Adjectives can be used as nouns when combined with the pronoun "lo" (meaning = "the ______ one" or "the ______ thing"). Lo bueno = the good one or the good thing . These do not refer to a specific person or object, but rather the concept in general.
Adjectives that describe can also be used as nouns when they refer back to a previously modified noun. El rojo (the red one), La grande (the big one). (We were already talking about the objects referred to).
Verbs (in their infinitive form) can be used as nouns when combined with the definite article "el". This compares to the use of the gerund in English (speaking, studying). El hablar es importante. (You could have also said "es importante hablar", which makes it more impersonal). The definite article is used when talking about general, not specific, concepts.
When the dependent clause refers to an antecendent whose existence is in question (we know the person or item doesn't exist or it's possible that it doesn't exist), the subjunctive is used in the dependent clause: Busamos un libro que tenga información sobre la guerra. Or No hay nadie que hable español aquí
There are some conjunctions which always trigger the use of the subjunctive in secondary clauses: These include
the ESCAPAAAA conjunctions
en caso de que
sin que
con tal de que
antes de que
para que
a menos que
a fin (fines) de que
a condición de que
a no ser que
The following conjunctions of time require the subjunctive if the subsequent action or event has not yet occurred (typically shown by the use of the future or command tense). You may remember these as CAMELoT:
cuando
aunque
mientras que
en cuanto
luego que
tan pronto como
así que, una vez que, cada vez que
HD3 - use the infinitive if there is no "que"; otherwise, follow CAMELoT rules:
hasta que
después de que
de modo que
de manera que
formation of the imperfect subjunctive (-ra forms). To form the imperfect subjunctive, conjugate the desired verb in the preterite, ellos form. Drop "-ron" and add the cheer endings "-ra, -ras, -ra, -'ramos, -ran)
Ser + past participle (matches noun). La carta fue escrita por el autor.
Also formed with reciprocal "se escribió la carta" (agent not important)
If you are just trying to express the idea of "they said," etc., they you can put the verb in the ellos form and omit the subject. "Dicen que es malo fumar."
"que" is the most frequently used relative pronoun, used to join two clauses that are related (busco a la chica que sabe usar la computadora)
"quien" and "quienes" are used after prepositions (when referring to a person) or also in nonrestrictive clauses (those set off by commas) to refer to "who" or "whom". Remember that a nonrestrictive clause can be eliminated without destroying the integrity of the sentence.
"el que", "la que", "los que" and "las que" are similar in use to "quien" and "quienes" -- after prepositions and in nonrestrictive clauses. They are used to refer to people and things. They can be used to clarify when there are two antecedents (in which case the "el que" will refer to the antecedent furthest from the relative pronoun). Hablé con el jefe de mi mamá, el que nos llamó anoche. These can be used to clarify when needed (as in "he who, she who, etc.")
"El cual, la cual, los cuales, las cuales" - similar in use to "el que, la que, etc." Used after prepositions or in nonrestrictive clauses. To avoid confusion, they are used in place of "el que" after "por," "sin" and "para". You can't use "el cual" in sentences where the definite article was used as the antecedent.
"Lo que" and "Lo cual" refer to ideas that have previously been stated. Refers to the idea as a whole. When the idea has not been mentioned but is understood, only use "lo que". Lo cual refers back to an idea previously stated.
Cuyo, cuya, cuyos and cuyas are possessive adjectives meaning "whose". They are never to be used as question words (use "de quién" or "de quiénes")
Reciprocal
Used to imply the concept of "to each other". Se besaron.
"o" becomes "u" when used before a word beginning with the "o" sound (watch out for "h")
"y" becomes "e" when used before a word beginning with the "i" sound (watch out for "h")
pero = but
sino = but rather or but instead (introduces a contrasting idea to the first part of the sentence, which must be negative)
sino que is used after a negative clause if the second part of the sentence has a conjugated verb
Prepositions
To review prepositions (and see lists of verbs that require certain prepositions), please see p. 375-380 in the yellow book. Many verbs need to be followed by a certain preposition (and these must be memorized). An example: ir (a), soñar (con), tratar (de), etc.
Remember that if a verb directly follows a preposition, the verb must be in the infinitive.
