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Courses, dictionaries, ideas and travel for learners of Spanish and English. Click here... |
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Cursos, diccionarios, ideas y viajes para los estudiantes de inglés y español. Entra aquí... |
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After 'want' (wish) + object + verb (+ another object)... |
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Después de 'want', usa el infinitivo (y no digas 'that')... |
| I want you to be well |
Quiero que estés bien |
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| I want her to give me a hand |
Quiero que ella me eche una mano |
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| Do you want me to go? |
¿Quieres que me vaya? |
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| After certain verbs + 'que' and where we could use 'that' (to express regret, surprise, pleasure)... |
Observa que el inglés no tiene un subjuntivo... |
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| I'm sorry (that) this has happened |
Siento que esto haya pasado |
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Pero emplea el 'past simple' para el subjuntivo pasado... |
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| We were surprised it didn't work |
Nos sorprendió que no tuviera resultado |
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| I'm glad you liked it |
Me alegro que te gustara |
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| Subjunctive also used with: ordenar que, pedir que, aconsejar que, permitir que, dejar que, prohibir que, impedir que), Though subjunctive can sometimes be avoided if the subject remains unchanged... |
La misma regla del uso del infinitivo se aplica en muchos casos. |
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| She ordered them to come back |
Les ordenó que volvieran (or... Les ordenó volver ) |
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| She asked me to watch her bags for her |
Me pidió que le vigilara sus maletas |
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I advise you to do it soon |
Te aconsejo que lo hagas pronto |
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I cannot allow you to take that away with you |
No puedo permitir que te lleves eso |
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My father won't let me see you again |
Mi padre me ha prohibido que te vea más |
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We must stop this rabbit from escaping |
Hay que impedir que escape este conejo |
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| It is often difficult for English speakers to get a feeling for the subjunctive. One help could be to use the subjunctive where 'that' is possible even though it sounds archaic... |
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| Would you like (that) I help(ed) you? |
¿Quiere que le ayude? |
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| I cannot allow that it be so |
No puedo permitir que sea así |
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| Subjunctive always with... |
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| I doubt she'll come |
Dudo que venga |
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| and negative of... |
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| They don't think the saw it |
No piensan que lo vieran |
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| We don't believe it's true |
No creemos que sea verdad |
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| Necessity, possibility, shame... |
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| I must speak to him today |
Es necesario/hace falta que le hable hoy |
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| It's possible there was a leak |
Es posible que hubiera una fuga |
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| It's a shame/pity she lost |
Es una lástima que perdiera |
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| With 'verdad': affirmative use the indicative... |
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| It's true that she passed |
Es verdad que ha aprobabo |
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| but in the negative, use the subjunctive... |
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| It isn't true that she failed |
No es verdad que haya suspendido |
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| Use subjunctive with these conjunctions... |
Observa como se traduce estas conjunciones... |
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| provided that/on condition that |
a condición de que/siempre que |
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| unless |
a no ser que/a menos que |
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| so that |
a fin de que/para que |
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| He left without her knowing |
Salió sin que ella lo supiera |
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| as if |
como si |
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| As long as |
Siempre que/mientras (que) |
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| Before she comes back |
Antes (de) que ella vuelva |
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| These words express a 'purpose'... |
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| Hold this so that I can see better |
Sujeta esto de modo que/de forma que/de manera que yo vea mejor |
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| but here the expression offers just a result. It does not express a purpose... |
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| It wasn't dark so the torch was useless |
No era de noche de modo que/de forma que/de manera que la linterna no servía |
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| Uses of 'por' + adjective, adverb, mucho... |
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| However expensive it is, we'll buy it |
Por caro que sea, lo compramos |
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| No matter how slow he is, he's coming with us |
Por lento que sea, viene con nosotros |
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| No matter how much he works he never makes much money |
Por mucho que trabaje, nunca gana mucho dinero |
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| These follow a pattern... |
Aquí se puede traducir por whatever, wherever... |
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| Whatever happens |
Pase lo que pase |
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| Whatever he says |
Diga lo que diga |
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| Wherever she goes |
Vaya donde vaya |
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| Whatever it may be |
Sea lo que sea |
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| Wherever he may be |
Esté donde este |
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| But... |
Pero... |
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| Whenever you want |
Siempre que quiera |
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| To express wishes... |
Para traducir 'ojalá'... |
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| If only I could fly |
Ojalá pudiera volar |
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Nota el uso de 'were' en 3ª persona - a menudo posible cuando expresa un subjuntivo pasado (sobre todo con 'ojalá' y frases condicionales)... |
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| I wish she was/were here |
Ojalá estuviera aquí |
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El subjuntivo presente toma el infinitivo... |
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| Long live the Queen |
Larga vida a la reina |
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| May all your problems be little ones |
Que todos tus problemas sean (los) pequeños (recién casados) |
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| Subjunctive to express hypothetical situations or 'at such time'... |
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| When you come, bring flowers |
Cuando vengas, trae flores |
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| I'll call you as soon as I've finished |
Te llamaré en cuanto/tan pronto como haya terminado |
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| I won't go even if he begs me |
No iré aunque me lo suplique |
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| You can watch TV after you've done your homework |
Puedes ver la tele después de que hayas hecho los deberes or..después de hacer los deberes |
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| We'll wait until it's dark |
Esperaremos hasta que haya oscurecido |
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| Don't talk while he's working |
No hables mientras esté trabajando |
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| Come and visit whenever you like |
Ven a visitarnos siempre que quieras |
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| But no subjunctive here because these are real situations... |
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| When are you coming to visit us? |
¿Cuando vienes a visitarnos? |
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| When he comes he always brings flowers |
Cuando viene siempre trae flores |
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| Remember: with past or conditional clauses in English, use the past subjunctive... |
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| I'd like you to help me |
Me gustaría que me ayudaras |
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| I told him to wash up |
Le dije que fregara los platos |
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| Conditional sentences... |
Frases condicionales... |
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| If I go out, I'll have a drink |
Si salgo, tomaré una copa |
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| But if it's unlikely... |
'Past simple' del verbo cuando sea poco probable... |
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| If I won the lottery, I'd buy a yacht |
Si ganara la lotería, compraría un yate |
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| and water under the bridge... |
Y agua pasada... |
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| If I'd have been more thoughtful, it wouldn't have happened |
Si hubiera sido más comprensivo, no habría pasado |
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