cando + Subjunctive
Cando with Future Reference
When cando talks about the future, it takes the present subjunctive: Cando chegues, chámame (when you arrive, call me).
How It Works
Three time frames, three choices
- Future: cando + present subjunctive. Cando remates, imos ao cine (when you finish, we will go to the cinema).
- Habit: cando + present indicative. Cando remato, vou ao cine (whenever I finish, I go to the cinema). See cando.
- Past: cando + preterite or imperfect. Cando rematei, fun ao cine (when I finished, I went to the cinema).
The other clause. The main clause can be a future (chamarei), a present with future meaning (imos) or a command (chámame).
Questions keep the indicative. A direct question asks about a time, so it is not a future-time clause: Cando chegas? or Cando chegarás? The same goes for indirect questions: Non sei cando chega (I do not know when she arrives).
"Whenever". Cando queiras means "whenever you like" and also takes the subjunctive.
Other time words work the same way. en canto (as soon as) and ata que (until) also take the subjunctive for the future.
In older and legal texts you may meet the future subjunctive here (cando chegares). Everyday Galician uses the present subjunctive.
Examples (6)
- Cando chegues á casa, mándame unha mensaxe.
When you get home, send me a message.
Word by Word: When you-arrive to-the house, send-me a message.
Chegues is the present subjunctive of chegar; the arrival is still in the future.
- Cando teña tempo, lereino con calma.
When I have time, I will read it carefully.
Lereino is the future lerei + o; after the ending -ei the pronoun o becomes no.
- Cando sexas maior, entenderalo.
When you are older, you will understand.
Sexas is the subjunctive of ser. Entenderás + o becomes entenderalo.
- Ven cando queiras.
Come whenever you like.
Cando queiras means "whenever you want".
- Avisámoste cando saibamos algo.
We will let you know when we hear anything.
The present avisámoste has future meaning; saibamos is the subjunctive of saber.
- Cando chove, quedo na casa.
When it rains, I stay at home.
This is a habit, not a single future event, so both verbs are in the indicative.
Common Mistakes
Using the future tense in a cando time clause.
Cando chegarás, chámame.Cando chegues, chámame.A future time clause with cando takes the present subjunctive, not the future.
Using the present indicative for a single future event.
Cando teño tempo, lereino.Cando teña tempo, lereino.Lereino shows the reading is in the future, so cando needs the subjunctive. Teño would describe a repeated habit.
Using the subjunctive in a direct question.
Cando chegues?Cando chegas?A question asking "when?" uses the indicative: cando chegas? or cando chegarás?
How It Connects
Learn This First
A future-reference cando clause uses a different mood from a past or habitual clause.
Related Patterns
- en canto + SubjunctiveAs Soon as: En Canto
As soon as: another time word that takes the subjunctive for the future.
Level 4 - ata que / desde que / unha vez queTime Clauses
More time clauses that follow the same future-subjunctive rule.
Level 4 - Simple Future
The future tense often used in the main clause, but never in the cando time clause itself.
Level 2 - The Future Subjunctive
The older form (cando chegares) found in legal and literary texts.
Level 6
Words in This Pattern
Practice cando + Subjunctive in Bubblegum
Poppy, your AI tutor, writes Galician lessons at your level. Tap any grammar point in a lesson to see its full explanation.
