Subjunctive in Adverb Clauses / El subjuntivo en cláusulas adverbiales

Adverb clauses modify the verb in the main clauses. They say something about how, when, where or why that action occurs, and are always introduced by a conjunction:

(indicative) main clause	conjunction	(indicative or subjunctive) adverbial clause
Siempre me siento feliz I always feel happy	cuando when	me llamas. you call me.
Hoy preparé la salsa Today I made the sauce	como the way	a ti te gusta. you like it.

The subjunctive is used in adverb clauses when the action described in the clause
is anticipated or hypothetical (a reservation, a condition not yet met, a mere intention).

Here's a list of the most common conjunctions introducing adverb clauses:

Conjunctions of provision		Subjunctive?
a menos que	unless	always followed by the subjunctive
antes (de) que* con tal (de) que* en caso de que* para que* sin que*	before provided that in case so that, in order that without	always followed by the subjunctive*
Conjunctions of time
después (de) que* hasta que* tan pronto como /en cuanto mientras (que) siempre que cuando	after until as soon as while, as long as whenever, as long as when	use the subjunctive for anticipated circumstances (a future occurrence not yet met)
Conjunctions of condition
aunque a pesar de que como, según donde	although, even if in spite of, despite that as, in any way where, wherever	use the subjunctive for anticipated, hypothetical, or irrelevant circumstances (unknown at the moment)
* With these conjunctions, use the infinitive if there's only one subject (que not used): Voy a comer antes de salir. I'm eating before leaving (I eat, I leave)

No puedes ganar a menos que te apoyen. Se fue antes de que yo hablara con ella. Traje sombrero en caso de que haga sol. Trabaja para que su hijo pueda viajar. No puedes irte sin que hablemos primero. Cierre la puerta después de que salga. No quería esperar hasta que terminaras. Voy a regresar en cuanto caiga la noche. Cuando llegues, vas a sentirte mejor. Vamos a pescar aunque llueva mañana. Hazlo como quieras.

You can't win unless they support you. She went away before I could talk to her. I brought a hat in case it is sunny. She works so that her son can travel. You cannot leave without us talking first. Close the door after you leave. He didn't want to wait until you were done. I am going back as soon as the night falls. When you arrive, you'll feel better. We're going fishing even if it may rain tomorrow. Do it any way you want (as you please).

• Note that the conjunctions como, cuando and donde, unlike question words, do not have accents.

• sin que and a clause must be used in Spanish where English often uses a phrase such as "without us seeing him." Spanish must say: "sin que lo veamos / sin que lo viéramos".

• de la manera que, del modo que, are common equivalents of como, especially in writing:
Hazlo de la manera que te indiqué, o del modo que quieras.
Do it the way I showed you, or anyway you (may) want.

• para que has a variety of equivalent expressions that convey the idea of “so that”, “in order that”: a fin de que, con el objeto/propósito de que, con la intención de que.

• Use the indicative if time conjunctions do not refer to the future (actions in the past or in progress, known facts, habits):

Cuando llegaste, ¿te sentiste mejor? Esperó hasta que terminaste. Nos llama siempre que se siente solo. Está viendo la película mientras comemos.

When you arrived, did you feel better? (past) He waited until you were done. (past) He calls us whenever he feels lonely. (known fact) He is watching the movie while we eat. (in progress)

• The indicative follows aunque, como, según and donde to acknowledge a known place or fact:

Vamos a pescar aunque está lloviendo. Hazlo como te indiqué. Lo hice según indican las instrucciones. Vimos el campo donde luchó Bolívar.

We're going fishing even though it's raining. Do it the (specific) way I showed you. I did it as the directions (which I read) indicate. We saw the field where Bolívar fought.

Exercises and original page here.

Por vs. Para

A. PARA (destination or purpose):

1. Direction toward a destination or goal:

Salgo mañana para Madrid. Vamos para la oficina.

I am leaving tomorrow for Madrid. We're going to the office.

2. Purpose, use, goal or destination toward a recipient:

taza para café coffee cup Había espacio para todos. Estudié medicina para ayudar. Practican para mejorar. Compró estos libros para ti. Trabaja para la OTAN.

llantas para la nieve snowtires There was room for everybody. I studied medicine in order to help. They practice to improve. He bought these books for you. She works for NATO.

3. Time limit or deadline:

Hay que hacerlo para el lunes.

It needs to be done by/for Monday.

4. Comparison against the normal expectation:

Tiene una gran población para un país tan pequeño. It has a large population for such a small country.

Para ser extranjero, habla muy bien el idioma. For a foreigner, he speaks the language very well.

5. Opinion: "To me..."

Para mí, la política es interesante. La vida es valiosa para cualquiera.

To me, politics is interesting. Life is valuable to anyone.

 Use para in Spanish whenever you could use "in order to" in English. For example:

(in order) To improve, people have to do this. I do it (in order) to have fun. I do it to improve. BUT: It's not easy to improve this. (you couldn’t insert “in order to” here)

Para mejorar, hay que hacer esto. Lo hago para divertirme. Lo hago para mejorar. No es fácil mejorar esto.

B. POR (motivation or substitution):

1. Exchange, substitution, rate, correspondence (per):

Te doy cinco dólares por el libro. Gracias por todo. No me tomes por idiota. a veinte kilómetros por hora el diez por ciento $3 por galón.

I'll give you five dollars for the book. Thanks for everything. Don't take me for an idiot. twenty kilometers an hour ten percent $3 per gallon

2.  a. Cause, reason, or motive of an action (because of, to fetch):

Lo merece por su dedicación. Fuimos al mercado por pan. Te quería por tu honestidad. No jugaron por la lluvia.

He deserves it for (because of) his dedication. We went to the store for bread. I loved you for your honesty. They didn’t play because of the rain.

b. On behalf of, for the sake of, in favor of, out of:

Lo hice por el dinero. No lo hago por ti. Se preocupan por mí. Luchan por la independencia. Trabajaba por la paz mundial. A menudo me pregunta por ti.

I did it for the money. I'm not doing it on your account. They worry about me. They fight for independence. She worked for world peace. He often asks about you.

3. Duration in time (often omitted):
Estuvo en México (por) seis semanas.He was (stayed) in Mexico for six weeks.During the morning, evening, or afternoon:Trabajaba por la mañana.He used to work in the morning.

4. Movement through a place:

Iba por la calle cuando... Pasa por mi oficina. Vamos a pasear por el parque.

I was going down the street... Drop by my office. We are going to take a walk through/by the park.

5. Agent in a passive phrase (by):

Fue escrito por ella. Está afectada por la noticia.

It was written by her. She's affected by the news.

6. Means of transportation or communication (by):

El paquete llegó por avión. Llámame por teléfono.

The package arrived by plane. Call me on the telephone.

7. In a large number of idiomatic expressions:

por fin por ejemplo por desgracia por supuesto por eso por aquí

finally, at last for example unfortunately of course that's why around here

por lo menos por favor por primera vez por casualidad por otra parte por lo tanto

at least please for the first time by (any) chance on the other hand therefore

 The questions ¿para qué? (for what purpose?) and ¿por qué? (for what reason or motive?) can give you clues on choosing the appropriate preposition. Both prepositions will often be grammatically correct, but they would convey different meanings:

Recibimos dinero por la investigación. I got money from the research (done). [exchange]	Recibimos dinero para la investigación. I got money for the research (to do). [purpose]
Compré esto por ti. I bought this because you wanted me to. [motive]	Compré esto para ti. I bought this to give it to you. [destination]

For the original page and online exercises, click here.