Subjunctive in Future-Time Temporal Clauses
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 prospective instruction often combines a temporal subjunctive clause with an imperative: quan rebis l'avís, respon. The imperative does not license a future indicative inside quan. To require completed review before a later step, use quan hagis revisat el text. A routine description instead says quan rep l'avís, respon, with indicative because it presents the process as habitual rather than one pending event.
Examples (3)
- Quan rebis l’avís, respon.
When you receive the notice, reply.
- Quan hagis revisat el text, envia’l.
When you have reviewed the text, send it.
- Quan rep l’avís, sempre respon.
When she receives the notice, she always replies.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Recognize a pending temporal event before selecting its tense. Place completion before the relevant viewpoint with perfect subjunctive.
Related Patterns
Practice Subjunctive in Future-Time Temporal Clauses in Bubblegum
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