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IntermediateTemporal Clauses
How time relationships are expressed in subordinate clauses in Spanish, English and Chinese.
Compare languages
Temporal clauses express when an event happens relative to another. Spanish uses the indicative or subjunctive depending on certainty. English uses various conjunctions with normal tense. Chinese uses 的时候/之前/之后/当.
Overview
Temporal clauses indicate the time of an event relative to the main clause.
- Spanish: Uses indicative for factual/realized events, subjunctive for future, hypothetical, or non-factual events. Many temporal conjunctions require the subjunctive when the event is not yet realized.
- English: Uses normal tense sequences. Present tense is used in subordinate clauses even when the main clause is future. No mood distinction.
- Chinese: Uses postpositions (的时候, 之前, 之后, 以来) attached to the clause. 当 requires 的时候. The 一…就… construction expresses immediate sequence.
Spanish
Cuando (when)
Indicative (past or present factual):
- Cuando llegué, estaba cansado. (When I arrived, I was tired.)
- Cuando llueve, me quedo en casa. (When it rains, I stay home.)
Subjunctive (future, habitual with uncertainty):
- Cuando venga, te llamaré. (When he comes, I’ll call you.)
- Llámame cuando puedas. (Call me when you can.)
Mientras (while)
Indicative (ongoing action in the past or present):
- Mientras leía, sonó el teléfono. (While I was reading, the phone rang.)
- Mientras estudio, no hablo. (While I study, I don’t talk.)
Subjunctive (future or hypothetical):
- Mientras estés aquí, estarás seguro. (While you are here, you’ll be safe.)
Antes de que (before)
Always triggers subjunctive:
- Antes de que salga, dime la verdad. (Before he leaves, tell me the truth.)
- Lávate las manos antes de que comamos. (Wash your hands before we eat.)
Infinitive alternative (same subject):
- Antes de salir, cierra la puerta. (Before leaving, close the door.)
Después de que (after)
Usually indicative for past events, subjunctive for future:
- Después de que llegó, cenamos. (After he arrived, we had dinner.)
- Después de que termine, iremos. (After he finishes, we’ll go.)
Infinitive alternative (same subject):
- Después de comer, dormí. (After eating, I slept.)
Tan pronto como / En cuanto (as soon as)
Subjunctive for future:
- Tan pronto como llegue, te aviso. (As soon as he arrives, I’ll let you know.)
- En cuanto pueda, te llamo. (As soon as I can, I’ll call you.)
Hasta que (until)
Subjunctive when the event is not yet realized:
- Esperaré hasta que venga. (I’ll wait until he comes.)
- No me voy hasta que termines. (I’m not leaving until you finish.)
Note: No…hasta que = “not…until”
Desde que (since)
Indicative:
- Desde que llegué, no paro de trabajar. (Since I arrived, I haven’t stopped working.)
- No lo veo desde que se fue. (I haven’t seen him since he left.)
Cada vez que (every time)
Indicative:
- Cada vez que viene, me trae flores. (Every time he comes, he brings me flowers.)
A medida que / Conforme (as)
- A medida que pasaba el tiempo, mejoraba. (As time passed, he improved.)
English
When
- When I arrived, he was sleeping.
- Call me when you get home. (present for future)
- When I was young, we lived in Madrid.
While / As
- While I was reading, the phone rang.
- As I walked in, everyone stopped talking.
- He called while I was cooking.
Before / After
- Wash your hands before you eat. (present for future)
- I left after he arrived.
- Before I knew it, it was over.
As soon as / The moment / Once
- I’ll call you as soon as I arrive. (present for future)
- The moment he saw her, he smiled.
- Once you finish, let me know.
Until / Till
- Wait here until I come back. (present for future)
- I didn’t leave until he apologized.
- I won’t go till you say so.
Since
- I haven’t seen him since he left.
- Since I met her, I’ve been happy.
- It has rained every day since we arrived.
Every time / Whenever
- Every time he comes, he complains.
- Whenever I see her, she smiles.
By the time
- By the time I arrived, it was over.
- By the time you read this, I’ll be gone.
Present for future rule
English uses the present tense in temporal clauses even when the main clause is future:
- ✅ When he arrives, I’ll tell him.
- ❌ When he will arrive, I’ll tell him.
No sooner… than / Hardly… when
- No sooner had I arrived than he left. (inversion)
- Hardly had I finished when the phone rang.
Chinese
当…的时候 (when)
- 当我到的时候，他在睡觉。(When I arrived, he was sleeping.)
- 当我看书的时候，电话响了。(When I was reading, the phone rang.)
Note: 当…的时候 is the standard construction. Sometimes 当 is omitted:
- 我看书的时候，他来了。(When I was reading, he came.)
在…之前 (before)
- 在我走之前，告诉我。(Before I leave, tell me.)
- 吃饭之前洗手。(Wash hands before eating.)
…以后 (after)
- 他来以后，我们吃了晚饭。(After he came, we had dinner.)
- 吃完饭以后，我睡觉。(After eating, I slept.)
在…的时候 / …时 (while)
- 在我学习的时候，别打扰我。(While I’m studying, don’t disturb me.)
- 他说话的时候，大家都安静。(While he was speaking, everyone was quiet.)
一…就… (as soon as)
- 他一到，我就告诉你。(As soon as he arrives, I’ll tell you.)
- 我一看见他，就笑了。(As soon as I saw him, I smiled.)
Pattern: 一 + event A + 就 + event B (A happens, then immediately B)
直到…才 (not…until)
- 直到他道歉，我才走。(I didn’t leave until he apologized.)
- 我直到昨天才知道。(I didn’t know until yesterday.)
Pattern: 直到 + event + 才 + result
从…以来 (since)
- 从我认识他以来，我很开心。(Since I met him, I’ve been happy.)
每次…都 (every time)
- 每次他来，都带花。(Every time he comes, he brings flowers.)
- 每当我看见她，她都在笑。(Whenever I see her, she’s smiling.)
越…越 (the more…the more)
- 时间越长，感情越深。(The longer the time, the deeper the feelings.)
Comparison at a glance
| Temporal relation | Spanish | English | Chinese |
|---|---|---|---|
| When | cuando + ind/subj | when | 当…的时候 |
| While | mientras | while / as | …的时候 |
| Before | antes de que + subj | before | 在…之前 |
| After | después de que + ind/subj | after | …以后 |
| As soon as | tan pronto como + subj | as soon as | 一…就… |
| Until | hasta que + subj | until | 直到…才 |
| Since | desde que | since | 从…以来 |
| Every time | cada vez que | every time / whenever | 每次…都 |
Examples in context
When I arrived, he was sleeping
- ES: Cuando llegué, estaba durmiendo.
- EN: When I arrived, he was sleeping.
- ZH: 当我到的时候，他在睡觉。
As soon as he arrives, I’ll tell you
- ES: Tan pronto como llegue, te aviso.
- EN: As soon as he arrives, I’ll tell you.
- ZH: 他一到，我就告诉你。
I won’t leave until he apologizes
- ES: No me voy hasta que pida perdón.
- EN: I won’t leave until he apologizes.
- ZH: 直到他道歉，我才走。
Common mistakes
-
Spanish speakers learning English: When he will arrive → When he arrives (present for future)
-
English speakers learning Spanish: Antes de que viene → Antes de que venga (subjunctive required)
-
English speakers learning Chinese: 当我到 → 当我到的时候 (的时候 required)
-
Chinese speakers learning English: Before I left, I closed the door for simultaneous → Before leaving, I closed the door (if same subject)
Related topics
- Conditionals: How if-clauses work
- Subjunctive: How mood encodes uncertainty
- Aspect: How ongoing and completed actions are marked
- Verb Tenses: How tense sequences work
Examples
When I arrived
Cuando llegué (indicative)
Before I leave
Antes de que me vaya (subjunctive)
After he came
Después de que vino (indicative)
While I was reading
Mientras leía
As soon as he arrives
Tan pronto como llegue (subjunctive)
Until she calls
Hasta que llame (subjunctive)
Since I met him
Desde que lo conocí
Every time he comes
Cada vez que viene
Examples
When I arrived
When I arrived
Before I leave
Before I leave
After he came
After he came
While I was reading
While I was reading
As soon as he arrives
As soon as he arrives
Until she calls
Until she calls
Since I met him
Since I met him
Every time he comes
Every time he comes / Whenever he comes
Examples
When I arrived
当我到的时候
Before I leave
在我走之前
After he came
他来以后
While I was reading
我看书的时候
As soon as he arrives
他一到...就...
Until she calls
直到她打电话
Since I met him
从我认识他以来
Every time he comes
每次他来都
Comparison at a glance
| Grammar concepts | Spanish | English | Chinese |
|---|---|---|---|
| When I arrived | Cuando llegué (indicative) | When I arrived | 当我到的时候 |
| Before I leave | Antes de que me vaya (subjunctive) | Before I leave | 在我走之前 |
| After he came | Después de que vino (indicative) | After he came | 他来以后 |
| While I was reading | Mientras leía | While I was reading | 我看书的时候 |
| As soon as he arrives | Tan pronto como llegue (subjunctive) | As soon as he arrives | 他一到...就... |
| Until she calls | Hasta que llame (subjunctive) | Until she calls | 直到她打电话 |
| Since I met him | Desde que lo conocí | Since I met him | 从我认识他以来 |
| Every time he comes | Cada vez que viene | Every time he comes / Whenever he comes | 每次他来都 |
Select at least one language to view comparisons
Side-by-side comparison
| Grammar concepts | Spanish | English | Chinese |
|---|---|---|---|
| When I arrived | Cuando llegué (indicative) | When I arrived | 当我到的时候 |
| Before I leave | Antes de que me vaya (subjunctive) | Before I leave | 在我走之前 |
| After he came | Después de que vino (indicative) | After he came | 他来以后 |
| While I was reading | Mientras leía | While I was reading | 我看书的时候 |
| As soon as he arrives | Tan pronto como llegue (subjunctive) | As soon as he arrives | 他一到...就... |
| Until she calls | Hasta que llame (subjunctive) | Until she calls | 直到她打电话 |
| Since I met him | Desde que lo conocí | Since I met him | 从我认识他以来 |
| Every time he comes | Cada vez que viene | Every time he comes / Whenever he comes | 每次他来都 |
Select at least one language to view comparisons
Examples in context
When I arrived
Spanish
Cuando llegué (indicative)
English
When I arrived
Chinese
当我到的时候
Before I leave
Spanish
Antes de que me vaya (subjunctive)
English
Before I leave
Chinese
在我走之前
After he came
Spanish
Después de que vino (indicative)
English
After he came
Chinese
他来以后
While I was reading
Spanish
Mientras leía
English
While I was reading
Chinese
我看书的时候
As soon as he arrives
Spanish
Tan pronto como llegue (subjunctive)
English
As soon as he arrives
Chinese
他一到...就...
Until she calls
Spanish
Hasta que llame (subjunctive)
English
Until she calls
Chinese
直到她打电话
Since I met him
Spanish
Desde que lo conocí
English
Since I met him
Chinese
从我认识他以来
Every time he comes
Spanish
Cada vez que viene
English
Every time he comes / Whenever he comes
Chinese
每次他来都
Select at least one language to view comparisons
Key Takeaways
Spanish: Uses indicative for factual/realized events, subjunctive for future, hypothetical, or non-factual events. Many temporal conjunctions require...
English: Uses normal tense sequences. Present tense is used in subordinate clauses even when the main clause is future. No mood distinction.
Chinese: Uses postpositions (的de时shí候hòu, 之zhī前qián, 之zhī后hòu, 以yǐ来lái) attached to the clause. 当dāng requires 的de时shí候hòu. The 一yī...就jiù... constru...
Key concepts compared: When I arrived, Before I leave, After he came.
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Last updated: June 4, 2026