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Spanish 3 Unit 4: Subjunctive in Adjective and Adverb Clauses

This unit covers the subjunctive in adjective clauses that describe unknown or nonexistent things, and in adverb clauses of purpose, condition, time and concession. These patterns show up constantly in reading passages and writing tasks.

Covers: Unknown vs. known antecedents, Nonexistent antecedents, ESCAPA conjunctions, Time conjunctions, Aunque and other flexible conjunctions, Infinitive vs. que clause

Study guide

An adjective clause describes a noun, just as an adjective does: Tengo un amigo que habla ruso. When the noun is a specific, known person or thing, the clause uses the indicative. When the noun is unknown, hypothetical or still being searched for, the clause uses the subjunctive: Busco un amigo que hable ruso (I'm looking for a friend who speaks Russian, and I don't know if one exists). Key signals are verbs like buscar, necesitar and querer with an indefinite article. The personal a usually disappears before an unknown person (Busco un médico) but stays with a specific one (Busco al médico que trabaja aquí).

When the noun is denied or said not to exist, the adjective clause also takes the subjunctive: No hay nadie que sepa la respuesta. No conozco a ningún estudiante que viva en el centro. ¿Hay alguien que pueda ayudarme? Note that nadie and alguien keep the personal a when they are direct objects (No veo a nadie que...). The logic is the same: a description of something that does not exist, or may not exist, cannot be stated as a fact. In contrast, Hay alguien que puede ayudarte uses the indicative because the speaker confirms that such a person exists.

Some adverb conjunctions always take the subjunctive, because they introduce actions that are not yet real or depend on a condition. Remember them with the acronym ESCAPA: en caso de que (in case), sin que (without), con tal de que (provided that), antes de que (before), para que (so that) and a menos que (unless). Te doy dinero para que compres pan. Salimos antes de que llueva. If the subject of both clauses is the same, para, sin and antes de take an infinitive instead: Estudio para aprobar, Salí sin decir nada.

Time conjunctions such as cuando, hasta que, en cuanto, tan pronto como, después de que and mientras depend on time. If the action is pending or future, use the subjunctive: Te llamaré cuando llegue. If the action is habitual or already happened, use the indicative: Siempre te llamo cuando llego. Ayer te llamé cuando llegué. The trick is to ask whether the event has actually happened or regularly happens. Antes de que is the exception: it always takes the subjunctive, because the second action has not happened yet at the time of the first.

Aunque (although, even if) depends on what the speaker presents as fact. Aunque llueve, voy a salir means Although it is raining (it really is). Aunque llueva, voy a salir means Even if it rains (it may or may not). Similarly, como, donde and según take the subjunctive when the manner or place is unknown: Hazlo como quieras (do it however you want). Finally, a question about an adjective or adverb clause usually comes down to one test: is the speaker describing something known and real, or something unknown, pending or hypothetical?

Key ideas

• Adjective clauses describing unknown, hypothetical or sought-after nouns take the subjunctive.
• Adjective clauses describing nonexistent or denied nouns (no hay nadie que) take the subjunctive.
• Known, specific nouns take the indicative in adjective clauses.
• ESCAPA conjunctions (en caso de que, sin que, con tal de que, antes de que, para que, a menos que) always take the subjunctive.
• Time conjunctions take the subjunctive for future or pending actions and the indicative for habitual or past actions.
• Aunque takes the indicative for known facts and the subjunctive for possibilities.
• With the same subject, para, sin and antes de use an infinitive.

Formulas and rules

Common mistakes

• Using the indicative to describe a person or thing the speaker has not found yet.
• Using the subjunctive after cuando for habitual or past actions.
• Using the indicative after antes de que or para que.
• Using que + subjunctive after para or sin when there is no change of subject.
• Keeping the personal a before an unknown person (Busco a un médico que...) when it should be dropped.

Before the test, make sure you can

• Decide whether an adjective clause describes a known or unknown antecedent and choose the mood.
• Use the subjunctive after nadie, nada and ningún in adjective clauses.
• List and use the ESCAPA conjunctions with the subjunctive.
• Choose the mood after cuando, hasta que, en cuanto and después de que based on time.
• Distinguish aunque + indicative from aunque + subjunctive in meaning.
• Replace que + subjunctive with an infinitive when the subject does not change.
• Apply the personal a correctly with known and unknown people.

Words to know

en caso de que

in case

sin que

without

con tal de que

provided that

antes de que

before

para que

so that

a menos que

unless

en cuanto

as soon as

tan pronto como

as soon as

hasta que

until

después de que

after

mientras

while

alguien

someone

nadie

no one

algún / alguna

some, any

ningún / ninguna

no, not any

cualquier

any (at all)

buscar

to look for

necesitar

to need

el piso / el apartamento

apartment

el compañero de cuarto

roommate

aunque

although; even if

Sample practice questions

30 more questions like these, from level 1 to 5, are in the practice set.