|
Five Minute Study - SPANISH and ENGLISH compared Guía de la gramática inglesa...
En estas lecciones breves se comparan el inglés hablado y coloquial con el español con el fin de ayudar al estudiante a apreciar tanto las diferencias como las similitudes lingüísticas entre los dos idiomas.
Spanish imperatives versus subjunctives (2)
I said in "Spanish imperatives versus subjunctive 1" that Spanish lacks an imperative (giving orders or instruction form) in the "usted" form so that the subjunctive must be used: eg.:
¡Váyase usted, Sr. González! (imperative) (frequent statement from the Spanish leader of the opposition party of the time, then, José María Aznar) Leave, Mr. Gonzalez!
¡He dicho que usted se vaya! (subjunctive) I told you to go!
Interestingly, in Spain, you used to see "push" and "pull" signs on doors of public buildings, bars etc. in the "vosotros" form (informal "you") instead of the "ustedes" form (formal and usual term of address on public signs) simply because it was thought to be grammatically wrong to use the subjunctive instead of the instruction form ie, the imperative:
Empujad Push
Tirad Pull
The increase in advertising and public signs has meant a necessary solution for addressing the public in the imperative. So now public billboard and signs use the infinitive of the verb as though it were an imperative:
Empujar Push
Esperar su turno Please wait your turn
No fumar No smoking
Remember, though, this 'false' imperative is never used in spoken Spanish.
The other anomaly is that Spanish has no imperative in any negative form; again the subjunctive is used. Learners of Spanish must remember to make the necessary verb changes while learners of English have it much easier with an unchanging English imperative identical to the English infinitive:
Sal de aquí inmediatamente ("Tú" form) Get out of here now!
¡(Que) no salgas! (subjunctive) Don't get out!
¡Ven aquí! ("Tú" form) Come here!
¡(Que) no vengas! (subjunctive) Don't come!
Lea las instrucciones (subjunctive for imperative) ("usted" form) Read the instructions
¡(Que) no lea esta basura! (subjunctive) Don't read this rubbish!
¡Hagan cola, por favor! (subjunctive for imperative) ("ustedes" form) Form a queue
¡(Que) no hagan ruido, por favor! (subjunctive) Please don't make a noise!
I end with a dialogue from Tarzan and Jane. Note the colloquial expressions and uses of imperatives and subjunctives.
Tarzán: Voy a salir a jugar con los elefantes. Jane: Pues, que no te ensucies tu taparrabos y no vuelvas tarde. Tarzán: Oye, pero no me des órdenes; ¡que el hombre de la casa soy yo! Jane: Bien. Como tú quieras. Pues, sé un hombre moderno de la casa: ¡lávate tú la ropa y prepárate la cena! Tarzán: (arrepentido) Ay, Jane, no seas así conmigo.
Tarzan: I'm going out to play with the elephants. Jane: Well, don't get your loincloth dirty and don't come back late. Tarzan: Hey, don't order me about! I'm the man of the house! Jane: Right. Have it your way. So be a modern man of the house and wash the clothes and make the dinner! Tarzan: (regretting) Aw, Jane, don't get like that with me.
Five Minute Study es © copyright 2011 English Spanish Link
|