Spanish Subordinate Clauses.How to Use Noun, Adjective & Adverbial Clauses.

Subordinate clauses, or oraciones subordinadas, are dependent clauses that cannot normally stand alone as complete sentences. They add information to a main clause by expressing ideas such as causes, conditions, consequences, or additional thoughts.

Subordinate clauses help speakers combine related ideas into complex, precise sentences. A subordinate clause generally depends on a main clause and is introduced by a conjunction or a relative pronoun.

Common connectors include:

• que (that, which)
• porque (because)
• si (if)
• cuando (when)

In the following examples, the bold text is the subordinate clause:

• Voy a casa porque necesito descansar. — I am going home because I need to rest.
• Ella me pidió que la llamara. — She asked me to call her.
• Saldré si termino mi trabajo. — I will go out if I finish my work.
• Esperé hasta que llegara Ana. — I waited until Ana arrived.

The subordinate clauses provide information that completes or specifies the meaning of the main clauses. The relationship between the clauses also determines the appropriate tense, mood, and connector.

Subordinate clauses in Spanish are categorized into three main types: noun clauses, adjective clauses, and adverbial clauses.

• Noun clauses: These function like nouns and can serve as the subject, direct object, or a complement. They are often introduced by que (that), si (whether or if), or interrogative words such as qué (what), dónde (where), and quién (who).

  Creo que él viene. — I believe that he is coming.

  • Subject: Que tú vengas me alegra. — That you are coming makes me happy.
  • Direct object: Quiero que me ayudes. — I want you to help me.
• Adjective clauses, also called relative clauses: These modify a noun, like an adjective. They can be introduced by relative words such as que (that, which, who), el cual and its other forms (which), quien (who), cuyo (whose), and donde (where). A restrictive clause identifies the noun it modifies, while a nonrestrictive clause adds extra information.

  La mujer que vive al lado es mi amiga. — The woman who lives next door is my friend.

  • Restrictive: El libro que leí fue interesante. — The book that I read was interesting.
  • Nonrestrictive: Mi hermana, quien vive en Madrid, viene a visitarme. — My sister, who lives in Madrid, is coming to visit me.
• Adverbial clauses: These function like adverbs by modifying a verb and expressing time, manner, place, purpose, condition, cause, or result. They are introduced by subordinating conjunctions such as cuando (when), porque (because), aunque (although), si (if), and mientras (while).

  No salgas hasta que yo llegue. — Do not leave until I arrive.

  • Time: Cuando llegues, llámame. — When you arrive, call me.
  • Condition: Si llueve, no vamos. — If it rains, we are not going.

Subordinate clauses, known as oraciones subordinadas, can serve several syntactic functions within a sentence. They may act as the subject, direct object, indirect object or prepositional complement, or complement of a noun or adjective.

1. Subject: A subordinate clause functions as the subject of the main clause.

• Que vengas es importante. — That you come is important.
• Lo que dices no tiene sentido. — What you are saying does not make sense.

2. Direct object: A subordinate clause functions as the direct object of the main verb.

• Espero que vengas. — I hope that you come.
• No sé si él vendrá. — I do not know whether he will come.

3. Indirect object or prepositional complement: A subordinate clause can occur in a construction introduced by a, where it receives the action or is the entity to which importance or another relationship is assigned.

• Le dieron importancia a que todos participaran. — They attached importance to everyone participating.
• Prestó atención a lo que dijo la profesora. — He paid attention to what the teacher said.

4. Complement: A subordinate clause can complement a noun, adjective, or another clause, often after a preposition.

• Estoy seguro de que vendrá. — I am sure that he will come.
• La idea de que él gane me preocupa. — The idea that he might win worries me.

Identifying the syntactic function of a subordinate clause helps clarify how it relates to the rest of the sentence.

Subordinate clauses connect to a main clause through conjunctions and relative words. The connector indicates the relationship between the clauses or links a relative clause to the noun it modifies.

Conjunctions include que (that), si (if or whether), porque (because), and cuando (when).

• Ella dijo que vendría. — She said that she would come.
• Si tienes tiempo, llámame. — If you have time, call me.

Relative pronouns and adverbs include que (that, which, or who), quien (who), cuyo (whose), el cual, la cual, and lo cual (which), and donde (where). The relative word refers back to a noun or idea in the main clause.

• El libro que me prestaste es muy interesante. — The book that you lent me is very interesting.
• Conozco a la persona quien dijo eso. — I know the person who said that.
• Este es el lugar donde nos conocimos. — This is the place where we met.
• El libro cuyo autor ganó el premio es fascinante. — The book whose author won the prize is fascinating.
• La casa en la que vivo es mía. — The house in which I live is mine.

Choosing the correct conjunction or relative word makes the relationship between the main clause and the subordinate clause clear.

One common mistake is choosing a tense or mood that does not fit the meaning or viewpoint of the sentence. In reported speech, a past main verb often places the subordinate verb in a corresponding past tense:

• Past viewpoint: Ella dijo que iba a la tienda. — She said that she was going to the store.
• Continuing present fact: Ella dijo que va a la tienda todos los días. — She said that she goes to the store every day.

The second sentence is also correct because it describes a current or habitual fact. Verb tenses must agree logically with the intended meaning, not merely follow a mechanical rule.

Another frequent error is using the indicative instead of the subjunctive after expressions of desire, influence, or necessity:

• Incorrect: Quiero que él viene. — I want him to come.
• Correct: Quiero que él venga. — I want him to come.

The subjunctive is used here because querer que expresses a wish or influence. It is also used in many subordinate clauses expressing doubt, emotion, uncertainty, or hypothetical situations; not every subordinate clause requires it.

Relative clauses also require the appropriate preposition. The verb hablar is used with de when referring to a topic:

• Incorrect: El libro que me hablé es interesante. — The book that I spoke to me about is interesting.
• Correct: El libro del que hablé es interesante. — The book that I spoke about is interesting.

Finally, make sure that the subject and verb in a subordinate clause agree in number and person:

• Incorrect: Las casas que está pintando son grandes. — The houses that she is painting are large.
• Correct: Las casas que están pintando son grandes. — The houses that they are painting are large.

The verb must agree with the intended subject: está pintando is singular, while están pintando is plural.