by Max Wheeler
(i) Preposition plus infinitive clause:
L’has d’acostumar a vestir-se ella sola. You must get her used to dressing herself.
instead of L’has d’acostumar (a) queesvesteixi sola.
Ajuden a fer que la casa sigui més bonica. They help to make it that house is more attractive.
instead of Ajuden (a) que la casa siguimésbonica.
en (el) cas de venir-hi ella in the event of her coming
instead ofen cas (de) quevinguiella
Amenacen amb multar-lo. They are threatening to fine him.
instead of Amenacen (amb) que/què el multaran.
(ii) Use of an empty noun phrase before the clause:
Common expressions like el fet que ‘the fact that’, la idea que ‘the idea that’, la possibilitat que ‘the possibility that’, etc., are stable in that they more easily resist retention of de before que.
No podemacostumar-nos a la idea que … (rather than a que)
We can’t get used to the idea that…
gràcies al fetqueestàvem ben preparats(rather than a que)
thanks to our being well prepared
L’errorprovédelfetques’hanconfós.(rather than de que)
The mistake arises from the fact that they have been confused.
(iii) Corresponding noun instead of complement clause:
Veig la necessitat de la renegociació del contracte.
I can see the need for the renegotiation of the contract.
instead of:
Veig la necessitat queel contracte es renegociï.
I can see the need for the contract to be renegotiated.
El fracàs és degut a llur equivocació.
The failure is due to their mistake.
instead of:
El fracàs és degut ques’han equivocat.
The failure is due to their making a mistake.
(iv) Other constructions:
A clause may be made to pick up its meaning as already represented in the sentence by això or allò:
Aquesta actitud seva té relació amb això: que s’havia deixat enganyar.
Aquesta actitud seva té relació amb allò d’haver-se deixat enganyar.
This attitude of his is related to his having let himself be deceived.
Either of these alternatives is regarded as preferable in standard Catalan to resorting to té relació amb que/què.
33 ADVERBIAL CLAUSES
33.1 GENERAL
Two distinct types of adverbial clause can be recognized: first, those acting like adverbs of place, time, or manner; and, second, those which limit the meaning conveyed in the main clause by means of a condition, a cause, a consequence, a purpose, a concession, or a comparison. In the following pages we shall discuss the full range of these adverbial clauses, except for conditionals which are studied separately in Chapter 34, and comparative clauses, which are covered in Chapter 5. The range of adverbial conjunctions is treated more fully in Chapter 15.
In this chapter we are concerned primarily with clauses introduced by a subordinating conjunction and containing a finite verb. Much of our discussion is also relevant to constructions involving a preposition + an infinitive (20.3.1.2). This is because of the large degree of lexical overlap, in the Catalan case, between adverbs (such as sense ‘without’, abans ‘beforehand’, després ‘afterwards’, see Chapter 13), prepositions (such as sense ‘without’, or compound prepositions such as abans de ‘before’, després de ‘after’, see Chapter 14), and adverbial conjunctions (such as sense que ‘without that’, abans que ‘before’, després que ‘after’, see Chapter 15).
33.2 ADVERBIAL CLAUSES OF PLACE, TIME AND MANNER
33.2.1 PLACE CLAUSES WITH ON ‘WHERE’
Vaig trobar el teu pare on tu em digueres.
I found your father where you told me (he’d be).
Et posaré la taula on tu vulguis.
I’ll put the table where you want.
The linking function can be emphasized by using a locative demonstrative adverb (or a prepositional phrase with a general ‘place’ noun) as an antecedent in the main clause.
Vaig trobar el teu pare allà on tu em digueres.
Et posaré la taula al lloc on tu vulguis.
When the antecedent in the main clause is nominal, the conversion of the adverbial clause into a relative one is easy:
Vaig trobar el teu pare en aquell bar que tu em digueres.(not *…allà que tu em digueres)
I met your father in that bar you said.
Et posaré la taula al lloc que tu vulguis.
On can be preceded by a preposition to specify location more precisely:
Aquest és el camí per on arriben a la finca.
This is the track along which they get to the farm.
Et seguiré a on tu vagis.
I’ll follow you to wherever you go.
La paret anava des d’on tu ets fins (a)on jo sóc.
The wall used to go from where you are to where I am now.
L’avió triga més quan vola cap (a)on bufa el vent.
The plane takes longer when it is heading into the wind.
33.2.2 ADVERBIAL CLAUSES OF TIME
On mood in temporal clauses see 19.4.7.
33.2.2.1 Time clauses with quan ‘when’
A temporal clause gives some time specificity to the situation denoted in the clause it depends on. The most usual introductory word here is quan ‘when’. As in English, the temporal frame expressed may be either that of simultaneity (or temporal overlap) or that of relating the situation in the main clause to another previously completed situation (‘when’ = ‘after’, see 33.2.2.6). This distinction may be made explicit by verbal aspect.
Quan aquella parella ballava tothom mirava.
When (i.e. every time) that couple danced everybody watched.
Quan aquella parella balla tothom mira.
When (i.e. every time) that couple dances everybody watches.
Va ofegar una exclamació quan els va veure.
She let out a stifled exclamation when she saw them (i.e. after she saw them).
Also as in English, quan can give a causal cast to a temporal construction in sentences of the kind:
Quan dius les coses amb tanta de seguretat, vol dir que en tens proves.
When you speak with such certainty it means that you have proof.
Quan la candelera riu (vol dir que) lluny és l’estiu.
When Candlemas smiles, summer is a long way off. (popular saying)
33.2.2.2 Duration: clauses with mentre ‘while’, alhora que ‘at the same time as’, and so on
Temporal clauses expressing coincidence over a period are introduced by mentre ‘while’. Normative grammar recommends a distinction between mentre ‘while’ and mentre que ‘whereas’, ‘as long as’, ‘while’. That is, mentre on its own is strictly for cases of temporal overlap, while mentre que expresses a conditional or concessive nuance, or a relationship of contrast (as in this very sentence) where there may be no literal temporal relation. In many situations both senses are combined and either form is appropriate.
He filmat la costa mentre el sol es ponia.
I filmed the coastline while the sun was going down.
Jo estudiava mentre (que) el meu marit treballava.
I studied while/whereas my husband worked.
In translating ‘as’, care must be taken to distinguish between a specific point in time (quan)and duration (mentre):
Quan entris, mira el quadre que hi ha a la paret.
As you go in look at the picture on the wall.
Mentre ens passejàvem, comentàvem la collita.
As we strolled along, we talked about the harvest.
Alhora que introduces an action simultaneous with another one. In this sense it is equivalent to mentre. However, it seems that alhora que can only replace mentre when the two simultaneous actions are performed by the same subject.
Reia alhora que es queixava dels seus mals.
He was l
aughing (at the same time) as he was complaining about his troubles.
Estudiava alhora que escoltava música.
She was studying and listening to music at the same time.
D’aquesta manera ens vengem alhora que fem un servei a la societat.
In this way we get our revenge while doing something positive for society.
With different subjects, rather than ?Ell es dutxava alhora que la seva germana prenia un bany the preferred solution is to use the analytical phrase al mateix temps que ‘at the same time as’, which covers both mentre and alhora que:
Ell es dutxava al mateix temps que la seva germana prenia un bany.
He was taking a shower at the same time as his sister was having a bath.
Complirà un deure amb la societat al mateix temps que alliberarà la consciència.
She’ll be discharging a duty to society at the same time as clearing her conscience.
Α mesura que is used for changes of state which are related and simultaneous:
Α mesura queperdia pes, el globus s’anava enlairant.
As it lost weight, the balloon rose through the air.
33.2.2.3 Repetition: clauses with sempre que, cada vegada que
Sempre que, cada vegada (cop/pic/volta) que ‘whenever’, ‘every time that’ introduce a repeated situation.
Sempre que necessita res em truca a la porta.
Whenever she needs anything she knocks on my door.
Cada vegada (cop/pic/volta) que ens veiem m’explica unaxafarderia.
Every time we meet, he tells me a bit of gossip.
Sempre que with the subjunctive can have a conditional sense ‘as long as’:
Pots mirar-ho si vols, sempre que no ho toquis.
You can look at it if you like, as long as you don’t touch it.
33.2.2.4 Duration over a period
Significant differences between English and Catalan verbal syntax are associated with temporal clauses referring to (i) something begun from a specified point of origin (‘since X’) and lasting up to the situation of the main verb, and (ii) a situation expressed by the main verb lasting up to (‘before’ or ‘until’) a point specified by the subordinate clause.
(i) Duration from a starting point: clauses with des que, ’ençà que ‘since’
Des de/d’ençà de (prepositions) and des que/d’ençà que (conjunctions), meaning ‘since’, measure time up to the beginning of the main verb situation:
El cel ja no és tan net d’ençà quehan instal·lat aquesta fàbrica de ciment.
The sky has been less clear ever since they built this cement works.
Es comportava així des que havia perdut el seu pare.
She had been behaving like that (ever) since she had lost her father.
D’ençà queprens aquesta medicina tens més gana.
Since you’ve been taking this medicine you’ve had a better appetite.
It is important to notice the differences between English and Catalan tense usage in the main verbs of this kind of sentence. The difference can be explained by the notion that English measures forwards from the point in the past when the main verb situation began, whereas Catalan measures backwards from the standpoint of an ongoing action. Thus the English perfect Ί have been here for a while’, or pluperfect Ί had been there for ages’, correspond to a Catalan present and imperfect respectively. The use of des de/des que, d’ençà de/d’ençà que for expressing the span of time in the subordinate temporal clause is complemented by an impersonal use of the verb fer (fa, feia ‘for’, ‘ago’; see 13.3), the two patterns of construction often working hand in hand:
-Quant faqueestudies l’anglès? -L’estudio des que vaig tornar de Londres, ara fa dos anys.
‘How long have you been studying English (for)?’ ‘I’ve been studying it since I came back from London, two years ago.’
Des de quan dius que era l’amo? No en feia més de vint anys?
How long do you say he’d been the boss? Wasn’t it (for) more than twenty years?
D’ençà que era fora no llegia cap diari.
Since she’d been away she hadn’t read a newspaper.
Convergence with the English type of tense structure is visible, however, when the main situation is viewed as being completed rather than ongoing. Some view this combination of perfect(haver + participle) and progressive (estar+ gerund) as a recent Anglicism, with the second version below being more authentic.
T’he estat esperant des de fa més d’una hora, i ara et truco a veure què passa.
T’estic esperant des de fa més d’una hora …
I’ve been waiting for you for over an hour, and now I’m phoning to see what’s going on.
(ii) Duration up to a finishing point: fins que ‘until’
The preposition fins (a) ‘until’ and the conjunction fins que ‘until’ introduce expressions of the temporal endpoint of the situation in the main clause.
Va tocar la guitarra fins que van fer-li mal els dits.
She played the guitar until her fingers hurt.
When a temporal clause refers to a future situation the verb will be either in the subjunctive or in the future indicative (see 19.4.7):
Fins que hagis/hauràs signat el contracte no et creuré.
Until you have signed the contract I won’t believe you.
Fins que can be followed by an expletive no (see 19.2.4v and 33.2.2.5).
Fins que no hagis/hauràs signat el contracte no et creuré.
33.2.2.5 Anteriority: abans (que) ‘before’
An abans clause specifies a reference point which the main clause situation precedes.
Abans que es van desxifrar, molts especialistes dubtaven que les inscripcions jeroglífiques maies representessin textos.
Before they were deciphered, many specialists doubted that the Mayan hieroglyphic inscriptions contained texts.
If the reference point of the temporal clause is imagined (non/actual), its verb will be in the subjunctive(19.2 and 19.4).
Abans que poguessin criticar-me, jo ja els havia demanat perdó.
Before they could criticize me I’d already said sorry.
Unlike fins que, mentioned just above, a temporal clause with abans que referring to a future situation will always have the verb in the subjunctive, and never in the future indicative (see 19.4.7):
Abans que diguis res vull explicar-te què m’ha passat. (* Abans que diràs…)
Before you say anything I want to explain what has happened to me.
Deixa’m obrir la finestra abans que encenguis el gas. (* abans que encendràs …)
Let me open the window before you light the gas.
Like fins que, however, abans que can be followed by an expletive no. In this respect the construction is connected to that with verbs of fearing (19.2.4v); that is, the source of the no seems to be the hope that something will not happen. In this case abans que can be reduced to abans no. The abans no version without que is more informal.
Abans (que) no diguis res vull explicar-te què m’ha passat.
Before you say anything I want to explain what has happened to me.
33.2.2.6 Posteriority: després que ‘after’, quan ‘when’ (=‘after’)
Després que ‘after’ can be used with any appropriate tense or aspect form; quan ‘when’ carries the sense of ‘after’ when it is used with an appropriate perfective or compound (anterior) verb form (including the past anterior, see 17.2.4).
Després que van veure un poc de món ella tornà a casa.
After they saw a bit of the world she came back home.
Després que hagueren vist un poc de món ella tornà a casa.
After they had seen a bit of the world she came back home.
Quan han vist el pati interior, jo els ensenyo les golfes.
When they have seen the courtyard, I show them the attics.
As mentioned in 19.4.7, after després que, the subjunctive may also be used even though the clause refers to a real situation. T
o refer to a future situation preceding that of the main clause, a clause introduced by quan or després que may be followed either by a compound future (future perfect, see 17.2.5) or a perfect subjunctive:
Quan hauràs picat pedra com jo sabràs què és la vida.
When you’ve been hewing stone for as long as I have you’ll know what life is all about.
Després quehauran vist un poc de món ella tornarà a casa.
When they have seen a bit of the world she will come back home.
Quan els hàgiu aconseguit ens podreu retreure els vostres èxits.
You can’t go on to us about your successes until you have achieved them.
See 17.1.4.1 and 19.4.7 for remarks on the alternation between future indicative and present subjunctive in subordinate clauses like the ones above and those referring to the future in the examples below.
A clause expressing immediate posteriority can be introduced by així que, de seguida que, tan aviat com, tan bon punt, tot seguit que, equivalents of ‘as soon as’, ‘no sooner …than’:
Així quearribi a casa digues-li que emtruqui.
As soon as he gets home tell him to ring me.
De seguida que arribarà l’ambulància partirem cap a l’hospital.