4.5.5 The past subjunctive in adverbial clauses

As you saw in the previous chapter, when you have a sentence that requires the subjunctive and it is in the past, you will need to use the past subjunctive (also called the imperfect subjunctive).  You reviewed how to conjugate the past subjunctive in the previous chapter.  Now, let’s take a look at a few sentences with adverbial clauses in the subjunctive or indicative:

Always subjunctive:

La maestra explicó el problema para que los estudiantes entendieran.

No había manera de avanzar por el camino sin que cortaran el árbol.

Always indicative:

Siempre que iba al mercado me acompañaba mi mejor amiga.

When you have to choose (MATCHED):

Cuando llegaba a su casa, me llamaba (This is habitual, possibly at a set time)

Quedamos en que cuando llegara a su casa, me llamaba (I don’t know when this person is arriving at home)

What is the difference between these two sentences?

Nos quedábamos en la playa mientras hacía buen tiempo

Nos quedábamos en la playa mientras hiciera buen tiempo