Business Spanish - The Subjunctive Mood

. Learn Spanish Grammer .

LESSON XXIV.
(Lección vigésima cuarta.)

THE SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD (_contd._).

II. The Subjunctive Mood is used after Impersonal verbs, as

Es menester que lo haga: It is needful that he does it.
Es necesario que lo haga: It is necessary that he does it.

EXCEPTIONS--

1. When the Impersonal Verb expresses certainty, as--

Es cierto que lo hará: It is certain that he will do it.

2. When the dependent verb has not its own subject, both the following
constructions are correct--

Es necesario hacerlo: It must be done
Es necesario que se haga: It must be done

III. The Subjunctive Mood is used after the following locations---

Antes que (before)
En caso que (in case)
De miedo que (lest)
Por más que (however much, although)
Sin que (without)
Para que (so that)
Á menos que (unless)
Salvo que (except that)
Con tal que (provided that)
Sea que (whether ... or)
Aunque (even if)

IV. The Subjunctive Mood is generally used after the following
locations, when the action refers to future time, but the Indicative is
used when the action refers to the past or present--

Después que (after)
Aunque (although)
De modo que (so that)
No obstante que (notwithstanding)
Cuandoquiera que (whenever)
Hasta que (until)
Luego que (as soon as)
Quienquiera que (whoever)
Comoquiera que (however)
Cualquiera que (whichever, whoever)
Dondequiera que (wherever)
El 1°, 2°, 3°, etc., que (the 1st 2nd 3rd, etc., that)
El único que (the only one that)
El solo que (the only one that)
El último que (the last that)
Nada que (nothng that)
Ninguo, nadie que (no one that)
El mejor (or any other superlative) que (the best etc., that)

E.g.--

Escribió de modo que su padre quedó contento: He wrote so that his
father remained content.

Escriba V. de modo que su padre quede contento: Write so that your
father may remain content.

Le pagué aunque no hizo su trabajo: I paid him, although he did not do
his work.

No le pagaré aunque haga su trabajo: I shall not pay him although he may
do his work.

The above rules have liberties and exceptions to be learnt by practice,
generally turning on whether the action is intended to be alluded to =as
a fact= or as =a mere conception=.

V. The Subjunctive Mood is used after _cuando, así como, luego que_ and
similar expressions when the action of the verb refers =to the future=,
as--

Lo haré cuando tenga tiempo: I shall do it when I have time.

N.B.--The Future Subjunctive is often used in this case.

VI. The Subjunctive Mood is used after _si_ (conditional _if_) when the
context requires the following verb in the past form, as--

Lo haría si tuviese (tuviera) dinero: I should do it if I had money.

N.B.--If the context requires the verb in the present form, the
Indicative Present must be used, as--

Lo hago si tengo tiempo: I do it if I have time.

Lo haré si tengo tiempo: I shall do it if I have time.

When, as in the latter example a future time is indicated, the Future
Subjunctive may be used instead of the Pres. Indicative, as--

Lo haré si tuviere tiempo: I shall do it if (ever) I have time.

VII. After _como_ the Subjunctive Mood is used idiomatically but not
necessarily, as--

Como le vió le habló: As soon as he saw him he spoke to him.

Como le viese le habló: On seeing him he spoke to him.

VIII. After _creer, pensar, opinar,_ and similar verbs, the following
verb is generally in the Indicative; but after _no creer,_ etc., the
verb is in the Subjunctive mood. After _creer,_ etc., used
interrogatively, the verb may be Indicative or Subjunctive.

VOCABULARY.

=abacá=, Manilla hemp
=calcetines=, half-hose, socks
=cáñamo=, hemp
=cancelar=, to cancel
=coger=, to catch
*=conseguir=, to succeed in
=contado (al)=, (in) cash
=dificultad=, difficulty
=un dineral=, a mint of money
=encogerse=, to shrink
=equivocarse=, to be mistaken
=la gente=, the people
=mecanismo=, mechanism, contrivance
=medias=, stockings, hose
=ocurrir=, to happen
=perfeccionar=, to perfect
=persona=, person
=por mas que=, however much, whatever
*=probar=, to prove, to attempt, to try
=pruebo, etc=., I try, etc.
*=reconvenir=, to reprimand
=repasar=, to look over
*=saber=, to know
=se, sabes, sabe, etc=., I know, etc.
=sepa, sepas, sepa, etc=., I may know,
*=ser menester=, to be necessary
=telefonear=, to telephone
=trabajo=, work
=yute=, jute

EXERCISE 1 (47).

Translate into English--

1. Es conveniente (proper) y aun absolutamente necesario que se acabe
esta cuestión.

2. Es cierto que se acabará.

3. Es posible que suba el mercado; tal vez suba más de lo que se crea.

4. Es el único cliente que no haya pagado su factura.

5. Es menester pues escribirle y apremiarle para que cumpla con su deber
(to fulfil his duty).

6. Antes que escriba V., repase sus libros para que no haya miedo de que
haya ocurrido alguna equivocación (mistake).

7. Á menos que pague le citaremos ante los Tribunales (we shall summon
him) de miedo que otros sean pagados con nuestro dinero.

8. Por más que V. diga, las medias, calcetines, y guantes no son iguales
á las muestras que sirvieron de base (as a basis) al contrato.

9. Sin que V. me lo diga lo haré, salvo que intervenga algun
contratiempo (any hitch should happen) y con tal que, ínterin (in the
meantime) llegue su remesa.

10. Sea que llegue, sea que no, V. debería hacerlo aunque le fuese en
ello todo su capital (all your capital were at stake).

11. Telefonee V. cuando quiera.

12. Celebrare lo haga luego que le sea posible.

13. Así como sepa algo le telefoneare.

14. Enviaría las zarazas si estuviese seguro que no me viniera (_imp.
subj._ of venir) después con quejas.

15. No creo que cueste muy cara esta seda.

16. No me parece que salio ventajosa aquella transacción.

EXERCISE 2 (48).

Translate into Spanish--

1. It is impossible for us to obtain the goods.

2. He spoke as if he were sure of it.

3. I may (es posible que) accept your price, provided you pay cash.

4. It is certain the white shirtings have shrunk too much in bleaching
(en el blanqueo).

5. He insisted until he paid him something and now he will continue to
insist until he pays him something more.

6. The foreign correspondent (el corresponsal de lenguas extranjeras)
did his work so that his employer was satisfied.

7. Write clearly so that people may read your writing (su letra) without
difficulty.

8. Whenever I spoke to him he was very polite, therefore, I shall put
(diré) a word in his favour whenever I can do so.

9. I reprimanded him notwithstanding that he was my son, and I shall do
so whenever it is necessary in spite of his being now a man.

10. The first to come was the office-boy (muchacho, hortera [joc.]), and
he will be the last to go (á salir).

11. The first firm that attempts it will burn its fingers (se cogerá los
dedos).

12. He was the only one who understood us.

13. He is not the only one who is mistaken.

14. They will not be the only persons who will be mistaken.

15. Whoever succeeds in perfecting this contrivance will be sure to make
(es seguro que hará) a mint of money.

16. We shall be thankful if you will cancel our order for flax, hemp,
Manilla hemp and jute.