Destinos: 27-52 The Main Grammar Points, and Exercises with ...

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(which means that our arriving was a real fact when they called). Likewise in numbers 2 and 3
they had eaten before we left, and so, again, the answer is YES (their eating occurred before our
leaving). In number 4, however, their eating was not an accomplished fact before the action in the
independent clause (our leaving) occurred, so for number 4 the answer to this second question is
NO.
As you might expect, we shall use the indicative mood for the verb in the dependent adverbial
time clauses in 1, 2, and 3, but in number 4 the subjunctive will be used. In all four sentences, the
tense--regardless of whether the mood is indicative or subjunctive--will be a past tense. Here are
the four sentences in Spanish; the dependent adverbial clauses have been underlined, and the
mood and tense of the verb in the dependent clause have been indicated:
1. Llamaron cuando llegamos. (indicative-past tense)
2. Tan pronto como comieron, salimos. (indicative-past tense)
3. Salimos después (de) que comieron. (indicative-past tense)
4. Salimos antes (de) que comieran. (subjunctive-past tense)
IV. COMMANDS
Overview.
There are commands, or imperatives, for five forms in Spanish: tú, Ud., nosotras/os, vosotros/as,
and Uds. The Destinos program covers only tú, Ud, and Uds. command forms. The formation of
affirmative tú commands sets this form apart, but there are still some general grammatical rules
which apply to all command forms. These common rules will be repeated as we consider the
various commands individually, but it will be useful to set them out here as well, before we begin
with the separate forms. Subsequent examples will make these rules clear.
1. Object pronouns (including reflexives), are attached to affirmative commands, but
precede negative commands.
2. All negative commands are forms of the present tense of the subjunctive mood.
A. USTED command forms.
The affirmative and negative Ud. command forms are the same. They are identical to the third
person singular (=Ud.) form of the present subjunctive:
Examples: HABLAR-(no) hable Ud.; COMER-(no) coma Ud. ; VIVIR-(no) viva Ud.;
TENER-(no) tenga Ud.; SER (no) sea Ud.; CONDUCIR- (no) conduzca Ud., etc.
Remember that certain verbs reflect orthographic, or spelling, changes in the subjunctive:
examples are BUSCAR-busque; PAGAR-pague; SEGUIR-siga; ALMORZAR-almuerce,
etc.