"Donde yo vaya, veo tu rostro"

Question

Hello I guess you have heard Alvaro Soler's song "Agosto". It's been so popular recently. The thing that I wanted to ask you, referrs to one sentence that Alvaro sang. It's "Donde yo vaya, veo tu rostro". Why did he use the subjuntivo there? Couldn't he say "Donde yo voy, veo tu rostro", or "Donde yo iría, veo tu rostro"? How does the subjuntivo used there work?

Thanks

Answer 1

Oshnaj, this is very true! One of my teachers once said this about native speakers vs. those that learned Spanish as an additional language:

"Many advanced learners believe that once they learn to speak Spanish well enough, they can begin to imitate some of the native's "improper" grammar in order to speak even more like the natives. They rationalize that using "proper" grammar probably sounds a little too stuffy, and that natives will actually feel more at easy if you speak exactly like they do. Sadly, the truth is that the very natives who you are imitating will think that you don't know Spanish as well as you really do, and they may even correct your grammar. Native speakers are at liberty to speak as poorly as they want and to us whatever regionalisms and "substandard" structures they feel like. We, however, will only sound poorly educated if we don't follow standard grammar."

He said, in another note, that some dialects won't use the subjunctive, even when they are supposed to:

(You may hear things like: "Me molesta que no vinisteis." But the phrase should be "Me molesta que no hayáis venido.")

Very interesting, Cody! :) I prefer to use good Spanish, although I love usng collloquial expressions and idioms, too and to improve my Spanish pronounciation. I am sure that difference between native Spanish speakers using incorrect grammar and .. - FELIZ77, Aug 22, 2016

non natives doing the same, is that at least the natives know how they should be saying it ! ;) - FELIZ77, Aug 22, 2016

corrections (typos) 'the' difference (missing word: the )and colloquial (2 ll;s not 3) - FELIZ77, Aug 22, 2016

I will admit, I have used things like that. The problem comes when you speak like a Dominican, addressing a Chilean audience. When Domincans say "Tengo que coger la guagua" It means, "I gotta catch the bus." If you say that to a Chilean audience... - codyandrews1993, Aug 22, 2016

You might get slapped - codyandrews1993, Aug 22, 2016

I think that youre overreacting things a bit, there is a correct simple spanish that you could talk and be understood for the most of spanish people, even in latinamerica or spain, and you should stick to it... you could learn the differences later.. - mvfgrant, Aug 23, 2016

humm guagua is a very colloquial word from certain countries xD, I think that identify the colloquial words is key here - mvfgrant, Aug 23, 2016

So my last question is: would a sentence like "donde iria veo turostro" be very incorrect? - Matty08, Aug 23, 2016

Answer 2

The subjunctive would be used specifically because it isn't a completed action.

Here is a link to another post on this forum that talks about a similar situation:

http://www.spanishdict.com/answers/285612/cuando-vayacuando-ire#a928071

Here are the basic rules for the subjunctive:
1. The sentence has to have two clauses.
2. When using verbs that impose their will, each clause has to have a different subject. (verbs of emotion don't necessitate two subjects.)
3. The verb in the first clause has to be a subjunctive indicator. (there are words that can act as subjunctive indicators called "adverbial subordinators".)

In the lyrics above "Donde yo vaya, veo tu rostro", the sentence has two clauses (being "yo"). (Personally, it should be "Adonde yo vaya...", but "adonde" has been dying out for while.) This phrase basically translates to, "wherever I may go, I see your face (yesterday, today, and tomorrow)" I would venture to say that "adonde/donde" are "adverbial subordinators".

Here is an example phrase, that would support the use of the subjunctive in this song:

"No hay salida para ti, hagas lo que hagas, vayas adonde vayas." (There is no way out for you, whatever you do, wherever you go.)

Could you say something more? I don't get it. "Me compraré una manzana" is also a incompleted action, but we use the indicativo there. How does it work? - Matty08, Aug 22, 2016

Cody, when you say subjuncttive indicator, am I right in understanding that you are referring to the 'trigger' ie the verb that 'triggers' the use of the subjuctive? - FELIZ77, Aug 22, 2016

Cody, please explain what you mean when you say: verbs of emotion don't necessitate two subjects.) ? - FELIZ77, Aug 22, 2016

Native Spanish teachers incluidng my own teacher who is a native from Spain have taught me that when using certain verbs of emotion eg: querer (to want/ to love) and esperar (to hope/expect/ and wait for) trigger the subjunctive eg Quiero que me compraste - FELIZ77, Aug 22, 2016

un nuevo coche = I want you to buy me a new car or Espero que llegue mañana = I hope that she will arrive tomoorow - FELIZ77, Aug 22, 2016

and surely there are two different subjects one in each clause eg ex 1 : Quiero = I want (that) me compraste (you buy) you being the 2nd subject you - FELIZ77, Aug 22, 2016

Yes, subjunctive indicator is what triggers the subjunctive. - codyandrews1993, Aug 22, 2016

Verbs of emotion would simply be saying this in Spanish: Quiero ir al museo (I want to go to the museum) The "ir" doesn't necessitate being a second subject. Therefore, it is not conjugated as "vaya." - codyandrews1993, Aug 22, 2016

Yes, there are verbs that must trigger the subjunctive and "querer" and "esperar" are two of them. Quiero que vayas a la fiesta (I want you to come to the party). Espero que vengan a la cina. (I hope that they come to the theatre) - codyandrews1993, Aug 22, 2016

Answer 3

Songs often twist the lyrics by adding strange grammar usage.
The sentence doesn't make sense by its own, because the implication of donde yo vaya means pero aún no voy.

It would be important to keep in mind that Spanish's future subjunctive was ousted by the present subjunctive. In essence, the sentence would mean, "Wherever I may go (I haven't gone there yet), but I know I'll see your face" - codyandrews1993, Aug 22, 2016

That is how I understood the sentence upon first reading it in the question, before I started to read all the responses ;) - FELIZ77, Aug 22, 2016