Subj Pres or Subj Imperf Question

Question

Hello,

I just have a question with regard to the subjunctive. I need to translate this phrase: "I told them to stay here until I got back."

The answer I thought was correct was: "Les Dijo a quedar aqui hasta que regrese."

But now I'm thinking should it not be "Les dijo a quedar aqui hasta que regresara"

I was told that hasta que is a "marcador" and takes the subjuntive and would have went with regrese - happy days.

But then I remembered when the verb before is preterito indefinido/preterito imperfecto/condicional they take the imperfect subjunctive.

Could someone please help me here?

Thanks in advance

Answer 1

I just have a question with regard to the subjunctive. I need to translate this phrase: "I told them to stay here until I got back."

The answer I thought was correct was: "Les Dijo a quedar aqui hasta que regrese."

The sentence is grammatically wrong. You've translated that "to" in English as "a", but that won't work in Spanish. English most likely develop that unique use of "to" in order to fill the gap left by the loss of the subjunctive, but Spanish, having a healthy subjunctive, requires this mood here.

Les dijo que se quedaran hasta que regresara

"To" in English is a multi-purpose word that has no counterpart in Spanish except in a limited number of constructions.

But now I'm thinking should it not be "Les dijo a quedar aqui hasta que regresara"

Same thing: "a" does not make sense in Spanish.

I was told that hasta que is a "marcador" and takes the subjuntive and would have went with regrese - happy days.

That's not true. "Estuvo allí hasta que regresaron" demands indicative. It takes subjunctive if it is not true at the moment we are referring to.

It takes subjunctive if...? - theyearof2010, May 22, 2011

Updated. - lazarus1907, May 22, 2011

Answer 2

thanks again for the help

Answer 3

"Estuvo allí hasta que regresaron" demands indicative. It takes subjunctive if..

If you can say at any given moment that something has reached that time or event, you declare that in indicative; if it hasn't happened at that moment, you use subjunctive:

Quédate aquí hasta que lleguen (they haven't arrived, so you use subjunctive)

Se quedó aquí hasta que llegaron (he stayed there and they arrived, so indicative)

Les dije que se quedara aquí hasta que llegaran (they hadn't arrived when I said that, so subjunctive)

Answer 4

Well the dijo ( is preterito) as it was said in the past. If i said decid wouldnt that be present tense?

Please look up the conjugation of decir. Dijo is he said, dije is I said. Decid is commanding a group of people to say. - lorenzo9, May 22, 2011

Thank you, realised it was a typo - theyearof2010, May 22, 2011

Answer 5

thank you for the responce. This makes sense to me now: Les dijo que se quedaran hasta que regresara.

however could you please continue your explanation. The end got cut off: That's not true. "Estuvo allí hasta que regresaron" demands indicative. It takes subjunctive if..

thanks a million. seriously

Answer 6

If you told them, it should be in the indicative or imperative. You are declaring what you said.

And what's with the "a" in "dijo a"?

And dijo means "he said", not "I said".