Carlos Vives/Shakira Lyric - Subjunctive vs. Indicative

Question

¡Hola!

Escuchaba la canción "La Bicicleta" por Carlos Vives y Shakira, y encontré la letra "Le gusta que la miren cuando ella baila sola." Pensaba que la palabra "baile" debería haber utilizado, porque "cuando" provoca el subjuntivo. ¿Alguien me puede explicar por qué se utiliza "baila" en este caso?

¡Gracias!

Anyone in the mood to just listen to a song that just makes you feel good (along with the video)? "La Bicicleta" hits the spot. :) - Sassette, Dec 30, 2016

Answer 1

Whenever "cuando" refers to a future, not yet happened , event you use subjunctive.

When"cuando" refers to a repetitive action, that has happened, and may happen again, it is indicative.

Le gusta que la miren cuando ella baila sola.

It is pleasing to her that they look at her when she dances alone.

This is something she has done, and likely will again, but the key is it is not just a future action, she has done it.

See this answer I gave earlier today:

http://www.spanishdict.com/answers/288074/puede-ser-que-sujuntivos

and this link I included:

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

You just got help from the master, KRavishankar19 (bosque doesn't view himself that way but he's good) - Sassette, Dec 30, 2016

Otra vez, ¡increíble! :) - Daniela2041, Dec 30, 2016

Answer 2

Bueno, aunque la proposición "cuando" puede provocar el subjuntivo, típicamente le queda mejor el indicativo.

En esta oración, sólo se implica que al bailar sola, le gusta que la miren. Por lo tanto, se implica duda solamente con el hecho de que la miren y no con la manera en la que baila. "Cuando" es una preposición neutro y a menos que no se sepa algo, no se necesita el subjuntivo tras ello.

Hay algunas preposiciones que siempre son acompañadas de la forma subjuntiva, pero ésta no es una. Sin embargo, un ejemplo en el que sería acompañada de un verbo en la forma subjuntiva es cuando se usa con el ánimo de expresar algo en el porvenir. "Cuando regresen a la fiesta" o "Cuando nos encontremos la siguiente vez.."

En esta oración, se describe un acto de rutina (en este caso bailar). Y como ha esclarecido bosquederoble en mejor detalle esta propiedad del "Presente", en los situaciones del presente, no se necesita el subjuntivo con "cuando".

Thanks for your insight. Indeed, while there could be doubt about being looked at there is no doubt that she dances. - Sassette, Dec 30, 2016

Thank you for answering! - KRavishankar19, Dec 30, 2016

You're welcome, guys! - NuncaSeSabe, Dec 30, 2016

Answer 3

You have great taste in music. To view this song with English and Spanish subtitles press here:La Bicicleta

My answer, which is a complete guess, is that cuando can be subjunctive but not all the time.The indicative mood is used when that verb refers to something that has already occurred or is occurring in the present. The present includes referring to an event that has occurred and could continue to occur.

So in this sentence that says "She likes to look when she dances alone" "she likes to be looked at when she dances by herself" it's really happening so the indicative is used.

My guess is that if you said When the economy improves, I will buy a new house in Spanish the subjuctive would be used because the economy has not improved yet and may never improve.

Oh, I think we were answering at the same time. - bosquederoble, Dec 30, 2016

We have like minds, bosque lol - Sassette, Dec 30, 2016

Take a lookat the way I translated the sentence. Your reasoning as to why subjunctive is correct though. :) - bosquederoble, Dec 30, 2016

I think your translation is better because it makes more sense. Working quickly to get an answer I just used the translation from the song that I provided a liink to. - Sassette, Dec 30, 2016

"que la miren" that they look at her. She likes to look would be "le gusta mirar". Right? - bosquederoble, Dec 30, 2016

Yes, i found it0 I don't agree. You could go with she likes to be looked at by taking the impersonal they and converting it to passive, but clearly in the sentence she is one being looked at, not doing the looking. :) - bosquederoble, Dec 30, 2016

I see you were making that last change at the same time I suggested it. :) - bosquederoble, Dec 30, 2016

Not all translations are accurate, I guess. It's rather humorous to me to think that she would be doing the looking. I'd say she'd full of herself to a strange degree. - Sassette, Dec 30, 2016

Thank you for answering, Sassette! - KRavishankar19, Dec 30, 2016