
Read and practiseAs soon as: future and routine
A future arrival and a daily habit call for different moods after the Spanish expression for as soon as.
Read and practiseRegular Spanish conditional for hypothetical outcomes
Form the regular Spanish conditional and discuss hypothetical outcomes using complete infinitives and shared endings.
Read and practiseAfter: pending and completed events
A pending event and a completed one take different moods in Spanish clauses meaning after.
Read and practiseWishes with the same subject
A wish and its action share a subject: Spanish commonly joins the desire verb directly to an infinitive.
Read and practiseWhat and the thing that
An unnamed thing or fact can be the subject or object of a Spanish relative clause meaning what or the thing that.
Read and practiseRelative quien and quienes after a preposition
Use Spanish relative quien and quienes after a preposition to refer back to one or more people.
Read and practisePossession with the relative cuyo
A possessive relative connects an owner to a noun and changes form to agree with the thing possessed.
Read and practiseEl que after prepositions
Connect a noun to a description after a preposition, choosing a relative form that agrees in gender and number.
Read and practisePresent subjunctive after querer que
Express wishes about another person in Spanish with querer que and regular present subjunctive forms.
Read and practiseReferring to a whole statement with lo cual
A delayed train, a changed plan or a surprise can all be followed by a comment on the entire event using lo cual.
Read and practiseAbstract ideas with the neuter article
An adjective can name an abstract quality or useful aspect when it follows the Spanish neuter article.
Read and practisePresent subjunctive: tenga, haga and salga
Form Spanish present subjunctive forms of tener, hacer and salir after expressions of wishes and needs.
Read and practiseCause with an infinitive
A missed train can have a cause: connect an outcome to an action with the Spanish causal infinitive.
Read and practiseTime with the infinitive after al
An arrival or a discovery can mark the moment of another event: express this link in Spanish with an infinitive.
Read and practiseBefore an action with the same subject
A quick check can precede a departure: connect two actions by the same person in Spanish.
Read and practiseRegular negative tú commands
Tell one person not to do something in Spanish using no and regular present subjunctive tú forms.
Read and practiseAfter an action with the same subject
A glass of water can follow a swim: connect two actions by the same person in Spanish.
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