tienen/tengan - ¿indicativo o subjuntivo?

Question

En esta frase:

Es sorprendente que te llamen cada vez que tienen/tengan problemas.

¿hay que usar el segundo verbo en el subjuntivo también, o en modo indicativo? Creo que debería usar tienen, pero no estoy segura.

Great question Issa!!! Have a vote - patch, FEB 6, 2010

Answer 1

The subjunctive can be used when you want to express something like "whenever" Cada vez que tengan problemas = whenever they have problems.

Cada vez que tienen problemas = when they have problems, (they habitually have problems.)

I think you can use both, but they vary slightly in meaning. I hope a native can explain in to you better.

Yea -- I felt that this is something that happens often so I went with the indicative. Anyway I agree with you. - Daniel, FEB 6, 2010

Answer 2

Es sorprendente que te llamen cada vez tienen/tengan problemas.

Both are correct.

...que tienen problemas. Whenever they have a problem they call you.

....que tengan problemas. If or when they have a problem.

Answer 3

I think that you are missing a relative pronoun.

Es sorprendente que te llamen cada vez que tienen/tengan problemas.

It sounds fine in English, but we often omit relative pronouns where they should be used. Notice that Heidita instinctively added a "que" in her examples.

Answer 4

If I can add an English perspective, I think as people have said, the sentence with tienan would translate simply as;

.. every time they have a problem.

The implication being that the problems are generally real.

But tengan is a bit more difficult to translate; I think the closest would be

... every time they think they have a problem.

Implying that they are a bit of a pain and call before thinking about it for themselves first!

Answer 5

I would use "tienen". But what do I know?

Answer 6

Thank you everyone. It's a lot clear to me now

Answer 7

deleted.