sempre que / con tal de que

Provided That

Level 4

Sempre que and con tal de que + subjunctive mean as long as or provided that: Podes vir sempre que avises (you can come as long as you let us know).

How It Works

Setting a condition

  • sempre que + subjunctive: Podes vir sempre que avises antes (you can come as long as you let us know first).
  • sempre e cando + subjunctive means the same: Déixocho, sempre e cando mo devolvas mañá.
  • con tal de que + subjunctive: Axúdote con tal de que me escoites (I will help you provided you listen to me). Con tal que is also correct.

Same subject: con tal de + infinitive. Fai calquera cousa con tal de non madrugar (he will do anything so as not to get up early).

Two meanings of sempre que

With the indicative, sempre que is not a condition. It means every time that, like sempre + cando: Sempre que vou a Vigo, visito a miña tía. So sempre que avisas means every time you let us know, while sempre que avises means as long as you let us know.

Compare. A non ser que names the one situation that would cancel the plan; sempre que names the situation that must be true for it to happen.

Examples (5)

  1. Podes vir sempre que avises antes.

    You can come as long as you let us know first.

    Word by Word: You-can come always that you-warn before.

    Avises is subjunctive, so sempre que sets a condition.

  2. Axúdote con tal de que me escoites.

    I will help you provided that you listen to me.

    Con tal de que always takes the subjunctive.

  3. Déixocho, sempre e cando mo devolvas mañá.

    I will lend it to you, as long as you give it back to me tomorrow.

    Déixocho is deixo + che + o; mo is me + o.

  4. Fai calquera cousa con tal de non madrugar.

    He will do anything so as not to get up early.

    With the same subject, use con tal de + infinitive.

  5. Sempre que vou a Vigo, visito a miña tía.

    Every time I go to Vigo, I visit my aunt.

    With the indicative, sempre que means every time.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the indicative after con tal de que.

    Axúdote con tal de que me escoitas.
    Axúdote con tal de que me escoites.

    Con tal de que expresses a condition and always takes the subjunctive.

  • Using the indicative when you mean a condition with sempre que.

    Podes vir sempre que avisas antes.
    Podes vir sempre que avises antes.

    With the indicative the sentence means every time you let us know. For the condition as long as, use the subjunctive.

  • Putting que before an infinitive.

    Fai calquera cousa con tal de que non madrugar.
    Fai calquera cousa con tal de non madrugar.

    Before an infinitive, use con tal de without que.

How It Connects

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

sempre que / con tal de queLevel 4Provided That

Learn This First

Conditional sempre que and con tal de que express a requirement for the result.

Words in This Pattern