When should I use hasta and hasta que?

Question

I’ve been studying the use of “hasta” and “hasta que”. I’ve searched the forum for the question and found a response that “hasta goes before a noun and hasta que goes before a verb”. What about “hasta” before a pronoun, adjective, or adverb?

Here’s are some examples I have guessed in the past few days on the word of the day.

“No podemos aceptar nuevo pacientes hasta próximo mes.”

"We can not accept new patients until next month."

In this case, “hasta” precedes an adjective here. Is that correct?

“No puedes salir hasta que tu turno esté terminado.”

"You can not leave until your shift is over."

In this case “hasta que” precedes a pronoun.

Here is another example

"No puedes beber cualquier cosa sino el agua hasta después las pruebas."

"You can not drink anything except water until after the tests."

I'm not sure about that one at all.

Is there an additional rule I can apply to the use of “hasta” and “hasta que”?

All help will be appreciated!

Answer 1

Here are two phrases which mean just about the same but use hasta & hasta que.

1) Me quedaré aquí hasta su llegada.

2) Me quedaré aquí hasta que llegue.

Hasta, when it means "until," requires the conjunction que when it is followed by a subordinate/dependent clause.

PS: “No puedes salir hasta que tu turno está terminado” is incorrect. You need the subjunctive here, hence: "No puedes salir hasta que tu turno esté terminado," or "No puedes salir hasta que termine tu turno.

I wish that I had said it that concisely. - 0074b507, Mar 7, 2011

Thanks Q. - Deanski, Mar 7, 2011

Thanks, Deanski! I copied the wrong version of that sentence. :) - 0066c384, Mar 7, 2011

No hay de que :) - Deanski, Mar 7, 2011

Answer 2

Just going by your examples I think that you may be looking at the words too narrowly.

In your examples, I would say that you use hasta before a phrase and hasta que before a clause (containing a subject and verb)

Try applying that criteria (no idea if it is correct or not) and see if it applies correctly.

...hasta [el] próximo mes [phrase]

“No puedes salir hasta que tu turno está terminado.” [clause]

hasta después [de] las pruebas [phrase]

As for the "rule" that you have already discovered

hasta goes before a noun and goes hasta que before a verb

The noun [or pronoun] would be a phrase and the verb (Spanish has built-in subjects for conjugated verbs) refers to a clause. (Remember that a verb infinitive in Spanish is often serving as a noun or phrase in this case)

hasta vs hasta que

Thanks, Q! - 0066c384, Mar 7, 2011

It is scary to think I almost correctly constructed a sentence in the subjunctive. - 0066c384, Mar 7, 2011