Subjunctive in Adverbial Clauses
Conjunctions requiring subjunctive
change of subject, include element of doubt/uncertainty: condition, purpose, intent
a menos que unless
en caso (de) que in case
antes (de) que before
para que so that/in order
con tal (de) que provided that/as long as
sin que without/unless
Quiero salir temprano en caso que haya mucho tráfico cuando conduzco.
->I want to leave early in case there is a lot of traffic when I drive.
after para and sin, ALWAYS use infinitive if there is no change in subject
No puedes hacerlo sin una hoja de papel.
-> You can’t do it without a sheet of paper.
antes de, con tal de, and en caso de: can also be followed by an infinitive without que but it is optional to drop que
exception a menos que always requires subjunctive
Conjunctions followed by subjunctive/indicative
if main action includes element of doubt/not yet occurred, then subjunctive is used
a pesar de que despite
hasta que until
aunque although/even if
luego (de) que after
cuando when
mientras que while
después (de) que after
siempre que as long as
en cuanto as soon as
tan pronto como as soon as
Aunque aprendan cómo comportarse los niños, aún será difícil.
if main clause action already occurs or occurs repeatedly, then use indicative
Already occurred: En cuanto ella cocinó el plato, nos lo comimos.
Repeated occurrence: Nunca comprenderás siempre que todavía te quejas.
a pesar de, después de, and hasta can be followed by an infinitive instead of que + [subjunctive] when there is no change of subject
Conjunctions requiring subjunctive
change of subject, include element of doubt/uncertainty: condition, purpose, intent
a menos que unless
en caso (de) que in case
antes (de) que before
para que so that/in order
con tal (de) que provided that/as long as
sin que without/unless
Quiero salir temprano en caso que haya mucho tráfico cuando conduzco.
->I want to leave early in case there is a lot of traffic when I drive.
after para and sin, ALWAYS use infinitive if there is no change in subject
No puedes hacerlo sin una hoja de papel.
-> You can’t do it without a sheet of paper.
antes de, con tal de, and en caso de: can also be followed by an infinitive without que but it is optional to drop que
exception a menos que always requires subjunctive
Conjunctions followed by subjunctive/indicative
if main action includes element of doubt/not yet occurred, then subjunctive is used
a pesar de que despite
hasta que until
aunque although/even if
luego (de) que after
cuando when
mientras que while
después (de) que after
siempre que as long as
en cuanto as soon as
tan pronto como as soon as
Aunque aprendan cómo comportarse los niños, aún será difícil.
if main clause action already occurs or occurs repeatedly, then use indicative
Already occurred: En cuanto ella cocinó el plato, nos lo comimos.
Repeated occurrence: Nunca comprenderás siempre que todavía te quejas.
a pesar de, después de, and hasta can be followed by an infinitive instead of que + [subjunctive] when there is no change of subject
