Spanish Subordinate Clause Types and Functions
Understanding Spanish Subordinate Clauses
Comparative Subordinate Clauses
These clauses connect to the main clause to establish a comparison. They indicate whether the quality or quantity in the main clause is equal to, greater than, or less than that in the subordinate clause.
Equality: The link in the main clause is tan (adverb) or tanto/a/os/as (adjectives), and the conjunction or link in the subordinate clause is como or cual.
Examples:
- Miente tanto como habla. (He lies as much as he speaks.)
- Tengo tanta hambre como antes de comer. (I am as hungry as before eating.)
Superiority: The adverb más (more) in the main clause connects with the conjunction que or the preposition de in the subordinate clause. Note irregular forms: mejor (better), peor (worse), mayor (larger/older), menor (smaller/younger).
Examples:
- Tiene más conchas que un galápago. (It has more shells than a tortoise.)
- La entrada cuesta más de lo que puedes gastar. (The entrance fee is more than you can spend.)
- Ir con él es peor que quedarse en casa. (Going with him is worse than staying at home.)
Inferiority: Formed with the adverb menos (less) in the main clause and the conjunction que or preposition de in the subordinate clause.
Examples:
- Esta película es menos aburrida que la que vimos ayer. (This film is less boring than the one we saw yesterday.)
- Pagas menos de lo que vale. (You pay less than it is worth.)
Consecutive Subordinate Clauses
These clauses express a consequence or result of the main clause. They present the subject as a consequence, reversing the cause-effect relationship seen in causal clauses.
Example Contrast:
- Causal: No salgo porque llueve. (I’m not going out because it’s raining.)
- Consecutive: Llueve, así que no saldré. (It’s raining, so I will not go out.)
Types:
- Non-intensive: Express a consequence that does not depend on the intensity of the main clause. Links include: luego, conque, así que, por (lo) tanto, pues (Note: consecutive pues differs from causal pues and often appears mid-sentence or requires a pause before it).
- Examples:
- Pienso, luego existo. (I think, therefore I am.)
- Ha sido despedido, conque no piensa volver. (He has been fired, so he doesn’t plan to return.)
- No me apetece ninguna broma, así que déjalo ya. (I’m not in the mood for jokes, so stop it.)
- No me apetece ninguna broma, pues déjalo ya. (I’m not in the mood for jokes, then stop it.)
- Intensive: The consequence results from the intensity expressed in the main clause. Links include: tan… que, tanto… que, tal… que, hasta el punto de que.
- Example: Gritó tanto que no pudimos oírnos. (He shouted so much that we couldn’t hear each other.)
Temporal Subordinate Clauses
These clauses situate the main action in time, indicating whether it occurs before, after, or simultaneously with the subordinate action.
Examples:
- Cuando terminó, todos aplaudieron. (Main action happens after the subordinate action.)
- Antes de que lo dijeras, ya lo había adivinado. (Main action happened before the subordinate action could occur.)
- No hables mientras comes. (Simultaneous actions.)
Common links include: cuando, mientras, apenas, tan pronto como, en cuanto, antes (de) que, después (de) que, al + infinitive.
Locative Subordinate Clauses
These clauses specify the location where the main action takes place.
- The primary link is the adverb donde (where), often preceded by prepositions like a, en, por, de, desde, hacia, hasta.
- They often refer to an antecedent and are equivalent to a relative clause using el/la/lo/los/las que.
Examples:
- Esta es la casa donde vivo. (This is the house where I live / in which I live.)
- Iremos adonde queramos. (We’ll go wherever we want / to the place we want.)
Modal Subordinate Clauses
These clauses describe the manner or way in which the main action is performed or occurs.
- Common links are como, según, conforme, tal como, igual que, así como, and the phrase como si (as if).
- Note: Distinguish the conjunction según (Según dice, es verdad. – As he says, it’s true.) from the preposition según (Pasión según San Mateo. – Passion according to St. Matthew.).
Examples:
- Hazlo como te indiqué. (Do it as I instructed you.) – Indicative mood for facts.
- Lloraba como si lo estuvieran matando. (He cried as if they were killing him.) – Subjunctive mood for hypothetical situations.
Causal Subordinate Clauses
These clauses express the reason or cause for the main action.
- Common links include: porque, pues, puesto que, ya que, como, que.
- The link como usually precedes the main clause; others can precede or follow.
- Sometimes, they can imply a condition.
Examples:
- El coche no arranca porque no tiene combustible. (The car won’t start because it has no fuel.)
- Como no venías pronto, nos fuimos. (Since you weren’t coming soon, we left.)
- No responde, que (=porque) creí que dormías. (He’s not answering, because I thought you were sleeping.)
Final (Purpose) Subordinate Clauses
These clauses explain the purpose or objective for which the main action is performed.
- Common links are: para que, a fin de que, con objeto de que, con la intención de que, a que. The structure para + infinitive also expresses purpose.
- These clauses always require the subjunctive mood.
Examples:
- Debemos volver al hospital para que te curen las heridas. (We must return to the hospital so that they can treat your wounds.)
- Vino a que le ayudáramos. (He came so that we would help him.)
Conditional Subordinate Clauses
These clauses express a condition that must be met for the main clause to occur or be true.
- Common links include: si (if), como (when meaning ‘if’), a condición de que, siempre que, con tal (de) que.
Examples:
- Si vienes pronto, iremos al cine. (If you come soon, we will go to the cinema.)
- Como no vengas pronto, nos iremos. (If you don’t come soon, we’re leaving.)