How To Use Cuando in Spanish

How To Use Cuando in Spanish Cuando or its question form, cundo, is the Spanish word used most often for when. It can be used as an interrogative pronoun, subordinating conjunction, or preposition. Fortunately, its use is usually straightforward for Spanish students because as a pronoun or conjunction it is used in much the same way as the English word. Cundo in Questions In questions, cundo is always used with a verb in the indicative mood, the most common type. As in the final two examples, cundo can also be used in indirect questions.  ¿Cundo pasà ³ el cometa Halley por à ºltima vez? (When did Halleys comet last pass by?) ¿Cundo es Semana Santa en Espaà ±a este aà ±o? (When is Holy Week in Spain this year?) ¿Hasta cundo dura la ola de frà ­o? (How long will the cold wave last? Literally: Until when will the cold wave last?) ¿Cundo ganarà © la loterà ­a? (When will I win the lottery?)Quieren saber cundo voy a dar a luz. (They want  to know when Im going to give birth.)No entiendo cundo se usan las palabras por y para. (I dont understand when the words por and para are used.)No sabemos cundo aprendià ³ a atarse los zapatos. (We dont know when she learned to tie her shoes.) Note how cundo is spelled with an orthographic accent. The accent doesnt affect its pronunciation. Cuando as a Subordinator When cuando is used used to introduce a clause (a series of words that could be a sentence but form a longer phrase starting with cuando), either the indicative or subjunctive mood can be used in that clause. The choice of moods depends on whether the action of the verb has been completed. As a subordinating conjunction, cuando - usually translated as when or whenever - typically is followed by a verb in the indicative mood 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. Boldface verbs in these samples indicate the subordinate verb in the indicative mood: Recuerdo cuando llegaron mis padres. (I remember when my parents came.)La à ºltima vez fue cuando dos miembros del equipo fueron detenidos. (The last time was when two members of the team were arrested.)Ana cometià ³ dos errores cuando comprà ³ la bicicleta.  (Ana made two mistakes when she bought the bicycle.)No hay nada que hacer cuando la và ­ctima ya est muerta. (There is nothing to do when the victim is already dead.)Nadie me paga cuando estoy enfermo. (Nobody pays me when Im sick.)Come cuando tengas hambre, no sà ³lo cuando el reloj dice que es hora de comer. (Eat when you are hungry, not just when the clock says its time to eat.)Cuando vamos a la ciudad siempre es porque hay mil cosas que hacer allà ­. (When we go to the city it is always because there are a thousand  things to do there.) In contrast, the present-tense subjunctive mood typically follows cuando when verb referring to an action or state of being that has yet to occur. Note how use of the subjunctive isnt accompanied by a corresponding verb change in the English translation.  Boldfaced verbs here are in the subjunctive: Llegaremos cuando debamos y no antes. (We will arrive when we should and not before.)Mà ­rame a los ojos cuando hables.  (Look in my eyes when you speak.)Despià ©rtame cuando lleguen tus amigos. (Wake me up when your friends arrive.)Vamos a hacerlo cuando seamos capaces. (We are going to do it when we are capable.) ¿Quà © voy a hacer cuando està © viejo? (What am I going to do when I am old?)Cuando vayamos a la ciudad sea porque habrn mil cosas que hacer allà ­. (When we go to the city, it will be because there will be a thousand things to do there.) Cuando as a Preposition Although not particularly common, cuando also can be a preposition. In these instances, cuando means at the time of, although you may have to improvise with the translation rather than translating word for word. Voy a estar triste cuando insolvencia. (Ill be sad when an insolvency occurs.)No he pensado cà ³mo serà © cuando adulto. (I have not thought of how Ill be as an adult.)Apaga la llama cuando hervir. (Turn off the flame when boiling occurs.) Key Takeaways When cundo is used in a question to mean when, a written accent is used with the .Cuando (without a written accent) is frequently used to introduced a clause that can be in either the indicative or subjunctive mood.Unlike the English when, cuando is sometimes used as a preposition and cannot be translated directly.