How do you say " X days left until we go to X"
For instance, if I am going on a trip with my friends soon and I want to say "12 days until we go to Cuba!"
I don't understand why Google Translate says "12 días hasta que vayamos a Cuba"... why can't I say "12 dias hasta vamos a Cuba"?
5 Answers
You can also say "12 días para que vayamos a Cuba"
You can't say "12 días hasta vamos a Cuba" because that's no the way we put this idea into words in Spanish, I mean, sometimes in both English and Spanish we put ideas into words in a similar way but sometimes we express the same idea in a very different fashion.
Examples:
When you need to eat, In Spanish you say "tengo hambre" but in English you say "I am hungry". The idea is the same in both languages but we put it into words in a very different way in each language.
You can`t translate word by word always.
A few words on the grammar behind DoctorSpanish's answer:
There are certain adverbial conjunctions that always need to be followed by a subjunctive form because they always refer to a pending or hypothetical action when compared to the referent clause, and certain ones that need to be followed by subjunctive only if they refer to the future:
If you look at this link, which explains the concept succinctly and well:
http://users.ipfw.edu/jehle/courses/SUBJADV.HTM
You will see that para que and antes de que , always need subjunctive, and hasta que does only if it introduces an anticipated action (that has not yet happened).
You will note that your sentence regards something that has not yet happened.
You also don't have a complete sentence. I believe Quedan would make a nice choice:
Quedan 12 días (hasta que, para que, antes de que) vayamos a Cuba.
I think the para que choice given by DoctorSpanish may be the most common of those options, but I am not a native speaker so cannot say that definitively.
Drew-spanish: No, no.
You say this:
"While I'd understand "12 días hasta que vayamos a Cuba" it's not how I'd say it. They way you want to say it is right. Another way I'd say it is "12 días hasta que vámonos a cuba"
Well, "12 días (hasta que / para que) vayamos a Cuba" is the correct way. Otherwise, "12 días hasta que vámonos a Cuba" is incorrect.
The way honeynugget12 wants to say it - "12 días hasta que vamos a Cuba" is incorrect as well.
Time Clauses in English take PRESENT TENSE even though the idea is future. Example:
I will see him when he COMES. (comes is present)
Here we have two ideas;
I will see him.
He will come.
Both ideas are future but in Time Clauses with when, while, until, before , after etc. the idea is future but we express it with a present tense.
..............................................................
In Spanish we express this with subjunctive. Examples:
Yo lo veré cuando él "venga" . (subjunctive and not "viene" present)
Él comerá antes de que yo retorne. (retorne is subjunctive and not retorno)
Juan va a comer después que su esposa cocine. (cocine is subjunctive and not cocina)
Nosotros vamos a viajar cuando mi marido pueda ( pueda is subjunctive and not puede) *
First of all the what you want to say is "12 días hasta que vamos a Cuba". Que is used as a connector and even though we'd understand you it wouldn't sound normal. The other thing to remember is that google translate is far from perfect. While I'd understand "12 días hasta que vayamos a Cuba" it's not how I'd say it.
They way you want to say it is right. Another way I'd say it is "12 días hasta que vámonos a cuba"
To sum it all up, your right (even it sounds weird, we'd understand), but you could say it multiple ways. The reason why they say vayamos is because "12 days until we go to Cuba!" is implying excitement and desire to go to Cuba.
