why is the subjunctive used here?

Question

"Seré tu traductora mientras visitemos la embajada, yo hablo cuatro idiomas." Why is the subjunctive of visitar used here?

Answer 1

Because he's referring to a future, anticipated event so he can't say 'we are visiting the embassy' using the indicative mood, instead the subjunctive mood has to be used.

Hola, Kiwi-Girl. Is it possible for you to produce power-point lessons about "subjunctive" and "command" or "imperative mood" for us? - joygogo, Dec 14, 2013

Answer 2

When you speak about when or while future events are happening you use the subjective. This is the anticipatory nature of the subjunctive. You could say that since the future isn't 100% set in stone you must use the subjunctive after "mientras".

Grammatically, any time you reference an anticipated action (i.e. one that has/had yet to occur from the reference point of your sentence) after a conjunction you use the subjunctive.

Compare:

Cuando vayas a la India, llámame. When you go to India, call me.

Irás a la India. You'll go to India.

Vas a la India. You're going to India.

Regresarás a casa antés de que yo regrese a casa. You'll return home before I do.

Remember that the following can be conjunctions: "que", "como", "mientras", "cuando", "cual", and some more that I can't remember right now