Can the conditional be used in subordinate clauses?

Question

Example: I promised Mike that John would fix the car.

is it Le prometí a Mike que John repararía el coche? (conditional) or Le prometí a Mike que John reparará el coche (future) or Le prometí a Mike que John reparara el coche (past subjunctive) or something else?

good question , voting - 00494d19, May 31, 2010

Answer 1

Your first choice is the correct variant. Le prometí a Mike que John le repararía el coche (The second Le if the repair is being done for Mike).

Why does "promised" suggest using the subjunctive? Is it because of prior knowledge (you aren't informing them of something that they don't know) and are stressing your feeling of obligation (volition) to the fact. - 0074b507, May 31, 2010

you are right, subjunctive is not used here - 00494d19, May 31, 2010

Right. It has been a bad subjuctive day. - 005faa61, May 31, 2010

Answer 2

Hi ossen: the correct form is actually the same we use in English

Le prometí que repararía el coche.

Le prometí que iba a reparar el coche.

Subjunctive is not correct with prometer.

Answer 3

'Le prometí a Mike que John repararía' is a correct way of putting it. The conditional tense has several uses and does not necessarily have to be conditional on another event. EG 'Mary said that she would come tomorrow' .... 'María dijo que vendría mañana'

Answer 4

Ok thanks.

Answer 5

I believe that it would be the conditional, but it wouldn't have to be formed as a question.

Answer 6

It's a past future.

"Mike, I promise you that John will fix the car."

and when this is narrated as a past event, it turns into

"I promised Mike that John would fix the car."

I was trying to figure out how such a transformation works in Spanish.

Answer 7

Are these sentences conditional?