Two thoughts in full: cause, condition, purpose, concession
Wave 2 showed four conjunctions: que, porque, si, cuando. They are enough to get by with and not enough to reason with. Here is the whole system, and it hangs on one question: did the thing in question actually happen? If yes — the ordinary verb form; if no — subjuntivo. Lists of conjunctions are easier to memorize once this rule stands behind them. For example: “Como no me contestaron, escribí una segunda vez”…
How it works
Wave 2 showed four conjunctions: que, porque, si, cuando. They are enough to get by with and not enough to reason with. Here is the whole system, and it hangs on one question: did the thing in question actually happen? If yes — the ordinary verb form; if no — subjuntivo. Lists of conjunctions are easier to memorize once this rule stands behind them.
Cause. Porque — inside the sentence; como — only at the front: como no había sitio, nos fuimos; ya que and puesto que — 'since, given that', for a cause both sides know; debido a — with a noun. All of them with the ordinary form. A special case is no porque… sino porque… — 'not because… but because…', and the first porque there is followed by subjuntivo: no porque sea caro, sino porque no me gusta.
Consequence and purpose. Consequence: así que, por lo tanto, de modo que — ordinary form: no había billetes, así que nos quedamos. Purpose — always subjuntivo, no exceptions: para que veas, a fin de que conste. But if the acting person is the same, que is dropped and the infinitive taken: he venido para hablar contigo — 'I came to talk to you'. The difference between para and para que is the difference 'who acts': the same person or different ones.
Condition. Real: si tengo tiempo, te llamo — present, and there is never a future after si. Unreal: si tuviera tiempo, te llamaría — imperfecto de subjuntivo plus condicional, exactly English 'if I had time, I would call'. About the impossible past: si hubiera sabido, no habría venido. Nearby live siempre que, a no ser que, en caso de que — all with subjuntivo.
Concession and opinion. Aunque with the ordinary form states a recognized fact: aunque es caro, lo compro ('yes, it is expensive, and I am buying it anyway'). With subjuntivo — a concession: aunque sea caro, lo compro ('even if it turns out expensive'). The same switch governs opinion: creo que viene — but no creo que venga; me parece que sí — but no me parece que sea buena idea. Negation before a verb of opinion flips the clause into subjuntivo, and it is the first thing your level is heard in.
Table
| what it introduces | conjunction | verb form | example |
|---|---|---|---|
| a cause inside the sentence | porque | ordinary | no voy porque llueve |
| a cause at the front | como | ordinary | como llueve, no voy |
| a cause known to both | ya que, puesto que | ordinary | ya que estás aquí, ayúdame |
| a consequence | así que, por lo tanto | ordinary | llueve, así que no salgo |
| purpose, different people | para que | subjuntivo only | te lo digo para que lo sepas |
| purpose, one person | para + infinitive | infinitive | vengo para hablar |
| a real condition | si | present | si puedo, voy |
| an unreal condition | si + imperfecto subj. | condicional in the main clause | si pudiera, iría |
| a concession-fact | aunque + ordinary | ordinary | aunque es tarde, salgo |
| a concession-supposition | aunque + subjuntivo | subjuntivo | aunque sea tarde, salgo |
| opinion | creo que / no creo que | ordinary / subjuntivo | no creo que venga |
By example
- Como no me contestaron, escribí una segunda vezSince they did not reply, I wrote a second time
- Te lo explico otra vez para que no haya dudasI'll explain it to you one more time so there is no doubt
- Aunque sea difícil, hay que intentarloEven if it is hard, it is worth a try
How the rule settles in your head
A rule is not memorized from an explanation. It is memorized from an attempt to use it and a mistake — that is why the app delivers it mixed in with words, not as a separate lesson: it resurfaces exactly where you forgot it.
Frequently asked
Two thoughts in full: how does it work in Spanish?
Wave 2 showed four conjunctions: que, porque, si, cuando. They are enough to get by with and not enough to reason with. Here is the whole system, and it hangs on one question: did the thing in question actually happen? If yes — the ordinary verb form; if no — subjuntivo. Lists of conjunctions are…
What does it look like in an example sentence Spanish?
“Como no me contestaron, escribí una segunda vez” — Since they did not reply, I wrote a second time. A rule is easier to test on sentences like this than to memorize as a wording: what surfaces in conversation is the sentence.