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Temporal adverbial (subordinate) clauses II

Brief and clear explanation about subordinate temporal clauses of simultaneity and delimitation.

Gramática: Oraciones (subordinadas adverbiales) temporales II

B1 Spanish Subordinate clauses adverbs temporary simultaneous and delimitation

Level: B1

Module 5: Vida adulta (Adult life)

Lesson 34: Relaciones y rupturas (Relationships and break-ups)

Teaching guidelines +/- 15 minutes

Audio and video

Audio with translations
Audio with translations

  1. We use temporal subordinate clauses of simultaneity to express two or more actions that occur at the same time, in the present or in the past.
  2. We use temporal subordinate clauses of delimitation to mark the moment when an action ends or changes, especially in the future.
TipoExpresiónEjemplo

Simultaneidad

 

Al + infinitivoAl enamorarse Pedro y Ana decidieron convivir juntos. (Upon falling in love Pedro and Ana decided to live together.)
Cuando + indicativoCuando estaban solteros solían ligar mucho en las fiestas. (When they were single, they used to chat up a lot at parties.)
Mientras + indicativoMientras pedía perdón su expareja lloraba por la ruptura. (While asking for forgiveness, his ex-partner was crying over the breakup.)
DelimitaciónHasta que + subjuntivoNo se besarán hasta que estén enamorados de verdad. (They will not kiss until they are truly in love.)

Exercise 1: Temporal adverbial (subordinate) clauses II

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Show translation Show answers

convivían, se besaban, decidir, pedir, terminó, estaban, querrán, superen

1. Besarse:
Mientras ... los dos confesaron que estaban enamorados desde hace meses.
(While they were kissing, both confessed that they had been in love for months.)
2. Querer:
No ... dar el paso de casarse hasta que estén realmente enamorados.
(They will not want to take the step of getting married until they are really in love.)
3. Pedir:
Al ... perdón Marta se dio cuenta de que su relación estaba a punto de la ruptura.
(When asking for forgiveness, Marta realized that her relationship was on the brink of breaking up.)
4. Estar:
Cuando ... solteros ellos solían ligar en los bares del barrio.
(When they were single, they used to chat up people in the local pubs.)
5. Convivir:
Cuando ... juntos se dieron cuenta de que preferían estar separados.
(When they lived together, they realized that they preferred to be apart.)
6. Superar:
No se casarán hasta que ... la ruptura de sus relaciones anteriores.
(They will not marry until they get over the breakup of their previous relationships.)
7. Terminar:
Cuando ... la ruptura ella decidió que sería mejor quedarse soltera.
(When the breakup ended, she decided it would be better to stay single.)
8. Decidir:
Al ... convivir con Eva Carlos no podía imaginar vivir separado de ella.
(When Carlos decided to live with Eva, he couldn't imagine living apart from her.)

Exercise 2: Translate and use in a sentence

Instruction: Pick a word, translated and use the word in a sentence or dialogue.

1

terminó

he finished

2

pedir

asking for

3

estaban

they were

4

superen

they overcome

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