Which is correct -- tienes o tengas...

Question

I want to ask someone to stop by office when he has a moment. Which is correct -- Puedes pasar por mi oficina cuando tienes un momento? o Puedes pasar por mi oficina cuando tengas un momento?

Answer 1

Okay, quick look up in my grammar manual has refreshed my memory. You are dealing with an adverbial clause so the subject in the two clauses is irrelevant. The key question to ask yourself is certainty vs. doubt. If I say, "Él pasó por mi oficina cuando tenía tiempo." (He stopped by my office when he had time.) I do not need the subjunctive because the event has already happened. I am certain of it. In your example, "¿Puedes pasar por mi oficina cuando tengas un momento?" (Can you stop by my office when you have a moment?) you need the subjunctive because you are speaking about a future event. There is no certainty.

Here is a good guide to the subjunctive.

Thanks so much! This was very helpful :-) - SLA410, Jul 19, 2011

Answer 2

It's tengas = subjunctive because you don't know when he'll have time. ;

Uncertainty.

But it doesn't mean that you cannot use tienes.

"Mi tía pasa por mi oficina cuando tiene tiempo."

Answer 3

You could arguably use either, but tengas is preferable as there is no way for you to be certain he will have a free moment. Because there is this inherent doubt the subjunctive is needed.

Now that I think of it though, you aren't changing subjects. Wait for others to answer this question. I haven't taught subjunctive in ages, just use it in conversation. I'll do a little research and get back to you if a better answer isn't posted soon.

Answer 4

Cuando "tengas" un momento. "having" is anticipated here. You might not have the time, so the verb "having" might never happen. That is why it is in the subjunctive, because "having a moment" is anticipated. You might not have a moment, so when you do... if you do... come over to my office.

Answer 5

When it's not reality, or it's something you don't have control over, the subjunctive expresses these situations. Whether or not someone has the time is irrelevant, in my opinion. The person may or may not have the time, but even if they did, they may not stop by your office, they may decide to go eat an ice cream cone. The situation is not yet a reality, and you can't control it either. In that case, the subjunctive expresses the idea better.

Answer 6

As a general rule, when cuando (in this construction) refers to a future event, the subjunctive mood is invoked.