Subjunctive in Future Time Clauses

Level 4

Prospective temporal clauses normally use subjunctive rather than future indicative.

How It Works

Quan arribi, trucarà refers to an arrival that has not yet happened in the relevant frame. Catalan uses present subjunctive in that time clause even though the main clause can use future indicative. Fins que acabis and abans que surti follow related prospective patterns.

A habitual or realized temporal event instead commonly uses indicative: quan arriba, truca; quan va arribar, va trucar. English when plus a present form can cover both meanings, so the translation alone does not identify Catalan mood.

To emphasize completion before the following action, use perfect subjunctive: quan hagis acabat. From a past viewpoint, imperfect or pluperfect subjunctive can replace these present-frame forms.

Examples (3)

  1. Quan arribi, truca'm.

    When she arrives, call me.

  2. Esperarem fins que acabis.

    We will wait until you finish.

  3. Sortirem abans que es faci fosc.

    We will leave before it gets dark.

Common Mistakes

  • Using future indicative inside an ordinary prospective temporal clause.

    Quan arribarà, truca’m.
    Quan arribi, truca’m.

    The pending arrival takes present subjunctive after temporal quan. This is not an indirect question asking when somebody will arrive.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Subjunctive in Future Time ClausesLevel 4

Learn This First

Distinguish factual from prospective time clauses before selecting advanced temporal forms.