Subordinating Conjunctions in Spanish
In [link to Lesson 23], we learned about coordinating conjunctions, which connect similar or parallel words or clauses. Subordinating conjunctions are used to connect dependent clauses to main clause. A dependent clause is usually an incomplete sentence, a group of words that cannot stand on its own, though sometimes it may just be an incomplete thought that leaves the listener needing more information to understand the meaning.
The most common subordinating conjunction is que [that].
Examples:
Veo que el bus ya vino. [ I see that the bus already came]. El libro que estás leyendo es muy interesante. [The book you are reading is very interesting.]
In these sentences, notice that que connects a dependant clause. Veo is a complete sentence, but we are left wondering what you see. que el bus ya vino gives that information. In the second sentence, que estás leyendo cannot stand on its own. It only makes sense when added into the clause El libro es muy interesante.
Here are some other common subordinating conjunctions. Note that many actually include que:
A condición de que [On the condition that]
A fin de que [so that, in order that]
A menos que [unless]
A pesar de que [in spite of]
Antes de (que) [before]
Aun cuando [Even if]
Aun [Even, still, however, yet]
De suerte que [so that, in such a manner that]
Desde que [since]
Después de (que) [After]
Donde [where]
En caso (de) que [In case]
En cuanto [As soon as]
Aunque [even though]
Bien que [even though]
Como [as since]
Con tal (de) que [As long as]
Cuando [when]
Hasta que [until]
Mientras que [provided that]
Para que [so that]
Porque [because]
Pues [for, because]
Puesto que [since]
Si [if]
Sin que[without]
Siempre que [provided that]
Ya que [since]
The most common subordinating conjunction is que [that].
Examples:
Veo que el bus ya vino. [ I see that the bus already came]. El libro que estás leyendo es muy interesante. [The book you are reading is very interesting.]
In these sentences, notice that que connects a dependant clause. Veo is a complete sentence, but we are left wondering what you see. que el bus ya vino gives that information. In the second sentence, que estás leyendo cannot stand on its own. It only makes sense when added into the clause El libro es muy interesante.
Here are some other common subordinating conjunctions. Note that many actually include que:
A condición de que [On the condition that]
A fin de que [so that, in order that]
A menos que [unless]
A pesar de que [in spite of]
Antes de (que) [before]
Aun cuando [Even if]
Aun [Even, still, however, yet]
De suerte que [so that, in such a manner that]
Desde que [since]
Después de (que) [After]
Donde [where]
En caso (de) que [In case]
En cuanto [As soon as]
Aunque [even though]
Bien que [even though]
Como [as since]
Con tal (de) que [As long as]
Cuando [when]
Hasta que [until]
Mientras que [provided that]
Para que [so that]
Porque [because]
Pues [for, because]
Puesto que [since]
Si [if]
Sin que[without]
Siempre que [provided that]
Ya que [since]
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