Esperar que + future ?

Question

Hola Foreros!

I've just seen the following two sentences in a novel that seem to me grammatically incorrect:

Espero que no seré inoportuno, señor (I hope I will not be inoportune, Sir)

Pero espero, señor, que no sospechará ud. de Tonio. ( I hope, Sir, that you won't suspect Tonio)

I have always been taught that "Esperar que" takes the subjunctive (unless it has the meaning of "expect", which it doesn't in the sentences above).

I'd be grateful for clarification!

Thanks,

Andrew

Do you mean será? - vivalafuriaroja, Jun 18, 2011

Answer 1

Yes, you have it right, subjuntive is needed there, sometimes in novels the authors write like that trying to highlight the ignorance of the character.

Or maybe is just a mistake.

Answer 2

Espero que no seré inoportuno - is correct. When you are referring to yourself you do not use the subjunctive. Here, this is what the writer is doing: I hope that i will not be...

The second one is trickier (Pero espero, señor, que no sospechará ud. de Tonio.) I suspect that he is not using subjunctive as he is implying that the person is already suspecting Tonio - like he has made the decision, but just hasn't said.

Well perronegro, full marks for digging up an old and difficult question! - annierats, May 11, 2016

The correct way is to say: "Espero no ser inoportuno." I hope to not be inopportune. - Daniela2041, May 12, 2016

Answer 3

Espero que no seré inoportuno, señor (I hope it will not be inoportune, Sir)

I'm not 100% sure about this sentence being wrong, but it surely is very weird. It sounds almost as if you are talking about someone else which you can't control or predict, when you are, in fact, talking about yourself. Unless they are after this unusual effect, it just sounds like a horrible mistake you wouldn't expect from a native.

I have always been taught that "Esperar que" takes the subjunctive (unless it has the meaning of "expect", which it doesn't in the sentences above).

And how exactly do you know that the person who said that did not intend to say "expect"? The sentence is possible in indicative, but then it does not express your hopes, but more a confirmation of your expectations, which you take for granted. In indicative here, it sounds almost challenging rather than expressing hope. Indicative here is not necessarily wrong, but it certainly is very unusual.

intend to say - 0074b507, Jun 18, 2011

I would agree Lazarus that it does sound as if it were challenging rather than expressing hope . - FELIZ77, Jun 18, 2011

Answer 4

I know almost nothing about grammar, but I can tell you the difference.

I'll take the first one, "Espero que no seré inoportuno, señor". It sounds like "I think I won't be inopportune, sir."

But if you say "Espero no ser inoportuno, señor", it sounds like "I hope not to be inopportune, sir.". This can be used for present or future.

This way to speak sounds elegant or formal, and therefore isn't normal to listen people speaking like that.

Answer 5

Espero que no seré inoportuno, señor (I hope it will not be inoportune, Sir)

seré is 1st person, singular, future tense of indicative mood (I hope, I expect)

I hope that I will not be....

No subject change?? Espero no ser inoportuno, señor. ???

Not a native, just wondering.