Spanish Conjunctions

Coordinating conjunctions connect two grammatically equal parts, neither depending on the other:

• Quiero café y té. → I want coffee and tea.
• No es caro pero es bueno. → It is not expensive but it is good.

The core categories are addition (y, ni), choice (o), contrast (pero, sino) and consequence (así que).

Confusing Pairs

sino vs si no. Sino (one word) means "but rather" and corrects a negative statement (No es azul sino verde). Si no (two words) means "if not" (Llámame si no puedes venir).

porque vs por qué vs porqué. Porque (one word, no accent) means "because" and gives an explanation (No voy porque estoy cansado). Por qué (two words, with accent) means "why" and asks a question (¿Por qué no vienes?). Porqué (one word, with accent) is a noun meaning "the reason" (No entiendo el porqué). A helpful rule of thumb: two words with an accent ask the question, one word without an accent gives the answer.

Subordinating Conjunctions

Subordinating conjunctions introduce a dependent clause. Some conjunctions require or commonly trigger the subjunctive when the action is uncertain, hypothetical, pending, or viewed as a goal or condition. Others are normally followed by the indicative.

• Cause - indicative:
  No salgo porque llueve. → I am not going out because it is raining.
• Future or pending time - subjunctive:
  Te llamo cuando llegue. → I will call you when I arrive.

Common conjunctions can be grouped by the relationship they express:

• Cause: porque, ya que, como → usually indicative
• Consequence: de modo que, de manera que → indicative or subjunctive, depending on whether the result is presented as real or intended
• Condition: si, a menos que → si uses indicative for real conditions, while a menos que requires the subjunctive
• Concession: aunque, a pesar de que → indicative or subjunctive, depending on whether the information is presented as known/real or uncertain/hypothetical
• Purpose: para que → subjunctive
• Time: cuando, antes de que, hasta que, mientras → often subjunctive when referring to a future or pending action; indicative when referring to a habitual or completed action

Key point: The conjunction itself does not always determine the mood. The choice between indicative and subjunctive often depends on whether the speaker presents the action as real/certain or uncertain, hypothetical, future, or intended.

Conjunctions and the Subjunctive

Subordinating conjunctions decide whether you use the indicative or the subjunctive.

Conjunctions of purpose, restriction or strict condition always take the subjunctive: para que, antes de que, a menos que, con tal de que, en caso de que and sin que.

Conjunctions of time and concession take the indicative for confirmed facts and habits, but switch to the subjunctive for the unrealised future. Cuando llego, como (When I get home, I eat, a routine) uses the indicative, while Cuando llegue, como (When I arrive in the future, I will eat) uses the subjunctive.