suponiendo que/en el supuesto de que + Subjunctive

Supposing That

Level 5

Use 'suponiendo que' or 'en el supuesto de que' followed by the subjunctive to talk about hypothetical situations.

How It Works

The expressions suponiendo que and en el supuesto de que are used to introduce a hypothesis or an assumption. They are equivalent to 'supposing that' or 'on the assumption that' in English.

When the clause is a hypothesis, these phrases are followed by a verb in the subjunctive mood. 'Suponiendo que' can also take the indicative when the speaker treats the premise as true, much like 'given that'. This is because the clause they introduce is not a statement of fact, but a hypothetical scenario.

Formality:

  • Suponiendo que is common in both spoken and written Spanish.
  • En el supuesto de que is more formal and is often used in legal, business, or academic contexts.

Tense Usage:
The tense of the subjunctive verb depends on the context of the hypothesis:

  • Use the present subjunctive for hypotheses about the present or future.
    Suponiendo que tengamos tiempo, visitaremos el museo. (Supposing we have time, we will visit the museum.)
  • Use the imperfect subjunctive for unlikely or contrary-to-fact hypotheses about the present or future.
    Suponiendo que fueras millonario, ¿qué harías? (Supposing you were a millionaire, what would you do?)
  • Use the pluperfect subjunctive for hypotheses about a past that could have been different.
    En el supuesto de que hubiéramos sabido la verdad, habríamos actuado de otra manera. (On the assumption that we had known the truth, we would have acted differently.)

Examples (5)

  1. Suponiendo que llueva mañana, cancelaremos el pícnic.

    Supposing it rains tomorrow, we will cancel the picnic.

    Word by Word: Supposing that it rains tomorrow, we will cancel the picnic.

  2. En el supuesto de que el cliente acepte la oferta, procederemos con el contrato.

    On the assumption that the client accepts the offer, we will proceed with the contract.

    Here, 'en el supuesto de que' is used in a formal, business context. The verb 'acepte' is in the present subjunctive.

  3. Suponiendo que tuvieras más tiempo, ¿viajarías por el mundo?

    Supposing you had more time, would you travel the world?

    Word by Word: Supposing that you had more time, would you travel around the world?

    This is a classic hypothetical question using the imperfect subjunctive 'tuvieras' followed by the conditional 'viajarías'.

  4. Podemos terminar a tiempo, suponiendo que no surja ningún imprevisto.

    We can finish on time, assuming no unforeseen problem arises.

    Word by Word: We can finish on time, supposing that not arises any unforeseen event.

  5. En el supuesto de que hubieran llegado antes, habrían conseguido entradas.

    Assuming they had arrived earlier, they would have gotten tickets.

    This example uses the pluperfect subjunctive ('hubieran llegado') to talk about a hypothetical past situation.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the indicative when the premise is only a hypothesis.

    Different MeaningSuponiendo que tienes el dinero, ¿comprarías el coche?
    Suponiendo que tengas el dinero, ¿comprarías el coche?

    'Suponiendo que tienes el dinero' is also heard, but it treats the premise as a fact, like 'given that you have the money'. For a pure hypothesis, use the subjunctive: 'tengas'.

How It Connects

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

suponiendo que/en el supuesto de que + SubjunctiveLevel 5Supposing That

Learn This First

To use 'suponiendo que' or 'en el supuesto de que', a learner must be proficient in the subjunctive mood (both present and imperfect) because these phrases introduce hypothetical conditions. Additionally, understanding the conditional tense is necessary to express the potential result of the supposition.

Words in This Pattern

suponersupuesto