Discussing Time
"A" verbs fact feeling present A E past ABA ARA
"E" verbs fact feeling present E A past IA IERA
When we talk about "time expressions", we are speaking of phrases which relate two events in time, with reference to each other. For example, we can say that something happens when something else happens. Or, we could say that something will happen as soon as something else happens. Here is a short list of some "time expressions."
- when - cuando
- as soon as - tan pronto como
- after - después de (que)
- until - hasta (que)
- while - mientras
- The boys took the suitcases to the hotel as soon as the plane arrived.
Los muchachos llevaron las maletas al hotel tan pronto como el avión llegó.
We see that one event, the taking of the suitcases to the hotel, is related in time to the other event, the arrival of the plane.
There are certain circumstances when we use "time expressions" relating two events when we have to change the form of the verb. When we relate an event to something that hasn't happened yet, we are dealing with a reference event that isn't real (yet). When we refer to events that aren't real, we must use the "subjunctive" form of the verb in Spanish. We have seven basic patterns that are commonly used in determining when the subjunctive verb forms must be used with time expressions. First let's look at four of them. We'll use "as soon as" in our examples, but we could use any of the time expressions.
-
1. someone will do something as soon as something else happens (subjunctive)
2. someone is going to do something as soon as something else happens (subjunctive)
3. someone wants something to happen as soon as something else happens (subjunctive)
4. do something (a command) as soon as something else happens (subjunctive)
We can see that in order to be able to do these sentences, we will have to know how to use the future ("will") forms, the "feeling" sentences and the subjunctive verb forms needed to express them, and the command forms.
LLEVAR
command forms tú usted ustedes (plural) affirmative lleva lleve lleven negative no lleves no lleven no lleven
Another thing to remember is that we place object pronouns (it, them, etc.), after affirmative commands, attached to the verb, but negative commands have the object pronouns before the verb.
Let's see how we would follow these patterns, using the same sentence that we saw in the example above.
- Los muchachos llevarán las maletas al hotel tan pronto como el avión llegue.
- Los muchachos van a llevar las maletas al hotel tan pronto como el avión llegue.
- Yo quiero que los muchachos lleven las maletas al hotel tan pronto como el avión llegue.
- Muchachos, lleven las maletas al hotel tan pronto como el avión llegue.
Remember, that with verbs that end in "-gar", we have to add a silent "u" after the "g" when it is followed with "e" in order to preserve the "hard" pronunciation of the "g". Otherwise, the pronunciation of the "g" would change and be pronounced similar to the way that we pronounce "h" in English. We change the spelling in verb forms where either "g" or "c" is involved, to keep the pronunciation from changing.
Notice that in each case, we are speaking of an action which will happen in the future. The first two examples, "will do" and "are going to do" are obvious. The third and fourth ones, however, may require a little thought. When we say that someone "wants to do" something or "wants someone else to do" something, the "doing" of the action, isn't happening yet. If it is done, it will happen later, in the future. The same thing applies when we use a command. When we tell someone to "do something", they are not doing it yet. If they actually do it, they will do it after the command is given, that is, in the future.
We will clean the house as soon as Mary helps us.
We are going to clean the house as soon as Mary helps us.
We want to clean the house as soon as Mary helps us.
Boys, clean the house as soon as Mary helps you all.
Some time expressions require the use of the word "que" when a "clause" follows. A "clause" is a phrase in a sentence, which has its own subject and verb. We don't always use "que" after these expressions. For example:
-
...después de la fiesta (after the party)
...después de que el avión llega
Notice that when we have a verb in the phrase, "the plane arrives", we did not put "que". If we only have a noun (or an infinitive) we don't include the word "que".
I will pick up the suitcases after six o'clock.
I will pick up the suitcases after the plane arrives.
I am going to pick up the suitcases after six o'clock.
I am going to pick up the suitcases after the plane arrives.
I want you to pick up the suitcases after six o'clock.
I want you to pick up the suitcases after the plane arrives.
Pick up the suitcases after six o'clock.
Pick up the suitcases after the plane arrives.
I will not be able to buy the tickets until tomorrow.
I will not be able to buy the tickets until John gives me the money.
I am not going to be able to buy the tickets until tomorrow.
I am not going to be able to buy the tickets until John gives me the money.
I don't want to buy the tickets until tomorrow.
I don't want to buy the tickets until John gives me the money.
Don't buy the tickets until tomorrow.
Don't buy the tickets until John gives you the money.
This would be a good time to review some of the irregular verbs. Notice the chart for the verb "to bring".
TRAER
Regular Subjunctive
traigo traiga
traes traigas
trae traiga
traemos traigamos
traen traigan
Notice that when the "yo" fact form ends in "-go", all of the "feeling" forms ("subjunctive" forms), will have the letter "g" included.
We will study when Mary brings the books.
We are going to study when Mary brings the books.
We want to study when Mary brings the books.
Boys, study when Mary brings the books.
The verb "hacer" ("to do/make") has a number of irregular forms.
HACER
fact feeling
hago haga
haces hagas
hace haga
hacemos hagamos
hacen hagan
In addition to these basic forms of "hacer", we need to remember that the future "stem" for the "will" and "would" forms is "har-" instead of the complete infinitive.
"Will" and "Would" Forms of "HACER"
haré haría
harás harías
hará haría
haremos haríamos
harán harían
We will do the work when John brings the tools (las herramientas).
We are going to do the work when John brings the tools.
We want to do the work when John brings the tools.
Boys, do the work when John brings the tools.
Now let's take a look at the way that sentences with time expressions work in the past tense. In the past, we have three patterns to learn.
The first pattern that we want to look at is identified with the word "would". Let's look at an example.
- I thought that John would help us as soon as he could.
Notice that that the "time expression" could be something else, and the basic pattern would still be the same. We could have said, "when", etc.
"Would" is the past of "will". With the "will" pattern, we used the present subjunctive in the part of the sentence after the "time expression". This pattern is similar, but with "would" we use the past subjunctive in the part of the sentence that follows the "time expression". In other words, this pattern, the fifth one that we have seen, is really a past tense "reflection" of the first one.
- Yo creía que Juan nos ayudaría tan pronto como él pudiera.
The sixth pattern is the past "reflection" of pattern two. Compare the following sentences.
- Yo creo que Juan nos ayudará tan pronto como él pueda.
I think that that John will help us as soon as he can. - Yo creía que Juan nos ayudaría tan pronto como él pudiera.
I thought that John would help us as soon as he could.
Now we have the comparison between pattern three and pattern seven. Let's look at the examples.
- Yo espero que Juan nos ayude tan pronto como él pueda.
I hope that that John helps us as soon as he can. - Yo esperaba que Juan nos ayudara tan pronto como él pudiera.
I was hoping that John would help us as soon as he could.
Notice that these three patterns, "will do", "is going to do", "want to do" (or "want someone to do") have parallel patterns in the past tense. With the present patterns, after the time expression we use the present subjunctive. With the past patterns, we use the past subjunctive.
Now let's look at the fourth pattern. Remember that in this case, we use a command. With patterns five, six, and seven, we were just shifting the number one, two, and three patterns into the past. We can't logically make a command in the past. Therefore, there isn't an eighth pattern which would be parallel to pattern four. Here is a complete list of the patterns for sentences in which we need to use the subjunctive verb forms after "time expressions".
pattern #1
- someone will do something as soon as something else happens (subjunctive)
pattern #2
- someone is going to do something as soon as something else happens (subjunctive)
pattern #3
- a someone wants to do something as soon as something else happens (subjunctive)
pattern #3
- someone wants someone else to do something as soon as something else happens (subjunctive)
pattern #4
- do something (a command) as soon as something else happens (subjunctive)
pattern #5
- someone would do something as soon as something else happened (past subjunctive)
pattern #6
- someone was going to do something as soon as something else happened (past subjunctive)
pattern #7
- a someone wanted to do something as soon as something else happened (past subjunctive)
pattern #7
- someone wanted someone else to do something as soon as something else happened (past subjunctive)
The third and seventh pattern each have two variations. We can either say that "someone wants to do something" (himself), or "someone wants someone else to do something". Look at the following examples.
- I want to pick up the suitcases as soon as the plane arrives.
Yo quiero recoger las maletas tan pronto como el avión llegue. - I want John to pick up the suitcases as soon as the plane arrives.
Yo quiero que Juan recoja las maletas tan pronto como el avión llegue.
Notice that in the second case, we would have two subjunctive verbs in the same sentence. They would be used for different reasons however. The past "reflection" of these possibilities would be as follows.
- Yo quería recoger las maletas tan pronto como el avión llegara.
I wanted to pick up the suitcases as soon as the plane arrived. - Yo quería que Juan recogiera las maletas tan pronto como el avión llegara.
I wanted John to pick up the suitcases as soon as the plane arrived.
Let's put this together and see how all seven (or nine) patterns would be. We'll use the verb "tener" ("have"). Here are the forms of "have" displayed in charts.
TENER
present fact feeling
tengo tenga
tienes tengas
tiene tenga
tenemos tengamos
tienen tengan
past tenía tuviera
tenías tuvieras
tenía tuviera
teníamos tuviéramos
tenían tuvieran
commands tú usted ustedes
affirmative ten tenga tengan
negative no tengas no tenga no tengan
Another irregular verb which we use frequently is "to go".
IR
fact feeling
present voy vaya
vas vayas
va vaya
vamos vayamos
van vayan
past iba fuera
ibas fueras
iba fuera
íbamos fuéramos
iban fueran
commands tú usted ustedes
affirmative ve vaya vayan
negative no vayas no vaya no vayan
