Subordinate Clauses in SpanishB1

A subordinate clause depends on another main clause to have full meaning. It does not present itself as an autonomous idea, but as an integrated part of a longer sentence. In Spanish, the main clause marks the general frame and the subordinate clause provides information that completes, explains, or specifies that frame. Therefore it cannot be read in isolation as a final message. In Word Order you see how the parts of the sentence are organized; here that organization is expanded with a clause that is joined to another. The subordinate clause may provide a person, a cause, a time, a condition, or a description, but it always depends on the structure that contains it.

Basic features of the subordinate clause

Idea
A subordinate clause depends on a main clause to complete its meaning.
A subordinate clause does not function alone as a complete message.
A subordinate clause is integrated into a longer sentence and provides precise information.

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A noun clause functions as a noun within the main sentence. It can occupy the place of subject, of direct object, or of the object of a preposition. In a sentence like Me alegra que vengas, the clause que vengas acts as the subject of the idea expressed by alegra. In Quiero que me llames, the clause is the direct object of quiero. And in Confío en que llegues a tiempo, the whole clause completes the sense of the preposition en. The key is that the whole sentence performs the same function as a noun: to name something, refer to a fact, or present an action as a complete idea.

Functions of the noun clause

Idea
A noun clause can be the subject of the main clause.
A noun clause can be the direct object of a verb.
A noun clause can function as the object of a preposition.

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Noun clause subordinations usually introduce with que, with si or with interrogative pronouns and adverbs such as qué, quién, cuándo, dónde and cómo. With que an affirmation or a fact is presented: Dice que viene. With si a doubt or an indirect question is expressed: No sé si viene. With interrogatives, the subordinate clause captures an indirect question: No recuerdo quién llamó. These connectors do not function as loose words, but as the entry of the subordinate clause within the main one. In Oraciones Interrogativas direct questions are worked on; here those same forms appear inside another sentence, without question marks.

Common subordinate clause connectors

Word	Definition
que	Introduces an affirmative or declarative idea inside another sentence.
si	Introduces a doubt or indirect question about a possibility.
qué	Introduces an indirect question about a thing or information.
quién	Introduces an indirect question about a person.
cuándo	Introducts an indirect question about time.
dónde	Introduces an indirect question about location.
cómo	Introduces an indirect question about the manner.
cuánto	Introduces an indirect question about quantity or degree.
cuál	Introduces an indirect question to choose or identify.
que si	Introduces a repeated doubt within a colloquial narrative.

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Relative clauses describe a preceding noun, as a adjective would, but with a complete sentence. In El libro que compré es caro, the clause que compré modifies libro. In La mujer que vive aquí es médica, the clause identifies and describes mujer. These relative clauses can restrict the meaning of the noun, indicating which one it is, or they can add a broader description. Their function is not independent: they always depend on an antecedent to which they are linked by a relative pronoun. In Conjunciones the links that connect ideas appear; in relative clauses, that link is part of the relationship with the noun being modified.

Functions of the adjective clause

Idea
An adjective clause describes a preceding noun.
An adjective clause can restrict the meaning of the noun.
An adjective clause can explain a detail of the noun.

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The antecedent is the noun to which the relative pronoun refers. Normally it appears before the relative and gives its concrete reference. In La casa que viste es nueva, casa is the antecedent of que. In El hombre cuya hija estudia aquí vive cerca, hombre is the antecedent of cuya. That order allows immediate identification of which word the subordinate clause accompanies. If the antecedent were not before, the relative would be without a clear base. Relative pronouns do not name by themselves; they recover their sense from a preceding word. Therefore the relationship between antecedent and relative is one of the foundations of the Concordancia Sujeto-Verbo when the subordinate clause must maintain a precise reference.

Relation between relative and antecedent

Idea
The antecedent usually appears before the relative pronoun.
The relative pronoun refers to the antecedent and substitutes it inside the subordinate clause.
The presence of the antecedent helps to identify the exact referent.

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Relative clauses that are restrictive identify the noun and do not go between commas: Los alumnos que estudian aprobaron. Here the subordinate clause limits the group of students. Non-restrictive clauses add extra information about a noun already identified and do go between commas: Los alumnos, que estudiaron mucho, aprobaron. Here the subordinate clause does not select; it only adds a piece of information. The difference is not in the relative, but in the function of the information. If the sentence needs that subordinate clause to know who is being spoken about, it is restrictive. If the noun is already clear and the subordinate clause only comments on something else, it is non-restrictive. In Oraciones Afirmativas you can see the declarative basis on which these relationships are built.

Difference between two types of relatives

Idea
The explanatory relative adds extra information about the noun.
The restrictive relative identifies exactly the noun we’re talking about.
The explanatory relative goes between commas in writing.
The restrictive relative does not use commas because it limits the meaning.

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Adverbial clauses express circumstances of time, cause, condition, or purpose. They function as an expanded adverb, because they do not describe a noun, but the entire situation of the main sentence. In Cuando llegues, llama, the subordinate clause marks time. In No salimos porque llueve, it expresses cause. In Si tienes tiempo, ven, it indicates condition. In Estudio para que me vaya mejor, it indicates purpose. These subordinate clauses are placed within the sentence to specify how, when, or why the main action occurs. Their value depends on the connector that introduces them and on the logical relation they establish with the main idea. In Conjunciones Subordinantes many of those connectors appear.

Uses of adverbial clauses

Usage	Explanation
Time	They are used to indicate when the main action occurs.
Cause	They are used to explain why something happens.
Condition	They show what must happen for the main event to occur.
Purpose	They express for what purpose the action is performed.

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Many subordinate clauses use the subjunctive when the main clause expresses desire, doubt, command, evaluation, or purpose. In Quiero que vengas, vengas is in the subjunctive because it depends on a desire. In Es posible que llueva, the subordinate clause presents a possibility. In Te llamo para que me ayudes, the subjunctive appears because of the purpose. The choice of mood does not depend only on the connector, but on the meaning that the main sentence imposes on the subordinate clause. A single structure can change mood if the speaker's attitude changes. That relationship between meaning and form is fundamental for the subordinate clause to fit correctly into the main sentence.

Contexts that favor the subjunctive

Idea
The subjunctive appears frequently when there is doubt or uncertainty.
The subjunctive is used to express desire or hope.
The subjunctive appears in expressions of mandate or necessity.
The subjunctive is common in subordinate clauses of purpose.

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In subordinate clauses, the word order follows the general pattern of Spanish, but some connectors allow the structure to change according to the type of information. When the subordinate clause depends on an indirect question, the order may approach that of Oraciones Interrogativas: No sé dónde vive. Negation usually goes before the main verb or inside the subordinate clause depending on the scope of the negative: No creo que venga and Creo que no viene do not express the same thing. In the subordinate sentence, the position of the elements remains tied to the verb that organizes it, and that relationship affects the order of subject, verb, and complements. The final form depends on which part of the sentence receives the negation or the interrogation.

Changes of order in subordination

Idea
In some subordinate clauses, the order can change relative to the main sentence.
In indirect questions, the subordinate clause retains the interrogative structure.
With negation, the main clause can modify the interpretation of the subordinate clause.
The intonation of the question is not written the same as in a direct question.

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In everyday speech words are omitted when the context already makes the sense clear. In a subordinate clause, a repeated subject, an already understood verb, or even the connector itself may disappear if the relationship becomes obvious. You say Si quieres, ven and there is no need to repeat the subject of quieres. Information that is recovered by the main sentence may also be omitted: Espero que sí answers a question or a proposal without repeating the entire subordinate clause. Ellipsis maintains the logical structure even if the form is shorter. In conversation, Spanish shortens elements when they are not necessary to identify the relationship between the main and the subordinate.