КАТЕГОРИИ:
АстрономияБиологияГеографияДругие языкиДругоеИнформатикаИсторияКультураЛитератураЛогикаМатематикаМедицинаМеханикаОбразованиеОхрана трудаПедагогикаПолитикаПравоПсихологияРиторикаСоциологияСпортСтроительствоТехнологияФизикаФилософияФинансыХимияЧерчениеЭкологияЭкономикаЭлектроника
The Subjunctive in Adjectival Clauses
Adjectives are words that modify a noun, describing or limiting it. Examples of adjectives are: the new hat, the pretty dress, many intelligent students. An entire clause may serve an adjectival purpose, describing a noun or pronoun —the antecedent— in a sentence, for example:
1. Do you have a dress which will go with these shoes?
2. Yes, I have a dress which will be perfect.
3. I don't see any dress (that) I like.
Note that in all three examples above, there is an adjectival clause (the part in bold-faced type) that modifies or refers back to the word dress. That is, the antecedent in all three cases is dress, but in each case the situation is different: in number one, the antecedent is indefinite, that is, we don't know if such a dress exists; in number two, the antecedent is definite, that is, it definitely is portrayed as existing; in number three, the antecedent is negated, that is, its existence is denied or at least doubtful.
| The rule: In Spanish, the subjunctive is used in an adjectival clause when the antecedent is indefinite or unknown or is nonexistent or negated; in contrast, the indicative is used when the antecedent is a definite or existing one. |
Illustration:
| Main clause | Dependent clause | |||
| Predicate | Antecedent | Adjectival clause | Mood of the verb ladrar(to bark) | Reason for the use of the subjunctive or the indicative |
| Tengo | un perro | que ladra mucho. | Indicative | There is a definite antecedent, a dog which I own. |
| No tengo | un perro | que ladre mucho. | Subjunctive | The antecedent is negated; such a dog doesn't exist. |
| Quiero | un perro | que ladre mucho. | Subjunctive | There is an indefinite antecedent; such a dog may or not exist. |
| (I have/don't have/want a dog that barks a lot.) |
More examples of the three types of situations:
1. The indicative is used in an adjectival clause when there is a definite antecedent:
| Hay algo aquí que me gusta. | There is something here which I like. | |
| Conoces al profesor que vive allí? | Do you know the professor who lives there? | |
| Leo un libro que explica todo eso. | I'm reading a book which explains all that. | |
| Tienen una criada que habla español. | They have a maid who speaks Spanish. |
2. The subjunctive is used in an adjectival clause when antecedent is negated:
| No hay nada aquí que me guste. | There is nothing here I like. | |
| No veo *a nadie que conozca. | I don't see anyone I know. | |
| No recomendamos ningún libro que él haya escrito. | We don't recommend any book he has written. |
3. The subjunctive is used in an adjectival clause when there is an indefinite antecedent:
| Hay algo aquí que te guste? | Is there anything here you like? | |
| Quiero leer un libro que explique todo eso. | I want to read a book which explains all that. | |
| Conoces *a alguien que viva cerca de aquí? | Do you know anyone who lives nearby? | |
| Buscamos una criada que hable español. | We're looking a maid who speak Spanish. [We hope we can find one!] |
*Note the use of the personal a before the pronouns alguien and nadie when used as direct objects.
Дата добавления: 2015-09-15; просмотров: 228; Мы поможем в написании вашей работы!; Нарушение авторских прав |