te llamo cuando llego a casa

Question

''I will call you when i get home''

Answer 1

Te (llamo) llamaré cuando llegue a la casa.

:3 - Gex-Thunderstrom, Jan 12, 2015

it sounds right. Whatever. - annierats, Jan 12, 2015

Answer 2

I do not know the reason, but it may be that it is a subordinating conjunction rather than a preposition.

The reason is that in these types of sentences cuando indicates a future event that has obviously not yet happened, so for this forcast we use subjunctive.

However, don´t get so involved in subjunctive that you forget about the meaning of indicative. Te llamo cuando llego a casa is a valid sentence, it just has a different meaning from that of subjunctive use of cuando, which is used unconjugated when we talk about repetitive events, ie: El sol sale en la mañana cuando no hay nubes.

So with the sentence in question, someone is telling someone else: I (always) call you when I arrive home. Obviously, some context would make it more understandable such as the previous sentence being: Why do you worry about me?

Your sentence re: El sol sale en la mañana cuando no hay nubes doesn't need subjunctive because it is NOT a future thing. You are talking here about a thing that happens that every time there are no clouds the sun comes out. - Daniela2041, Jan 12, 2015

If I have to give a lesson on when "cuando" triggers the subjunctive and when it doesn't I will do that if requested. But I won't do it here. PM me. - Daniela2041, Jan 12, 2015

Things that happen all the time are recounted in present tense, of course they are "not future things". I didn´t realize my English was so bad that this simple idea was not understandable. Be careful with your lessons on "triggers" of subjunctive: ....... - 005faa61, Jan 13, 2015

There are many other times when the speaker can choose between indicative or subjunctive depending on the nuance wanted and in these cases relying on these "triggers" can create a missunderstanding - 005faa61, Jan 13, 2015

Answer 3

Te (llamo) llamaré cuando llegue a la casa.

Why is llegar conjugated? I would leave it in the infinitive form. No change in subject. I call and I arrive.

My answer is to your question, not the original question. - bosquederoble, Jan 12, 2015

yes, but we then have to say' al llegar' surely? or not? I will never get out of the fog. - annierats, Jan 12, 2015

llamo is wrong there... - chileno, Jan 12, 2015

"Cuando is the subjunctive "trigger" here. It has nothing to do with a change or no change in subject. Does that clear the fog, Annie? - Daniela2041, Jan 12, 2015

@chileno. Here en los EU present tense is "sometimes" used for a future event. Maybe Mexico too. It's like "Nos vemos mañana." - Daniela2041, Jan 12, 2015

Correct, and that's correct castellano too. Te llamo mañana, but not Te llamo **cuando** llego XxXxX :) - chileno, Jan 13, 2015

Thw fog was not about ' caundo' Dani, it is how to get back to the infinitive.. - annierats, Jan 13, 2015

Iphip's answer was correct. I only tried to say "why" it was correct. Of course you can use the infinitive construction " Te llamo al llegar a casa" but I like the way iphip did it. Sheesh! Or as the Mexicans say ¡Chale! - Daniela2041, Jan 13, 2015

Answer 4

Ok, this is the thing:

te llamo/llamaré cuando llegue a casa = I will call you when I get home

te llamo cuando llego a casa = Say you are enumerating/listing things to do...

It's all about context, not fog.

Muy claro y sencillo como siempre , gracias amigo mío. - ray76, Jan 15, 2015

De nada. - chileno, Jan 15, 2015

Answer 5

Llegar would be conjugated for the same reason you would conjugate both verbs in the sentence "voy a mi casa y yo como." (I go to my house and I eat). The reason being that they are two separate clauses. It may be the same subject, but every verb clause needs to be properly conjugated.

As to the CORRECT conjugation, its been noted that it is subjunctive. The reason would be that its not a set time and can vary. Future + cuando = subjunctive in every case as far as I am aware.

Answer 6

Why is llegar conjugated? I would leave it in the infinitive form. No change in subject. I call and I arrive.

Although I always get negative feedback when I say I don't like the "change of subject rule" I will say so again.

I have always seen a clause beginning with cuando having a conjugated verb:

http://spanish.about.com/od/verbmoods/a/cuando-subjunctive.htm

I do not know the reason, but it may be that it is a subordinating conjunction rather than a preposition.

If something requires a conjugated verb, and requires subjunctive, it will require subjunctive even if it doesn't have a subject change.

Example from the link:

• Llegaremos cuando debamos y no antes. We will arrive when we should and not before.

If I did not want to conjugate, I would use a preposition:

Te (llamo) llamaré al llegar a la casa.

Upon arriving, rather than when I arrive. Note in English, I also need a conjugated verb with when, but not with upon.

Thanks Bosque. That makes sense. - gringojrf, Jan 12, 2015

Bosque, see my comment to Gringo. - Daniela2041, Jan 12, 2015

Answer 7

Would the Spanish be the same if we change

"''I will call you when I get home''

to

"''I will call you IF I get home''

Besides changing "cuando" to "si," yes it should be. - jttorbey72, Jan 13, 2015

My opinion- "si" is never present subjunctive, it would be indicative as long as it is I will call you if... - bosquederoble, Jan 13, 2015

Yea, you're right. Future + si is indicative. Condicional + si is subjunctive. - jttorbey72, Jan 13, 2015

So - is the Spanish sentence the same or not and what should they be? ;) - ian-hill, Jan 13, 2015

If you say "I WILL.... IF ...." Then it would be indicative and future. Ex-"Te llamaré si llego a mi casa." Its a definitive statement. I WILL do it IF I get home. Condicional clauses act like this. But when you say I WILL... WHEN... its subjunctive. - jttorbey72, Jan 14, 2015

But past subjunctive, not present subjunctive. Very rarely will you see present subjunctive following si, and it is a known rule breaking exception. Commonly past or past perfect subjunctive will be seen after si, though. - bosquederoble, Jan 14, 2015

Answer 8

It means i will call you when i get home